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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

There Is A Ministry Inside Of You


I remember being highly offended during two different church services because of what was spoken over me by the visiting evangelist. One said that I would be a missionary to the world. That was enough to get my blood boiling. God knew I liked the coziness of my hometown and He certainly knew I would never step foot on an airplane. Oh no, ma'am. Not me.

I hear you laughing.

The second person who spoke something over my life that, to me at the time, was even more offensive. She said, in the kindest and most sincere way, that God was showing her all the creativity and ideas that surrounded me. She said it was beautiful and that God's instructions to me were to write them down.

*gasp*

I went back to my chair and nearly cried knowing she couldn't have possibly heard from God. The most creative thing I had ever done was assign names to my Barbie dolls and semi-coordinate clothing according to pictures I had found in magazines. Huh! "God said," my foot. Who was this lady anyway?

I still hear you laughing.


Less than two years after my near nervous breakdown over prophetic words I realized that I could hear from God myself. It was a beautiful thing. At times He even allowed me to see things through His eyes. I saw the confused and hurt state of the women in our area and I felt burdened to help them; to minister to them. So, I prayed. He took me to some scriptures in Habakkuk.

This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received from the LORD in a vision. How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! "Violence!" I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed and useless, and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery. The LORD replied, "Look at the nations and be amazed! Watch and be astounded at what I will do! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.
Habakkuk 1:1-5
I have no idea what began to happen from that point on but life as I knew it had changed. No matter what I went through, or how much other women hurt me, I still continued to fight for them; to pray for them; to hope for them. God had answered my prayer and birthed a ministry into my spirit. The more I did unto Him and for them, the more He blessed me with ideas and creative ways to accomplish them. I began to write them down so that I would always know which direction to walk towards.

I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the LORD will say to me and how he will answer my complaint. Then the LORD said to me, "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Habakkuk 2:1-3
It has been a process that has lasted and will continue to last for many years. I know I have to be patient and wait on Him to reveal things to me in His time and I just walk in it for His glory. And just to prove Himself mightier than I, He made sure I got on a plane, not once, not twice, but many times since then and He showed me just how small my thinking was and He proved to me that His ways are not my ways. I am a missionary to the world. The runner of my message is the internet and it reaches across the boundaries of every country's border. Can you believe that? Yeah, He must have gotten a good laugh at me. That's okay though. I laugh with Him now.

You see, I think I got offended because I knew that God knew it wasn't in me to accomplish the things that were prophesied to me way back when. It made me feel like either God didn't really know me or that these people weren't really hearing from Him. But, you see, He did know me. It was I who didn't know Him. And something else I didn't know at the time was that it wasn't me who would bring these things forth and make it happen, it was Him. I simply had to walk in obedience toward the vision and on the path He laid out for me. I simply had to follow Him.

If you have loved and welcomed Christ as your savior then yes, there is a ministry inside of you. The more you get to know Him and wait on Him, the more He will reveal it to you. Just keep walking.



I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: Amy Bayliss.com

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22 Comments:

Blogger Joanne@ Blessed... said...

Great post Amy. I especially loved your sentence, "..but I didn't know Him."

Touched me right to the core tonight. Reminded me of just how little I know Him myself.

...but I will keep walking!

June 23, 2009 at 10:31 PM  
Blogger Kela said...

I was truly introduced to Habakkuk last year during a Bible study. Here it is as a sounding board for me again.
Thank you, Amy, for answering your calling. Do you have any idea what that does for me? It encourages me to go after my passion and call even more. To not let up but to press in to all that God has in store.
God bless you my friend!
Kela

June 23, 2009 at 11:28 PM  
Blogger kim said...

an awesome and encouraging post...

I was moved by it because there are some people who seem like being prophetic that's telling me what wil i become and i keep on ignoring it because i just feel like "it's not for me"

after reading your post, i was reminded of what they told me...

I desire to know God and desire to let His will be done in my life.

Thank you Amy and God bless you abundantly!

June 24, 2009 at 12:54 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I was laughing at the thought of doing anything Christ-centered only months ago...I thought myself a Christian, but didn't really act like it. Here I am still wondering sometimes what I'm doing...but doing it all the same because I get the feeling it isn't me at all. Thanks for sharing this--I'd appreciate if you'd come by and see my new blog...

http://christianity4dummies.blogspot.com

June 24, 2009 at 1:09 AM  
Blogger Denise said...

Amen, I will keep walking.

June 24, 2009 at 3:10 AM  
Blogger Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...

Very beautiful post. And so very true.
Blessings
Kim

June 24, 2009 at 6:07 AM  
Anonymous Lisa V. said...

I too loved that part "but I didn't know Him". My heart jumped a beat there. Love that little nudge from the Lord.

I am always greatly encouraged when I'm reminded that my thoughts are not His thoughts. I begin to believe more He has great things planned for little ole' me.

Today your post has reminded me to think upon those things that I've given up hope believing can change and remember who's in charge. Amen.

June 24, 2009 at 7:04 AM  
Anonymous HisFireFly said...

