Lesson 03 of the Followers Me
Lead by The Spirit
Grady Henley
Gen. 24:1-22.
Key Verse:
1 Tim 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
INTRODUCTION:
The life of Abraham is a great study of the struggles a soul endures as they learn to walk by faith. What is recorded about this great man takes place in what we call the ‘autumn of life’ for he is well into old age. Even so, by the time his life is over, he affected the life of every man on this planet to this very day. He is, in word and deed, a type of God the Father.
The life of Abraham is also a beautiful story filled with numerous applications for us. In Genesis 24 we find the story of the servant of Abraham going into a far country to find a bride for Isaac, the promised seed of Abraham. He sent his trusted servant on a very difficult mission with several seemingly impossible obstacles to overcome. Obstacles like:
(1) Find a bride for my son, Gen 24:5.
(2) The bride must be from my homeland, Mesopotamia
(3) Convince the future bride of the wealth and worthiness of my son
(4) The bride must come willingly, Gen 24:6.
(5) The servant must protect her on the journey back to the son.
How would you like to be this servant and be given a mission that seems impossible to fulfill? How would you like to:
· Find a wife for another man’s son?
· Furthermore, how would you like for this man to be your master?
· After you came home with the wife, how would you deal with living under their dominion should the marriage be less than blissful?
As one ponders this seemingly innocent story it grows more complicated and tense as the plot develops.
If someone gave you such a charge, would you not say as did the servant of Abraham, Gen 24:39…Peradventure the woman will not follow me. This faithful servant wanted to know what to expect from his master. Things like:
1. What if the woman I find for your son does not want to follow me?
2. Do I keep looking until I find one that is willing?
3. Suppose the second one I find is not a pretty as the first one, what then?
4. Suppose I find one but she is not from your home country, do I bring her back?
5. What if your son does not love the woman, will I be held responsible?
If we give it honest consideration, we realize that the responsibility Abraham gave to his servant is the same one God gave to us: find a bride for my Son. Perhaps you never thought of you ministry as such. Regardless, that is what we are trying to do.
The servant of Abraham wasted no time in doing his duty. He immediately sought the Lord for direction. He was successful. In his success we have a guide for us on our quest as well.
I. THE GREAT COMMISSION, Mat 28:18-20.
Now that we know we have a commission and have vowed to do the Master’s bidding:
1. Where do we look?
2. What qualification must be met?
3. Can we force anyone to come along with us?
4. What will we use to convince people of the Son’s worth?
5. How are we going to protect those that join our ranks on the trip home?
6. Will the Son be pleased?
Have you thought of the answer you will give unto the Lord one of these days for the charge that He placed in your hands? That charge being to go into the world and preach the gospel so that the Son of God might one day meet His bride? Keep in mind that His wife cannot be just any woman.
1. His wife is special.
2. She is a virgin without spot or blemish.
3. She has a very special Groom awaiting her.
Where are you going to find such a creature in a world filled with vile, detestable, filthy, and vain people? Mission (Im)possible? If we follow the words of God in this story relating to the bride of Isaac, we will find the answer. God never sends us to do His will by telling us to follow our own devices until we figure out what He wants done. We must follow His lead and His instructions.
A. The Servant’s Commission, Gen. 24:2-3.
Abraham commissioned his servant to act in his stead in that he acted as an ambassador for his master. When the servant spoke, his words carried the full weight of the one that sent him. This faithful servant did not have any formal papers bearing a government emblem or a family crest or seal. All he had was his personal testimony and the oath that he swore unto Abraham. His only assurance of a prosperous journey was the angel of he Lord, v. 7, would go before him and his task would be completed.
1. The Wilderness, Luke 4:1.
One never knows just where the Spirit will lead them. Because of their rebellion the Jews followed the Spirit of the Lord in the wilderness for forty years. Jesus, filled with the Holy Ghost, was lead by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days. Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Abraham’s servant is about to enter the wilderness. Fact is he must enter it twice for he travels through it to find Abraham’s kin. Once he leaves with or without a bride, he must traverse the wilderness to get back to Abraham.
