God is searching for men and women who will answer His call to service. He is not looking for the talented, the educated, or the powerful—though He can certainly use such people. Rather, He seeks those who are willing, obedient, and surrendered to His will. Throughout scripture, we see that God uses ordinary people who make themselves available for extraordinary purposes.

The question is not whether God can use you, but whether you will allow Him to use you. The laborers are few because many are unwilling to pay the price of discipleship, to surrender their plans for God's plans, to die to self so that Christ can live through them. Yet the call remains: "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6:8). Will you be among those who answer this call?

The Character of the Man God Uses

Before God can use us mightily, He must develop certain qualities within us. These characteristics are not optional extras—they are essential prerequisites for effective service in God's kingdom.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself—it is thinking of yourself less. It means recognizing that any ability, gift, or opportunity comes from God alone. Paul asked: "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:7). Everything we have is a gift from God.

Consider Moses, one of the greatest leaders in scripture. He was "very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). His humility made him usable by God. Or David, who though anointed as king, served faithfully in obscurity, tending sheep and waiting on God's timing. His humble heart attracted God's favor: "The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14).

Holiness is not self-righteousness or legalism. It is Christlikeness—allowing the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of Jesus. It means fleeing from temptation, mortifying the deeds of the flesh, and walking in the Spirit. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13).

God will not use a dirty vessel. He requires that those who minister in His name be clean. Isaiah saw a vision of God's holiness and cried out: "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5). Only after his lips were cleansed could he receive God's commission. We must allow God to purge us, refine us, and make us holy vessels fit for His use.

Jesus modeled perfect obedience. He said: "I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29). Even facing the horror of the cross, He prayed: "Not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). This obedience qualified Him to be the Savior of the world. Our obedience qualifies us to be His servants.

Partial obedience is disobedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Obedience with a bad attitude is not true obedience. God requires wholehearted submission to His will. "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:22). Are you walking in obedience to everything God has shown you?

The Preparation of the Man God Uses

God does not use people straight out of the package. He prepares them, trains them, tests them, and refines them. The process may be long and difficult, but it is absolutely necessary.

In the wilderness, God breaks our self-sufficiency and teaches us to depend entirely on Him. He strips away our pride, our false securities, and our worldly ambitions. He reveals what is truly in our hearts. Moses learned that he could not deliver Israel through human strength. David learned to trust God's timing rather than forcing his own plans. Paul learned that God's strength is perfected in weakness.

If you are in a wilderness season right now, do not despise it. God is preparing you for greater usefulness. "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). The testing is temporary, but the lessons learned are eternal. Submit to God's refining process and trust His perfect timing.

David was faithful in shepherding his father's sheep before God made him shepherd of Israel. Joseph was faithful as a slave and prisoner before God elevated him to prime minister of Egypt. Timothy was faithful in assisting Paul before receiving his own ministry assignment. Faithfulness in obscurity qualifies us for visibility in God's kingdom.

Many people want great platforms and large ministries, but they are unfaithful in the mundane tasks before them. They want to preach to thousands but won't witness to their neighbor. They want to write books but won't read the Bible daily. They want leadership positions but won't serve in humble ways. God's pattern is clear: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matthew 25:21).

David wrote: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17). God treasures broken hearts because they are humble, teachable, and dependent. The proud heart resists God's work, but the broken heart receives it gladly.

Jesus illustrated this principle with grain of wheat: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24). Death to self precedes fruitfulness in ministry. We must die to our ambitions, our reputation, and our rights. Only then can God work through us powerfully.

The Power Available to the Man God Uses

God does not call us to serve in our own strength. He provides supernatural power through the Holy Spirit to accomplish His purposes. Without this power, our service is merely human effort producing temporary results.

The early church turned the world upside down because they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter, who had denied Christ in fear, boldly preached to thousands after being filled with the Spirit. Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, performed great wonders and miracles. Philip was led by the Spirit to minister to the Ethiopian eunuch. Paul was driven by the Spirit in his missionary journeys.

Paul commanded: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). This is not a one-time experience but a continuous filling. We must daily surrender to the Spirit's control, allowing Him to empower us, guide us, and work through us. Are you filled with the Spirit, or are you trying to serve God in human strength?

The early church was devoted to prayer. Before Pentecost, they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14). When persecution arose, they prayed for boldness rather than safety (Acts 4:29-31). When decisions needed to be made, they prayed and fasted (Acts 13:2-3). Prayer was the foundation of their ministry.

James declared: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). Prayer changes things. Prayer moves mountains. Prayer releases God's power. The man God uses is a man of prayer. He knows that more can be accomplished through prayer than through any amount of activity. "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).

Joshua received this command: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). Success in God's service comes through knowing and obeying His Word.

The man God uses is saturated in scripture. He reads it, studies it, memorizes it, meditates on it, and obeys it. He knows that God's Word is "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). It is the sword of the Spirit, our offensive weapon in spiritual warfare. Without biblical knowledge and understanding, we are ineffective in ministry.

The Purpose for Which God Uses Us

God doesn't use us merely to make us feel important or fulfilled. He uses us to accomplish His eternal purposes—purposes that matter for eternity and bring glory to His name.

John the Baptist understood this principle. When people tried to exalt him, he pointed them to Jesus: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). The man God uses is not building his own kingdom or seeking his own glory. He is advancing God's kingdom and seeking God's glory. This requires humility and self-denial, but it produces eternal fruit.

Paul wrote: "And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21). God sent Paul to evangelize the Gentile world, and Paul faithfully fulfilled this calling. He could say at the end of his life: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

Every believer should be involved in soul-winning. We may not all be evangelists, but we are all witnesses. We may not all preach to crowds, but we can all share our testimony. The question is: when was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? When was the last time you led someone to Christ? If souls are precious to God, they must be precious to us.

Paul described the church as a body with many members: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:12). Some are called to teach, some to serve, some to encourage, some to give, some to lead. All are necessary, and all bring glory to God when functioning properly.

How are you building up the body of Christ? Are you using your gifts to strengthen others? Are you encouraging those who are weak? Are you teaching those who need instruction? Are you serving those who have needs? God has placed you in the body for a purpose. Fulfill that purpose faithfully.

Answering the Call to Serve

God is calling you to serve Him. The question is not whether you are qualified—no one is qualified in themselves. The question is whether you will answer the call and allow God to work through you.

Many people have gifts and abilities but are not available to God. They are too busy with their own plans, too comfortable in their current situations, too afraid of what obedience might cost. But God is looking for people like Mary, who said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). Total surrender and availability to God's will.

Paul counted everything as loss for the excellency of knowing Christ. He suffered beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, and hardships—yet he considered it all joy to serve his Master. "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:7-8).

The cost of discipleship is high, but the rewards are eternal. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17). What we sacrifice for Christ is nothing compared to what we gain. Will you count the cost and still say yes?

Before you can serve God, you must first belong to God. Have you been born again? Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, do so today. Confess your sins, believe in His death and resurrection, and receive Him as your Savior.

Once you belong to Him, consecrate yourself fully to His service. Present your body as a living sacrifice. Surrender your will to His will. Make yourself available for His use. Allow Him to prepare you, train you, and work through you. The man God uses is simply a yielded vessel through whom God can work. Will you be that vessel? The call is clear. The need is great. The time is now. Answer the call and serve the Lord.