Young Heroes for God

The Bible is full of stories of God using young people to do incredible things. In 1 Samuel there is the story of a boy named David who defeats the giant, Goliath. None of the adults trained for battle were willing to take on this task. There is a whole book in the Old Testament named after a girl named, Esther. Even though she didn’t know her biological father or mother growing up, she became a Queen who was willing to risk her own life for her people. In one of the books of Kings in the Old Testament as well, we read about Josiah who becomes king at 8 years old.

In the book of Jeremiah, we read about a young prophet God uses to speak truth when the adult prophets were unwilling. In the New Testament, a teenager named, Timothy is mentored by Paul to become a church planter and leader. Throughout the Bible, God uses these young faith heroes to advance the Kingdom of God.

In our more contemporary history young people are found at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement and the movement to realize freedom in South Africa. Even now in Iran, it’s youth and young adults who are protesting an unjust political process.

Children and youth are not too young to make a difference for God. We must be willing to see children and youth the way God does. We must encourage them to know that they can make a Kingdom mark in the world. They can be Gods’ agents of truth, transformation, compassion, justice, mercy, and reconciliation. The church must be a training ground for the equipping and empowerment of young heroes for God.

I remember as a kid, going into my backyard in the summertime and pretending to be a superhero. Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and even the Hulk. I wanted to save the day with super powers. I thank God that when I became a Christian in high school, I had adults in my life, who believed I wasn’t too young to make a difference in the world. I know that this had a direct impact on the ministry call that I’m living out as an adult today. Consider the young people around you, do you see them as the young hero they can be? Do you pray that they realize this potential? Do you speak this into their lives?  If you are a young person and reading this blog entry, I hope that you would allow God to use you in an amazing way. You can make a Kingdom difference in the world among the lost and the poor.

3 Comments

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  Ted January 18, 2010 at 7:04 pm

  I love the sentence “We must encourage them to know that they can make a Kingdom mark in the world.” I have recently begun working with a small senior high youth group that has the potential as all of us do to make a “Kingdom Mark” on this world. I made a committment to God to give them the tools to do this! Thanks for all you do and for this encouraging piece of Divine wisdom!
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  Clifton Williams February 22, 2011 at 11:19 pm

  As well E’ how it was the children who were to enter the promised land after being trained up & equiped, for they did not cary/share the same ism’s & ideologies for they were trained up in and through GOD JAHOVA (or I AM in this text) to go in and take the land by instruction… Blessings, peace, encouragement, endurance and wisdom I pray for all the young fore runner leaders or followers of Christ. In the Iris ministry camp near Mosenbeak Africa, Sister in Christ Heidi Baker made the statement that some of the greatest sermons she has witnessed were from 4-5 year olds that were given a word directly from Christ himself while living in and eating in the GARBAGE DUMPS… A child at church name Xavior recently came to me and wated/yurned to know more of the Kingdom. I asked why he and his sister didnt just speak to there parents about this, not that I did not want to impart the wisdom I have recieved, just inquiring mind of mine, & the young boy (6) told me that his dad told him adults can not learn from children!!! I corrected & incouraged the young boy to press in (which then later that day was introduced to his father, and corrected him out of love)… When my son Damante King James Williams was only 3 years old, he woke and turned to me and said this “Daddy, I have something to tell you. Half sleep I rolled over and said yes son. He then said to me and I quote “Yashua came to me and told me I am right here (as he pointed to his heart)”. I teared up and woke immediatly and hugged him. he then said: “I am not done daddy, he also said “I am right there as well” (which he then pulled away from me and pointed at my chest directing his finger to my heart)… I sobbed tears of joy (!!!!!JAM!!!!!)…. So yes, it is very key and important that we equip the youth, and keep constant prayer in there lives, not only pray for them, but teach them how to intercede and stay in the spirit while doing so…
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  Clifton Williams February 22, 2011 at 11:27 pm

  Oh, one more thing and I am off… As well as the late Rachel from the columbine massacre who wrote in her diary and logged the testimony she recieved in the Lord and the life she led prior to the merciless act that took place there… Can read and learn more about it either through one of the best sellers “Rachels Tears” or the testimony given by her father that you can find on Netflix that the youth are empowered by GOD as well…