2. Led by the Spirit, Rom 8:14.
There is a big difference in wandering around in the wilderness because you are out of fellowship with God and being led there so that you may grow in the Lord. When Jesus was in the wilderness, He grew in the Spirit so that He would be fit for the work and ministry set before Him.
It is thought that the Apostle Paul, after his conversion, spent about three years alone with God in Arabia, Gal 1:17-18. While he was there, he was instructed by the Holy Spirit in the things of God. Alone with God, there was no one there to fill Paul’s mind with the doubts and misgivings spreading through the new church. At the time of Paul’s conversion, the Jews were in a transition period of turmoil and some were pulled between the Law and grace. The time Paul spent with God was probably the most refreshing time of his ministry.
Wandering in the wilderness because we are out of fellowship with God is something we should avoid. However, if it takes a wilderness experience for us to become what God wants, to get where God wants us, then by all means, we ought to follow the Spirit.
It may be our lot in life to follow the Lord into the wilderness. If such be the case, always remember that He is leading and He is certain of where He is going. Just follow.
3. The prosperous journey.
Abraham’s servant ventured into the wilderness when he left his master’s abode. He traveled by camel and probably walked a good bit of the way to Mesopotamia.
From Canaan this was a trek of about 500 miles. There were no Motel 6’s along the way or Red Roof Inns where by they spent the night. There were no roadside restaurants for their comforts either. They slept in the wild, under the heavenly canopy, Gen. 24:59. This they did for about 66 days counting round trip.
4. The treasure.
During their journey they had ten camels that required their attention. These men had to cook and clean their food for the duration of the journey.
Furthermore, they must protect the treasures sent by Abraham. This treasure was gold, earrings, bracelets, jewels of silver, of gold, and raiment. This treasure was just a token of what remained with Father Abraham.
The treasure entrusted to this faithful servant is of equal importance and value as his testimony and commission. It was of the most importance that he arrived with the treasure intact.
Why is the treasure so important? Because the servant must testify to the prospective bride’s family of the riches of his master, Gen. 24:35, he needed the treasure to be the second witness, v. 30, 53. The servant must convince the bride of the riches of her beloved.
The servant has a message and that message is the father has bestowed all his wealth unto this only son. It would be very difficult to convince this lady to follow a complete stranger without some proof. The servant must convince the woman that the treasures awaiting her are worth the perils of the journey before her. Would you let your child leave with a stranger and a company of men?
5. The labor, Gen 24:12.
Upon arriving at his destination, the servant of Abraham must now begin the task of finding the woman. He has no idea what she looks like, her name, or her address. For all he knows he may have made a long trip for naught.
Note that before he began his search, he prayed. He is in a strange land, among strange people. He carried enough treasures to convince a family to entrust their virgin daughter into his care. However, he does not rely solely upon his testimony or the treasure. He does what any faithful follower of the word does: he prayed.
B. Our Commission.
Studying the commission of Abraham’s servant we find that his hire is not that vastly different than ours. If we align our commission along side his, we find that we are all traveling parallel paths.
As we are ambassadors for Christ, each born again child of God ministers in that capacity. We represent a foreign country, heaven, whose builder and ruler is God Almighty. This is the highest calling we could ever hope to obtain. Shame on us should we misrepresent our home country and the One that sent us. Such is the life of the child of God. We are His ambassadors, 2 Cor 5:20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…. Webster defines an ambassador as: A diplomatic official of the highest rank appointed and accredited as representative in residence by one government to another.
When the ambassador of the United States is in office in a foreign country, he is the official representative of the USA. When he speaks or acts, he therefore, speaks and acts for the American people from which he received his power. The ambassador does not make the rules nor does he have the power to change his position nor can he change the orders given him without seeking permission from his sending country. If he makes a fool of himself, or does his job half-heartily, it is a direct reflection on America. What a shame for the ambassador(s) of the USA to conduct themselves in such a manner that their actions would cause a blight to pass across our nation.
As His ambassador, have you considered where the Spirit might lead you as you labor for Him in this quest for the bride? Have you considered where you might go, the people you might encounter along the way? Have your prayed about this matter? Are you faithful in your duty? Will you be able to make the journey as did Abraham’s servant? Will you be as successful? Will you follow the Spirit’s lead and allow God to work?
