Inadequate. Lacking. Ill-equipped. Afraid.
Do any of these self-doubts enter your mind when you consider Jesus’ charge to believers in Matthew 28:19-20? Or maybe you battle apathy, believing this call was meant for pastors and missionaries but not for you. A common misconception about the Great Commission is that it is only meant to be carried out by specific kinds of Christians—the extroverts; the lifelong followers of Jesus; those who are gifted speakers, popular, adventurous, or brave. You may also feel disqualified from Great Commission work because of your life stage, financial status, age, or health.
The big question is, can God use me? Yes, He can. The truth is, God designed His global rescue plan to be carried out by all of His children—even you.
No matter how inadequate you feel, God has a role for you in the Great Commission. He has called many seemingly ill-equipped people—including Moses—to fulfill His purposes throughout history. Take a look at Moses’ story to learn three steps to discovering God’s heart for you in the Great Commission.
Step 1: Determine What is Holding You Back
“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you … .’” -Exodus 3:11-12a
When Moses stands before the burning bush on Mount Sinai, he listens as God calls him to a seemingly impossible task: leading an entire nation out of slavery with the permission of their enslavers. At the time of his calling, Moses is a murderer in hiding, a fugitive in a foreign land, a man adopted by Egyptian royalty and raised as such, all while his family of origin is being oppressed. When God tells Moses He wants to use him to free Israel, Moses doesn’t see the mighty hand of God at work—he only sees his own lack. Moses grapples with questions, such as:
- “‘Who am I … (Exodus 3:11)?’”
- “‘... what shall I tell them (Exodus 3:13)?’”
- “‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me … (Exodus 4:1)?’”
He even goes as far as asking God to send someone else. Moses is not a public speaker, not a leader, and frankly, not equipped for the task. Maybe you can relate. Is there anything in your life that you feel is holding you back from fulfilling the Great Commission? What if your perceived inadequacies exist to help open others’ hearts to God?
Remember, only broken people can be used by God because all people are broken.
Step 2: Reflect on Who God Is
“The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’” -Exodus 4:11-12
The interesting thing about Moses’ burning bush conversation with God is that there’s no list of Moses’ qualifications to back the calling. When Moses presents God with his fears, doubts, and weaknesses, God does not respond with encouragements and reassurances. Instead, the Lord focuses on who He is—the great “‘I AM (Exodus 3:14).’” Moses alone was not going to have the strength, boldness, or words to persuade Pharaoh’s hardened heart. But God working in and through him would.
When our eyes are trained on who God is, we can see our calling with clear vision that is unclouded by doubt, insecurity, or pride. We can rest in knowing that our calling is not dependent on our own strengths but His.
How does God show His sufficiency in your deficiency? How do your limitations increase your dependence on God?
Remember, we can only accurately see who we are through the lens of who God is.
Step 3: Respond in Obedience
“Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform. Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.” -Exodus 4:28-31
Who we are has no impact on the advancement of the gospel—only who God is. In faithful steps of obedience, God’s power can be displayed—not just despite but also in and through our weaknesses. Though Moses protested and made excuses for his calling, he finally came to a place of obedience after understanding it was God’s power that would guide him, not his own.
By saying, “Yes,” to God’s call, Moses led an entire nation out of slavery and changed the course of countless generations to come. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus tasks believers with a similar call: to lead people out of spiritual slavery and into the freedom of salvation. How is God calling you to take a sacrificial step of obedience in fulfilling the Great Commission?
Remember, great faith, ignited by steps of obedience, leads to great outpourings of God’s power.
Now What?
Making disciples of all nations is a unique command because its fulfillment relies on the collaboration of the entire Body of Christ. It is a task too great for one person to accomplish, but it’s a task that every believer is called to embrace and is responsible for helping complete.
There are many ways to participate in the Great Commission, and each is an extension of God’s individual call on our lives. What God does not leave as an option is for us not to participate at all.
Whether you pray for the lost, give to missions, or go to the nations, you are called to let the world know about Jesus. Remember, God can use anyone—even you.