I had heard a few people talk about being sent- not used by God, but the importance of it went right over my head until Tuesday, November 27th 2018, when I had a dream that turned into a vision.

In the dream, I saw a fence made out of iron bars. It looked perfectly constructed. The iron bars were square. There were people on each side of the fence. It looked like thousands on each side.

The people on the left side of the fence were standing and crying out to God, some were yelling, some were crying, but the ones who were speaking were saying “Use me Lord. Why not me Lord? When is it my turn Lord? Why them, and not me Lord? Why can’t I be used just one more time Lord?” It was scary and saddening, because they all seemed to have a common sound and spirit about them. They were all beggars. They were begging God to use them. Some of them had Bibles in their hands but not all of them. Some were frantic. Some were irate. Some were angry. Some were on their knees pounding the ground with their fists, angrily demanding to be used over others, but some, maybe fifty or so were gripping the bars of the fence with their hands and just watching with intensity what the multitude on the right side were doing.

All the people on the right side of the fence were standing on their Bibles with their arms stretched out, hands open, and palms up, as to receive. They were ALL giving thanks to the lord. They were thanking Him for saving them, for their families, and for the many blessings that He had bestowed upon them. They actually said these exact words and much more, but for the most part, they were giving thanks.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”  Psalm 100:4

As they were giving thanks with their hands stretched out and palms up in a receiving position, they all started asking God to send them. That’s what stood out to me later as I started to process the dream. The ones on the left were begging to be used, but the ones on the right were asking to be sent.

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here I am; send me.”  Isaiah 6:8

As the group on the right side of the fence began saying these things, the glory of the Lord started to shine on all of them. Every single one of them began to shine brightly. There were thousands of beams of light, as if there was one for every single person.

All the while the multitude on the left continued begging and pleading with God to use them. Some were clinching the fence and observing intensely. Then all the ones gripping the fence grabbed Bibles, began to stand on them, stretched out their arms, and turn their palms upward to receive. Then they began giving thanks to the Lord and asking Him to send them, but not all of them were being specific with what they were thankful for. Nothing happened to them or for them immediately like the group on the right side.

Then I woke up, sitting up on my bed, I immediately went into a vision that was exactly like the dream. It picked up right where the dream left off. I then saw a gate open up, and all the people on the right exited into the left side and proceeded past the group on the left down a hill.

The ones that had started copying what the right group had done and were specific about what they were thankful for were allowed to enter through the gate to the right side of the fence. New people came up the hill and the process began all over again.

As I started getting my bearings straight from that experience, it became clear to me that it’s all about the heart. God saw the hearts of those on the left as well as those on the right. We can’t fool God. Those on the left were given the opportunity to observe how it’s done, get it right, and follow accordingly.

There’s a huge difference in asking to be used and asking to be sent. If we ask to be used, most of the time we’ve already got our minds made up as to how we want to be used, and usually it’s right where we are, and in a specific way, but that’s not God. If we are truly to serve and make it about God’s people then we must ask to be sent. This gets us out of the way. We can be sent for the work of the body of Christ and what is needed instead of what we want.

We need to ask ourselves why we are wanting to be used. If we just want to be used, then who benefits? Not God’s people, but us! We must ask to be sent! For the building and equipping of the saints, because only God knows exactly what is needed.

We can’t ask for the microphone in the pulpit, if we’re not willing to grab the broom for the parking lot. We can’t ask for access to a platform until we’re willing to grab the mop for the bathroom. Ministry is ministry. It’s about servanthood to God’s people, not you, not me, but God and His people.

I’m not talking about new converts here or people still trying to establish a relationship with Jesus. I’m talking about those who want to step out in ministry. Never beg God to be used, that’s the expression of a servant, not a son, a slave, not a child of God. We are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17).

Jamie Sexton