TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOLY CALLING AND STIR UP THE GIFT(S) OF GOD IN YOU!

January 31, 2015 else Teaching 2015 0

Part 1.

I start with 2.Timothy 1. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to his close friend Timothy while he himself was in prison in Rome. Some people think that this is the last letter Paul wrote before he was killed. He loved Timothy and he greeted him with these words: “Grace, mercy and peace from God.” In verse 9 we read: “God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” I think and pray about everything that has to do with God’s calling in our lives and I know that I have written about this before and I will surely do it again. One part of my calling is to see others coming into their calling and to equip them. I love to see people functioning in their full potential.

The first point is to know what the calling is and then how to function in it. It is important to make a distinction between the natural skills and the divine calling. Natural skills might be used in the calling, but it isn’t always so. We can look at Moses. He was called by God to lead the Israelites. but he opposed God and said that he was not eloquent and he said that he was slow of speech and of tongue. This he said right before he should go to Pharaoh and ask for release of the Israelites. God said that Aaron, his brother, could help him, but God didn’t take the calling away from Moses. Many think like Moses that they are not worthy their calling. Do you know that God is a sovereign God and He Does what He thinks is best for the kingdom? He doesn’t think in the natural, but He wants us to be totally dependent on Him and He will give us everything we need for all good deeds and for every task He gives us. How was Moses called? God spoke to Him and He is still speaking. God might reveal Himself in different ways. God revealed Himself for Moses in a burning bush. Others get a vision or a picture. I can almost hear some of you saying: “I do not have a call. God has never revealed Himself to me and I haven’t heard Him speak. I do not know what to do.” God can speak directly to you, through His Word and through prophets. You might give Him time and maybe you should come with less needs and allow Him to minister to you. I seriously believe that God has a plan for each believer. That doesn’t mean that everybody shall take the position of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd or teacher. God wants many of His children to have a job in the secular world and have influence in the society. That might be His plan for you, but ask Him. What has He written on His board and calendar in Heaven? The very best would have been for you to be saved as a child or a young person. Then you could ask God before you chose an occupation and before you took the position of a pastor. I have met pastors wishing that they had a secular job and the other way around. Some people hesitate to become one of the fivefold ministries fearing lack of money. I can assure you that God doesn’t call you if He couldn’t provide for you. I have always had what I needed. I might not live in the same luxury as some of my relatives, but I have what I need and more.

The calling is so dear to me that I easily give up things.

It is God calling you and you must therefore never compare yourself with another one. It is so easy to compare oneself to somebody who seemingly is making great success in the kingdom. I use the word seemingly since our way of measuring isn’t the same as God’s. We are created as individuals and we should live in a close relationship to our Daddy and The Holy Spirit should guide us to the whole truth. I have seen churches where all the pastors get dressed the same and talk the same way as the head pastor. The same thing can take place in theological seminars. One can copy a person instead of Jesus. I do believe that God has placed us together with other believers in One Body, but each of us is special and no one is better than the other.

We live and breathe in and by His grace.

The calling is holy. One can’t ignore that which is holy. I have heard pastors saying that we should lay down our calling. I would never dare to do so. The calling isn’t loved by the devil so do not be surprised if you are opposed. I, myself, had to change congregation because I was a woman and others were jealous. Today I can see that God has not called me to only one church, but to the Body of Christ. He is my Lord and He sends me where He wants and when He wants. I work together with pastors with different church-names and in different countries.

We have or at least we should have respect for holy things. I think it is enormous that The Almighty God has chosen me to do something for Him. That means that He trusts me. He has equipped me for what I need in order to do His work. He has given me gifts of The Spirit, but He has also provided for me with money and contacts.

All believers have a common calling. That is what we call the ministry of the believer. We might read Mark 16:15-18 where it says that all believers should preach the Gospel, cast out demons, speak with new tongues and if we drink poison, it shouldn’t harm us, nor would serpents. We should also lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Since it says that these signs should follow the believer, I wonder why it doesn’t happen more often than it does. I think we must go back to the Word of God and teach the Word.

Some believers are so involved with ministry that they forget that they must build a character. They are human beings, maybe with a partner and children. One can unfortunately hear about people in ministry falling in sin and being tempted by false doctrines. People in ministry might be more tempted and exposed to demonic attacks than others and it is therefore so important that they live close to Jesus and have knowledge about spiritual warfare. They also need intercessors.

Some people have their identity in their calling, but that isn’t right. Our identity should be in the Lord. We are His children, called to be God’s mouth, arms and feet here on earth. Some get so involved in their calling that they forget their own family. Some children are growing up without a father since he is so “holy” that he works for God all the time. Some marriages end in divorce because of this. I do believe that a husband and a wife should be together. I once heard about a congregation where the women got divorced in order to enter into ministry. This is demonic and unhealthy. God wants us to have a passion for our calling, but this is to fall in the opposite ditch.

When one is called to be a prophet, one often seeks other prophets. One reads about prophets in the Bible and what other prophets get from God. I get stirred up when I am with others with the same calling as myself. I seriously believe that God connects people and He is now building the kingdom of God.

I will be writing about stirring up the gifts of The Spirit next time.

BE SECURE IN YOUR CALLING AND TAKE NECESSARY STEPS IN 2015!

Mother Else

Calling