How The Holy Spirit Uses Our Feeble Efforts In Powerful Ways

1. The Holy Spirit uses our feeble efforts to share the gospel in order to break down the barriers of opposition that stand in the way of people coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Peter addressed the crowd on the day of Pentecost and said, "Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you , in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:36-38) Ask the Lord to help you use all means possible to catalyze the winning of many thousands of people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

2. The Holy Spirit uses our feeble efforts to pray in order to remove the mountains of objections that people use to resist the God’s will for their lives and ministries. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20) Ask the Lord to increase your confidence in the Holy Spirit’s ability to remove the mountains of objections that people in your community use to resist God’s will. NOTHING is impossible with God.

3. The Holy Spirit uses our praises to enlarge our appreciation of His almighty power, presence, blessings, and purposes. Paul wrote, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Eph. 1:3) Ask the Lord to help you praise the Lord in your prayers, conversations and interactions so that you can more fully appreciate His power, presence, blessings and purposes in your life and ministries.

4. The Holy Spirit uses our asking, seeking and knocking to open great doors of opportunities to affect thousands of lives for all eternity. Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matt. 7:7) Ask the Lord to help you consistently keep on asking, seeking and knocking on the doors of peoples’ hearts knowing that the Spirit is lubricating the hinges in the doors of their hearts and minds.

5. The Holy Spirit uses our feeble obedience to see that God’s plans are fulfilled in our lives and ministries. Paul wrote, "We know that God causes ALL things to work together for good of those who love him , who have called according to his purpose." (Rom. 8:28) Ask the Lord to help you consistently trust and obey the Lord in all areas of life so that the Spirit is able to work everything for your best interests.

6. The Holy Spirit uses our feeble cries of help to provide protection from all evil. David wrote, "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." (Psa. 22:8) Ask the Lord to protect you from all kinds of internal and eternal evil.

7. The Holy Spirit uses our feeble efforts to please the Lord in all respects and to bear fruit in every good work, while we increase in the knowledge of God. Give thanks to the Lord that we are responsible for our effort, but the Lord is responsible for the outcome of our ministries. (Col. 1:9-11)

8. The Holy Spirit uses our efforts to set the sails as He supplies the wind empowering, directing and calm us through the harshest of seas. David wrote, "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the seas were hushed." (Psa. 107:28,29) Ask the Lord to give you the energy to keep setting your sails so the Spirit can empower, direct and calm all of your rough waves.

9. The Holy Spirit uses your efforts to weave a great tapestry in your relationships and ministries while God supplies the thread. Paul wrote, "My God will supply all you need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19) Ask the Lord to help you continue to teach, preach, serve, write, and love in order to see God use your efforts to create a blessed tapestry in your relationships and ministries.

10. The Holy Spirit uses our mistakes, sins, and mis-beliefs to teach us more about God’s will for our life. John wrote, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) Ask the Lord to keep you willing to confess and learn from every mistake.