An Overflowing Vessel

Overflowing vessel

Deuteronomy 34:9”Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.”

Boy, this scripture kind of made me go bonkers! You know what, you don’t have to roll your eyes, flex your muscles or holler out loud but without doing any of these things you can still command obedience and respect – that’s the power of the Holy Spirit! Glory to Jesus! Let’s look at the scripture again, Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. This is awesome! Moses had ‘so much’ in him that he was able to take some from the overflow and transfer it to Joshua, ah, we need such impartations in the body of Christ, is anybody listening to me? I am not talking about empty noise, hulla-bulla and vanity but I am talking about the power of the Holy Spirit. I have watched some preachers raise the volume of the mike or give some extra effect (like echo) so that their voice reverberates and sounds powerful, that’s comedy, hey, that cannot shoo away the demons, I am talking about real power of God.

The world today needs this power to make a lasting impact on people, not pick up mutton on the way from church but power that keeps your mind stick like glue to God. I remember hearing a sermon from a man of God that just shook me so badly that I shamelessly ran outside the church looking for him even after he left, my husband had to calm me down and take me home; however, I was till shivering and sobbing under the power of God. The world needs such powerful preaching today which can only come through an overflowing vessel. Moses had MUCH to give away because he had made the efforts, commitment and sacrifice to sit and have a ‘face to face’ talk with God. Wow! Is anything happening to you? As for me I am just going crazy for God, I write this after: ) spending the entire Friday night in prayer, b) fasting prayer on Saturday and after c) preaching at the Sunday service at church. I type this on Sunday afternoon and I am charged. I am looking, searching hungrily …. for people like Moses…….

Look, whatever we do or wherever we go, we got to leave a lasting impression in the minds of people, is anybody listening to me? We read about the death of Moses in verse 5, the story is not over though, you cannot close the chapter of Moses…. but the fire is still burning as we read about his assistant Joshua who has caught the fire from Moses. Such should be our life. Leaving golden foot prints behind…

A) ABUNDANT LIFE:

Jesus said, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” Did you hear that? Some of us are living pathetic lives without any desire whatsoever to push the bar and go higher up, closer to God. Christians are satisfied with two hours of church service and doing nothing during the week for God, giving nothing for God but peanuts from their pockets and gulping down the rest into their stomach and wear a big cross round their necks. That’s not abundant life but selfish life. I asked a young hindu convert about his salvation experience, he said that he came to know Jesus through his class teacher, he would start the class with prayer, also give free tuitions for weak students and tell them about Jesus every day. By the time he finished high school, he got saved. Amen. A person living an abundant life cannot be ordinary, you would be a channel for God everywhere you go. Jesus said in Mathew 12:34”….For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Proverbs 10:11 “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life..”

Even if I am teaching science or English to my children at the free school that we run for the poor, I would see to it that I somehow bring the Gospel into it. Many students while they share their testimonies would say, “ I came to know Jesus only after I joined Abide School”, “I gave up my bad habits after I joined this school”. Amen. God wants you to be an OVERFLOWING VESSEL!

When Rev Reinhard Bonnke went to Africa as an Evangelist and missionary, he made an impact on that continent. Record says that he has brought 75 million recorded conversions to Christ. Imagine! Don’t settle for less, you were not saved and transferred from darkness to light through the precious blood of Jesus just to live a status-quo life, no…no….Jesus said, “"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jesus is looking for MUCH FRUIT! John 15:8 says: My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.