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by Chad Koons

The door flung open as he strode into the office, holding an envelope. I greeted him but he did not respond, staring at me with a face overcome with emotion. “What’s this?” I asked him. He went to speak but found no words, instead slapping the envelope on the counter and walking back out the door. I knew that it must be about his grandson, Clint.

What was inside of that envelope blew me away. We look for God to move inside of our church buildings, and He does, yet what if He most often prefers to move outside of them?

I try to remain open to the Spirit’s leading. Quite often the Lord will have me pray for someone, speak a Scripture, give Godly counsel, or outright share the gospel when I am out and about.

On this particular day, it happened while I was at work, just a couple of months ago.

While working with a particular customer, the conversation had somehow shifted off of his project and onto the funny things that little kids do. I don’t remember how this happened, but when a conversation shifts to something off topic, I have learned to pay special attention for this may be the leading of the Lord. And in this case, it was. He told me that he has a 3-year old grandson named Clint. “Please pray for him,” he said softly, “he’s undergoing surgery right now.”

This information alarmed me. He said that Clint had been having pain in his ear, nasal trouble, and a loss of hearing. The doctor suspected a tumor or cyst, some mass that needed to be removed, though they would not know more until they got in there to find out.

“You said that he’s undergoing surgery now, did you mean right this instant?” I asked him. He confirmed that Clint was literally on the operating table at that very moment. “Then let’s pray for him right now,” I said. The man seemed surprised by this but said, “Yes, let’s pray.” We stood in the parking lot while I began to pray out loud. Being careful to listen to the leading of the Lord during my prayer, I was slow to speak as the right Scripture and words came into my heart and out of my mouth.

A great urgency came in my heart just then during my prayer, and in my mind, I briefly saw an image of a gloved hand performing surgery. The hand suddenly moved towards a different section within the surgery area, then the image went away. I sensed a need to pray accordingly, so I did: “Fill the surgeons with wisdom and foresight, bring all things back into their remembrance, move and guide their hands to the right areas, directing them to see exactly what they need to see for Clint’s situation.” I felt relief after praying this. I knew in my heart that something significant had happened just then.

Upon concluding the prayer, the man thanked me and left. However, the situation remained upon my heart. A dear little 3-year old boy, the same age as my little son, it was a burden that I could feel.

A few days later, the man returned. He quickly walked into the office and delivered an envelope to me, leaving without saying a word, as he was overcome with emotion. Inside the envelope was a card:

“Thank you for praying for Clint. The doctor’s hand was clearly guided during the operation. At first he couldn’t find the obstruction and thought maybe it had resolved itself, but his hand was led to a spot he did not imagine could hold the cyst. He found and removed the obstruction and Clint will be fine. The obstruction was against a major nerve and if the Spirit had not moved his hand forward, Clint would have been stricken with both facial and brain issues. May God be glorified.”

Amazing.

God moves right where you are, regardless if you are at work, play, rest, or church. This may surprise you, but as the ministry of Jesus shows us… God especially “works” in mundane places, like the workplace. Have a look in the Gospels and identify the many individual people that Jesus encountered. Most of these occur within a place of work, so to speak.
Simon, Andrew, James, and John were at work fishing. (Matthew 4:18-22)
Matthew was at work in the tax booth. (Matthew 9:9-10)
The lame man was at work begging. (John 5:1-15)
The woman from Samaria was at work drawing water. (John 4:7-42)

We seem to think that we need to have the proper setting for God to move: the gathering of believers, the worship team, the pastor, and all that comes with the corporate assembly of “church.” Make no mistake about it, there is much power within the corporate assembly, and special things happen therein by God’s design (Psalm 133, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Hebrews 10:24,25). However, the Lord works through His people wherever they may be, regardless of numbers or location.

Sometimes it will come as a small voice leading you to do something. Perhaps a normal conversation shifts, and you will recognize the Lord in it. Maybe a Scripture will pop into your mind and you’ll be compelled to share it. Do not hold back when these things happen; these urgings can be the leading of the Holy Spirit, directly connected to the work of God being performed within another’s life! We want to be used of God, as if it was some clear cut, organized thing. Yet most often it is not! Look closer, it’s right there mixed among the mundane, ordinary, everyday duties of life, where the Lord shows up with an opportunity for wonder and power that we so quickly discard if we are not listening. But when we do listen… great things happen.

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