Open to the Spirit’s Leading ✨
By Pastor Gary Boyd
Have you ever paused and thought, “I wish something in my life was different”? Maybe you’ve looked ahead and imagined, “This time next year, I want to be doing more for God, making a bigger difference.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re in good company. In fact, Acts 13 shows us a moment where two faithful believers—Barnabas and Saul—were invited by the Holy Spirit to take their next step. 📖
Their journey can teach us a lot about what it means to grow in usefulness for God’s mission.
1. God Uses the Prepared 📚🛠️
The church in Antioch was full of faithful leaders—men who were already teaching and proclaiming God’s Word. Barnabas and Saul weren’t waiting around for a divine lightning bolt. They were already in the game.
Kind of like Jimmy Doolittle preparing for that historic WWII mission… He didn’t just hope everything would work out when it mattered—he trained for it. Over and over. Then, when the time came, he was ready. 🎯
It’s the same with us. We don’t prepare after God opens the door—we prepare before, trusting He’ll lead us when the time is right.
Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, there are ways to prepare:
- Join a Bible class 📖
- Attend a youth camp 🏕️
- Get consistent in your Bible reading 🕊️
- Sign up for that course you’ve been thinking about 🎓
God uses those who want to be used—and who are getting ready.
2. God Speaks When His People Are Listening 👂🙏
Verse 2 paints a powerful picture: the leaders were ministering and fasting when the Holy Spirit spoke.
Now, most of us get the “ministering” part. We serve, we help, we show up. But fasting? That one’s a little less common.
Fasting is more than skipping meals. It’s saying, “God, I need You more than I need this.” It’s a way of tuning out the noise and saying, “I’m listening.” 🎧➡️❌
Imagine someone walking around with earbuds in. You’re less likely to talk to them, right? But when they take them out and make eye contact—you know they’re ready to hear you. Fasting is like taking the spiritual earbuds out.
Want to hear from God? You’ve got to want to hear Him. Not just say it—show it. Clear space. Quiet the noise. Lean in.
3. The Spirit Issues Personal and Specific Callings 🗣️💡
The second part of verse 2 is amazing: the Holy Spirit calls Barnabas and Saul by name.
He doesn’t just say, “I need some volunteers.” He says, “These two—I’ve got a job for them.”
And the wild part? They had already been living faithfully. They were already doing the work of the gospel in Antioch. 🌱
But because they were faithful in the general, they were entrusted with the specific.
It reminds me of how promotions work in most jobs. When leadership needs someone to help launch something new, they don’t pick the ones cutting corners. They choose the ones who are already doing it well.
Here’s the truth: God sees your faithfulness. 🕵️♂️ He sees your effort, your prayers, your quiet acts of obedience. And when the time is right, He knows how to call your name too.
4. The Church Confirms the Called 🤝⛪
Here’s something we can’t miss: when the Spirit called Barnabas and Saul, they didn’t just hit the road. 🚗 They waited. The church prayed, fasted, and confirmed the call. Then they laid hands on them and sent them.
That’s so important in a world that tells us to follow our hearts and go solo. God uses the local church to confirm His work.
It’s kind of like a man asking for his future father-in-law’s blessing before proposing. Could he just go ahead without it? Sure. But it says a lot when someone honors authority and community. 💍
Barnabas and Saul weren’t rogue agents—they were accountable, humble, and Spirit-led. That’s the kind of leadership God blesses.
5. God Sends with Power and Purpose 🚀🔥
Verse 3 uses a powerful word—“sent.” In Greek, it’s tied to the word “apostle,” meaning sent one.
Barnabas and Saul left as authorized, supported, and celebrated representatives of their church and of the gospel. Their departure wasn’t painful—it was joyful. Not a loss—but a launch. 🎉
Just like a parent raises a child to eventually go out and start a life of their own, churches should raise up leaders and send them out.
We’re not meant to just gather—we’re meant to go. 🌍
God wants churches to birth new works, new ministries, new leaders.
And my prayer? That our church becomes a sending church. That God would call people from right here—young people, couples, entire families—to go and reach the world.
So… What About You? 🤔💬
Can you picture God using your life in a bigger way?
Not everyone’s called to full-time ministry—but all of us are called to be available.
So ask yourself:
- Am I preparing for what God might do? 📘
- Am I listening for His voice? 🎧
- Am I open to being sent—wherever that might be? ✈️
Because God is still calling.
He’s still speaking.
He’s still sending.
And maybe—just maybe—He’s calling you.
