Kinds of people to reach out to: L.O.V.E.

• Lost – unsaved, unresolved, undecided, unsettled, unholy (lawless)
• Oppressed – bound, tormented, depressed, discouraged
• Valueless – discarded, considered as worthless, useless, hopeless and 2nd-rated
• Errant – wayward, strayed, drifted, misbehaved, condemned

3 Reasons You CAN Make a Difference

I. God created, called, commanded, and commissioned you – to do His will

¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb... ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psa 139:13, 16)

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:18-20)

God's Will:

• Make disciples
• Baptize them
• Teach them
• Go and do it with His authority and presence

You are called and commissioned to make a difference.

II. He gave you the Holy Spirit – to empower you to do His work

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (Jn 14:26)

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. (Jn 15:26)

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (Jn 16:7)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

You are anointed and empowered to make a difference.

III. He gave you spiritual gifts – to accomplish His purposes

But each of you has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. (1 Cor 7:7)

All gifts have a common origin but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. (1 Cor 12:11, MSG)

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. (Eph 4:7)

What spiritual gifts have been given to you?

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. ⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Cor 12:4-11)

And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. (1 Cor 12:28)

¹¹ So Christ himself gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. (Eph 4:11-12)

⁷ If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸ if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Rom 12:7-8)

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Pet 4:9)

List of Spiritual Gifts: Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophesy, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation, Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, Helps, Administration, Service, Encouragement, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership, Mercy, Hospitality.

You have at least one of these gifts. Some of you have more than one gift.

How to know what Spiritual gifts you have?

Ask yourself:

• What are you good at?
• What comes naturally to you when you see a need or when someone share a problem with you?
• Do you like to care for people, exercise faith (to pray for miracles), teach, help, organise, serve, encourage, give, lead, show mercy and hospitality?

Discover your gifts and use them for God’s glory.

You are gifted and equipped to make a difference.

Conclusion

Many of us may not be able to go to the mission field. But we can do 3 things:

1. We can GIVE

• Make a Pledge and Give to the Missions Fund

2. We can PRAY

• Pray regularly for our missionaries

3. We Can ENCOURAGE

• Encourage our missionaries by calling, texting or writing to them.

God wants you to know:

• You are called and commissioned to make a difference
• You are anointed and empowered to make a difference
• You are gifted and equipped to make a difference

So, GO and be a blessing today.