Our guest today on the Everyday Faith Podcast is Ben Peterson, the founder of Engage Your Destiny. You may remember him from our previous episode on redemption stories. As a father, husband, veteran, and Christian, God is using Ben to free the captives and wake up the American Church. He strives to live each day in the fear of the Lord, with prayer, Bible reading, and community at the core of his life. You’re going to be encouraged as you hear Ben’s stories about finding Jesus, pursuing community, and doing everything for the kingdom of God.
Meeting the Living God
“No one led me to the Lord, the presence of the Lord led me to the Lord.” - Ben Peterson
Jesus encountered Ben as a young teenager at a Catholic school. Before giving his life to God, Ben was experimenting with substances, and his heart was numb to the idea of God and faith. However, when the school bully got radically saved at his school, Ben’s curiosity was stirred.
When the school bully met Jesus, things at school began to shift. Ben started paying attention as this student, who was once a bully, was now praying for others in the school hallways. Shortly after taking note of his transformation, God supernaturally met Ben at the school chapel, and Ben surrendered his life to Jesus. When we encounter the presence of the Holy Spirit, everything changes!
Because Ben had encountered the tangible presence of the Lord, he was convinced that God was more awesome than alcohol, drugs, or partying. He knew it was time to surrender fully. He told the Lord, “Whatever you want me to do, wherever you want me to go, I’m yours.”
If you haven’t accepted Jesus into your heart yet, today is your day! Head to our page on salvation and receive Jesus as Lord today: This is For You!
Serving God & Others
After graduating from high school, Ben joined the military. He’d always had a desire to serve his country, especially after the tragic attacks that happened in America on 9/11. Ben received an invitation to serve in the Special Forces unit, but ultimately failed the color blind test. Because of this, Ben lost this opportunity. However, the military offered him a role as the chaplain assistant, who would stand as a helper in ministry and the bodyguard to the chaplain.
In the military, chaplains come from many different religions. Chaplains often come from Christian, Muslim, or Jewish backgrounds. Military chaplains offer spiritual guidance, but they also exist to protect a soldier's right to worship God – whoever they may call “God.” Ben has seen military chaplains protect the rights of people to have worship services with pentagrams, only to later watch those same chaplains lead those soldiers to Jesus.
Related Post: You Are Never Too Far Gone: God’s Redemption Plan
When it was time to deploy, Ben was sent to Iraq, and what he saw in combat marked him forever. As Ben returned from his tour, he found it difficult to acclimate back into everyday life. He didn’t tell people he served, and he never spoke about being a veteran. He felt God lead him to a ministry school for evangelism. When he finished college, jobs were hard to find. However, God provided throughout the years, allowing Ben to start his own ministry, Engage Your Destiny, where he ministers and encourages veterans.
Sometimes when seasons change, careers do too. Read our blog: How to Trust God in Life’s Transitions
Choosing God Dreams Over Selfish Dreams
“I want to inspire people to truly commune with God because He’s got stuff for you to do!” - Ben Peterson
Throughout the years, Ben has learned that not every dream is from God. Visions he had for his life, his career, and his ministries have shifted over time. While it is a good thing to have zeal and vision to pursue your dreams, God has a better perspective than we do. Surrendering to Jesus sometimes looks like surrendering your dreams that don’t align with His will for your life.
As you’re learning to follow Jesus, it’s important to surrender your dreams to God and ask the question, “How do I make this not about me? How do I make this about God?”
Learn more about how to discover God's dreams in our blog: How to Walk by Faith and Not By Sight
The Power of Community
At the Everyday Faith podcast, we believe that there is power in community. In fact, it’s one of our four pillars we’ve created to help you live out your Everyday Faith! Belief is the first and primary pillar of everything we do at the Everyday Faith Podcast. Everything starts with belief. Next, you embrace your mission, commit to obedience, and then you pursue community with other Christians who are learning to become more like Jesus every day. This is our recipe for how you can live out your faith!
