The Chemistry Lab Encounter!
- 20 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
The last post titled “A Flower in the Midst of Darkness” conveys a prophetic message about His guidance during these challenging times.
He talked about strengthening us, refreshing us, imparting faith to believe for the impossible, possessing new expectations of His leading us, manifesting His power in our gatherings, and loving and serving each other despite the surrounding darkness we live in. We should be His flower with the aroma or fragrance of Christ flowing everywhere we go.
The Encounter!
This leads me to what I want to share with you about the encounter in a public school chemistry class,
I agreed to serve as a substitute teacher for a chemistry class at a high school located approximately 10 miles from my home. I often substitute in this high school and have got to know many of the students and teachers.
As I was driving to this school, I asked the Lord as I always do to grace me with His leading and allowing me with the help of the Holy Spirit to break through the darkness which captivates many of the youth of our time as well as the educational institutions in America. I ask the Lord to move upon me and make His presence felt granting to me the words and thoughts to share with the students if the occasion arises.
On this particular day, it was during the 7th period that the Holy Spirit came upon the scene in a big way by opening a door in the darkness to walk through and share with a few students what I felt the Holy Spirit was leading me to speak.
When the class started, I usually ask a couple of students to help me take attendance to discover who is absent.
At the rear of the room where the laboratory tables were situated, I observed two girls and two boys together working together. I decided to approach their lab table and request their assistance.
They were working on their assignment but stopped when I approached them. These are top-flight students (4.0) -l advanced 10th graders and a couple of 11th graders. I sat down on the stool at their table and requested their assistance.
I was going down the roster asking if this student or that student was present or absent and they would tell me. Engaging with students in this manner allows me for a few minutest to get to know them and often opens up conversations about their interests, ambitions, etc.
.
After finishing taking the attendance, I felt the Holy Spirit wanted me to briefly share a couple of my experiences in serving the poor, destitute, and homeless in an inner-city environment.
About ten feet away were 5-6 other students who had quit working and were all ears. Their eyes were fixed on me throughout my sharing.
I was thinking this is really a moving of the Holy Spirit for these students to listen so intently to what I was presenting to them. I did not mention God, Jesus, the Bible, or Christianity. But I was sharing with them from my heart what I believe the Lord gave me to share.
They did not move and were like statues caught up by the Spirit of God to listen to this servant of God. It must have been 15-20 minutes of talking with them. I did not plan on this happening or taking this long. But It was like we were in a God-Zone.
I informed them that I did not intend to share some of my experiences with those of the inner-city and apologized for occupying their study time. They did not mind my sharing and said they could complete the tasks from home. These were just great students, mature, respectful, cooperative, and fun to be with.
As they left the room, they all thanked me for sharing with them. I knew what God was giving me was bypassing their mind and going straight to their heart. And to think, nothing of gospel sharing but just sharing a life experience with those of the inner-city - no preaching, no teaching.
The Holy Spirit knew what they needed to hear - the realities of the poor, homeless, downtrodden, and destitute eating in the soup kitchen, walking the streets of the inner city, sleeping under railroad bridges and abandoned houses, and wondering where their next meal would come from.
As I finished the last paragraph, I felt the Lord downloaded the following:
My son,
you are in the
midst of darkness
in this school.
But you are to know,
that I brought you here today
to be My Light
to shine in the lives
of these ones
I placed before you.
What you spoke is what I put
in your mouth to speak
for what you spoke is the seed
planted in their lives
which someday
and
in
My timing will take root
and
germinate leading them
to seek me and
yield their lives to Me.
As I called young David
from his sheepfold
to come and serve me,
so these youth you
spoke today
will also have a call
on their lives to serve
me.
Lastly,
I want to say to you,
My Light will go forth from
you in the places I put you
for much darkness is now
covering the earth.
Therefore,
I am calling the
“Light-Bearers”
to begin to rise up,
and
go into the darkness,
for as they go into the dark areas,
My Spirit in them will illuminate way
as their path will be
established by Me.
They will not stumble,
and
they will not fall,
for each step they take
will be small steps of faith
leading to large steps of faith
as I secure them in My hand-
so they can plant, water, and harvest
those I desire to bring
into My Kingdom.
What you were called
to do this day,
are the small steps
of faith and obedience
I desire in my last day
remnant.
Now,
continue to prepare yourself
to listen
and
heed what My Spirit
will be saying to you
for it is not you who are
doing My Work,
but My Spirit in you doing
My Work through you.
You are My Vessel,
called and anointed
to be filled
and
to pour out what
My Spirit puts in you.
Continue to release
yourself
to Him.
The flow ended here.
Please continue to pray for more doors to open like this as I meet with these young people in the school environment.
God knows these students and wants them to hear the message He has for them. He wants to do the same for you - to carry His word to those in the darkness you encounter - a spontaneous word from the Holy Spirit - a NOW word - a revelation word which penetrates the darkness and brings the Light and Fragrance of Christ in the midst.
We are called to be “God's Light Bearer of His Truth” and His "Flower in the Midst of Darkness." This prophetic word is for those praying daily to be led by the Holy Spirit to share His message and to be a fragrance of Christ to those who are perishing in the world.
Remember, you may not share the Gospel at first for you may be just planting the seed such as reflecting the Fruit of the Holy Spirit while later on someone else will come along and water and fertilize that seed with sharing an invitation to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
But also allow me to say - that the disciple of Christ must continually be seeking and thirsting after Christ and asking Him to guide in direction, location, and to whom He has waiting to receive from us what they need to hear. All of this is Holy Spirit led and not so much planned by us. We are just the mailpersons delivering God’s Word.
I have learned to wait on the Lord and not so much forge ahead with my plans for this can often prevent the Holy Spirit from doing what He wants to do. The flesh can get anxious and often press on when it is not the leading of the Holy Spirit. It may sound good, look good, and feel good but the Holy Spirit is not in it and will not honor it. The Holy Spirit often comes when we least expect Him to show up like this encounter with the students in the chemistry class.
Thank You Lord Jesus, and may all glory, honor, and praise be given to You.
Rich Arnold
Servant of the Lord
311 Adelaide Ave SW
Hartville, Ohio 44632
330-704-9306