How To Know God’s Call For Ministry
1. Call To Live A Holy Life
First of all we are called to live a holy life. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:7,8 “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity but to live a holy life.” Also we read in I Peter 1:16, “You shall be holy for I am holy,” and in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (holiness)…” We read in Hebrews 12:14, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
This is a general call after the call to repentance. All believers are called to be saints (Rom. 1:7). The ultimate purpose of such a call is that they might be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:30). In addition to this all believers are called to grace (Gal. 1:6), peace (1 Cor. 7:15), light (1 Pet. 2:9), hope (Eph. 4:4), glory (1 Thess. 2:12), liberty (Gal. 5:13) and suffering (1 Pet. 2:20-21).
2. Call To Be His Effective Witnesses
All believers in Christ are called to be God’s fellow workers or co-labourers. We read in 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” We are called to build the church of God on the foundation, which is Jesus Christ. Each man’s work will be tested and rewarded by our Lord. We Christians cannot just while-away time and rest. If a Christian rests he will rust. We read in Amos 6:1, “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria.” Also we read in Deuteronomy 10:12,13, “What does the Lord your God require from you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and love him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul...” So, there is a general call to all Christian believers to be witnesses for Christ and win souls for the Kingdom of God.
3. Call To Full - Time Christian Service
All believers in Christ are called to be saints (Rom. 1:7) and to be witnesses, but not all are called to be Apostles (1 Cor. 12:29). Paul in his epistles is careful to point out that he was a genuine apostle (1 Cor. 9:1,2). More over he insisted that he was an apostle by the will of God (1 Cor. 1:1), and by the call of God (Rom. 1:1). He did not choose this high calling (1 Cor. 9:16-18) nor was it conferred on him by others (Gal. 1:1).
He described himself as having been made a minister of the Gospel (Eph. 3:7). He was appointed to be a preacher, apostle, and a teacher (2 Tim. 1:11). God said to Ananias, “He is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.” (Acts 9:15). This call was later confirmed by the Holy Spirit of God when he said to the leaders of the church in Antioch, “…Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2).
Therefore the call for full-time Christian service is a very definite call. Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow him and immediately they left their nets and followed him (Matt. 4:20). Later he called James and John and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him (Matt. 4:22). It seems clear from this passage that this “call” involved a clean break with their previous occupation and launched them into a brand new occupation, that of “fishers of men.” Apparently it was not possible for them to be fishers of fish and fishers of men at the same time. This does not mean that there was anything wrong with their previous occupation or that their new occupation was to be regarded as “higher” or “holier.”
It was a completely different occupation that would require all their time and energy. In today’s terminology this can be termed as the call to full-time Christian service. Paul spoke of Epaphras, as a “Faithful minister of Christ” (Col. 1:7, 4:12), a description he obviously did not apply to every one. He reminded Timothy of his consecration to the gospel ministry when the elders laid their hands on him (1 Tim. 4:14). The apostles felt that there was something “sacred” or “special” about their ministry, for when the daily distribution of food threatened the unity of the church in Jerusalem, they refused to get involved in “serving of tables” (Acts 6:2,4). Instead they decided that they would continue to devote themselves to “Prayer and to the ministry of the word.” They considered totally devoting their time for prayer and to the ministry of the Word as the call for full-time Christian service, which they have received from the Lord. They committed themselves to this call.
All Christians are expected to work and witness for Christ regardless of their vocation; but only a few are called to leave everything and follow Christ in order to give themselves unreservedly to prayer and the ministry of the word.
This idea of a call to full-time Christian service is further strengthened by our Lord’s attitude towards those who took it upon themselves to volunteer for his service (Lk. 9:57-58). One man in a moment of enthusiasm said, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But after hearing the reply of Jesus regarding the hardships involved, this man apparently withdrew his offer. Another person also volunteered in verse 61, but Jesus declared him unfit for the kingdom of God. Therefore it is very clear that there has to be a definite and a clear-cut call from the master to His service and no one can choose it as a profession. Today we see a very sad thing that many choose to serve God as their profession.
Jesus told his disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit...” (Jn. 15:16). Also we read in 2 Chronicles 29:11, “My sons, do not be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him and to be his ministers and burn incense.”
a) How Does One Receive This Call?
There are two major steps involved in it. A person can receive this call at any time of his life after he has obeyed the call to repentance. He may receive this call even while he is still a student, or while he is engaged in a secular work.
More often the call is a growing conviction based on certain well-defined principles laid down in the word of God. As one subjects himself to the Lordship of Christ and walks with the Lord in the light of his word, seeking to fulfill the will of God in his life, then he discovers that, step by step he is led to the place where he hears the still small clear voice of the Lord calling him to his service.
There must be on our part an attitude of receptivity and readiness, so that when the call comes we will be in a position to hear and answer. The chances of us getting a call will be greatly enhanced if we meet some of the following conditions.
i) An Open Mind
We would have long ago decided that there are certain things we will not do. We would not dare to tell it to God, but in our minds we would have decided, “Anything but full-time ministry” or “Anywhere but North India or Africa.” So long as we harbour pre-conceived negative notions about the will of God or purpose of God, we will only be waiting in vain for a call. J.B. Philips says, “Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defense that men erect against the true knowledge of God. We even fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5).
So, first of all we need to have an open mind to accept anything the Lord would tell us.
ii) An Attentive Ear
An open mind is a great achievement but it may still fall short unless an attentive ear accompanies it. It is not enough just to get rid of all the deceptive, pre-conceived ideas. We must also have our ears open to the still clear voice of the Holy Sprit of God.
iii) A Pure Heart
Understanding God’s truth, or ascertaining God’s will is not a purely intellectual exercise. It has a moral dimension to it. God reveals his truth not to those who want to know it, but to those who are prepared to do it. In the hall of science at the century of progress world’s fair in Chicago (1933-34) there was a huge motto that read, “Nature reveals her secrets only to those who obey her laws.” Likewise God reveals his purpose only to those who obey his laws, (Ps. 24:3-4, Ps. 99:5, Heb. 12:14).
The person with unconfessed sin in his life will wait in vain for any call to service, other than the call to repent (Is. 55:7). Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God (Matt. 5:8).
iv) Busy hands
There is a common saying that Satan is sure t
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