23/05/2012
GOD'S CALLING FOR YOUR LIFE...
What is God's call for your life ? That is the question many Christians wonder about and seek an answer to. Is it for full time ministry, or to be a missionary, or to be a lay person, or …? God's word offers some insight into His calling and His plans & will for His people.
You need to prayerfully seek God and ask Him to help you to discern His special plan and calling for your life, and ask Him to give you the faith and courage to follow, wherever He leads you. You will be happiest and full of joy when you are in the middle of God's will and plan.
SOME GUIDELINES FROM GOD'S WORD
1. GOD'S MAIN CALL IS FIRST TO A RESTORED RELATIONSHIP AND THEN TO CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM:
* Only by accepting and receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior will you ever be reconciled to God and be able to have a personal relationship with Him.
"I (Jesus) am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."- John 14:6
" to all who received Jesus, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
- John 1:12
* Eternal life and being a Christian is not just about accepting Jesus as your Lord & Savior, then waiting around to go to heaven where you will live forever. It is about a relationship with God, and getting to know Him , and serving Him and obeying Him because you love Him.
"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent"
- John 17:3
" I have called you friends." - John 15:15
" You are my friends if you do what I command." - John 15:14
"God's call is for you to be His loyal friend, for whatever purpose He has for your life."
- Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest"
"God, who has called you into fellowship ("koinania") with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."
- I Cor. 1:9
("koinania" fellowship- "the fullest possible fellowship & partnership with God, and with others in the church. Intimate fellowship with God and His son Jesus produces this type of fellowship and unity in a church. Only God can produce this genuine koinania fellowship, love, and unity.") (Henry Blackaby)
2. GOD HAS A SPECIAL & UNIQUE PURPOSE AND CALLING FOR YOUR LIFE:
" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has special plans for our lives, plans to bless us and prosper us; The next two verses spell out the necessary conditions for us to receive the benefit of His plans, "Then when you call upon Me and come and pray to Me, I will hear you. When you search for Me, You will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
" God will instruct him in the way chosen for him." - Psalm 25:12
" You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." - I Peter 2:9
" For we are God's workmanship ("valuable masterpiece"), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10
3. GOD PLACES A DESIRE AND A PASSION IN OUR HEARTS TO DO THE THINGS HE CALLS US TO DO:
" For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." - Philippians 2:13
(You will have a love & joy & passion for doing the things God has created you for & calls you to do)
4. GOD GIVES SPIRITUAL GIFTS TO EQUIP YOU FOR YOUR CALLING:
List of Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Gifts Evaluation Tool
5. GOD'S PRESENCE & POWER WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU WHEN HE CALLS YOU:
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." - Acts 13:2
The Greek word for called means that God "called them unto Himself", first to a love relationship with God, and next to where His presence and His power would be at work. We only need to respond in faith and obedience, and God will provide the power and whatever else is needed to get the job done. Moses being called to help lead God's people out of Egypt is another good example of God's call and how God provided everything (see Exodus 3 & 4).
6. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT GOD CALLS ALL CHRISTIANS TO DO:
"Come follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." - Matthew 4:19
"Then Jesus came to them and said “All authority in heaven and on earth have been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” - Matthew 28:18-20
You are not truly following Jesus unless you are being a fisher of men and an active witness for Jesus Christ, telling the lost about Him and sharing His plan of salvation with them. He also wants the church to teach and help others become fully devoted and passionate disciples (learners and followers) of Jesus Christ, so they will be fruitful witnesses and servants of His.