II. OUR FIELD OF LABOR.
How big is the Earth? The Earth is 12,742 kilometers (7,900 miles) in diameter. If you drove once around the Earth you would have gone 25,000 miles. That would mean 40 to 50 days of driving to just go around once. Ours is the only planet home of large quantities of liquid water, with vast oceans covering more than 2/3 of the planet. Its comparatively mild climate and narrow temperature range allow water to exist as a solid, liquid, and gas on different parts of the planet's surface at the same time. Water influences everything that happens on the Earth, especially the one characteristic that sets our planet apart from all others we currently know about: the presence of life.
It is a great big world where into we are sent. Once you get in the world you realize that some of the people living on this planet are less than friendly and most of the natives are down right hostile! Regardless, this is your field of labor, for this is the only place in the known universe where intelligent life is found. Furthermore, once you begin to follow the Holy Spirit, you are going to wonder if the life you come in contact with every day has intelligence!
A. Our Quest.
The Lord called us out of this present evil world and set us in heavenly places, Eph 2:6. He changed our manner of conversation so that we would talk more and more about our sending country than what goes on in this world, Phil 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Then the Lord sent us back into this world and said you are in the world, but not of the world, John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as
I am not of the world. (Of the world means we are not a product of the world and its way of life) and commissioned us to gather a bride for His son.
The servant of Abraham left his comforts and went out into a vast world to find a bride. If he traveled 15 miles a day, it took him about 33 days to reach his destination. It also took him about the same amount of time to get back to Abraham. He finished his task.
How is it with us? The world is a big place. Where and when are you going to start doing your Master’s bidding? The bible has the answer, Acts 1:8. Jesus told the disciples to start in their hometown, Jerusalem. From Jerusalem they went into the surrounding country, Judea, and from there, to uttermost parts of the earth. Following that pattern, we start in our hometown, we branch out into the state, and from there to the uttermost parts of the world.
Again, we will do well if we think often of Abraham’s faithful servant. If we want to know what is in store, we have the story of faithful servant finding a bride for Isaac as a guideline.
1. The Wilderness, Luke 4:1.
Once the servant of Abraham left his master, he entered a desolate place. His journey was not one of towns, villages, or hamlets along the way. He went into the wilderness.
What is so special about the wilderness? When we hear the word wilderness, we think of deserted, barren places, or lonely forlorn places void of anything nice or pleasant. Such is not always the case. If you think of the wilderness as such places, you are thinking as the Israelites thought once they realized just where they were, Exo 14:11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 14:12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go so that they could serve Him where: in the wilderness, Exo 3:18, 5:1, 7:16, 8:27-28, and 13:18! The long-term plan was for Moses to take the nation back to the Promised Land. The short-term plan is:
· Get out of Egypt (the world).
· Get into the wilderness.
Is it not somewhat outstanding that God chose the wilderness to reveal Himself to His chosen people? The bible does not give us the reasoning for the Lord’s choosing the wilderness as a place of revelation, but it seems that in the wilderness the nation would not be distracted by the world (Egypt). God wanted them to get alone with Him so that they could get along with Him.
Why do some folks murmur and complain about being where God wants them to be? Many people are willing to serve the Lord as long as they are not inconvenienced. As long as God does not send them to some remote parts of the world, they talk long and loud of their love for the Lord. These people usually say something like this: “Yes, I love the Lord and I find it such a wonderful pleasure to serve him, but…I do not want to sleep in a hole like a fox, Luke 9:57-58.”
Still, there are others that set out following the Lord and once they get into the wilderness, they begin to murmur and complaint in the manner of the children of Israel, Exo 14:11-12. Some folks rather die a slave to sin than a free soul in the will of the Lord.
