- God uses the person who internalizes the Word of God in his life. When one internalizes the Word, he can verbalize it with deep passion, profound conviction and apply it to every situation as it is needed (Josh. 1:8; James 1:22 ff).
- God uses the person who is being filled daily by the Holy Spirit. When one is filled or controlled, He is sensitive to the voice and leadings of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18).
- God uses the person who walks on his knees. “Behind every great movement of God is a kneeling figure” (Wesley). “When we work, we work; when we pray, God works” (anonymous). “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed” (Bill Bennett). (Eph. 6:18).
- God uses the person when he is genuinely humble. God plainly says that He gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6). Humility is not putting ourselves down, but is honestly accepting who we are in the sight of God. When anyone sees himself as God sees him and in the light of God’s holiness, he will be brought to his knees. Isaiah was a proud prophet until he saw the Lord and thus himself and cried out, “Woe is me, for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5).
- God uses a person when he possesses a servant’s heart, realizing no matter his gifts or talents or position, that he is first of all a servant of Jesus Christ and human kind. As pastor I signed my letters to my people , “Your Servant Leader” (Matthew 20:26).
- God uses a person who practices the double look:
- He looks away from his circumstances,
- Then he looks totally unto Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 commands that we take the two looks. The word “looking” in this verse is the Greek word, Aphorontes, meaning to look away from the problems of this world and look squarely in the eyes of Jesus. As the chorus goes:“Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the cares of this life will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.”
- God uses the person whose life is marked by true holiness and righteousness, meaning to be right toward God and right toward our fellow man. Robert McCheye made this observation, “God does not bless our great abilities, but our great likeness to Jesus.” He also remarked, “My people’s greatest need is my personal holiness” (Heb. 12:14).
- God uses the person who possesses genuine care, love, and compassion for every segment of humanity, especially those less privilege than himself. A great man wrote “The mark of a truly great man is treating persons below him in wealth, education and advantage, with genuine respect and care” (Phil. 2:3).
- God uses a person who is free from the love of money. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have…” (Heb. 13:5 NIV).
- God uses the person who lives to give, not to get (Luke 6:38: Matt. 10:8) “You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.” (Winston Churchill).
- God uses the person who never, never, never gives up. The most famous baccalaureate address ever delivered consisted of only 7 words. It was given by Winston Churchill to the graduates of Harvard. He said, “Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, give up.”
- To summarize all the above, the person whom God uses is the person who is not just committed to Jesus Christ, but who is fully surrendered (Romans 12:1-2). When you commit, you set the terms; when you surrender, God sets the terms.
Can God use you?