Are You Truly Ready for a God Assignment?

As I sat in the fast food place waiting for my group to arrive, I noticed a young man. He appeared to be agitated, or maybe he was strung out, I wasn’t really sure which. He was pacing back and forth and talking to himself under his breath. He got in the food line to place an order but kept looking toward the back of the store. I wasn’t sure if he was looking for someone or to avoid them. But just as abruptly as he got in line, he left. It was the strangest behavior I had seen in a long time.

My group began to arrive and while we were talking with each other about our assignment, I noticed this young man again. He came rushing back into the food court area and was again standing in line to place an order at the counter. I didn’t give it much more thought until someone in my group leaned forward and whispered, “I believe he’s your treasure.”

I knew exactly who he was talking about–I didn’t even need to turn around to know the elderly gentleman was referring to the strange young man I had been watching. The group and I were on a treasure hunt assignment. We each prayed for clues as to who God would send us to and what they might need prayer for.

Can I just be real for a minute? I didn’t want to talk to this young man. I had made a judgment about him while I observed his behavior. He was in his early twenties with a baseball cap on backwards, an oversized long baggy shirt, his pants were hanging down past where they should be, and his boxers were showing! I was also afraid.

Not afraid of him, but afraid he wouldn’t talk to me. Afraid he wouldn’t listen and that he would reject me and the message I felt God had sent me there to share. I made this confession to the rest of the group. While they understood how I might be feeling, they encouraged me that he needed Jesus.

I knew they were right. This young kid matched all my clues. He was carrying a backpack, wearing jeans, and had on the color of shoes I had written down. There was no mistaking God sent me to pray for this young man and speak words of encouragement over him.

I waited until he made his purchase and I approached him cautiously. I asked if I could share some things with him and told him that he was God’s treasure. He looked at me like I had lost my marbles, but agreed to listen. I began sharing why I was there and how I knew he was the one I was supposed to talk to and pray for. I shared prophetic words of encouragement with him and then asked if he had a specific prayer need he wanted me to pray for.

He shared with me that he was only three days sober and he had come to the store to buy alcohol. He said he was fighting with himself the entire time and only had enough cash for a few beers, but had decided to buy food before changing his mind, and then changing it again and coming back. I brought him back to the table so the group could also pray for him. We could all tell he was touched by the ministry he was receiving, but all of a sudden, he started swearing and said he had to call his grandma right away and left quickly.

We were all shocked at his reaction and had just started talking again when the kid came running back to our table. He said his grandma wanted him to apologize for his language, and she wanted him to thank us for praying for him. She was a believer and had been praying a long time for her grandson to be set free from his addictions and encounter Jesus like he did when he was a young boy.

I thought I was there that day to fulfill a requirement, but God had sent me there to put courage into this young man by speaking words of life. I was there to share God had a plan for his future by speaking words full of hope and encouragement.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

There are many individuals around us that are just like this young man. They are someone’s loved one, but ultimately, they are a child a God.  He loves them as much as He loves those of us who have chosen to follow Him. God wants to send us on assignment to those we meet on a daily basis.

Will you make yourself available?

---

This is exactly why I wrote “The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement: Hearing the Words of God for others.” This book is about learning to hear the voice of God in our own life so we can respond and be available for the God assignments He gives us on a daily basis. God is calling us to be ambassadors of encouragement and speak words of hope to others. We are called to be the gift the worlds needs today.

We live in a time, where those around us are in desperate need of a real encounter with Jesus and in need of encouragement. We are called to encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13), and to build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). My book will teach you how to step out and do just that.