Recently I’ve had many conversations with people who’ve requested prayer for various reasons.

Some were already surrendered to the LORD Jesus while others were simply searching for answers to overcome their lack of peace and much needed answers to prayer.

My goal in counseling and praying for others is to help them by petitioning our LORD for help in their lives while ascertaining their walk with Him and leading them to Jesus if they haven’t already surrendered their lives to Him.

I want to encourage them and share that God loves them and has a purpose for their lives.

It is when we are surrendered and serving the LORD Jesus that our perspective changes and we experience true joy in our lives.

When I first heard that God had a purpose for my life years ago, I had no idea what that would be or how I would even arrive at fulfilling this purpose.

I was at that time only concerned about me—my problems, my survival, my happiness, which is typical of most of us.

I learned that I had to let go of my striving and surrender to the only One who could help me.

It took some humbling and much searching, but I am so grateful that God did not let me go backward, only forward with Him to a better life.

We Are Called to Serve

One of the commitments that I made when I finally did surrender to Jesus was that I would do whatever He called me to do in service to Him.

I kept that commitment and walked through the doors He opened, sometimes expectant and other times afraid that I didn’t have what it took to serve where He called me.   

What I learned is that wherever Jesus calls us to serve Him, we just need to be willing and accept the call, because He will equip us to do all He asks of us.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus about how Christ wanted them to serve one another.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13

God Equips Us to Serve

There are many today who think that it’s up to the pastor to serve God. While he is certainly responsible for leading and teaching the congregation, he can’t do it all.

If we read carefully what it says above in Ephesians 4:11-13, we see that God has called not only the pastors, but the whole body of Christ to serve Him.

The pastor’s role is to teach God’s word, lead by example, and equip his church members to serve others in whatever capacity God has called them to.  

We are further instructed in Ephesians to serve one another so we can grow in our faith and become mature Christians in Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:14-16

When we are in fellowship with those who follow God, we are taught, we are encouraged, we are prayed for, and we are supported in our walk with the LORD.

As we abide in Jesus, our calling will become evident as we grow in our faith.

Sometimes we are called to help others who struggle with the same issues we used to struggle with that no longer hold us captive.

Other times, God calls us to serve Him in areas that we’ve never had experience in, and we must devote time and study to be effective.

The Gifts of the Spirit

In order to serve God, we should familiarize ourselves with and understand the gifts of the Spirit.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:4-8

As clearly stated above, God has given each of us at least one spiritual gift to serve Him; sometimes we have more than one.

We are all one body in Christ but are created distinctly and given special gifts to help others know Christ and follow Him. (1 Peter 4:10)

He will show us what our gifts of the Spirit are which we are to use to build others up and help them to mature and serve the LORD.

Many years ago, I took a spiritual gifts assessment at my church and scored highly in encouragement.

Although I never thought about teaching, God placed me in positions to teach children and then eventually a women’s group. This is where I had to step out in faith in the LORD and remember my promise to Him to follow where He would lead me.

As I prayed, prepared, stumbled at times, continued praying and studying, I eventually found that I enjoyed teaching when I could see others being helped. This gave me confidence and I continued teaching for many years until the LORD moved me on to something else.

He is faithful to give us victory when we are set on pleasing Him.

I recently took another assessment for spiritual gifts, and I have found that I’ve matured in other gifts that I am currently using in my ministry for the LORD.

I want to encourage you to take that step of faith and follow God’s lead in serving Him.

Our minds cannot imagine what Jesus can do with a soul surrendered to Him.  

You will find peace and joy in serving the LORD Jesus because you will have purpose that you will witness now in this life and in eternity.

If you would like to know your spiritual gift(s), click on the link below.

Spiritual Gifts Assessment Tool: Discover Your God-Given Spiritual Gifts

May God bless you as you seek after Him and His plan for your life.

I have an inspiring song below for your listening pleasure.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.