The Power of One - Dr Paul Taylor

The Power 

of One 

Dr. Paul Taylor

John 4:4: “But He (Jesus) needed to go through Samaria.”

As I have been praying about the path of my own life the Lord has spoken to me about the power of one person.  We are so conditioned to believe that bigger is better and the larger the meeting the more anointed we are.  I am not putting down anyone.  I believe God is trying to address a pattern of thinking in each of our lives that needs to change.  Maybe He is just speaking to me and I receive that also. 

I grew up with the American church mindset.  The larger the church, the more successful the pastor.  The larger the meetings, the more anointed the evangelist.  Numbers pointed to success and to the importance of that person or ministry.  So this was the reasoning behind my pursuit of building a large church and ministry.  Let me say that numbers are important because they do represent people and Jesus loves people.  But numbers have little to do with a person’s success or anointing.  Obedience is the one and only standard of success that God places on us.  Will we obey the voice of the Lord no matter what?

In John 4, Jesus left the place of ministry to multitudes and was on His way to Galilee when He needed to make a visit to a place that was not accepted by the Jews.  He needed to speak to a woman who was not accepted by her own people, never mind the Jews.  She was a Samaritan.  She was a woman of ill repute.  Meaning she was living with a man who was not her husband at the time Jesus arrived though she was married before with some husbands. Jesus did not go there by chance.  He went there because that is where His Father wanted Him to be to speak to one person – this woman!

This woman becomes a missionary!  Amazing!  I want to challenge you to think about all the ONES that Jesus singled out in the midst of His travels and changed their lives.  These encounters did not happen in the context of a large church service, but on the way to some place that He was going!  In the midst of His travels Jesus obeyed the voice of His Father and touched the leper, healed the blind, raised the dead, ate with sinners, met with a Samaritan, forgave the woman taken in adultery, and the list goes on.

Jesus was not controlled by religious doctrine, but obeyed the voice of His Father.  He often left the multitudes to do what no one else would do.  Let me ask you these questions;

·         Is it more important to abide by church doctrine or to obey the voice of the Lord?

·         Is ONE person as important as the multitudes?

·         Is it more important to go to church with all of your brothers and sisters in the Lord or to recognize the person in need in daily life and share God’s love with that ONE person?

·         Are you willing to be ridiculed for doing something that is forbidden by the church, to obey what God is telling you to do?

·         Are you able to think for yourself or are you controlled by the multitudes?

I want to challenge you to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and begin to recognize His directions as you go about your daily business.  The ONES that God will direct you to are just as important as the multitudes that you may have the privilege to minister to in a church service.

Who knows, that ONE person may be the one to save a nation, like Rahab the prostitute or become the mother of influence like Ruth or Mary Magdalene who had seven demons or Zacheus, the tax collector and on and on we could list the ONES who God singled out to make a difference for His Kingdom.

·     You will have to hear His voice and obey.

·     You will have to overcome what others say.

·     You will have to think for yourself!

·     You must have to break the rules of religion to follow Jesus!

·     You will have to overcome the church mindset to see the ONE is just as important as the multitudes when directed by the Holy Spirit!

There is no substitute for obedience!  Look for the power of one and obey!  You are just as anointed as the evangelist speaking to millions!  Beware, you may find yourself in Samaria!  Be strong and stand for Him!  Be a Champion!