What's your position? pt.4

"Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia, After they were to come Mysia, they assayed(attempted) to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered(permitted) them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a Vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the Vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them."

Acts 16: 9&10

"What's your 20?"

As I have shared in the past several posts, the Lord has equipped us, trained us, and provided the Leadership, to be able to stand in these trying times and circumstances. I had used the analogies of military and athletic battles, to illustrate the preparation,and training to engage in these conflicts. To assume your position, that you have been equipped, and trained for, to stand against your opponents. In the spiritual realm, your adversary, the devil. Our stand against him, isn't just a defensive stand, but also to be on the offensive, as Jesus did. He came to destroy the evil one's works.

I shared previously, that it was the Lord who designated our position "He gave some to be, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, positions of leadership. But He gave ALL, who would freely come, the position of being "in Christ", a Christian, the greatest title to have. In all of these offices, there is the "Unction to Function". Jesus personified each Office, when He ministered on earth, and left these Gifts for the Church to grow, by the Power of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, disciples of Christ, we are to show Christ, to a lost world.The word apostle literally means, one who is sent. All Apostles are disciples, but not all disciples are Apostles.

The term, "what's your 20?" is a military term, abbreviated from, "what's your 10-20 ?", used for determining location. Even though as disciples, we may not be called to any of the the five-fold Offices, as disciples, we have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for service. We can serve in the basic meaning of the office functions. We can teach others about Christ, do the work of an evangelist, to prophesy, and to be sent. By the direction of the Holy Spirit, disciples, sent out to advance the Kingdom of God, by Preaching the Gospel. Light of the world, salt of the earth, anyplace we are, and everyplace we go.

Sometimes, we look at our location, not only physically, but spiritually also, and are disgruntled, discourage and some,even depressed, with where we are in life. Every place we go, every person we meet, should be looked at as an opportunity, to share the Gospel. Every test of our Faith, should become a testimony of His Grace, and Power. The Hope of Glory, taken to every corner of the earth, on every and any platform , to every creature, great and small. The Lord tells us to go into the highways and hedges, and tell all to come in, so his House would be full( Lk 14:23). If the Lord brought you to it, He will bring you through it. But sometimes we go places we never should have been.

Scripture has many examples of people, who were outside of God's will, in terms of being where they shouldn't have been, physically and spiritually. King David, Samson, Baalam, and Jonah to name a few. Anointed men of God, who where in the wrong place, either physically, spiritually, or both, and had to endure the consequences, of their sinful decisions. Consequences that took them out of God's will, and sometimes bringing death, to those around them. When we don't recognize the importance of our position, at the very least, people will not hear the Gospel, for such a time and place, as this. Life, and more abundantly.

As in today's scripture, we need to understand the importance of the Lord's leading, in our ministries. He gives the Vision, and Provision, to advance His Kingdom. Each of us with, a sphere of influence, a circle of friends, an area of responsibility to be His ambassadors. Who we are(Christians), is important, where we are, is as important, But He Who is with us, is most important. As it was with Adam, when the Lord asked him, "Where are you?", when we're not where we should be, physically or spiritually, the Lord may get our attention, by inquiring of us,"what's your 20". Even though, He knows.