Arise and Go

“Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” (Acts 10:20, NKJV)

Have you ever been comfortable in your routine and then God jolts you out of the ordinary with a special assignment? Perhaps that assignment seems to defy logic—at least from our human perspective? Others may not understand what He is asking of you, but He says get up and go.

Over and over in Scripture, I see God calling men and women to action. When He said, “Arise and go,” even if they questioned their own abilities, they stepped out to do God’s will.

• God instructed Abraham to leave his family and his homeland for a place God promised to show him (Genesis 12:1). The Bible does not tell us what questions filled Abraham’s mind, but he must have had many. However, he trusted the voice of the Lord and by faith stepped into an unknown future.
• God met Moses on the backside of the desert and instructed him to return to Egypt to lead the children of Israel out of bondage (Exodus 3). Moses had doubts about his abilities, and questioned, “Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh?” But he arose and went.
• God told Ananias to arise and go to the house of Judas on the street called Straight. There he would find Saul of Tarsus who was praying (Acts 9:11). Ananias knew Saul’s reputation as a persecutor of the faith and realized Saul had the authority to harm him. But he rose up and went to find Saul.
• God gave Peter a vision and then told him to arise and go to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, doubting nothing. When Peter responded to God’s assignment, the first Gentiles were filled with the Spirit (Acts 10).

Stepping out by faith can be a scary thing. Doubts, insecurities, and questions can rise up and hinder us from stepping into God’s will. We may not understand the why, how, or when of God’s instructions, but we can trust His plan. He is calling us to action.

When the Lord met Saul (later called Paul) on the road to Damascus, He said:

“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.” (Acts 26:16, NKJV)

Look at what God is telling him. First, God has a purpose in what He is asking. Second, that purpose involves being a witness. And third, God did not reveal every detail at that exact moment. God’s will is often a step-by-step process. To reveal everything to Paul (or us) at once would be overwhelming. This lets us know that God will also show us a step at a time how to fulfill His purpose in our lives. We can trust Him to lay the groundwork for whatever task He asks of us. Even though God may not show us each step of the journey before we begin, He will reveal it in His own perfect time. He never forsakes us.

Are you ready to arise and go? Don’t allow doubts and fears to pull you back. I’m not a Moses or Abraham, you may say. Or an Ananias, Peter, or Paul. True. But God is not asking you to fulfill their calling. Your area of service may be totally different. He is, however, asking you to arise and go. There is work to be done!

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13, NLT)