How to Stop Disqualifying Yourself from Being Used by Holy Spirit
How do you let Holy Spirit use you? Do you feel under-qualified?
In the church, I would even say as humans, we can be prone to a “hero worship” of sorts. We admire and look up to people who are accomplishing things that we think are having a positive impact on the world.
We admire them all the more when they are doing what we may be unwilling or believe we are unable to do ourselves.
As long as someone is doing it, maybe we feel absolved of some level of responsibility.
When it comes to Christianity and being used by God, there are complicated emotions involved – at least that has been the case for me.
On one hand, I feel “less than,” or like I have nothing to offer. On another, I actually somewhat prefer to feel like God isn’t trying to use me in a situation. I want to stay “under the radar.”
The good news is that God is never looking for me to earn His love. He will never love me any more or less than He does at this moment.
Then… why does it matter if you let Holy Spirit use you?
So if I’d rather not step out of my comfort zone, and I’m not earning any more approval by doing so, why should I care about not disqualifying myself from being used by Holy Spirit? Why should you?
Because freedom and fulfillment are on the other side of obedience, and are definitely not attainable in our comfort zones.
I think deep down we all want to be used by God, and the main thing stopping us is fear.
Any area in my life that I’m allowing fear to drive, is an area I am not living how I want to live.
Let’s look at some truths that will help to loosen fear’s grip in this realm.
Believe you have something to offer…
Here’s a bonus trick: even if you don’t believe it, give of what you have anyway and see the belief follow.
I typically have a really hard time going up to people, even people I’ve known for years at my church, and having what I feel are good, “normal” conversations.
I’ve long struggled with social anxiety. I tend to focus way too much on myself in social situations instead of on the people/person with whom I’m speaking.
Because of this, I’m not often tuned in to what Holy Spirit might want to say or do through me in the moment.
Holy Spirit can use you in multiple ways
I desire and believe for progress in overcoming my fears. At the same time, it doesn’t always have to look a certain way. God has used me to speak to people in my life when I’ve asked Him about them at home. When I’m not in a social situation.
I don’t claim to do this all the time, or even “often,” but my point is: don’t put God in a box of how He can speak through you.
By all means, I’d love to hear from Him prophetically more when I’m at church and have the courage to go up to people and share what He said.
But there’s nothing wrong with asking Him to put someone on your heart during the week. Make them a little card and write down what He’s having you pray for them. Write what you’re seeing prophetically for them.
This can be a really impactful way to minister to coworkers or non-Christian friends in your life as well. And it might be easier for them to receive.
It is better to give than to receive
Holy Spirit led me to write cards for my classmates in college one time. I proclaimed His truth over them about their giftings and who they are, and it was super meaningful for them.
What’s even better, and profoundly clear once you’ve done it: when giving from what you have, it’s one of the best feelings in the world. After all, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)
It’s important to recognize that God might ask you to do or say something that is outside of your comfort zone. It might even be outside of what you feel is your gifting. In such cases, the high ground absolutely is to obey Him in those moments. Try not to adapt it to what you think suits you better, by default.
My example is more to help you think outside of your preconceptions if you’re trapped in one idea of what it will look like, or who you need to be, in order to be used by God.
You have something to offer by virtue of the fact that you have Holy Spirit inside of you. Don’t let anyone or anything convince you otherwise.
Reject self-righteousness…
As mentioned above, I tend to struggle with social anxiety. As hard as it is for me to keep dealing with that, having desired freedom from it all my life, the last thing I want to do is feel sorry for myself because I’m not as free as I want to be in that area.
When I dig deeper on this struggle, I have found that there is an invasive quality. It is lurking underneath the more sympathetic “anxiety” label: Self-righteousness. Pride.
There is a component of this anxiety that stems from an unwillingness for me to let people see me fully – mistakes and imperfections and all. There’s a strongly felt “need” to control how I am perceived.
When it comes to being used by God, self-righteousness is an unwelcome, but not uncommon guest.
Humility and freedom to make mistakes
There are countless (so many) verses about how much God loves humility and wants to use the humble.
It’s good to believe (as outlined above) that you have something to offer. But it’s important to also recognize that it’s because of Him. You are not above making mistakes.
As long as you are caught up thinking that you need to be some kind of “qualified” ministry person to have Holy Spirit work in you, you are on the wrong path.
It is much better to operate in the freedom of knowing you can (and will) make mistakes. Don’t compare yourself and don’t expect yourself to be infallible. Also, don’t manipulate others’ perceptions of you so that they will perhaps think you are infallible. In some ways that’s even worse.
Let’s reject that temptation together. God delights more when we make mistakes while walking out and learning obedience than when we sit safely on the sidelines and nobody sees us make mistakes.
Reminder: this does not have to do with how much He loves us. That is unchangeable. But it will affect the degree of freedom and joy we walk in with Him. He will present the choice again and again.
Reach out to others who are letting Holy Spirit use them in ways you desire…
“The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.”
-Matthew 10:41
If you desire to grow in prophecy, find someone you know is prophetic and acknowledge and honor them in their gifting.
Ask them to pray for you or to potentially teach you in it.
Wanting to walk in the gift of healing? Same thing.
There is nothing wrong with going straight to God and asking for these gifts. In fact, He loves when we do that (Matt. 7:11; Luke 12:32).
However, honor is a powerful, and I would say under-utilized spiritual principle. God loves to flow through the body. You and the person you reach out to (if their heart is in the right place) will be all the more blessed through going about it that way.
Be faithful with little…
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
– Luke 16:10
Another important principle throughout scripture is stewardship. God is looking for those who will value and take exquisite care of what they have, even when it is a very small amount.
The bible also talks about not “despising small beginnings.”
It is a recurring theme that sends a similar message. Our limited perception does not determine significance. It is inherent.
God looks at our hearts. He wants us to be obedient because we trust Him and it is our joy to be in deeper communion with Him. Whether what He’s asked us to do is “big” or “small,” He desires our hearts to be in it. No empty gestures or negotiations.
If you want to walk in signs and wonders or be used by Holy Spirit, it is crucial to start small. Learn to walk in obedience in even the most seemingly insignificant matters.
This process may take way longer than you would like, but it will be rewarded.
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”
– Matthew 25:23
To conclude…
As much as some of us might hide in the comfort of the sidelines, if you’ve read this far, you must, like me, actually desire to walk out your faith in a way that impacts those around you.
What stops you is probably fear:
- Fear of having nothing to offer.
- Fear of making mistakes.
- Fear of what others will think of you (see fears above).
Maybe you just fear relinquishing your perceived control of your environment.
Whatever it may be, the spirit-led walk that you desire is on the other side of that fear. It’s on the other side of your obedience.
You have something to offer because Christ is in you. Believe it and look for opportunities to give of what little you have.
As you are faithful with little, it will be multiplied.
Don’t let pride get a foothold. Reject self-righteousness. It’s not up to you and it’s not because of you that God is using you. Let loving obedience be the flow.
Honor those with giftings around you and seek to learn from them. Let Holy Spirit multiply the anointing in the body.
As you allow yourself to be a conduit of the Spirit, and unlock that in others, it will have a beautiful impact on those around you, and on you.
