“An angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he did, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and walk along beside the carriage.’ Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah; so he asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’” (Acts 8:26-30)
Philip is a shining example of what it means to be a Difference Maker. In the scripture above, he heard from the Lord and followed His leading. Because of his obedience, Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch, explained the scriptures to him, and led him to faith in Jesus. What a joy it must have been for Philip to hear his new convert say, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” (Acts 8:37) Philip baptized the eunuch and soon found himself with more opportunities to share the love of Jesus with others in Azotus and Caesarea.
If we want to be Difference Makers like Philip, we must be willing to hear the Lord’s voice. In the scripture above, the Lord spoke to Philip through an angel and through the Holy Spirit. In similar ways, the Lord communicates His will to us through His Word (Psalm 119:104-105), His Spirit (Acts 13:2), other mature Christians (Proverbs 15:22), circumstances (Revelation 3:7), dreams and visions (Joel 2:28) and Angels (Matthew 1:18-23). Frankly, God can speak to us however He desires, and He often does, but to know His will, we have to pray and have a listening ear. We need to follow the advice that Eli gave to Samuel in the Old Testament. He said, “Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” (1 Samuel 3:9)
If we want to be Difference Makers like Philip, we must be willing to submit to the Lord’s will. Even though Philip was part of a great revival work in Samaria, he was willing to go wherever so the Lord could utilize him in other ways. If we want to be used by God as a Difference Maker, we have to be willing to go wherever the Lord asks us to go whenever He asks us to go. We should ask ourselves this question - “Am I like Philip? Am I willing to leave the comfort of where I currently am in order to obey the Lord’s leading and accomplish His will?” Philip wasn’t a Pastor, Missionary, or Evangelist. He was simply a Christian who had been filled with the Holy Spirit and who lived daily in the power of the Holy Spirit. We should follow His example if we truly wish to be Difference Makers for the Lord.
Followup Activity - Sometime today, pray and ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit and allow you to be a Difference Maker for Him in whatever way He asks and at whatever time He asks. If you’re leading your family through this devotion time, guide each family member to complete the above activity.
Prayer for Today - Lord, I want to be a Difference Maker for You. Help me to always be willing to listen for Your voice and then submit to Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.