Ready, Willing & Available

Being ready, willing, and available positions us to be filled and used by God in ways we could never imagine.

TEXTS: Acts 10:44, Acts 8:35

1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: —Acts 10:1-5 (KJV - King James Version)

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. —Acts 10:44-48 (KJV - King James Version)

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? —Acts 8:26-30 (KJV - King James Version)

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. —Acts 8:34-38 (KJV - King James Version)

Peter & Cornelius

What could happen today if you were available to whatever God wanted to do in your life?

If you feel empty, inadequate, or unsure of your purpose, this is the perfect place to start.

God doesn’t require you to have all the answers; He only asks for a heart open to Him.

If you feel spiritually dry, sitting here in church or watching at home, wondering if God could ever use you….

Just take a moment to pray: “Lord, I’m here. I don’t know what to do, but I’m available.”

Instead of focusing on what you lack, focus on what you can offer: an open heart.

A cup doesn’t fill itself, but when it’s open and ready, it can be filled to overflowing.

Cornelius’ household was like a cup, ready and waiting for God to fill them with His Spirit.

Philip and the Ethiopian

Philip had no plan to meet the Ethiopian eunuch but was willing to obey the Spirit’s nudge to go to a desert road.

The Ethiopian believed, was baptized, and took the Gospel to his homeland.

Philip never imagined influencing a high-ranking Ethiopian official, and Peter never imagined the Gentiles receiving the Spirit.

When we’re available, God places us in situations that impact people we never expected to reach.

God ALWAYS FILLS THE AVAILABLE…

God will use the AVAILABLE to REACH OTHERS!

A pipe doesn’t produce the water—it simply makes it available to flow wherever it’s needed.

In Acts 10:44, the Holy Spirit flowed into Cornelius’ household because Peter was willing to be a conduit for God’s message.

In Acts 8:35, Philip carried the living water of the Gospel to the Ethiopian.

When we are available to God, we become the channels through which His Spirit can flow to others.

Just like water brings life to dry places, the Holy Spirit flows through us to bring spiritual life to those around us.

Availability Always Unlocks the Miraculous

God wants to do even more than we could ever imagine.

Availability positions us for the miraculous.

What seems like a small step of obedience—praying for someone, sharing Jesus, or listening to God’s nudge—can lead to eternal impact.

Peter and Philip weren’t perfect, but they were there.

The question isn’t, “Am I able?” but, “Am I available?”

We should begin to live with expectation.

Approach life with faith, knowing that God’s power is greater than our limitations.

Being available means being open to interruptions.

It shifts your perspective from “What’s in it for me?” to “How can I be a blessing?”

You start seeing every moment as an opportunity for God to use you.

A lamp doesn’t have power in itself, but when connected to its source, it shines brightly and dispels the darkness. The higher the lamp is placed, the more people can see its light.