Willing to bring the Miracle

Before David could slay Goliath, he had to step into the field. It is a simple but thought-provoking statement. "And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine." (I Samuel 17:32) David first saw that there was a giant and an army that was come against them and he recognized the need of a man to step up and say "I will go." It didn't take but a minute for him to decide that he was going to be that man. Then he gathered the few weapons of warfare that God provided - a staff, a sling and five smooth stones. He did not take the armor, shield or sword that was offered to him that would protect him from the enemy's arrows or spears. He did not take a helmet with him that would have offered a bit of safety from the swords and battle that surely lay ahead. He simply took the sling, staff, stones and his faith in God. Goliath was insulted and offended that the Army of Israel would send but a youth with no armor and no weapons. As Goliath stood and started coming towards David in preparation for the sure easy kill, David also stood and ran towards Goliath and with a single stone thrown from the sling Goliath lay on the ground dead. David could not have slew Goliath if he did not recognize the need and answer the call. If David had stayed in the caves out of reach of the weapons of Goliath and the Philistines, he would not have seen and participated in the mighty victory that day. If he would have stayed in the safety and security of his father's house, he would not have been a giant killer.

There are so many times that we want to see the miraculous. We want to see a great move of God and see the dead raised, the blind receive their sight and the lame walk. Our desire to see the miracles and wonders is only superseded by our desire to be comfortable. We do not want to be sick. We do not want to struggle financially. We have no desire to be anything but comfortable and safe. The dead cannot be raised without first a death. The sick cannot be healed without someone first being sick. Financial miracles cannot happen if there isn't first a financial need. Perhaps it is a mission field that you feel called to, you cannot reach those people without first stepping into the field. You cannot reach your neighbor, friend or co-worker without first sharing the gospel with them. The miraculous cannot happen without us first touching the hurting, sick, and broken.  To kill the giant, to reach the hurting with the Gospel, you must first step into the field. Many times the field of battle is a place in which you are vulnerable from attacks from all sides. The enemy can come in with a sneak flanking attack or an attack from the air above or ground beneath. The field of a miracle can make you equally vulnerable. It is in the field as you, through the Word and Spirit of God and faith in Him, take on the sickness, disease, oppression, depression and even death, that the enemy will attack your faith and tell you that you don't believe enough. Perhaps the enemy starts condemning you about your past and tells you that God wouldn't answer the prayer for a miracle. Perhaps the enemy plagues your mind and heart with the fear of "what if God doesn't do it, I will look foolish." Stepping into the field of miracles isn't for the faint of heart but for those that are willing to bring the miracle to their harvest field. Does your harvest field need to see someone receive a miraculous healing, are you ready to face your "what if God doesn't" fears? Does someone need to receive the wonderful miracle of salvation? Are you willing to march into the field of teaching Bible Studies? Does your harvest field need to see the power of forgiveness? Are you willing to forgive?

The pastor has mentioned the last few weeks that we need to draw our eyes off our own needs and short-comings and look until the harvest field. Unless we are willing to step into the harvest and bring the miraculous that comes from God, our harvest field will never see it. Unless we are willing to be in the field of battle, we will be unable to be giant killers. Unless we are willing to set aside ourselves, our fears and our busyness, we will be unable to reach into our harvest field and bring healing, the gospel, revival, and freedom from bondage. In Matthew 10:7-8 Jesus gives us a command "And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." Jesus is commanding us to get out into the field and bring the miraculous with us - through His name heal the sick, raise the dead, and preach the gospel.