During the conflict in Ireland, the Irish Republican Army would plant sleeper cells in the west of Scotland. These people were part of the I.R.A., but were instructed to live in Scotland, hold jobs and integrate into the community. They were to appear as normal citizens.
However, when the big moment would come for those in these sleeper cells, they would receive the instruction to become part of a terrorist act . . . usually in England. They would be sent to the front lines of conflict to plant bombs and cause terrific havoc.
Perhaps you feel that you’ve been called to missions but God hasn’t opened the door for you. Perhaps your life circumstances or finance or your family responsibilities just don’t seem to come together to work for you. Your consecration is deep and your desire is strong but you just haven’t received the go-ahead to enter the front lines of missionary service.
Let me encourage you not to despair. Apply the scriptural principle that says, “occupy until I come”. Keep busy and dedicated in the work of the Lord where you are. Don’t ever be caught up in the desire to win the world and forget your neighbour. Bloom where you are planted. If you remain faithful and keep your heart in the work of God, your time will come and you will find yourself in the frontlines of missions work.
Psalms 25.21 says, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.” Often these times of waiting are times of testing your burden and testing your call. If you can be dissuaded or talked out of your desire, you may not be truly called. That does not mean you don’t have a burden, nor does it mean you can’t be used in missions.
Some give, some pray and some go. Without the pray-ers and the givers, no one would be able to go. All aspects are vital and all are extremely effective.
Timing was all important during the I.R.A. operations. Without proper timing, they could never have been as effective as they were in striking fear in the hearts of their enemy. So, it is spiritually. The right person at the right time doing the right thing in the right place will definitely strike fear in the enemy of our souls. To be even slightly off in timing could have been disastrous for the I.R.A. and so it is in frontline spiritual battle.
Please don’t misinterpret this article In no way am I condoning or admiring the actions of terrorists. I just felt quickened in my spirit to encourage those who may struggle waiting for their visions of missions involvement to come to pass.
God knows your heart and your desire. While you wait in your “missions sleeper cell”, be assured that you will be placed strategically in the right place at the right time. Until then, keep yourself focused on ministry right where you are. Allow the Lord to develop and prepare you as you wait on Him.
“It’s not the will to win that matters . . . everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
Something happened. Conviction swept in and many people gave offerings larger than $5,000…without the promise of a trinket. One person was selling a business for $150,000.00 and that money has already been received by Global Missions.
Liz brought back a globe for each of the Kids. They weren’t in that service, but we want them to be connected to that same spirit… to see themselves as Global.
Sis. Else Lund was appointed as a missionary to Liberia, Africa in 1962 and spent three weeks sailing to the land of her calling on a ship named the African Glen. She fulfilled a number of roles in multiple west-African nations until retiring from Global Missions in 2004… some 42 years after her initial appointment. A great deal of those 42 years was spent in Ghana and at one point, every ordained minister in the UPC of Ghana, had been taught by Sis. Lund… hence the nickname “Mother Ghana.” What a heritage.
Rev. Jim Poitras,
James Poitras 