“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Acts 6:4

                Any ministry that does not start in prayer is dead. It is a prideful attitude before God if we truly believe we can carry things out on our own terms. It is truly insane to think that we can win souls to Christ with our own weak, fleshly means. It is only God who can raise a dead man from the grave, giving him the newness of life through the gospel of Jesus Christ! Any prideful attitudes must be humbled before we start anything. It starts by an honest realization that I am nothing, and that I must come to God with open hands… TOTALLY dependent on His mercy and His grace.Tor I love how Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that “prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and highest when upon his knees he comes face to face with God.” The early church got this. They prioritized prayer before anything else. They devoted themselves to prayer before ministering the word, knowing that apart from Christ they (and we) can do absolutely nothing (see John 15:5).

Often we come before God with our grocery lists of needs, seeking His hand alone to satisfy it. Rather we must seek the face of God alone, and seeking to be transformed from “one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18) It is evident that a lacking private prayer life spills over to how we act and position ourselves in our daily walk with Christ. As a result, in many areas of my life I have seen confidence in the arm of man instead of the arm of God. Putting it another way, I can see that I have been placing my confidence in the flesh instead of in God. Thanks be to God that He woke me up from this slumber, and brought me into a situation where I had to learn to prayer effectively, and depend entirely on Him to do HIS work, in HIS ministry.

This past weekend, February 13th 2016, I had the opportunity to organize an evangelism outreach downtown Toronto. Since it was the NBA All-Star weekend game downtown, I thought it would be a great time to engage the culture with the gospel! The planning for this event continued to move forward until one of my brothers in Christ told me that it was going to be one of the coldest weekends of the year, a low of -33 degrees Celsius. The tables seemed to turn around at this point, and I felt like I had no team to go forth with. In this moment my flesh began to scream in me, “let me take control, I got this! I can organize a group on my own terms”. But thankfully the Lord guided me to this truth, that “there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine” I realized that IF this ministry event was going to go forth, it would be on His terms, at His time, with His chosen vessels, and the situation will be under His sovereign control and ultimate wisdom. I realized that I had nothing to worry about, nothing to plan about, etc. All I am commanded to do is be obedient, and called to “go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23).

The week moved on and the date for this event got closer. I had peace knowing that God was going to bring broken men, saved by grace, to minister the gospel to a dying world, and it would be under His perfect wisdom and sovereign rule. As I was in prayer for this event I was moved to reading the book of Acts where Philip witnesses to the Ethiopian Eunuch:

“And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.33In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”

                I began praying that we would be moved by the Spirit to individuals whose hearts have been prepared by God to hear the Word of God like this Ethiopian Eunuch. I eagerly sought that we would not go before them as a fleshly witness, but be a Spirit empowered witness, which is only achieved through the Holy Spirit. As we got to Toronto, the Lord prepared a people at each section of the city that were ready to hear about Jesus whom we proclaim. Many unique doors were opened by the grace of God, which could not have been achieved by any efforts of ourselves. God brought us to these people who needed to hear His word, and it was absolutely an honour to be a vessel used by God for His glory alone.

I met a young man name “Jo Jo” who never really thought about the after life. When I asked him the big question, “what happens once we die”, you could see in his eyes the deep longing to know more. He then proceeded to say… well maybe if I do a few good things It would be enough to get to Heaven and be with God, but he wasn’t sure… and so I was able to tell him what happens. The Lord opened up huge door for me to share right from the beginning that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). That even our BEST deeds are like filthy rags to God, so we must be in big trouble on judgement day when we face God. (see Isaiah 64:6) You could see in his eyes the conviction of sin against God, and he was ready to hear about Gods grace in the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jo Jo was astonished at the love of God, and had the desire to read the word of God… thankfully I had extra bibles that I could give to him. What a conversation that was divinely appointed by God! Please keep Jo Jo in your prayers that he would truly repent of his sins and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Another conversation I had, which was a joy to be a part of, was with a family from China who was touring Canada for the week. Though they did not speak much English, I was able to talk about Jesus on basic terms, as they said they have never been taught or understood anything about Him in the area they live. They took some bible tracts home with them as well, and I eagerly pray that they would find the blessed hope in Jesus Christ!

This letter is not written to boast about man at all, but to give all glory to Jesus Christ. I pray that this would spur you on to a Spirit empowered witness in your daily walk with Christ. I pray that you will not lean on the arm of man, but trust and rest in the divine sovereignty of God, knowing that he is preparing a people every place to hear the word of God. We are commanded to go forth, being instruments of righteousness (imputed by Christ) as a means by which God saves. It is ZERO percent us, and ONE-HUNDRED percent God!

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.

(Habakkuk 1:5)