Being used by God as a Barnabas
According to thebiblechristian.com website, “Barnabas stands as one of Scripture’s clearest examples of encouragement in action — a man who saw potential where others saw problems and who chose grace when others chose suspicion. His story teaches us what it looks like to live with open hands and an open heart toward God’s work in the world.”
Here is where we find Barnabas in the Book of The Acts of the Apostles”:
“Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
Acts 4:36-37 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/act.4.36-37.NASB1995
“When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.”
Acts 9:26-27 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/act.9.26-27.NASB1995
Today I want talk about being available to being used by God. If you followed any of these blogs over this past year, certain ones have paved the way for this discussion.
It started in May 2026 with the topic “My Ways are Not Your Ways“.
Another topic was “Being a Nehemiah“ which was assessing our own spirituality.
Then came “Stepping Up”, “Going Beyond Your Comfort Zone”, and “Being an Ambassador”.
God has always used, and continues to use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
Mary [Luke 1: 26-33]
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.””
Luke 1:26-33 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.1.26-33.NASB1995
Gideon [Judges 6: 3-5, 11-16]
3 “Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekitesand other eastern peoples invaded the country.4 They camped on the land and ruined the cropsall the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts.”
11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joashthe Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lordappeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lordbring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
Ananias called on to minister to Saul of Tarsus (St. Paul)
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting hishand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name beforeGentiles, kings, and the children[b] of Israel.16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord [c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.”