The vision the Lord has given us for Jesus Loves Kalamazoo is enormous! The idea of mobilizing hundreds of people from dozens of churches into neighborhoods all over our community to serve free food, minister prayer and love and reach out with the salvation message to thousands of lost souls seems like a daunting task to say the least.
There is an account in Numbers 11 where Moses is overwhelmed with the burden of leadership and the enormity of the task at hand. The Israelites had grown discontent with the manna the Lord had been miraculously providing for them and it says that every family was wailing outside Moses’ tent and wondering why they ever left Egypt.
Moses then pleads to the Lord, for help, for relief, for death even if necessary! The Lord didn’t tell Moses to “man up” or “just deal with it.” He doesn’t even tell Moses that he has too little a faith! He brings Moses help. The Lord tells Moses to select seventy elders who were leaders and officials, and then he says something very important. He says, “I will take of the same Spirit that is in you and put it in them.”
As the story continues, the elders gathered in the Tent of Meeting and the Lord did as He had promised. His Spirit rested on each of the elders there and they began to prophecy, literally speak inspired words of God. At that time this function of authority was normally reserved for the Lord’s chosen leader, like Moses. Two of the elders couldn’t make the meeting, but that didn’t stop God from delivering his Spirit to the intended target. So those elders began speaking in authority the inspired words of God to the people in the community. A young man came to Moses out of his great concern and warned him about these men. Joshua even chimed in and said, “Moses, stop them!”
Moses’ response is amazing! He said, “Are you concerned for my sake? I wish ALL the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!” Wow. Moses is literally saying that he wished everyone had the Holy Spirit! At that time, this would seem highly unlikely to ever occur.
Fast forward a really long time though and you find a group of 120 Christ followers gathered in a room, because Jesus told them to go there and wait. In Acts 1 we see Jesus’ words, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised. 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.”
These words were very similar in spirit to the Great Commission where Jesus assured his followers that “all authority in Heaven and on earth had been given to him. Therefore go…”
As we prepare for Catalyst Week it’s very important that you realize the two incredibly powerful and necessary tools you have been given to accomplish the enormous task of redeeming Kalamazoo with the love of God. These tools beckon back to the desire of Moses’ heart and to the final words of Jesus to his disciples. The tools you have been given are the authority of Jesus Christ and the power of his Holy Spirit.
As you carry the message of Jesus’ love to Kalamazoo please do it with boldness and confidence. Know that you have received everything you need for life and godliness and you will be effective and productive when you move in faith on the Lord’s behalf (2 Peter 1:3-11). Do not shy away from challenges or new experiences! Never let fear or uncertainty keep you from taking brave and courageous steps of faith! Exercise those tools of the authority of Jesus Christ and the Spirit that dwells in you! Then come to the celebration Friday night on July 11th and share all the amazing things you saw as you participated with the Lord in His redeeming work!
The Lord HAS given us an enormous task! But he has also given the tools needed to accomplish it together!
-Dave Sykes, Agape Christian Church & the JLK Vision Team