Ever Feel Like You Don’t Have What It Takes?

As we work in Disciple Making Movements, it is common for us to think that we need more. We think, “If we only had more money it would be so much easier to do what we are called to do. if we had more workers…we would finally get results,” we tell ourselves. Or, “If we had more training and more understanding…then things would start happening.” We have come to believe that we need more, that we do not have enough to do what God has called us to do to see a movement of Jesus’ disciples start.

This is not the truth! The Word of God says in Matt 6:8, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Again, in 2 Peter 1:3 it says,

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

2 Peter 1:3 NIV.

Let’s look at these Scriptures and another Bible story a bit more deeply. We must begin to believe and declare the truth of God’s Word regarding this.

God Knows What We Need

First, God knows what we need to do what He has called us to do. Even before we know what we need, He knows. Our generous Father does not withhold from us the things we need.

As it says in Matthew, even before we ask, He is already at work to release and provide it to us. He is not the kind of Father God who would give us a hard task to do, without the resources and tools at our disposal.

What kind of good Daddy would do that to their child? Would a father ask his son to build something then fail to give him a hammer, or not provide the wood? That would be mean. It is not what a good father would do!

A loving father provides everything the son needs and is available to assist. He may create a bit of a challenge in the process, so the son grows in skills and understanding. But He will not withhold from him what he needs to do the job! A kind father would simply not do that.

Why do we believe that God would? Why do we believe that He hasn’t given us what we need to start the movements He has called us to start? The problem is never God. The problem is never because we don’t have enough of something.

We may, however, not be able to see or use the resources we already have, because we are already convinced we don’t have enough.

Everything We Need Is Provided

In 2nd Peter, the author says God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” It says this comes through our knowledge of the One who called us “by His own glory and goodness.” Our knowledge of the One who called us helps us to believe that we have MORE THAN ENOUGH in our hands to do the task.

This verse refers to the One who called us “by His own glory” and by his own “goodness.” His glory rests upon us. His Presence lives within us and we are filled with that same glory. His Spirit in us is the same Spirit that rested upon and within Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gave Jesus the power He needed to heal, deliver, and make disciples who later made many other disciples. As our knowledge of His goodness grows, we can’t help but believe that our good God has given us more than enough.

He has given us enough authority, enough anointing, enough resources, enough wisdom, enough capacity, enough people. We have more than enough! Amen?

Gideon Had More Than Enough

Lastly, if we look to the Old Testament, we must consider the story of Gideon. Gideon knew how many men he would need to defeat the Midianite army and began to gather resources and people.

God told him, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against Me that her own strength has saved her…I will sift them for you” (Judges 7:2-4). God twice reduced Gideon’s natural resources and capacity so He would be glorified in the miraculous way Gideon achieved victory.

The Lord had a different way, a different plan, and a different strategy for Gideon to win the battle. Once Gideon found out what it was and did it, the victory was his!

“More workers, more people, more money, more schools” are not guarantees for better results. Like Gideon, we also have more than enough. We have everything we need.

A Different Way?

However, it could be that God has a different way for us to use what He’s already given us. Perhaps He has a different plan or strategy we have not considered. We may need to do things differently.

Seek the Lord and ask Him. Declare and believe the truth. We are not held back due to a need more resources. Like Gideon, we might even need less.

A Story From Africa

My colleague Kevin wrote, “I talked with a couple of our YWAM Frontier Mission leaders in Africa. Over the years they have longed for new teams to be sent out to unreached tribes in their region. They considered the process of recruiting graduates from Discipleship Training Schools (DTS). From that, they could run another School of Frontier Missions (SOFM).

This had always been a slow process for them. It resulted in a limited number of new workers—maybe this time would be different.

They gathered with other regional leaders. A new idea surfaced. They thought about what resources they already had and what they could do with them.

Some of these resources included:

• Many years of building relationships with local believers
• A good reputation with churches and pastors throughout the region
• Effective on-field training available through YWAM-FM (simple, brief, affordable, immediately applicable)

Rather than focusing upon bringing more workers from the outside, they decided to train local believers to make disciples.

I was looking forward to their call, knowing that the two-week training event had just finished.

Thirty pastors came, with eight of them being Muslim background believers (MBBs). An African leader led the training using culturally appropriate methods. He trained using storytelling, dramas, small group discussions, etc.

All were equipped to return to the fellowships they serve. They were to train others how to do Discovery Bible Studies for the unreached. Their goal was to start reproducing discipleship groups (Simple Churches) for the new believers. These local leaders now have tools to start movements!

Our workers already had the resources they needed to see greater results. They just needed to do things differently.”

Embrace the Truth

Say this aloud. “I believe I have enough for fruit. I have enough to achieve greater results. I may have to do things differently.” Watch the one-minute video on this belief: https://youtu.be/vazOpg-jQh0

Make this mindset shift and press forward in faith. God’s victory and a transformational disciple making movement is on its way!

Reflect

Where do you struggle to believe you don’t have enough? What might God be prompting you to do differently with what He has already given you?

Answer in the comments below or on the DMMs Frontier Missions Facebook group.