Last year in 2013, God was teaching me many lessons. One was how to listen to His leading, and not analyze the situation and turn from it. During this twist of incidences that occurred both in March 2013 and 2014, I chose to go shopping for needed items.
Back in 2013, the three places that I chose to go to were all located in Santee, CA. The first was The Christian Bible Bookstore, then Costco and last of all Target. Upon arrival at the Bible bookstore, I had a pick-up that should have only taken minutes, but I had to wait. A lady I had never seen before was working off to the side, and so I tried to ask her to help me. I felt that the worst thing would happen is that she'd say 'no.'
However, without looking at me, she said, "He delays us for a reason." I took this rather like an affront, and just waited silently, being a little disappointed. She finally came to me, and then at some point while working with me, she said again, "He delays us for a reason." She didn't say much of anything else. I sensed the Holy Spirit working with me to accept this comment, so when I got my item, I left in a thoughtful state. I figured that maybe God was up to something.
My second destination was Costco. I went around and shopped, but as I came forward to get in line, I felt the Holy Spirit lead me to pray, "What lane do You want me in?" I began to run my eyes over the line of lanes, and felt the Holy Spirit prompt my heart to go to one lane. I assessed the situation, and saw a young guy packing the carts. For some reason, I felt nervous about going there because of him, so I attempted to pass the lane, but I felt the Holy Spirit pushing for me to obey Him. The Holy Spirit was like,
"Go THERE!" in my heart, so I did.
As I was waiting for my goods to be purchased and placed into the cart, I noticed the young guy packing the cart so perfectly! I mean, he had it so neat that it looked like a large rectangular box inside my cart! I'd never seen anyone do such an amazing job! I thought of how hard these people pack our carts, and then we have to go to our car, and unpack to load it in the trunk. This guy did such an amazing job, I had to comment on it...
So out of my heart came a response - I asked if I could just take the whole cart as it was and stick it into the back of my car! I said how nicely packed it was! Trust me, the way I said it was so uplifting and encouraging! It was a pure, unadulterated compliment that I gave to the young guy. He just beamed without looking at me!
My last stop was at Target. I was walking up to the automatic doors, and noticed a young guy in front of me. I took note of his awesome 'not of this world' shirt! It had a neat design on the back with NOTW hidden in the design. Then, I thought how unusual it was to see young guys going shopping by themselves to Target.
As he headed over to the carts, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me that he was going to hand me a cart, but I was so new at hearing His voice, it took a bit for it to sink in. The guy, as he was pulling out a cart, started to turn towards me with it to hand it over, and that's when I realized he doing what the Holy Spirit had just told me he was going to do. I was overjoyed with excitement, so I said, "The Holy Spirit told me you were going to hand me a cart!"
I was backing up to make it easier for him to pass it to me, and at that moment, even though I was going slowly backwards, I ran into a woman's cart. To this day, I find it strange for a woman with a cart full of goods to be going the direction this lady was going. I was the one hurt, yet I said, "I'm sorry!" She just grunted in an indifferent way. I really wonder if Satan had something to do with it....
The guy was shook up by what had happened, and I said a few awkward comments to try to smooth things over. We both just parted ways, and went on to shop. I noticed, every now and then, the guy shopping around me. He seemed to be in my vicinity more than I would have expected. I finally headed up, and when I got just about to a lane, I realized that he was heading up at the same time!
I got in line. He went over to a side lane to look for something. I noticed a lane over from him was empty of people. I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to go, but right when I was about to go, he started over there. So, I stopped, and didn't do it. It freaked me out! However, I was the first to choose to go there....what was I worried about?
Literally, about a year later, in March 2014, I went to those very same places again, but not to Target. I felt led to turn off the music in my car. I told the Holy Spirit that I wanted to hear His voice. As I was driving to the Bible bookstore, I felt led to pray, "God feel free to delay me for a reason." Then, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would direct me to someone who wanted to know the Truth.
I went into the Bible bookstore to order multiple "Courageous" movies, so we could send them out as love packages to others. They had NONE. It was a bummer, but I told the Holy Spirit, "Well, you must want me at Costco right now!"
I went into Costco and shopped. As I was going up to the lanes, I felt prompted to pray, "Which lane do You want me in?" I began to scan, and felt impressed to go to a certain lane. However, in this lane, the scanner dude was SCARY looking! And I mean SCARY! Seriously...you'd almost want to say, "How did that guy get hired???!" Who came up with this guy to scare me off?
I didn't let it affect me! Whoa! I went right up to the lane. I didn't even look at the guy any closer like you think I would have...did he really look the way I saw him or did God allow me to see him that way? As I was starting to wait, I looked over to the lane next to me. The conveyer belt was empty, and I could start laying my goods in it. I told the Holy Spirit that I was staying right where He wanted me. Then I felt Him prompt me to go to the other lane. I thought "Why God? It only has a woman running it!" God is sooo funny how He teaches us! It looked WAY too easy...
I got in the other lane, and began laying my stuff down on the conveyer belt. As I did, I noticed a bagging guy who had come up and he was talking to the man who was purchasing goods ahead of me. The conversation was not a light one, but one that had a spiritual bent on it. My ears perked up. I sensed in my heart the Holy Spirit confirm to me that He had something for me to do.
As the man buying goods talked on, I asked the Holy Spirit, "Is it him?" Nothing came to my heart, but silence. The man said to the bagging dude and lady, "I was in jail for 20 years!" Both of the workers became stiff and nervous. The buyer said, "Hey, we just have to be above board!" Then, as the man was leaving, he said, "As long as we have Methamphetamines in this world, we will have people in jail!"
At that point, the Holy Spirit began to put words in my heart, but they were directed at the bagging guy. I said something about Jesus being the answer. Suddenly, it was as if a flood in words came into my heart. In response to the guy that just left, the Holy Spirit had me say, "As long as we have sin and evil in the world, we will have jails." I stated that Biblical prophecy was starting to happen....
It was wild! The Holy Spirit wanted me to say a verse, "When we fail in one point, we are guilty of all," but I think I grappled with Him on the issue because I didn't think the guy would understand (never will I do that again!). So, God had me mention how all religions are working to get to God, but there is only one that is a personal relationship. That is with Jesus Christ. It's hard to say exactly word for word what I said because the Holy Spirit led it. All I know is that it was better said than any time I have ever shared the gospel with someone....
The Holy Spirit had me warn about Mormonism, and how they say that the Bible is what they believe, yet they will not read it, and want nothing to do with it. Then, I was led to say, "It's the Bible! The Bible is the answer!" Just after that, I shared this....
All you have to do is believe what Jesus did on the cross for you.
Then ask for forgiveness for your sins.
Because of what Jesus did on the cross, the Holy Spirit can now come in and reside within your heart.
Invite Him to come into your heart.
Just after that, the guy said, "Thank you! Thank you!" He was really serious...and meant it!
As I walked on, I said, "Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life." Not sure who heard that...
My final perspective:
I realize that God wants me to know that He has those out there that He
directly wants me to impact. He wants me to realize that when I hear
His prompting to go, I must not let any personal thoughts or
insecurities interfere. There are other things He was teaching me, but to this day, I am not 100% sure of what they are. If you happen to see it, please let me know...
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