Who Called You?

We live in a day and age in which the office of an apostle outnumbers all the other ministry gifts combined! If you do an Internet search on apostles, the abundance of people that pop up can be a bit overwhelming. In my life, I’ve seen many novice pastors who have just begun in ministry call themselves to the apostolic office. Revelations 2:2 warns that God has tried (tested) them which say that they are apostles and are not, finding them to be liars. Walking in the right office is essential to effective ministry. When I first heard the call of God on my life, I asked God to confirm it on an almost daily basis! I did it so much that Lord told me to stop! I just wanted to make sure that I was not walking in an office that I was not called to. Operating in an office that you are not called to can be a matter of life or death. I have heard of ministers dropping dead in the pulpit at a very young age. We must be cognizant of the seriousness of this formal ministerial endeavor. We must not just settle with thinking that we’re called of God, but must KNOW that we’re called. I remember when I was a deacon in a certain ministry. At that time, I knew that God had called me to ministry. I went to my pastor and asked him if he felt that I was called to preach. He looked at me sternly and stated, “It doesn’t matter whether I believe that you’re called or not, what do you believe?” My former pastor’s statement proved to be a revelation that I will probably carry for the rest of my life. It didn’t matter what anyone thought of the apostolic and prophetic call. What did matter was what I knew pertaining to God’s mandate upon my life. As ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I admonish you with this question: Who called you?

Matthew 22:14 tells us that many are called but few are chosen. I’ve always believed that the reason few are chosen is because many don’t answer the call! Are you absolutely and positively sure that the Lord called you to Christian ministry? What is the call upon your life?