a3: your call
Dealing with the issue of what God wants to do with your life and if He is calling you to serve in Christian ministry is one of the most intimidating questions of life. God spoke to Jeremiah and told him,
But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘l am only a chlld.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for l am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:7-8
Every person wonders why they exist and if they have a mission. But when God speaks to us about our purpose, it is frightening and wonderful at the same time. In order to understand how God is calling you, it is good to know a few things about His call:
every believer is called by God
God designed each person with a specific purpose and task. Each believer is called of God to serve Him in some way and to be a part of building His Kingdom. The call of God is not just for church staff or Christian leaders, it extends to every person. Paul said,
“… I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1
we are all called to follow Jesus first
Jesus is the one who guides us to our task to serve Him. Our ambition is not to a place or a title. Our life goal is to follow Jesus. As we follow Jesus, He will show us the place, the title, and the task we will have to serve Him in His perfect timing. The Bible says,
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26
our call requires total surrender
When we hear from God, we get to choose if we are going to follow His plan or ignore Him. Obviously you have decided to follow His plan. In the coming months and years, God will continue revealing His plan for your life as you surrender to His word and His way.
Paul wrote,
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
When God calls, most of the time we do not know everything about His future plan for our life. We only understand that God has called us and that we need to follow Him. Now the real question, “what do I do now?”. Here is a simple plan for how you can respond to God’s calling on your life:
1. Every person in ministry must be able to do three things: pray, understand the Bible, and share their faith.
Learn all you can about these basic elements of ministry. Take every opportunity to learn, practice and be more equipped. If you do not already have someone mentoring you, find someone who can help you learn more about prayer, the Bible, and sharing your faith. You should also talk to your pastor about this decision so that he will know what God has been doing in your life.
THINK ABOUT A PERSON WHO COULD HELP MENTOR YOU: could help you grow in prayer, Bible study, and witnessing.
We highly recommend you to be discipled with the Equip to Serve Training Series by Discipleship International, it will help you to grow deeper in your faith, while keeping you accountable and equipping you to make disciples who make disciples.
2. Begin serving now. Whatever you sense God is calling you to do, respond with joy and a willingness to obey (Luke 9:23). Ministry is not someday, ministry is now. Find every way possible to serve anyone possible.
Do not just look for ways to serve in front of people, find ways to serve God in areas that only He sees and appreciates.
3. Trust God for guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6). In the future, you may worry about how God will speak and if you will know the next step. Be patient. God spoke to you today; He will speak to you in the future as well. Keep reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, and connecting with other Christians. That will put you in a position to hear God when He guides you.
pray
- Thank God for the calling that He is placing on your life. It is a wonderful thing to understand the next step of your journey with God.
- Ask God for opportunities to serve Him, no matter how big or small.
- Ask God for a person to mentor you.
- Ask God to use you in any way that He would like to use you now and the future.
For more information on following God’s call, read John 15:9-17, Ephesians 5:17, Matthew 11:25-30, and Micah 6:8.