Emptied Before Filled

     It is important to get ready to go out and share God's Word and your testimony.  It can take a lot out of you.  You can get a spiritual high or you can get drained.  You never know if you are going to face encouragement, indifference, or spiritual attack.  That is why you must plow the field first.  That means that you have to empty any selfish desire, pride, or pain.  When you go out you need to make sure it is about Jesus and not your baggage or desire to have attention. 

     Most if the world is unchurched.  Even America is not considered a Christian nation anymore.  You cannot go out and speak the language of the church.  People will shut down.  They don't understand what you are saying or where you are coming from.  You must meet people where they are like Jesus met you where you were.  The goal is to get them to come to church, but in the moment, it is more important to get them to want to know God.

     Christians do not have the option to pretend that everything is good in life.  We are in a spiritual war even if you chose not to acknowledge it.  God calls us to fight, but the way God fights is not like the way people fight.  It is using your spiritual gifts, showing agape love, and allowing the world to see Jesus through you.  Jesus never got violent.  He showed displays of anger, but he never laid hands on anyone in anger or aggression.

     The church needs to work together because it will take all of us to get a foothold in the world.  We give each other strength to go out into the world and not fall into the world.  We can help each not sin.  We can help each other in spiritual warfare.  We were never supposed to go at this alone.  Even Jesus had 12 apostles to support him and each other.

     God opens the doors for you.  Will you enter them?  Are you following Him?  Are you leaving a trail to help other people follow Him?  Are you living a life of righteous love?  Satan is fighting the work you are doing for Jesus.  He does not want to see you succeed.  He wants you to fail.  He wants you to fall.  He wants you destroyed because he fights dirty.  We all need to look within ourselves to take a good look at what we really value.  That is going to determine what will drive us in life.

     Prayer is how you empty yourself so that the Holy Spirit can fill you up and make you strong.  Prayer is the foundation of our work with God.  It is the only way we will succeed.  He uses ordinary people to do amazing things.  The apostles were fishermen, tax men, the humblest of the humble beginnings and now they will never be forgotten.  They were just willing. 

     When it comes to following and serving God there are no small jobs.  Every job is vital even if it is thankless.  To follow God is to live a life overlooked by many.  Some people will look down on you.  Some people will never be thankful for what you do for them.  However, God does notice and He will bless what you do in His name. 

     To follow Jesus, you cannot be spiritually weak.  You must work out your salvation every day.  If you do not, then you will never be bold.  You will never accomplish what God has given you to do with your life.  You will never be completely full of the spiritual gifts or feel complete in life.  It can be hard work at times and take a lot out of you, but it is always worth it.  Easy is not always a good thing.  A little hard work never hurt anyone.  It normally builds pretty good character. 

 Jeremiah 4:1-4 & Matthew 13:42-45