Do you feel like what you are doing for God is not having an impact or recognition?
Maybe, You got to that point where you felt completely empty and dried up.
Well, you aren't alone.
I will share how an image from an old movie about the desert revealed to me how God uses men and women throughout the Bible as a vessel for Him.
In John Ch 4: 7-15, Jesus spoke about the living water that He had to the Samaritan woman, and it is that same water that flows in those that are saved.
Jesus said we would have rivers of living water flowing from our belly (John 7:37-39).
This is a representation of the Holy Spirit that is poured out in us and flows through us.
Jesus said that we as Christians would do greater things than He. Not because of our abilities and power, but from the Holy Spirit working through us.
We are the vessel. When the Holy Spirit moves through us to speak into someone or over them (prophecy) or a message of tongues and interpretation, We are simply being a willing vessel. Jesus told those that followed Him to go to the upper room . (Acts 1:8)
What God showed me was a water canteen? Just as a canteen carries water to refresh and bring life to a thirsty soul, so are we a vessel that brings living water (the Word) to a lost and thirsty world.
II Corinthians 4:7-10
II Timothy 2:20-21
It is the water that brings life and gets the honor, not the vessel. The same goes with us. It is Jesus who gets the glory and honor by the Holy Spirit working through us as the willing vessel.
Like in those movies, like the westerns or others where they are stranded on the desert with only that one canteen. It is great for them while there is water in it, but Once the vessel runs dry it is worthless till they find an oasis or water supply to refill it.
The same applies with us. While we have the Spirit living in us to help uplift others, we too need a refilling of the Holy Spirit to continue on and refill our vessel so that we don't run dry and become worthless.
Jesus talked about that in the parable of the old wineskin in Luke 5:36-39. This same parable is mentioned in Matthew 9:17 and in Mark 2:22
In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus even called out the Pharisees about their outer appearance
But again it is the Holy Spirit flowing in and through us that the world needs to see.
Even in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was placed on men and women at special times to prophesy and speak judgement from God.
In Ezekiel, God shows the prophet of an example of how the Holy Spirit can bring life to dead souls when in Ch 37 God commands him to speak to the valley of dried bones.
Then we see when Jesus is with the disciples at the Last Supper and he begins to wash their feet. In John 13:5-9, Peter tells Jesus not only to wash his feet by his hands and head.
Finally the Holy Spirit gives us an unlimited supply source that never runs dry. However, at times we may become tired, discouraged, run down or overwhelmed, but that is when we need to go back to that water source to refill.
The same thing with those movies when the character finally finds a well or oasis. They drink as much as they can to get refreshed and regain their strength and then they also refill that canteen for the journey.
That is with us as we are refilled, it allows us to continue the path that God has for us to share His Gospel to others for encouragement also.
Luke 6:38 NKJV