I just wrote yesterday using Isaiah 55 - His ways ARE higher than our ways! And Habakuk 2:1-3 is one of the basic Words I come back to when I feel I am not hearning from my Lord.

Right after giving me heart to Jesus, I remember saying to the dear one who lead me to the Lord "I don't want to be a #%*^#*# minister!" We're all laughing now.

June 24, 2009 at 7:45 AM  
Blogger Karen said...

You said: "t wasn't me who would bring these things forth and make it happen, it was Him." God's callings on our lives will often (if not always) be God-sized. In other words, they can only be accomplished through Him. God has recently been taking me into new territory as well. And what He is calling me to do is certainly something I cannot do on my own. It is and will continue to be done through Him and His strength alone. Thanks for your honesty in this post and for sharing it with us.

Take care,
Karen
Living Life in God's Truth and Grace
http://truthngraceministries.blogspot.com

June 24, 2009 at 7:51 AM  
Blogger Jamie said...

I LOVED this post, and I think the Habakkuk verse is so appropriate. "Watch and be astounded at what I will do" says the Lord. He is so big, so good, so true, and we are fully known by Him alone. Great post - very encouraging that we are created for ministry and all have one to share b/c of Him. :)

June 24, 2009 at 8:26 AM  
Blogger Marsha said...

Oh AMEN!! So true! There is a ministry placed within each one of us that knows Him as Savior. We need only to desire to know Him and He'll make His way for us clear. That was the devo I wrote for today!

You are loved.

June 24, 2009 at 11:36 AM  
Blogger Aunt Angie said...

Oh Amy girl. I've got them "moved to tears" tears going on.

I know without a doubt that God is using this as a mission tool. Just as those who can GO and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ---He is using this! AND GIRL....He's using YOU---mighty warrior!

I love you and appreciate ALL you do for HIM!

P. S. Thank you for the sidebar advertising!

June 24, 2009 at 1:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

inspirational and touching....not to mention eye opening...as always thanks Amy!

June 24, 2009 at 1:40 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh Amy,

it wasn't me who would bring these things forth and make it happen, it was Him...

Oh Amen... Amen.. Amen... You honor our Lord with your words and your faith. Thank you for sharing this story with me. BIG hugs.

June 24, 2009 at 2:19 PM  
Anonymous Debbie said...

What a blessing your vulnerability and bare honesty is to me. You aren't the only one God calls this way - but for you to share it really sparks something inside me. Thank you. Thank you for letting Him use you this way.

June 24, 2009 at 2:57 PM  
Blogger Sweet Magnolias Farm said...

Amy ...Thank you so much for sharing this post today ...I most certainly needed the encouragement. As I am facing a change bigger in my life than ever before and more uncertain feeling than ever about where God is leading my life. I have dedicated many years of my life to ill family members and a business that has never really gotten off the ground ..and now I am relieved of the position as caretaker have given up my business and yet I keep getting the message patience all in Gods timing .. I know it's because I feel like I'm running out of time and I want to run ahead ..But I know better ..It doesn't always make it easy however ...Being in God's limbo ..can be difficult while you are in it ..but rewarding if you wait on him ...It's a struggle each day to get that from my head to my heart ..but I am doing it. I'm so waiting in anticipation to see what he has in store for me. I would love a ministry ..but have no idea where it's up to him..

Anyhow ..thanks for Sharing ..

Sara

June 24, 2009 at 3:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Amy,
What an awesome post. Thanks for sharing your heart and your struggles on along the journey. This reminded me so much of what has been going on in my life recently. I can't even begin to explain the impact. Sometimes it's hard to wrap your mind around all of that. Thanks for the obedience to writing this post! Truly a blessing.

June 25, 2009 at 8:11 AM  
Anonymous devita said...

Bless your heart, sister. I know it takes a very long time to be like that. It takes process to be like you. I even still can't forgive them who do evil to me. lol. But I am learning to be the light so that God could use me for his project.

June 25, 2009 at 8:37 AM  
Blogger Victoria said...

Love it...and I'm still laughing...=]

June 25, 2009 at 11:51 AM  
Anonymous Alyssa said...

That story is awesome Amy and one we all need to hear, because oddly sometimes we don't believe what GOd is saying to us and we need a little reminder of what is possible with HIM because after all nothing is IMPOSSIBLE with Him!

June 25, 2009 at 6:41 PM  
Blogger Julie said...

Amy,
A great word. It's hard sometimes not only receiving the prophetic words but waiting for them to be fulfilled.
It's hard sometimes in the midst of life to believe that there is a ministry inside you.. I've lost sight of that from time to time. Right now I'm wondering again. What is it God?

Thanks for these words!

June 26, 2009 at 10:39 AM  
Anonymous Amy Hale said...

Thank you so much for this, Amy. I am, again, sitting here in AWE of God. This article is a direct answer to prayer for me. SO much of what you have said is resonating with me...for years I have heard this voice inside of me say "Write it down" over and over as I have shared personal experiences with others. I am so thankful God led me to your blog!
God bless you!
Amy

July 30, 2009 at 1:32 PM  

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