Have you accepted the call of grace with mediocrity or do you press towards the mark for the high calling of God? (Phil 3:14,15). For many are called, but few are chosen (Matt 22:14). Sometimes we have too many cheerleaders and not enough warriors (Matt 9:37). But we are blessed to be a blessing. We are gifted with faith, the revelation of who God is in us, to use the gifts to empower our environment. We are called to distribute the call to others. We are God’s best advertisements (Ps 67:1,2). Once we are mature, we are hand picked by God to speak on His behalf and represent the body of Christ with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Heb 5:13,14).

For those who have received their calling and had their ‘incubation’ period of praying, fasting, studying and mentor-ship away from the world, it is time to take a part of the perfecting of the church in the five-fold ministry. We will build our spiritual muscles and use our ‘keys’ to bind and loose and set the captives free, keeping a humble heart with our ‘ways’ speaking louder than our ‘titles’ (action speaks louder than words, the best sermon is one lived Luke 18:19).

In the high calling, we are there for the perfecting of the saints (Eph 4:12) to shepherd (pastor), teach, evangelize with the spirit of prophecy (1 Cor 12:31, 14:39, Rev 19:10) and firstly, do the works of apostles (1 Cor 12:28). In the high calling, we are not to wait on tables (Acts 6:2), but wait and expect for the Holy Spirit to come upon us in the management of our atmosphere, obedient in our own minds and spreading the confidence of Immanuel (Luke 4:18). God is coming for a mature bride, perfected and equally yoked, who has made herself ready (Eph 5:27 2 Cor 6:14, Rev 19:7). The bride (the church) will be responsible for her part; the groom (Jesus) has already done His part (John 14:2). Even as God waited for Noah (at 600) to finish the ark to lift his people up off the earth, God’s word will hold until the bride is perfected and prepared for her wedding and will be lifted up by her groom (Song 2:10). The devils have incentive to follow you when you have been delivered from ‘Egypt’ so they can extend their time (Matt 8:29), so we must redeem the time, because the days are evil (Eph 5:16). The high calling is to get out of the wilderness of being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14) and enter into the promised land of rest (Matt 12:28, Heb 4:9), sitting in heavenly places with Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6).

In the high calling, it’s never ‘about us‘ but about the flock (John 10:12). It’s not about the self-selected committees, but the Spirit-selected commitment to serve in season and out of season. It’s about taking EVERY word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. It’s about diligently seeking the presence of the Father in spirit and truth. It’s about having the same goals as God (Matt 9:38,10:1, 1 Tim 2:4) with signs of apostles and consistent evidence of love. It’s about giving up self-preservation for the preserving of others. It’s about promoting unity and never division. Multiplication in holy ghost fire, not ‘bench warming‘.

If we accept the call to shepherd we must be loyal in all things and have a pure conscience. If we accept the call to teach we must be diligent to study to show ourselves approved (2 Tim 2:15). In Evangelism we must have a heart to win the nations without prejudice. A prophet must be full of compassion and not desensitized with the world (2 Tim 2:4, James 1:27). An apostle must be not only represent in word, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost (1 Thess 1:5).

We are called to know the things of God, past, present and future (John 14:26, 16:13, Eph 5:17). We are called to see the revival, renewal and restoration happening in our lives, in our cities and in our country. We are called to cast out fear (thoughts based on the past) and increase faith (thoughts based upon the future) for the encouragement and exhortation of the saints. The Spirit of God allows us to see the abundance of life he has for us (Ps 139:17), to share the glad-tidings (gospel) of a living Jesus to a dying world. Do you hear the sound of abundance? God is calling you.

There are more people being saved and anointed now than at any other time in history. We are coming to the place where signs and wonders are multiplying rapidly. Where people will not deceive themselves by being a hearer of the Word and not a doer. Where people will start to respect Christianity again. Where the bashful will become the brave, where the tale-bearer will tell of God, where the drug-distributor will become the tract-distributor, where the one who creeps in the shadows will heal with his shadow, where the one who flashed gang signs we be showing signs and wonders, where the murderer will lose his influence because his victims will be raised from the dead, where the devil will be begging for the Lord to take his bride. We are more than conquerors. Let’s fight the good fight and win. The victory is ours.