Holman’s Bible Dictionary says this about the wilderness: “Historically, the wilderness was particularly connected with the wandering of the escaping Hebrews after their miraculous escape from Egypt and just prior to the conquest of Transjordan. This was remembered in their retelling of the story as “that great and terrible wilderness” (Deut. 1:19; 8:15). There was good news and bad news about this period of the nation’s existence. The good news was that God had provided manna, quail, and water from the rock. He had led them in the wilderness, and revealed Himself and His covenant laws to them at Sinai/Horeb, the mountain of revelation. The bad news was they had rebelled against the Lord and murmured against Moses again and again in the wilderness. The Book of Numbers is called in the Hebrew Bible, bemidbar, “In the desert.” It tells the tragic story of Kadesh-barnea in the wilderness of Paran and the spy committee who persuaded the people not to attack the Promised Land from the south, so that a whole generation died in the desert (Num. 13-14).”
As long as we are in His will, there are as many blessing for serving in the wilderness as there is anywhere. The blessings are not determined by the location. The blessings of God are determined by our obedience unto His will for our lives.
What we fail to realize is we are supposed to follow His lead. Sometimes He leads us by the still waters. Sometimes He leads into the wilderness. It was in the wilderness that Elijah got his heart right with God, 1 Ki 19.
Consider:
1. Before Israel entered the Promised Land, they had to go through, (in one end and out the other) the wilderness.
2. God gave them His Laws in the wilderness.
3. God revealed Himself to the nation in the wilderness.
4. Because they failed to grasp His revelations and instead opted to rebel, He left them in the wilderness until their rebellion was finished.
5. They remained in the wilderness until they arrived at the place spiritually where God wanted them.
6. Some chose to die rather than mature.
The servant of Abraham loaded up the camels, packed up his meager belongings and set off into the wilderness searching for bride for his master’s son. The only thing he asked was if the woman does not follow me, will I be held accountable?
2. The Spirit Lead the Lord, Mat. 3:16-17, 4:1-3.
All of us will have some wilderness experience in our lives. These experiences will bring about two things. One will be trials and testings and the other will be a blessing. God told Moses, Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
The Lord was no exception. As Jesus came up straightway out of the water a voice from heaven announced to those standing by whom He was. Shortly thereafter the Spirit led Him into the wilderness. The first thing Satan did, Mat. 4:3, was attack the message found in 3:17. If you are really who God said you were, then let me see you do something extraordinary.
Living on this side of Calvary we should not expect to get by without a wilderness experience. The servant of Abraham made it through the wilderness twice. Once Israel came out of the wilderness, they possessed the Holy Land. When Jesus came down off the mount of temptation, He began His ministry. The apostle Paul had a very successful ministry after he came out of Arabia.
Are you willing to go into the wilderness and spend time alone with God so that you will have a clear picture of His will for your life? Are you willing to bear the hardship that the wilderness produces so that you can mature in the work? When you come out of the wilderness, will you be in the place spiritually that God wants you to be? Will you follow the leading of the Spirit into the wilderness?
B. Walk in the Spirit.
One day I was planning a trip whereby I would have to fly. I am not opposed to flying. It is a fast means of traveling. While I was musing on the subject of flying I begin to wonder just what it is that makes people afraid of flying. For some it is the fear of heights, fear of falling, and for others it is the cramped and uncomfortable seats.
For me, I determined that the reason I do not care that much for flying is because I am not in or at the controls. When I fly I must submit my will into the hands of the pilot. Such is the life of one who follows the Spirit of God. They must yield their will to His.
1. Walk in.
Have you ever considered why it is difficult to be obedient and follow the Spirit’s lead? If we cast aside every excuse we would probably find that the reason why we fail to follow 100% is because we like to be in control. If we are not in control, we are somewhat uncomfortable with our situations and surroundings.
I honestly believe that women have one up on men in this area of relinquishing their wills. An obedient wife will do this for her beloved and in so doing she set the example of what the spiritual leader of the family ought to be doing in his service for the Lord.
To walk in the Spirit is to relinquish my will and my desire and follow the Spirit. The servant of Abraham submitted to his master’s will and made a vow that he would do as his master requested. He placed his testimony upon that vow.
Such it is with us as well for our walk is our testimony. We vowed to follow the Lord all the days of our lives. Therefore, we must watch were we walk. Sometimes I walk in the day and sometimes I walk at night. How can I watch where I walk at night without a light? Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Notice that the word of God acts as two things; (a) a lamp (b) a light. The word shows my feet where to step in this dark world. The light is for my path to show me that I am on the straight and narrow way. Prov 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. I would not have known to get off the wide path of destruction had it not been for the words of God.
