The Script

A fan once asked an actress why her character was playing “so slow” in a particular movie. In responding to the question, the actress said, at first, she wasn’t comfortable with the role too, because she felt her character should be better than that, but her director insisted it was for a reason, so she played along. She played along because she admires and trusts the director of the movie. She believed he knew what he was doing, and at the end of the day her character created the suspense they needed the movie to have. As I tried to put the thoughts the Holy Spirit shared with me into written words, my mind reminded me of this actress’ response.

We have a role to play here on earth

If you’re a Christian and you believe that the Bible is infallible and inerrant, then you have to also believe that you’re not on earth to just guess your way through life. The script is already written and you’re here to play a particular role. You were pre-destined. God thought about the role He wants you to play here on earth and then decided to create you in a way that fits perfectly into that role. The Bible says:

 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew and approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born, I separated and set you apart, consecrating you, and I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1: 5 (AMP)

“For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), created in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God pre-destined (planned beforehand) for us, (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we should walk in them—living the good life which He pre-arranged and made ready for us to live.” Ephesians 2:10 (AMPC)

We have our collective role and our specific roles

The Bible shows us what our collective role looks like. It includes: to worship God in spirit and in truth, to win souls for the kingdom, to love others as Christ loves us, to pray etc. However, there are specific roles for each person.

David was a King and a warrior. Joseph ruled but was never in a battlefield. Esther was a queen. Deborah was a judge and prophetess that led men to war. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. Mary was the virgin that was chosen to birth Jesus. All the heroes of faith in the Bible had their different missions on earth, but their values and beliefs were the same. While carrying out their different missions, they all served God, inspired others to serve God, loved others, prayed…and did every other thing that is generally expected of a child of God.

It’s easy to know our collective role, because it’s written expressly for us in the Bible. To know our specific role, we need to deliberately learn to know and understand the person of the Holy Spirit. We need to spend time with God’s Word and exercise faith towards the Word. We need to spend time in prayers…and pray in the spirit. We can’t do all of these if we don’t come to the point where we believe that living out our God’s “pre-destined role” is important…very important.

Your role is very important

As I write this, there’s News of another Christian doing something that is outrageously crazy and definitely not God’s will. Before I started writing, I was telling God that living as a Christian is getting harder by the day. When you hear that “Christians” are doing all these crazy stuffs, it can really be heart breaking. You might really feel like shying away from speaking about your faith or maybe try to turn it down.

But the Holy Spirit made me understand how my flesh was responsible for my feelings. From the stories in the Old Testament, we see that God’s children had always had challenges. The Israelites had to suffer as slaves in Egypt. They had their baby boys killed…and after Egypt God still allowed them to suffer as captives in other strange lands. It was actually in a strange land that Esther became queen, and risked her life for God’s people. All that Daniel was and did was in a strange land, and let’s not also forget his lion den experience. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego also faced a burning fiery furnace, because they refused to bow to another god. The Old Testament believers lived under the law; we live under Grace. Grace is better. But even the early disciples and apostles of the New Testament experienced what most Christians aren’t experiencing. Almost all early disciples and apostles died a gruesome death.   

Then let’s talk about Christians and scandals. Do we know how the people that looked up to David felt when they knew he impregnated another man’s wife and then went ahead to kill the man? While we’re at it, let’s also remember Eli’s sons who were defying God’s offerings and sacrifices, and sleeping with women in God’s house. No, it’s not harder for us.

God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear. We have the Spirit of boldness. We need to step into our roles and do what God will have us do. We need to be and do all God created us to be and do. That’s the only way to push forth the frontiers of God’s kingdom. We are Christ’s Ambassadors in this generation. We are our generation’s Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Esther, Daniel. We’re the ones that are called for a time like this. Like God saw a season of Covid-19, scandals, oppositions and all we’re in…and God said me and you are the best soldiers for the fight. He went ahead to create us and then made sure we’re alive in this time and season.

Heaven can’t do much on earth if the Christians that are on earth won’t step into their roles. Heaven is waiting on us. I remember when I was almost graduating from the university. The Holy Spirit said something to me that was very hard for me to believe. He said, “The way man needs God for air is the way God needs man for evangelism.” I couldn’t believe it, but then the Bible says,

“Everyone who calls, ‘Help God!’ get help, but how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One Who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?…” Romans 10:13-15 (MSG)

Heaven needs us. Jesus needs you. Jesus needs us to boldly step into our roles. God is looking for people that will boldly step into their role. In Ezekiel 22:30 God says:

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” (NIV)

Also, Psalm 14: 2 tells us, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are  any who understand, who seek after God.” (ESV)

We are the ones to show forth His marvelous light. We are the ones that are supposed to expose the devil and his demons that are masquerading as angels of light. Shying away isn’t the answer. Stepping back a bit isn’t the right move. Turning down our volume isn’t God’s will. God wants us to come out boldly, step forward with fire in our eyes and declare His kingdom with our whole being.

When was the last time you interceded for the church?

Have you done the last thing the Holy Spirit asked you to do?

Are you still pushing the convictions of the Holy Spirit aside and choosing to live as your flesh pleases?

Saints, we’re here on a mission, we have to start acting like it.

Finally, you need to understand that your flesh won’t want you to live out your role

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learnt as a Christian is that what I feel isn’t always what I should do. Our flesh gets in the way, daily. That explains why Paul says we should take up our cross…daily. If you’re waiting to feel like it before you’ll be and do it, then you’ll never play your role. What we feel comes from the flesh and the flesh is the enemy of the Spirit of God that lives in us.

Galatians 5:17 says, “For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the (Holy) Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh (Godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other—continually withstanding and in conflict with each other…” (AMPC)

It doesn’t matter how I feel, what matters is what God says. In the light of God’s Word, is it right? If No, then I shouldn’t do it…no matter what I feel…no matter what anybody thinks. If it’s what God will have me do, then fear isn’t reason enough. I’ll have to spend so much time with the Word and in prayers until I see that I’ve done it.

Here is a confession: I’ve been running a faith-based blog for almost two years now, and every single time I need to put out a new post I get nervous. Guess what I do every time? I tell the devil that I’m just going to do it afraid because I know that the fear is a sign that that’s exactly what God will have me do. So, trust me. I understand that some times we might not feel like it, but we have to be courageous because we’re more than conquerors.

At Calvary Jesus wrote the entire script for the New Testament Believers. He made our God given roles authentic. He is directing the show according to the will of the Father and we have the Holy Spirit here to help us get acquainted with our roles. Like that actress, sometimes, our flesh might not really like a role…but we just have to trust our Director. We have to trust Jesus…The Author and Finisher of our Faith.

My prayer for you and me:

I pray we have a fresh desire to know why we are here. I pray that our eyes will be flooded with light and everything we’re supposed to be and do will be very clear to us. I pray we become courageous, like never before. I pray we become bold for the kingdom, like never before.

In Jesus’ name…Amen.

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