Given May 2016
A few weeks ago, our Pastor invited the whole church to come to the front for prayer. We wanted to make a greater commitment to serve the Lord. As he prayed over us, the image of a sequence came to my mind; a process or formula to prepare us for service. I’d like to share that vision with you.
The first picture in this vision is of us as a vessel, which we are supposed to be: “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:21). We are all vessels of one kind or another and God decides our use. But sometimes we as vessels, because of wrong choices, get cracked and cannot hold what God pours into us. So first, we need to ask God to FORGIVE us for those damaging choices. Then we need to ask Him to FIX us; to repair the cracks so we can be useful. The third step is to then ask God to FILL us again. Pray for a full measure of His Spirit and, I like to go beyond that, and ask for an overflowing measure so His Spirit in me will slosh over onto the people I meet. The final step in this formula is, now that we are useful vessels again, to ask God to FORWARD us on to His assignment and His plan for us. We can say, “Here I am God, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8).
Forgive me, Fix me, Fill me and Forward me. This is a prayer we can pray at any time as needed. Please don’t be satisfied with being a leaky, cracked pot not useful for anything. Pray this formula today so the Master can send you on to your next assignment. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).