The words ‘walk in’ occur 80 times in scriptures. About 90% of these occurrences deal with the Lord telling or reminding Israel and Paul telling the churches to walk in His laws, truths, righteousness, love, and Spirit. Psa 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
If we are going to be lead by the Spirit, we commit to some and more of the following:
a. Our walk is a walk in the Light, Isa 2:5, John 8:12.
b. It is a walk in the newness of life, Rom 6:4.
c. We are ambassadors of the truth, 1 John 1:6.
d. A walk of fellowship with God and our fellowmen, 1 John 1:7.
e. It is a holy walk, Deu 28:9.
f. A walk filled with promises, Deu 30:16, 1 Ki. 2:3, 1 Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. Zec 3:7
g. We walk the blessed way, Psa 119:1.
h. It is a safe walk, Prov 3:23.
i. It is a justified walk, Hosea 14:9.
j. A Spirit lead walk is an obedient walk, Gal 5:16.
Such is the bases for this study. If we are going to follow the Spirit of the Lord in His will for our lives, we must remain obedient until His will is completed. Was that not what the servant of Abraham did? He did not quit. He did all that his master commanded!
2. The prosperous journey.
As long as we are lead by the Spirit, it matters not if we are walking in the park or in the wilderness. It will be a blessed and fruitful walk. As we journey through this life, our walk is our testimony. It will be an experience that has eternal consequences or blessing. Furthermore, each of us must decide whether we face the consequences or enjoy the eternal blessings.
Each morning when the sun arises, we face a brand new day; a day filled with we know not what! Though we drive the same streets to reach our jobs, each drive is different. We have not been this way before. Today is a new day with new battles. Such was what the people of Israel were told, for ye have not passed this way heretofore. Josh 3:4. Joshua instructed them to keep their eyes on the Ark and follow it.
If we are to have a successful journey we must keep our eyes on the Lord and His word in our heart. These assure us we will be prosperous in our mission of calling out a bride for the Son. Note that prosperous does not necessarily imply we will grow rich in material wealth. Prosperous in our walk means that we accomplish the will of God in our lives.
Upon meeting Rebekah, the servant of Abraham watched as the Lord answered his prayer. He was astounded to find that the Lord immediately blessed him with an answered prayer, Gen 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
Observe how he waited until the maiden finished doing all that he asked the Lord for her to do. Even then he held his peace, for there was one more detail he had to determine and that was if she was of his master’s lineage. Once the woman had drawn water for his camels, then and only then did he ask her of whose family she was.
This servant was not the only one that was prosperous in following the Spirit in his life. Joseph found that his walk was prosperous, Gen 39:2. His master noted that the Lord was with him. It would do well to note here that Joseph did not have a bible, a prayer partner, or a church. All he had was the Spirit of the Lord leading and young Joseph following. He remains the greatest type of the Lord Jesus Christ found in scripture.
Joshua was a man that was plainly told that if he wanted to have a prosperous walk and meet success, his primary obligation was live by the words of God. All Joshua had was the first five books of the bible, Josh 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
These men found their way prosperous for they walked in the Spirit. The same Spirit they followed is the one that leads us. The same words of God that inspired them ought to inspire us. Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not;…This journey will bring us wonderful and eternal rewards if we keep in mind the eternal rewards are worth the travails of this temporary journey.
These men have one thing in common and that is each of them considered themselves a servant. This same fact is true with Ruth, Hannah, and Mary. Each of these women had a prosperous journey. Each of these ladies considered themselves a handmaid, Ruth 3:8-9, 1 Sam 1:11, Luke 1:38. What does this tell us? If we want to be as these, we must consider ourselves His servants.
4. The treasure.
There is something else to remember as we follow the Spirit in our lives and that is the treasure. Note the responsibility of Abraham’s servant and the treasure:
(1) He carried it with him.
(2) He protected it.
(3) At the Lord’s bidding, he gave it away.
(4) The treasure solidified his testimony about the wealth of his master.
Each of us will do well if we remember to protect the treasure entrusted unto (y)our care. That treasure is the words of God bound up in what is known as the bible. Into your hands has been placed the mind of God. His word reveals to us what He wants us to know.
