Greater Things Than These

As we come into a new year, I’m excited about the new strategies God is giving us to make an even greater impact for His Kingdom. Just as the apostle Paul sought to win the lost “by all possible means” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NIV), we are following God’s directives to embark on new initiatives to become more effective “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

Today, we are sending the Good News of Jesus Christ to more than 200 nations through Inspiration TV. And we are increasingly interacting with people around the world through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. God is using these powerful tools to win someone to Christ every six seconds through our evangelistic website iprayedtheprayer.org!

Thanks to our faithful ministry partners, we are able to bring people the message of Christ right where they are—through their TVs, computers, or smart phones!

Setting Captives Free

As I’ve reflected on the goodness of God in allowing us to be part of such a great harvest, He’s reminded me of a powerful Scripture passage about His desire to fulfill our dreams:

When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad (Psalm 126:1–3).

Just as in the days the psalmist describes, many people today are in “captivity” to Satan’s snares. Psalm 126 refers to the Israelites’ captivity in Babylon, but much of our captivity comes from demonic influence released through television, movies, music, websites, video games, and other forms of electronic media.

Thirty-four years ago, the Lord gave me a vision to penetrate the spiritual darkness influencing people through media and to turn on a revolution of the light of the Gospel. I continue to pursue this vision to share the Good News.

As the psalmist says, “We were like those who dream.” At the time God first gave me this vision, it seemed ridiculous, something akin to David battling Goliath. Yet today we are seeing an
amazing harvest to the glory of God.

The battle is certainly far from over, but I look in amazement at how far the Lord has already brought us. I can testify, as the psalmist proclaimed: “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad!” Instead of being the result of human effort, “This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:23).

Yet My Heart Breaks

As grateful and awestruck as I am about what God has already accomplished, I am aware that the battle for the airwaves is just beginning. After the psalmist’s great testimony about what the Lord had done, he changed his focus to the work that still remained: “Turn back our captivity, O Lord” (Psalm 126:4 KJ21).

You might say at this point, “Wait a minute! I thought he said the Lord had already brought the people out of captivity. But here he’s praying again for people to be released from captivity.”

That’s exactly where I find myself today. Hundreds of thousands have already been brought out of captivity, but my heart breaks for the millions who still sit in darkness, waiting for the light of Jesus Christ to set them free.

Thankfully, the psalmist ends with a note of promise and instruction to those who yearn for the great harvest still to come:

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalm 126:5–6).

It’s so encouraging to have God’s promise that seed sowers will become reapers. Harvesting and rejoicing are sure to come when we sow seeds of tears and intercession because of our broken hearts for the lost. God’s weepers … and sowers … will always become His reapers. Genesis 8:22 promises that as long as the earth remains, the law of seedtime and harvest will never cease.

To God Be the Glory

The Lord wants to bless you with an increasing harvest of His blessings. You can boldly come to Him with whatever need you have today: a financial breakthrough … healing in your body … restoration of your marriage…reconciliation with your children … deliverance from addiction … or the salvation of your loved ones.

Yet when we receive our breakthrough, we need to be careful to acknowledge where it came from. God has truly done great things through Inspiration Ministries these past 34 years, and we want to be careful to give Him all the glory:

Not to us, O Lord, not to us But to Your name be the glory, Because of Your love and faithfulness (Psalm 115:1).

I encourage you to take a few minutes right now to give thanks to the Lord for the things He has done in YOUR life. Take time to give glory to God for His blessings in the midst of your circumstances. He is worthy.

The Best Is Yet to Come

When the Lord blesses us with a great harvest, it’s sometimes tempting to rest on our laurels and quit seeking Him for a further increase of our fruitfulness. But God is challenging me to never allow this to happen at Inspiration Ministries! Until Jesus returns and every tongue confesses that He is Lord, we will keep pressing for more souls to come into the Kingdom!

Let me leave you with a verse that is both encouraging and challenging. Nathanael was understandably amazed when Jesus gave him a supernatural word of knowledge, but Jesus told him plainly: “You will see greater things than these!” (John 1:50).

I believe this is an important word for you and for the ministry we share together through Inspiration Ministries. Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are thankful. But Jesus is also encouraging us that we will see even “greater things than these.”

I’m convinced that wonderful victories lie ahead as we pursue this great, God-given mission to see the knowledge of the glory of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). And I’m eternally grateful to the Lord for His favor and to you for standing with me to reach the nations with the Gospel.