Luke says,
“And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.”
Acts 8:26
Divine appointments are Spirit-led meetings that give us the opportunity to be used in God’s service for the advancement of His Kingdom. Men and women of God who had divine appointments accomplished most of the great works of the Bible. For instance, Philip was told that he should go down towards Gaza into the desert. At first, this is all the information that God gave to Philip and did not explain more. A very interesting point is that the Holy Spirit did not feel it necessary to explain His plans or purposes to Philip but simply expected complete and immediate obedience. It was only after Philip obeyed the first command of God that the Spirit spoke to him again and told him to join himself to the Ethiopian eunuch’s chariot.
Divine appointments often run contrary to natural reasoning
God was able to position Philip at the exact place to minister to the Ethiopian official because he obeyed immediately and without question. As the eunuch was reading a prophetic passage in Isaiah, Philip was there to share the message of salvation when he was open to hear it. Moreover, when Philip told him about water baptism they even happened to be passing by a small body of water (how often does that happen in the desert?) and the eunuch was baptized in the name of Jesus.
Our Father carefully orchestrates divine appointments
This meeting was not a random set of events but rather a carefully orchestrated series of actions that led to a divine appointment of biblical proportions. God foreknew that the Eunuch would be passing by a certain place at a certain time reading a certain passage. All that was necessary for his salvation was for God to find a willing and obedient servant who would be there waiting as his chariot passed by.
Here is a truth:
“True obedience to God is not just obeying what you know of the scriptures but being available to obey the voice of God when He speaks.”
Bible knowledge is useless if we do not make ourselves available when God gives us assignments to do. So often it is not who is qualified that accomplished God’s will, but the person who actually obeys.
Timing is everything with divine appointments
When God speaks to us through His still, small voice, He expects that we will listen, hear and obey on time. Our Father simply gives us enough direction to begin the journey. When we take a step of faith and obey our Lord’s command, He reveals the next step. This is the walk of faith.
Often times His directions run counter to what our natural minds think is appropriate. Philip was an evangelist whom found great success in Samaria. Based on that success, Philip might have assumed He should just go to the next city. No one would fault the Evangelist for making this logical choice; except God. Instead, Philip listened to the voice of God and stood at a certain place in the desert.
Thumbing a ride in the desert
A great man, an Ethiopian eunuch, happened along and God told His servant to hitch a ride. So happens that just at that time the eunuch was reading a verse in Isaiah that spoke about Jesus. After he asked Philip what it meant, the Spirit-led servant of God shared the gospel with him. Philip, through that one “divine appointment” likely shared the good news to more people than he did for the rest of his life. Today in Ethiopia, even though Muslim countries surround it, there still remains over 30 million Christians.
A divine appointment is not always easy
Divine appointments consist of placement, timing, and faith. You have to be where God wants you to be at the time that God tells you to be there. Furthermore, by faith, you have to obey and do what God directs. Often times this is uncomfortable because obedience may involve approaching a person and speaking something God has dropped into your heart that may not make a whole lot of sense. By faith, you must speak or do whatever God goads you to do, trusting that He knows the full situation.
A pastor told a story that he was waiting to make a phone call at a telephone booth one evening. The man using it was very angry and talking roughly to someone on the phone. This man stood huge and powerfully built like a NFL linebacker. The Holy Spirit goaded the pastor to tell that man “You’re afraid!” The pastor, fearful himself, wondered if saying those words to that big man was a good idea! As the man stepped out of the phone booth and glared at the minister the pastor blurted, “You’re afraid!”
The man looked stunned and then started to break down and cry. He said, “Yes, I always feel afraid.”
The right place, time, and word
Through that act of obedience, a soul in need heard the voice of God. The pastor talked and prayed for that man and he went away greatly relieved and full of joy. A few words spoken to the right person, at the right time, makes a world of difference. Isn’t is wonderful that we can be chosen to carry out such divine appointments!
Just as there are divine appointments there are divine un-appointments. God joins us by divine appointments for a time until He has need of you elsewhere. Jesus leads you to minister to certain people for a time, but then leads you to minister elsewhere. Saints learn to become sensitive to God’s will in these matters through prayer and experience. Our Father teaches us when to be bold and go forward and when to be wise and withdraw.
Add some divine appointments to your schedule today!
In conclusion, God will give you divine appointments through His Holy Spirit as soon as you open up your schedule. God has much work to do in the kingdom of heaven and needs many like Philip. If you are truly God’s servant I encourage you to be available for service at a moment’s notice. Jesus is the master of our time, finances, and earthly obligations. Trust God’s voice and see miracles happen in your life and others’!
Kari Jobe’s Testimony
Podcast: A Successful Day In God
The goal for today is a successful today! Worrying about the future or fretting over the past doesn’t gain us what we need to gain today. And the way we make this day successful is by living every moment – moment by moment – in God’s presence and His love. Listen as we discuss how to have a beautiful and successful day today. . .
Read “Set Jesus Free Part One”
Suggested book: “Smith Wigglesworth, A Man Who Walked With God.”