There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius".... 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house"..... 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 "And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
This passage of scripture teaches us one of the most effective ways of taking the gospel to the ones who would be most receptive to it, and it is the method of divine appointment, in which God brings us into contact with those who shall be heirs of salvation. It's worthy of note that the work of grace in the hearts of Cornelius and his family did not begin with Peter, for as the passage states, Cornelius and his household were already living up to the light that had been previously shed on their pathway, and now that it was time to put on the finishing touches of baptism and the receiving of the Holy Ghost, Peter was then sent for. Let's read:
Acts 10:9 "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray"..... 10 And he became very hungry"... but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him".... 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth"....... 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
Here in these passages we see that both the recipient and the one who is to minister are both instructed by The Holy Spirit as to their divine appointment, so that there may be no question or doubt as to the origin of their encounter. This method reveals to us a very efficient manner of witnessing, and it should be studied very closely, so that the pertinent lessons it contains might be correctly deduced and implemented by Christians everywhere. We see in the two examples given, that it was The Holy Ghost who had orchestrated everything, from the preparation of Cornelius' heart, to the removing of prejudice from the mind of Peter, so that when the two met, the recipient of God's salvation was already in the right frame of mind to walk in obedience to God's gracious instructions.
Too often in our interaction with our fellowmen, the methods we employ are done by proxy, with the hope that some way, somehow, the gospel seed will take root and germinate, and thus bring forth an abundant harvest. But while we are counseled to sow besides all waters, we should daily be seeking God for divine appointments with those who will be ready to receive the gospel with willing hearts, instead of spending precious hours and moments with those who manifest a stubborn or stoical attitude towards things of a spiritual nature. Now it's not that people such as these should ever be despised, but what God is saying to us is that the coordinated efforts of The Holy Ghost, in conjunction with our willingness to be used, is much more productive of positive results, in contrast with the spasmodic efforts that are engaged in without prior thought or heavenly guidance.
Being willing and available to be used by God is of paramount importance, and the disposition to prioritize His work as being first and foremost, paves the way for The Holy Spirit to bring us into contact with those who are hungering and thirsting for the Bread of life. And if it is our sincere desire to seek the interests of God's kingdom first, then we will see and abundant harvest of souls that will bring great joy to Christ, who shed His blood that we all may have eternal life. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which calls on us to take up seriously, the gospel commission that has been entrusted to us, and wherever we may go, and whatever we may do, let's always remember that it is God who gives the increase, after we have sown and watered in His vineyard. Let's read:
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!