Saving Souls

So often we think, I’ll never do anything significant. I’m just a business person, just a schoolteacher, just a stay-at-home mom. But you are not “just an” any­thing! You are a child of the Most High God. You have seeds of greatness on the inside of you.

Did you know you were not created to be average? Your life was not designed just to go through the mo­tions. You were created to leave your mark on this world. You have gifts that no one else has, and people need what you have.

We need to ask ourselves, “A hundred years from now, will it have made a difference that I lived? Did I get up each day and give it my best, pursuing my dreams and goals? Did I keep my heart of compassion open, help­ing others, loving, and serving?” Our attitude should be, “I’m going to leave this place better off than it was be­fore. I’m going to make a difference with my life.”

Dare to dream

God is constantly trying to plant new seeds in our hearts. He’s continually trying to get us to know who we are and what we can accomplish. I believe the main reason many people never reach their full potential is because their thinking is too limited.I once heard a story about a certain fisherman. Ev­ery time this man caught a big fish, he threw it back. But when he caught a small fish, he kept it. Finally, someone asked him why he was only keeping the small fish. The fisherman replied, “All I have is a 10-inch fry­ing pan.”

A lot of us are like that fisherman. Instead of chang­ing our thinking and making room for the good things God has in store, we just throw them back. We say, “That’s too big for me. I could never make that kind of impact.” Sadly, when we do that, we can miss the great­ness God has planted in our lives to touch others.

In order for us to live a life worth remembering, we must first change our thinking. We must make a deci­sion today to stop thinking small and impossible, and start thinking in the realm of the great and the possible. We can do that when we begin to believe what God’s Word says about us.

Know deep down in your heart that the favor of God is surrounding you like a shield (Psalm 5:12). You are full of can-do power (Philippians 4:13). You are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves you (Romans 8:37).

Dare to take a step of faith

When opportunities come across your path and you feel those dreams and desires rising up, don’t shrink back and say, “Oh, that’s too much. I’ll never do that.”Dare to take a step of faith. Dare to believe. As we get out of our comfort zone, God can show up and do great things in our lives.

In the book of Judges, there is a lady named Debo­rah. She was living in a city that was full of violence and all kinds of wrongdoing. It had gotten so bad that you couldn’t even travel down the main highway without be­ing attacked.

Deborah decided she was going to make a difference, even though she was a woman (women didn’t have many leadership roles back then). She wasn’t wealthy or popular, but her reliance was on God alone. Her attitude was, “I’m not going to just sit back and watch things go downhill. I’m going to do what I can and trust God to do what I can’t.” When she rose up against the enemy in boldness, others were inspired to follow.

Be a catalyst for change

Just like Deborah, you can be a catalyst for change. Because of the Greater One living on the inside of you, you can make a difference in your family, your business, your neighborhood. I believe God has put you where you are right now. You can touch people that no one else can. Pay attention to what you’re feeling down in your spirit, and then take the limits off God.

One of the ways God leads us is by the desires of our heart. When we have a desire to take action or to see something changed—that desire can be God leading us and giving us an indication of what we can do to make a difference.

I have a friend who is a very successful doctor. He graduated from ORU in the ’80’s and has always had a strong desire to reach the less fortunate. So, about ten years ago, he started taking his vacations to third world countries where he worked in the clinics and treated the sick. He asked the drug companies he worked with in the States to donate supplies. They started sending a few suitcases full of medicines with him to these impov­erished countries.

Every year, the overseas outreach grew. The drug companies started giving him crates of medicines. Over time, other doctors and organizations got on board with him as well. Last year, because of his efforts, over 13 million children in Africa received a pill to keep them.

from getting a deadly parasite. Just one doctor—an av­erage, ordinary person—ended up touching 13 million lives. He realized he could make a difference. When his days on earth are done, he will have lived a life worth remembering.

God never asks us to give something that we cannot give. When He puts the dream and the desire in our heart, and we launch out in faith, I believe He will equip us with everything we need to accomplish it.

You can make a difference

Although my father, John Osteen, became a well-known and influential minister, he did not grow up in church and did not know anything about God. When he was a teenager, a classmate by the name of Sam Martin would write scriptures every day on the chalk­board. Most of the students made fun of this kid, but Sam continued to do what he felt like God wanted him to do.

One day, my father was walking home from a night­club at two o’clock in the morning. All of a sudden, he began to think about God and eternity. So, my dad found Sam and started asking him questions about God. Sam took him to church the next morning, and my dad gave his heart to the Lord. Through Sam Martin’s obedi­ence to live for God, he indirectly influenced thousands.

I believe each one of us can leave a lasting mark on this world. We may not personally impact millions, but we may influence a dozen of our co-workers. Or we may impact one young person who doesn’t have a positive role model in his life. We may touch just one person, and that person, in turn, may touch many, many others.

If we will determine to live for others and not just for ourselves, God will take us places that we’ve never dreamed of. He’ll use us—ordinary people—to do ex­traordinary things!