If we want to know where the Spirit is leading, we must get in the word. The will of God is never contrary to His word. The Spirit of God is never opposed to the words of God. 1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
There are millions that would contaminate the word. Still, others do their best to cast doubts on the word and some have made it their life long ambition to destroy the word. These deluded souls will go to the ends of the world in their efforts to get us to consider this treasure to be less than what it is.
If we have any aspirations of being a soul-winner, our testimony must be in harmony with the words of God. Abraham’s servant used his testimony and the treasure to convince the family he was whom he said he was.
This is wonderful and faithful advice for us. It is the words bound in the treasure and in our testimony, along with the quickening power of the Spirit that quickens the hearts of the lost. These three must agree and as such the lost is convinced that the Son is a treasures beyond measure awaiting them in heaven. The bible convinces us (them) that the treasures awaiting us are worth the journey to obtain them.
Once that soul says, “I will go, Gen. 24:58, this same bible protects that believer until the Lord calls for His bride. Abraham’s faithful servant protected the maiden and delivered her safely unto her beloved, Gen 24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. Gen 24:65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
The importance of the treasure does not stop here. The words of God not only protects us, they also mold us into a vessel fit for the Master’s service. Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Without the untarnished words of God, a soul will not be all they can be for His service.
Guard the treasure whether you are in the wilderness or civilization. Once you present the word of God to that lost soul, it will convince them of wealth of the One you represent.
5. The labor, 1 Pet 3:15.
Do you have any idea of who you are to witness unto? Many will be crossing your path tomorrow. How do you know that the situation is the one the Lord created and not one of our making?
Such was the task before the servant of Abraham. He did not know anything about this woman. All he knew was the country where he was to look. If he was to have a successful venture, he is going to have to pray and seek the Lord’s blessing
Once we begin to consider the life of a missionary, is it any wonder that what they seek more than monetary support is prayer? If anyone is lead by the Spirit, it ought to be missionaries.
We are all missionaries or we are a mission field. As such, prayer is a mandatory staple in our lives.
1. Missionaries make a long journey to a foreign land.
2. Tomorrow you are venturing into a day wherein you have not ever lived.
3. Missionaries may or may not know anyone in the country where unto they are sent.
4. Tomorrow you will meet people that you do not know.
5. Missionaries may or may not be kindly received.
6. Tomorrow you may or may not be kindly received. Some detest the message so much, they seek to kill the messenger.
7. Missionaries have no idea what the person looks like that the Lord has in mind for them to lead unto Him.
8. Do you know exactly unto whom you will witness unto tomorrow?
How shall we be successful? We must do as did the servant of Abraham. We must pray! Abraham’s servant had just uttered “Amen” and immediately a young maiden approaches him.
After a month’s worth of traveling he arrived in a strange city among folks that for the most part, knew not the Lord. Where and how will he find the maiden of whom he sought? He prayed. Because he followed the Spirit’s lead, he was in the way (where he needed to be) and God rewarded his labour and answered his prayers.
SUMMARY:
Follow the Spirit’s leading for He will not ever lead us contrary to the Word. Both will go hand in hand to ensure us that we have a successful journey. The servant of Abraham stood in awe and wonder as he watch Rebecca fulfill the very prayer he just prayed, Gen 24:11-21.
If we follow the Spirit of the Lord, He will work in our lives in like manner. We will stand in awe and amazement when we realize that the Creator of the universe is using us to find a bride for His Son!
Our charge is the one given to the faithful servant of Abraham. Naturally, we say as did he, Gen 24:39…Peradventure the woman will not follow me. That is OK if one does not care to follow. It is not our responsibility to make them. Our responsibility is to tell them about the Son and all that He is to inherit. Whether they follow or go back as did Orpah, Ruth 1:15, is their decision.
Our responsibility is to present the best picture of the Son and what He has done in our lives. If this one does not follow, go to the next one. Do not worry whether they are pretty, ugly, or pretty ugly. God will clean them up. It is His responsibility to iron out their wrinkles and removes their blemishes. It is our responsibility to do all that the Master bids.
