Jonah has a lot to teach us today. Jonah is angry that God is calling him to go to Nineveh; in fact he runs the opposite direction. He wants nothing to do with God’s plan to reach this wicked city. For some of us, doing online ministry feels like being called to Nineveh. We want nothing to do with all of the online wickedness. Let God speak to you through Jonah.
Cole is a 19-year-old "Jonah." As you can see in this video, in September he hated Instagram. God changed his heart, and now he is blessing people around the globe. Be inspired by his story.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/0o8FPFtkmrg?start=800
Cole took Melissa's challenge to heart. He started a new Instagram account and began following and DM'ing people asking if they had prayer requests. To his surprise, students poured out their very honest needs to him over DM. Cole was shocked at how God was using this "superficial" platform of Instagram. In addition, God was profoundly shaping Cole as a witness and as an intercessor. Today Cole is praying for more than 600 people on at least three continents. Melissa is helping Cole take this incredible ministry and grow the faith of the rest of the InterVarsity students.
<aside> 📖 Jonah 1:1-3 (NIV) The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Jonah 2:10-3:3 (NIV) 10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.
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Jonah is an anti-hero. He is a very relatable prophet. God graciously gives Jonah a second chance. We too get a second chance. Last semester may have been very fruitful for you, or you may have run away from God. Now is a good opportunity to obey the Word of the Lord. "Jesus, you don't need to vomit me onto dry land. Soften my heart, and help me to love the people of Nineveh...I mean Instagram."
<aside> 🔥 Ministry can be series of tasks or ministry can be a joyful adventure of following the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you now about each of the below adventures.
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Please train your students with our “prayer” badge. This will help them lay the foundation of intercession, and also help them grow in discernment of people’s spiritual journeys. http://evangelism.intervarsity.org/prayer-partner