Moving On

Written by Bob Buse

May 22, 2023

Those who know me understand I am a kinesis junkie. I like to be on the move. And I like mobilizing others in the will of God. God is both a Sender and a Sent One. We identify a move of God by those He is sending. Today, globally, there is a whole lot of sending going on. Never in the course of human history has there been as much migration as exists today. Combined with this phenomenon is God’s people focused on completing the Great Commission. There is a whole lot of moving happening!

One of the enemies of kinesis (movement) is inertia (lack of movement). It is easy sometimes to become complacent, to get stuck or discouraged when people do not receive our testimony or reject God’s Word. I think Jesus understood this tendency when He sent out his twelve disciples and the seventy.

“And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two…

And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.” Mt. 6:7, 11

An important part of Jesus’ instructions to the sent ones was to move on when you are not received. There can be several reasons why people are not ready to hear the Gospel.

Spiritual darkness may blind the eyes of their heart. Perhaps there hasn’t been sufficient spiritual warfare that prepare hearts to receive. Jesus Himself was not received when He returned to minister in His hometown (Mk.6) The disciples’ ministry was not received when they went to a village of the Samaritans (Lk.9) and Jesus had purposed to go to Jerusalem. They wanted to call down the fire of God’s judgment. Instead, after a rebuke from Jesus, they simply went to another village. Paul and Barnabas encountered the same road blocks on occasion. In one instance it was religious persecution that stood in their way. “But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.” Ac.13:51

What are we to do when we hit a wall, a spiritual cul-de-sac? We recalibrate and keep moving forward. Jesus essentially told His disciples to keep moving until they came upon the “person of peace.” With this person they were to remain and harvest what they could. Many make the mistake of getting bogged down trying to reach friends or family with the Gospel. Their words are not received so they keep slugging it out, speaking to a hardened heart. Making no progress they become frustrated. Such determination is admirable but not necessarily wise. Just because someone’s heart is closed at the moment does not mean it will remain closed. A different messenger at a different time may make the breakthrough. Be content that you have planted or watered the seed and move on. God will bring another person to reap the harvest. He will give the increase. Move on to the person who is prepared to be harvested.

In these times when the harvest is plentiful we shouldn’t get stalled trying to reap where the harvest is not ready. It’s OK to move on. In fact, it should be an important part of our strategy for winning souls and making disciples. A decision to move on does not mean you are quitting, you don’t care or you are choosing an option that is more advantageous to you personally. It is a simple recognition that the fish aren’t biting where you are, so you are going to where they are biting. I’m not very experienced catching fish but this much I know.

Sometimes it is the Holy Spirit who shuts the door or impedes progress. This is not rejection it’s redirection. The Apostle Paul was continually moving forward, walking in the light of his commission to reach the Gentiles until he was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to Asia (Ac.16). He changed course attempting to move towards Bithynia. Once again, the Spirit did not permit it. It was then he had a dream and God opened a door to Macedonia. It’s amazing how much clearer God’s voice and direction is when we just keep moving forward.

After nearly 45 years of international ministry I have made a quality decision, as a steward of time, energy and other valuable resources God has given, not to minister in places that are saturated with Christian workers or in fields which are not producing in this season. We are moving on to fields that are ripe for harvest. I remain open to wherever the Lord Jesus may send us, but in our praying and planning with God He is leading us to move on to those places and people that are primarily unreached with the gospel. I encourage you in your own journey with Jesus no to be afraid to move on to the next opportunity He has for you. For some it may require a physical move from one location to another. For others, it may mean moving on from a toxic relationship that is holding you back. It may be necessary for you to rise up from failure, brush the dust of despondency from you and move on to the next thing. With the confidence and courage He gives, you will move on.

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