Feet Shod with the Gospel
A Life Lesson shared by Yolanda Ballard
“And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace,” Ephesians 6:15.
I just want to share with you an experience I just went through that really brought conviction to my heart and set my feet on a path more to follow the LORD.
Yesterday I went out to the mailbox and there were two girls walking their bikes, dressed as wholesome young ladies with a cotton skirt and nice casual top on. They were very nice and polite young ladies.
My attitude towards them was that I didn’t want what they had to sell. They said they weren’t selling anything, but want to serve those in the community if I had any need.
I immediately said that I didn’t need anything. And I was so rude and cold, but they continued to be sweet. They handed me their card that they were from the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
When they told me that, I just shut the door on them like I didn’t want to have anything to do with them because they are in a cult and I didn’t even care about what the LORD thought about them. And I didn’t even care that they needed salvation.
I crumbled up their card and threw it in the trashcan. Yes, that was my true response to them!
After I got in the house and did that I was shocked at my behavior. I couldn’t believe that I just acted that way to those the LORD died for that they would be saved.
I prayed and asked the LORD to forgive me and it felt like the LORD said that all He wanted me to do was just to introduce Him to them. It felt that He had been standing right with me the whole time just waiting for me to do that! And I didn’t and I felt that I had just ignored Him.
I tried so hard to not fall under condemnation. Because I was shocked, I repented and asked forgiveness and asked Him to be my LORD and to just start over and I asked Him what He would have me to do to make things right in that situation.
I looked for the card I crumbled up in the trash and found it. I called them and apologized for being so rude and she was so sweet and then I complemented her on what I thought of their nice gesture to go out and serve the community in the way they were.
They were willing to do whatever I needed and if I knew of any elderly person who needed help to give them their number.
That is what we need to be doing. How do we end up so sidetracked from the highest calling of evangelism? How do we not walk with the sensitivity that the LORD wants to use us to reach the lost every moment? We need to be aware of the divine appointments God has set up for us.
We need to wear our armor. Every piece needs to be right in our life or the enemy surely can get in. We need to have priorities right in our life.
It is so easy to be self-centered focused on our own walk and be wrapped up in our own church and so called ministries that actually leave God out of them.
After I apologized to the girl I told her about my son and that it would be nice maybe they could come and take him for a walk or something. I will keep their number as led by the LORD.
We need to walk in faith and not fear of those who are even in cults, or witchcraft, or whatever. They are souls that need to be saved! Yes, we need to use wisdom not to open ourselves up to anything outside of His will.
I thank the LORD for the gift of repentance that He kept my heart soft and pliable able to hear what He had to say about the situation.
I feel good and I take this as having awareness to the true condition of the heart. Yes, we live our life but it isn’t our life but Christ is to live His life through us and we are to His vessel.
We need to be totally yielded to God teaching us these life lessons! Yes, it is good to have your heart cleansed and made right and not ignore those areas that have need of repentance.
Stand with me for their salvation, deliverance, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues in Jesus name.
~ Yolanda Ballard
Yolanda Ballard of At The Father’s Feet website, shares with you, the body of Christ, the words she’s received quietly sitting at the Father’s feet. I believe Jesus set the example for us to follow. Whenever He could He would come apart from the busyness of the world so that He could quiet Himself before the Father, for that is where He received direction and strength to carry out His will.
Thank you for your honesty Yolanda. How often we slip up when we think we’re “off duty”! Needed to hear this.