Community is essential to the Christian life. During our interview with Ben, he shared a statistic with us that the average American spends six hours a day scrolling. If you do the math, six hours a day over the course of your life equates to around one decade. This means the average American is spending 10 years of their life glued to a screen.
Here are five reasons why you should put down your phone and pursue Christian community in this season:
1. Community brings us joy: We were never made to walk alone. When we live in community, we have joy! Joy and happiness from real connections with other people are way better than the quick dopamine hit of scrolling Instagram. And, when you live in a Christian community, you have people who will pray with you if you aren’t feeling joyful in the moment.
Learn more about the power of prayer in our FREE e-book: Let’s Talk About Prayer: Simple Steps to Connect with God
2. Community sharpens us: Have you ever read the Bible verse, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”? This Bible verse about community comes from Proverbs 27:17. When we live in a Christian community, we’re able to grow together. Sometimes we grow through challenging circumstances, other times we grow through confessing sin, and other times we grow through building trust over the years.
Learn more about how to grow in community: What Does it Mean to Walk in Humility?
3. Community helps us in our spiritual disciplines: When we live in a Christian community, we’re able to have accountability. Fasting is easier. Prayer is easier. And sticking to your Bible plan is easier, too. Living in a Christian community also allows us to be with others as we’re contending for a breakthrough in our lives. And when God answers your prayer, you’ll be able to celebrate with your community too!
Related Post: Why Isn’t God Answering My Prayer?
4. Community helps us expose lies we’re believing: Another benefit of living in a Christian community is that we get to throw away lies and believe truth instead.
Learn more about how to get rid of lies and receive God’s truth instead: Renew Your Mind by Meditating on the Scriptures
5.Community helps us seek the kingdom of God: When we live in a Christian community, we’re able to seek the kingdom of God with others. The disciples were rarely alone! They prayed together, ate together, and lived in community daily.
You can bring the kingdom of God today, wherever you go: How to Find Faith in Every Conversation
3 Key Bible Verses for Christian Community
Pursuing the Kingdom with the Family of God
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matthew 6:33
This Bible verse about community reminds us that we are meant to seek the kingdom of God together. When Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 6, He was speaking to a large group of people during the Sermon on the Mount. If He wanted just one person to seek the kingdom of God, He would have told a disciple in confidence. However, this is a group effort! We were always meant to seek first the kingdom of God in Christian community.
Learn more about how to grow in sharing your faith and bring the kingdom of God to earth: How to Create a Lifestyle of Evangelism
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ - Galatians 6:2
During our interview with Ben, he shared stories of bearing others’ burdens and growing in community. Bible verses about community remind us that though life isn’t always going to be easy, we can get through it with God and with others.
Related Post: How to Have Joy & Peace in Difficult Times
How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity- Psalm 133:1
Bible verses about community remind us that it’s a good thing to have friends and family around us. When we dwell in unity, working through disagreements and staying strong for one another in hard times, we’re able to receive the joy of the Father and seek the kingdom of God!
Conclusion
At the end of the day, seeking first the kingdom of God was never meant to be a solo mission – we need each other! Ben’s stories remind us that encounters with Jesus change everything and they put our lives into perspective. Surrendering our dreams is only natural when we know God rightly. His perspective and guidance will lead us into our true purpose! And, when we gather in community, we’ll find strength, joy, and accountability.
So whether you’re just starting your walk with Jesus or if you’ve been following Him for years, Jesus wants you to seek first His kingdom, and He wants you to do it with others! As you surround yourself with people who will pray with you, sharpen you, and run after the kingdom alongside you, here are some questions you can ask to help facilitate community:
“How are you really doing?”
“Is there anything I can be praying for?”
“What are you believing God for in this season?”
We can't wait to hear about all that God does through you! Follow us at the Everyday Faith podcast so you never miss an episode.
