In 2012, I realized that I'm not meant to be stuck in one place for too long and I've been created for a life of world-changing. So, I made a decision to dive into unknown waters and do exactly what I was created to do. I have two goals: to minister unto the Lord by loving Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength; and, for the Kingdom of Heaven to be advanced through the power and love of Jesus Christ (loving others & more specifically the poor, broken, and forgotten of the world) Matthew 22:36-40.
I've been given a grace to dive into the unknown, a grace and a joy to carry into some of the darkest places of the world. I believe that my greatest calling is to love people; and, God has established a deep love in me for those who others do not generally love (the lost and broken: drug traffickers, drug users, prostitutes, and the homeless).
Love manifests itself in numerous ways. Some days it looks like giving food and water, other days it looks like healing the sick and/or dying, other days it looks like being family the widows and those who are alone, other days it looks like bringing freedom for the captives, or other days it looks like pulling the drunkard from the middle of the street as a car is passing.
The point is: no matter what it looks like, the goal is LOVE.
'And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you have done unto the least of these my brothers you have done unto me.' Matthew 25:40
I believe that I will bring the Kingdom of Heaven to the nations in all aspects, but I have an even more specific calling within that for the poor. And even more specifically for drug traffickers and users. In 2015, I was participating in evangelism in a slum when me and my group came upon something that changed my life forever.
We went to the darkest place in the slum (when I say darkest, I mean a place that is avoided - spiritually and physically). We arrived in a drug trafficking center. It was filled with drug dealers/users and prostitutes. I was hearing talk about someone they needed to "go and get" because that person had betrayed them in some way. There was another person who was counting and selling bullets. I was in a very dirty and literally dark area. I was seeing and smelling all types of drugs, the strongest being crack-cocaine followed by countless pills and marijuana. We were asked to wait because they "were cooking". My nose was burning because of the fumes.
Then, they opened a door to a room (apartment), probably the size of your bathroom at home, filled with about 10-15 people some of which were passed out on the floor from drug use. In this moment, I remembered the crazy stories from evangelists and radical missionaries who did this day to day and for a moment my life was surreal. I was standing in something that was like a piece of hell on earth so dark that it was hard to believe. But scripture says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12.
Right there and then, I saw this scripture fully manifest. We started receiving words from the Holy Spirit about each of their lives and we started to hug them. Simply hug them, and the Holy Spirit penetrated their hearts with His love. They were crying… wanting a way to change and get out of the lifestyle they were living. In a place of darkness, the light of Jesus broke in and instantaneously encountered these "thugs, criminals, whores, nobodies, and whatever other names society calls them by" with a love so strong they couldn't remain the same.
We are called to love each other. We are called to love 'the least of these'. And, I have been given a burning passion to fulfill that calling unto the nations. It burns inside of me to see these people encounter the love and salvation of Jesus. Even so, sometimes I'm
ministering to people on the other end of the spectrum, such as the people on public transit (may it be bus, train, or subway) or in a church. Regardless of social status or circumstances Jesus died for all.
Every day is a day of faith and obedience as I listen to what the Holy Spirit is speaking. It applies to everything… my agenda, my finances, my living place. In every trial, testimony, and victory 'Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God' -Romans 5:2 Thank you Jesus that we stand in grace because Lord knows we need a lot of it.
I expect to have powerful divine appointments every day to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to prophesy life, to bring people to Christ, to bring deliverance, and to bless every place I go.
"We love because He first loved us.." 1 John 4:19
"You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. LOVE EACH OTHER DEEPLY WITH ALL YOUR HEART" 1Peter 1:22
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion--
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair,
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations….
Matthew 5:3-16
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
"You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. LOVE EACH OTHER DEEPLY WITH ALL YOUR HEART" 1Peter 1:22
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion--
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair,
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations….
Matthew 5:3-16
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.