If you read Who, me? (Equipped for Ministry) you remember I was talking about how all who are in Christ are called to ministry and that it is not just the job of the “professionals.” According to Ephesians 4 it is the job of the “professionals” to equip the saints so that they themselves can do the work of ministry. The cool thing is, Jesus already knows how he wants to use you. He knows what He wants to accomplish through you. Let’s check out John 6.
“Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, ‘Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?’ He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, ‘Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!’ Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. ‘There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?’ ‘Tell everyone to sit down,’ Jesus said.” (John 6: 3-10)
There’s a lot we can learn from this story, but for now; let’s just look at this one aspect : Here, in John 6, Jesus knew what He was going to do. He is asking Phillip how they would feed the people, but He already knew what He was going to do. Jesus may bring you into a situation where you cannot possibly meet the need in and of yourself. Like the disciples you may look out and say, “Lord, we need to send these folks away so they can get something to eat…” and He replies, “No, you feed them.” You look around and it seems impossible, the need is to great, but He knows what he’s going to do. He is teaching us that it is through our relationship with him that we will be used to meet the need of those he brings into our lives.
You see part of equipping Phillip,the rest of the disciples, and you and me for that matter is deliberately putting us in a situation in which we are insufficient within ourselves to minister. We begin to learn to trust in Jesus’ ability, in his sufficiency. We come to the place when we realize that it is only that which flows out of our union with Christ that will glorify God and meet the need. We look around and see so much hurt, so much pain, so much need, and we say, “Lord, help them. I can’t do anything.” BUT HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO!! And he wants to use you!
As it is with all true ministry,this feeding of the 5,000 would glorify Jesus and show the crowd who he was, and; that’s what you are called to do- show those he brings to you who He is. You may not be called to stand behind a pulpit or travel to Haiti or write books or make cds, but; you are most definitely called to show others who Jesus is. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:10 that “you are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand for you to walk in.”
Yes my friend, if you are a disciple of Jesus; you are called to do ministry. But, don’t you worry; the Lord is in control and He already knows what He wants to do through you. Oh, I almost forgot; 
don’t be surprised if it seems impossible.
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