Making the Ordinary Extraordinary

What would you say if I told you there’s a simple way to turn ordinary things into something extraordinary? This often overlooked principle is found throughout the Bible, but the story of Moses’ shepherd’s rod is a good place to start.

In Exodus 4:2, God asks Moses the same question I believe He’s asking you today: “What is that in your hand?” All Moses had in his hand at that point was a simple wooden shepherd’s rod—certainly nothing extraordinary.

When you look at what you have in your hand, it might seem as insignificant as the piece of wood Moses had been using to care for his sheep. How could God use something so ordinary?

God was commissioning Moses for the daunting task of delivering over a million Israelites from slavery in Egypt. And all he had in his hand was the wooden staff he had used for 40 years to tend his flocks of sheep. It was just an ordinary piece of wood. An inanimate object. A tool of Moses’ trade.

Yet something amazing happened when Moses obeyed the Lord’s instruction to lay down his rod, a sign of surrender and relinquishment. Exodus 4:20 says this unimpressive wooden pole was transformed into “the rod of God.” Endued with God’s great power, Moses’ rod now was able to part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), bring water out of a rock (Exodus 17:5-6), and gain supernatural victory over enemy armies (Exodus 17:8-13).

Do you see how powerful this message is for you and me? Like Moses, we’re being called to do great things … amazing things … things much bigger than we could ever accomplish without divine assistance.

Yet too often we think our problem is that we lack some important ingredient or resource needed for success. “If only I had this or that …” we complain.

But notice that God wasn’t asking Moses to give Him something he didn’t already have. Instead, He asked Moses, as He’s asking you today …

“What’s that in your hand?”

Moses had been carrying around that ordinary piece of wood for many years, and nothing dramatic had happened as a result. But after he surrendered the wooden rod from his hand to the Lord’s hand, it became a powerful tool for an extraordinary life.

Your Breakthrough Is at Hand

Friend, I believe your breakthrough from God is at hand today—in fact, it’s literally in your hand! Whatever turnaround you need from Him—whether in your finances, marriage, job, health, or children—the key is surrendering all of your resources into the hands of your Almighty Father and covenant partner.

That’s how ordinary things and ordinary people become extraordinary.

Remember …

Samson slayed hundreds of Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.

David defeated Goliath with a slingshot and five smooth stones.

Jesus used a young boy’s lunch—five loaves and two fish—to feed thousands of hungry people.

There was nothing extraordinary about the jawbone, the slingshot and stones, or the loaves and fish. They only became extraordinary when they were devoted to the Lord’s purposes.

God works exactly the same way today as He did in Bible days. He is looking for obedient, submitted people, willing to entrust Him with everything they have and everything they are.

God is not looking at who you are or what you possess. He’s looking at what He can do through you and what He can make of your life. You are simply an instrument and vessel of His awesome power and ability.

The Lord is only dependent on Himself and His Word. He will never allow His purposes to be at the mercy of human ability, nor will He ever share His glory with anyone or anything.

So if you want the Lord’s favor, the key is clear:

The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB).

Once you’ve fully submitted your life to God, you can confidently resist the devil, and he will have to flee from you (James 4:7). You can boldly speak the Lord’s promises over your circumstances, knowing that He’s an amazing God, forever faithful to His Word.

Above and Beyond

God’s very nature is “super-natural.” He doesn’t need us or any of the “natural” things we have, yet He delights in taking natural, ordinary things and adding His supernatural, extraordinary presence and power. Instead of being afraid or dismayed, He wants you to be bold and strong today, knowing that He is with you (Joshua 1:9).

Never forget that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).

Your words are spirit and life, and the ability to exercise the faith of God is in you. When you ask for something in faith, believing His promises, the rest is up to Him. The Bible says His Word is near you, even in your mouth and heart (Romans 10:8). Great things happen when you confess His promises and speak His Word over your circumstances!

God’s Word declares that He is able to do “above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20 CSB). Notice that the Lord not only wants to show His power TO us, but He also wants to work His power THROUGH us. But it all starts with giving Him what’s in our hands.

So go ahead and give God what you’ve been holding onto. Is it money? Time? Possessions? Influence? Some kind of special God-given aptitude? If you’re honest, the thing in your hand probably seems totally inadequate to meet the needs around you. However, you’ll be amazed by what can happen when you surrender it to the Lord.

You’ll discover that anytime you transfer what’s in YOUR hands into HIS hands, He will transform your life. In all likelihood, He will give you back the ordinary “rod” you’ve surrendered—but this time it will be infused with extraordinary power to change your life and the world.

Your partner to reach the lost,

God bless you,

David Cerullo