THESE MEN ARE THE SERVANTS OF GOD – Acts 16:17
Acts 16:17 the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.
Paul had answered the call to go to Macedonia. He went to Philippi which was the chief city in Macedonia. One day when Paul went to the house of prayer, a damsel who had a spirit in her all of a sudden started telling everyone to pay attention to Paul because Paul and his companions where servants of God and that they could show them the way of salvation.
Paul apparently let it go but day after day, this young lady continued to cry out in the city that people needed to pay attention to Paul. This lady was under great bondage by Satan. It grieved Paul to see this person under such bondage. Paul understood that it was the will of God that this lady not be under such bondage and as such, he commanded the spirit in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. The spirit obeyed and came out of the lady.
Paul was not out looking for spirits to cast out. Paul was concerned about going to prayer and doing the will of God. However, as he was doing his job, the spirit in this damsel was being disruptive. Most likely the first time this happened, it probably caught Paul off guard that the demons would be working in this woman in such a way that people were being told that they needed to pay attention to Paul. However, Paul did not need demons to proclaim who he was. Paul was available to do the will of God and because of his understanding of the Authority that God had given to him, by the power of Jesus Christ; he freed the lady of her bondage.
You never know when God is going to bring someone into your life to minister to. If you remain faithful to HIM and continue to serve HIM, HE will bring people into your life that you can help. You must remain faithful to HIM. You must learn to seek HIS perfect will for your life. As you do those things that are pleasing in HIS sight, HE will guide your path and allow you to minister to people who need help. You must always remember that it is not you in your own strength but it is Christ working through you that enables you to touch the lives of others and encourage them to do what is right in the eyes of God. It is God who arranges things so that they come into your life and it is God working through you that causes there to see the light.
You do not need to be looking for people to minister to. If you are right with God and you are dedicated to doing HIS perfect will, then God will ensure that you have plenty of opportunities to minister. The most important thing is that you are ready to be used of God. If you are not ready for God to use you, God will not bring you people to minister to. God is going to use those whose hearts are pure and are ready for God to do great things through them.
Be faithful to do that which is right in the eyes of God. Take the time to draw closer to HIM and to do HIS perfect will. As you put the things of God first in your life, watch as you develop a closer relationship with HIM. The closer you are to God, the easier it will be for God to use you. You must understand who God is and HIS power in your life so that HE can use you to expand the kingdom of God.
Do you spend time seeking the perfect will of God? Do you take the time to develop a closer walk with HIM? Do you make HIM a priority in your life? If you desire to see God do great things through you, then you need to start by building a foundation that God can use. How can you expect to bring others to HIM if you do not have a personal walk with HIM?