Recently I was reading and meditating in the first chapter of Ephesians, in the King James Version and was led to look up the passage in the Amplified Version. I found five words that opened my eyes to another level of understanding of the Father’s love. “For He foreordained us, destined us planned in love for us, to be adopted, revealed as His own children through Christ Jesus, in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him and was His kind intent.” (Ephesians 1: 5 AMP.).

            God planned in love for each and every one of us. He thought out our purpose beforehand. His plan is elaborate and extensive beyond our human comprehension down to the smallest details of our very existence. He arranged the layout of our definite purpose in eternity before we existed in time. There is nothing that He has not taken care of.

            As I thought on the words tailor made, I remembered that I made my clothes when I was growing up. Usually in our society, the privileged wears tailor made clothing. When something is tailor made it is custom to order and fashioned to a particular purpose or demand. I went through a period where I did not want anything out of the store.  Even when I worked on Wall Street, I found a seamstress to make my suits because I did not want to see myself or someone wearing what I had on. Isn’t it funny how we have these characteristics that make up our unique personalities?

            Our Father, the master tailor has designed and cut each one of us from a particular fabric for the need of particular situations during our existence on this planet. There is a definite assignment for you if you are a part of the Kingdom. There are even assignments for those who have not yet come into their place in the Kingdom. Each and every one of us is a masterpiece of the master puzzle.

            Everyone in the body of Christ has the mandate of the Great Commission to “Go.” There are different gifting and purpose for each one according to the Master’s plan. Everyone cannot go everywhere, even in your own community, because you may not be called and anointed for some particular assignments. You are one in the multitude of billions.

            In the book of Samuel, chapter 30, David had a catastrophic experience at Ziglag when the Amalekites raided, burned, and took their wives and children captive. In their distress, the men blamed David and were getting ready to attack him. But David strengthened himself in the Lord and inquired for a strategy for victory.  The Lord answered him, “pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” (1 Samuel 30:8). When God gives you the plan and purpose, just do it. He backs up His plan and His purpose with the evidence. Don’t worry about your critics because they will not understand.

            Six hundred men started out with David, but two hundred could not go past the brook because they were exhausted. The four hundred continued in pursuit to defeat the enemy and recover all as the Lord said. Upon returning some did not want to share the spoils with those who remained on watch.

            The scriptures reveal nothing about the personality traits of these men until they returned. It was at the point of the division of the spoils that were recovered that the truth of their hearts was revealed.  In spite of the flaws, the men on the frontline were positioned for purpose. The word says that they were wicked. These men were in the camp living with David. They were not strangers. Was this wicked personality trait the cause of their fierceness as warriors? Remember they were going to attack David until the plan of the Lord was revealed and then they followed him. It was only after David spoke of sharing the spoils and made it a statute that all would share did they obey.

            The body of Christ is many minds, many hands in different offices of fivefold ministry and many ordinary positions that should be united in teamwork focused on one goal – souls. The gifting and interactions of the body illustrate a grand design and strategy for the lost in this time. Jesus knew that everyone would not come into the church, spiritual or physical, that is why He issued the mandate to “Go.” “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15).

            Have you noticed that people are not coming into the physical church? If there is a great crisis, they find their way. Even some of the members of the body of Christ have lost interest. They are not coming inside the four walls. We can no longer sit in the pews for the scheduled services. We have to go out and become wise to the plans of the enemy so that we may win many souls. We have to become a mobile church on the move.

            Even though there is the Great Commission, everyone will go across the brook. Some will only come to a point and become weary. There are those that God has appointed and anointed with certain personalities that will be able to go where some cannot. When the Spirit overtakes and floods the many souls to return to the church, those who stayed behind must be positioned with the revelation and joy to receive the harvest.

            There is even a different sound in the praise and worship of the youth of this generation. Many have made decisions that what is occurring is not of God. It is really God moving a way that is unusual to their ideas and concepts. They have a limited mindset, which limits the outpouring of ideas, concepts, and insights that were designed and planned in love to be released at this time. As time continues, there are changes in every aspect of the spectrum of our existence. God has planned in love for the generations in the past, present, and the future, knowing what would be needed to position us for His purpose.

“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2).

© May 2011

Becky DeWitt