I want to share some things about how you can begin to start letting God flow through you to minister to other people. You have the power and the anointing of God in you, but how do you get it out to other people? There are a number of scriptures we can start with. In Philemon 6, Paul is praying "that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." The very first step in having the power of God flow through you to other people is that you first acknowledge the good things that are inside you. You can't give away what you don't have, but once you know what you have on the inside, things will automatically begin to happen. You'll begin to share with others your excitement, give testimonies of what God has done in your life, and automatically some people will be helped.

In 1 John 4:7‑8 it says, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God...for God is love." Anytime you feel love flow out of you toward another person, that's God flowing out of you toward them. There are actually four major words for "love" in the Greek language, the highest form, agape love, is God's supernatural kind of love. You need to recognize the difference between attraction, or desire, toward somebody and this supernatural, high form of God's love. Whenever you discern God's love flowing out of you toward someone else, it's not self-serving. You can verify this by looking at 1 Corinthians 13:4- 8, which gives the qualifications of God's kind of love. It is not envious, selfish, self- serving, easily provoked, etc. You need to analyze what you call love and make sure it's really God's love—that it's not selfish or self-serving—that you don't love a person because of what they can do for you. As you grow in this and literally begin to discern His kind of love, then when you feel it flow through you for somebody else, that's God moving. Once you discern the love of God flowing through you for someone, all you have to do is follow it with some word of encouragement or action—do something.

There are times when I've been praying that a person would come to my mind, and I would have God's kind of love and compassion for them. There was no reason for this to happen; it was supernatural. I've learned to call the person, write them a letter, or contact them in some way. Nearly every single time that person will say, "Boy, that was God speaking through you to me, and He touched my life through it." Do you know how that happened? It happened because I sensed this love, this godly compassion flowing out of me toward that person. When I feel that now, I recognize it's not me—it's God. God is love, and when I love other people, it's Him loving other people through me. This is the way Jesus ministered. Matthew 14:14 says, "And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick." The way the power of God flowed through Jesus was through the compassion and love He felt toward the people He ministered to. In Matthew 8:2‑3 a man with leprosy, who was unclean and could not be touched according to Jewish Law (no one could come in contact with him, or they would become contaminated and become unclean themselves) lifted up his voice and cried to Jesus from a distance, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." He was moved with compassion toward the man with leprosy and touched him. As you study the Scriptures, you'll find this compassion, this godly love in many places. It's not just an emotion, but a compassion that flows out through us.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He loved the people around Him so much that He said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). These were the very people who were crucifying Him, yet He had compassion on them and asked God to forgive them. We know He didn't have goose bumps—it wasn't just a feeling, or an emotion—it was a choice. Nonetheless, He felt it and released it toward other people. Every one of you who is born again has God living inside of you.

According to the verse we started with, 1 John 4:8, God is love, and He wants to flow through you to reach other people. To do that, He will release this compassion. You'll feel it flow out of you toward other people, and when you do, you need to respond.

You don't always have to do something special. It doesn't have to be "thus saith the Lord." Sometimes, if you have a feeling of compassion toward a person, just go over and put your arm around them and say, "God loves you and so do I." I know one time this worked when I was on the receiving end, in a situation where I was about to be run out of a church. People had lied about me, and one person even threatened to kill me. I was feeling so discouraged like, "God, what's the use? Nobody appreciates what I'm trying to do." I was fighting the devil over this, and a friend called long distance. He talked for a few minutes, and I said, "Well, what did you call for?" He said, "I just wanted to call and let you know I love you. I was praying and felt the love of God toward you. I appreciate you." That's all he said. He didn't know anything about the situation going on in my life, but God used that. I knew it was Him loving me through that person, and it kept me in the ministry and changed my life.

It doesn't have to be profound or necessarily some great word. God is love, and whenever you discern that love flowing through you, it's the divine flow...the divine life of God. When you sense that, you need to follow it up. Go do something, say something, be a blessing to some person. God will put words in your mouth. He will use you, and He will set people free as you are moved with compassion and minister to those around you.