Matthew 10:16.
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves
While we are on mission in any season, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we need to be aware of where we are operating. The Lord understood as He commissioned us to go out and work that the ecosystem we were about to enter was precarious (Matthew 10:16). We were forewarned as part of the choice to serve. There was no romanticizing of the job at hand or misinformation to get you engaged in something that might disenfranchise us later. It was revealed that it would be difficult. Christ had challenges ministering to these same people in the world, so why wouldn’t we expect the same reception (John 13:16). In our context as evangelists of the gospel and ambassadors of Christ, some would gladly receive the message and be transformed, while others may throw stones, mock and even try to maim and kill.
17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
Mt 10:17–18.
Believing in Jesus and acting upon that faith is filled with challenges in every season, so He went about strengthening us through the word that He gave us as we choose to follow Him. He instructed us to take heart and not be troubled because of anxious moments we might face while we work (John 14:1). This is one of many encouragements needed as, at times, evangelism and planting missions happen in hostile territories where the enemy will not allow sowing to prevail because of strongholds already established which will take a certain level of commitment to break (Matthew 17:20). So there is a need for a concerted togetherness and intentional unity of mind within those who would work and persevere. The willingness to go beyond our own limitations which might be governed by fear can only be aided by the understanding that our obedience is not in vain.
To build up our walled city of faith, we have to be prepared to war while we build (Nehemiah 4:21-23). There is a genuine necessity to be prepared in this new season because the enemy comes like a thief in the night, ready to kill , steal and destroy everything that is being built and established as we surrender ourselves to Christ and present our bodies as living sacrifices for the kingdom. And because of what would come while we carry our crosses, Jesus wants us to be prepared and not caught unaware by any enemy. So He instructs us to be vigilant and diligent in our work, He prayed for us so we would not be overcome, for our protection, and for our strength and reinforcement (John 17:9-18). He also told us to be steadfast in the times of testing, because though trouble would come to us, and pressure might mount on us while we persevere as ambassadors of Christ, we could overcome all these things through Him because He gives us the strength (Philippians 2:13) . And in times of work we will need His strength, to go out and sow, to pray, to harvest and to plant again. All this by His Spirit and not our might.
In our society, you might face persecutions at your workplace, with family members or even in your circle of friends for expressing your Kingdom values. Recently, a Christian teacher found herself out of a job for sharing posts against transgenderism and the hypersexualisation of young people on her social media. After a lengthy battle through the English courts, she has finally been justified. Just as Jesus said, if you are of God, you have overcome them (the world). Answering the call will challenge us to remain steadfast , refusing to compromise and trusting that He who has called us will also provide for our needs, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Contribution by Leslie Chikore
As I write this in 2025, there are a few who have already faced difficulty. Difficulty in areas they probably had not encountered before, making the test even more difficult as resolutions come quicker with past experiences. These are definitely seasons where ‘Be strong and courageous’ really resonates in me. But I thank God because He has promised that when we lack wisdom we can ask Him and He will provide it (James 1:5). We can be assured that we are not alone at any moment. That we can call unto Him who has called us for purpose is a constant comfort to a mind that might otherwise be convinced that there is no hope, but we know that our Redeemer lives and at the last He will stand with us where He has sent us and declare us victorious in the work He has called us into. Because when opposition comes it might be accompanied by fear and anxiety. Some of us have never had a certain level of resistance in our ministry life as of yet, but God promises victory to those who would stay the course (John 16:33). He promises rest and a peace that surpasses our understanding: even in the midst of the stormy season we can find joy and peace in Him. The willingness to go into these new lands and be more than a conqueror is the manifestation of faith through obedience and sacrifice of one’s self interest by dying of your own needs daily. And He promises that He will neither leave us nor forsake us.
In our bible study series for February 2025, we have looked at the theme of GROUNDING. We learned many things about seed and soil and planting. Producing grain is necessary for the Lord of the harvest to assess the season. We, as believers in Christ, have to assess the fruit of any tree planted amongst us because after all, we are called to do so. This is to help us grow and flourish by providing support to those struggling in their assignment. Paul tells us to esteem others better than ourselves as we work, and to remember to stay rooted and established in what we have been taught in Christ. Each season should therefore bring a yield, directing us to either invest more into a certain plot of land and crop, or abandon it completely (Matthew 10:14). The expectation of harvest should be as measurable as the intentionality of sowing seed in the first place, because you reap what you sow. But while you sow in these new places, the Lord calls you to remember who and where you are.
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). Do not be caught unprepared while you work because the devil is lurking, hoping to sift you like wheat. In times of difficulty and pain, remember who you are. Do not let the birds of the air steal what has been planted. Remember that even when Job went through a season of loss and turmoil, he refused to curse God (Job 2:9). For He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world, so if God is for you, who then can prosper against you? So let the wolves lurk, while you are focused on your mission. This year, let there be a revelation in you that you will hit the mark, and may you know and align with what God has declared that no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication (Isaiah 54:17).
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
Mt 10:24-25.
A few extra things
- Mission is always hard, so pray for people to go with you on your journey. Paul had Silas, sometimes Timothy, sometimes Barnabas. At your low times, when you are facing barriers, you need someone who can support you to make things easier. While Jesus is always with us as He never forsakes us, like with Moses, having someone to share the burden makes the mission lighter on your shoulders. Prayer and accountability partners help keep you on the road when the flesh becomes weak and start acting up. (Matthew 18:19, Ecclesiastes 4:11)
- Pray and pray some more. If God has truly sent you out , He will sustain and maintain you. Cast your burdens on Him because He cares for you. Peace will guard your heart if you stay in a place of seeking God, and when the enemy comes, and he will…. you will have what you need to rebuke him. (Philippians 4:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
- Worship inspite of the season of trouble. If the disciples had worshiped while the storm was ranging on the boat, they would not have had to rely on Jesus to wake up. God was literally with them and Jesus says as much. You have been given the authority and power to rebuke the storm, all you need is faith without doubting so you can declare: “Peace , be still”(James 1:6-8, Matthew 17:20)
- Let God carry you to the destination. He will not leave you. He is for you when He sends you out. He said His word shall not return void so be confident that He is on your side. When you lose your will remember you are still strong; when you are attacked, remember He is your fortress(Zechariah 4:6, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Romans 8:31, Psalm 144:2)
- Know that He is with you until the end, so be strong and courageous (Matthew 28:20, Joshua 1:6)
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