5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! - Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)

Deep within his heart, a young man had a dream- a vision. For years, he prayed and fasted often about what he wanted to do, but most importantly, what God wanted to do with it. Finally, the day came when God said to this young man, "It's time! It's time for your dream to become reality!" When he heard this, he became both excited and fearful of stepping out into the unknown. Therefore, he hesitated and waited as God continued to confirm His word to him. The day he gave his fear to God, is the day his journey of what it really meant to be a servant began. In the beginning, what he was doing was exciting because he was pursuing what he had always hoped for and it was new. He finally was in full time ministry being the church without walls where he prayed for and encouraged people and used his gifts and talents to build up the kingdom of God. In addition, he did not keep his vision to himself but included other people by giving them jobs and responsibilities which helped expand their relationship with Christ. Not too long after he began this ministry, his excitement started to dwindle away because he lacked the provisions needed to take care of his family. Every week as his money would decrease; his Fight of Faith would increase. He was in a struggle, often asking God, "Did I really hear from You, because here I am pouring into all these people's lives and they are seeing miracles and getting increase, which is awesome, but why am I lacking?" Through all his trials, tests and battles of wondering how he was going to 'get this' and 'do that', he still stayed where the Lord told him to go and God proved to be faithful. Now, the vision that began in his heart is reaching the world and he is reaping the abundant harvest from all the seeds he sowed into the lives of others, because he was obedient and humbled himself to serve- this is the heart if a servant.

All of us have dreams whether great or small, and as God's children, our Father wants us to use them for His purpose and not our own. Remember, it is God who places those dreams inside our hearts, so when God tells us to pursue our dreams, sometimes we may have to crawl up some thorns to get to the rose. This requires humility and obedience in which we sacrifice our will for His, even while being scratched up from the thorns in the faith fight. Jesus of course is the best example of this, because surely He was more than comfortable in heaven, when His Father asked Him to step down from His glorious splendor to come to earth and serve the vilest of sinners- us. Yet, with no hesitation, Jesus stepped down, and was obedient to the point of dying for us on the cross and while He was up there and our sins were upon Him, God the Father turned His face from Jesus for a time, which made Jesus question Him saying, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46) So the next time we go through anything and we began to question God, remember the One whom should have been served came to serve us and it is because of Him, that every detail of our dreams will be fulfilled. Moreover, if we faint not, we will reap an abundant harvest (Galatians 6:9), as Jesus did- He is now seated at the right hand of God and He reigns forever!

Written By: Chase Sutton
www.GenuineLife.com