Ablaze for God - Day 33 Devotional

“You Can Be an Anointed Leader”
Submitted by Kathy Schroeder
Key text: 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Before giving a retreat on the names of Jesus, several ladies gathered to pray about the weekend and for each attendee, asking the Holy Spirit to open their hearts to who Jesus wanted to be in their lives and to heal any brokenness within. We also asked to anoint the leader to be sensitive to His leading. Sending the ladies off to research the names given them, I looked up to see one woman with a tearful face. She shared that she had been struggling with pride and perfectionism, and when Jesus was presented as Friend and Prince of Peace, she hungered for forgiveness and a new walk. By searching the Scriptures and praying together, she came to believe Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” NIV.

Finding the right verses, praying with anyone in a time of need should be prefaced by prayer for anointing and accepting the challenge to share God’s Word in a worthy manner, trusting Him to bring it alive to the needy heart. Jesus is the Great Shepherd and He has asked His pastors to send forth workers to lead His people. What joy fills our hearts when someone comes forth hungry and you are allowed to feed them the Holy Scriptures with His healing touch. So often a story comes to your mind that fits perfectly or something that happened in your own life meshes seamlessly with what the other is dealing with. You recognize that God may have allowed some situation to occur in your life precisely for this anointed time.

God is the "God of all comfort" and wants you to share what you have learned with others: “..so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God.” When you are willing to serve God very few situations, especially the difficult ones, will go unused in your ministry.