THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING

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“After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide, ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them…”

Joshua 1:1-2

Joshua had the combined character of a courageous warrior and a diligent and faithful servant. He had determined in his heart to serve the servant of God. To achieve this he would have to be close to him in the moment that he needed him most. This is why Joshua did not move from the mountain when Moses had not come down after forty days. He had provisions of water, food, and clothing; everything was ready for when Moses would need it. At the same time, the people who were waiting below were acting without restraint, worshipping a golden calf. The only one who was not contaminated was Joshua because his service to God guarded his heart and his life.

Being a servant is an inner attitude that has an external reward. Jesus said, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions” (Matthew 24:45-47). The characteristics of a servant should be: faithfulness, prudence, diligence, and perseverance. The Lord calls such people blessed and promises a great reward. Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord summarized the ministry of His Son Jesus saying, “Here is My servant whom I uphold, My chosen One in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness, He will bring forth justice; He will not falter or be discouraged till He establishes justice on earth. In His laws the islands will put their hope” (Isaiah 42:1-4). Jesus possessed all the characteristics a person who serves God should have; He was the one that pleased the heart of the Father with His faithfulness. He did not get tired or faint until He had fulfilled the purpose of God on the Earth. Jesus told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work” (John 4:34).

For Joshua to replace Moses in leadership, he had to become a visionary – a man full of faith, someone overflowing with energy. He had to become a person who could count on the anointing and full support of God to fulfill his mission, which was, to improve the quality of the peoples’ lives, both spiritually and physically. In order to achieve this, all of the people would have to become conquerors. What helped Joshua the most was his spirit of service, clearly demonstrated in how he remained attentive to the needs of Moses. Whoever has a heart faithful in service, will be protected.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
When the evangelist Oral Roberts first started his ministry, he found himself facing a great difficulty – the offerings were not enough to cover the costs of the campaign. He decided to collect the offerings himself, but what he achieved was minimal. Somewhat disillusioned in that moment, he thought about abandoning everything. This is when his wife stood up and motivated everyone to give a special offering. She told them, “I know my husband, and I know that if he leaves, he will never return.” Thank God, that day all the costs of the campaign were covered. One of the biggest divine healing ministries was about to die before it had even really started, but the faithfulness of a congregation that was able to believe God, contributed so that this great man of God could bring hope to hundreds of thousands of people that needed it for many years.

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“I was called to love, to serve and to conquer. I will always be faithful to this calling.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Three.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

    • Old Testament: Ezra 4-5; Proverbs 3
    • New Testament: Luke 13:22-35; 1 Timothy 2

THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING