The calling and the destiny
Such a time as this
Samuel being called by God Your destiny
These are the days closer to our destiny being fulfilled by the calling of the Church. Therefore, they who have heard the promptings of God in their heart and have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are also called. The calling is also a worldwide call gone out to all of mankind to seek God and know Him. However, not everyone will respond to that call. This is indeed a great tragedy. YOUR DESTINY (final outcome in life based on your call) on the other hand is prophetic and something that is planned by God but fulfilled by your response to that call of God on your life. Because the call is often mistaken as the final move of God on a person’s life, many people have missed their destiny. Destiny in my opinion is greater than the call though the call is the forerunner of destiny.
I sought God to understand the difference for a long time and discovered that God calls, and we respond but God chooses our destiny and we must decide if we are going to take it up. Joseph was called to be a Prophet, but his destiny was to be a forerunner for Israel to become a nation in Egypt. Moses was called by God to be a Prophet, but His destiny was to be the Deliverer of Israel from bondage in Egypt. Over 400 years a whole nation had been raised by God in Egypt through Joseph’s destiny for such a time as Moses. The fundamental difference between a call and destiny is a series of events in life fixed between the two. Therefore, many do not go on to fulfil their destiny because they do not see the end from the beginning. I have seen many struggle through their Christian walk just with even the idea of who they are in Christ. This is an identity issue. They are not even sure they are sons or daughters of God let alone called to fulfil a destiny. Once they have overcome this identity issue, they are so caught up in the relationship with God that they never really ask God what to do about their calling and so many become pew warmers in Church. It is plain to see that many are called but few chosen, and many called but few choose to respond.
The problem lies squarely in the Church for the lack of teaching. Many people do not know they have been called specifically or chosen specifically. There are many indicators to the specifics, but they ignore the symptoms. It took Samuel 3 calls and the instructions of his spiritual father to know that God was calling him. This speaks of needing a Father in the faith to guide another. Once Samuel knew and understood the call of God on his life, he never looked back and went on to fulfill his destiny as the prophet of the nation of Israel and the high priest. Likewise, once a Father in the faith shows you what you need to know, you do not ever need to look back but many do, because of the rigours of the call and destiny.
Some discover their call much later in life and by then it is too late. How can this be? It is so because God calls everyone, and they must respond to be saved. This is the condition of salvation. It is in salvation that they find their identity and understand even the manner and timing of their birth. Queen Esther was not a chance happening on this earth. She was born for the time she lived in for a particular purpose. Her Uncle Mordecai (Spiritual Father in the faith) knew this and used it to explain her destiny to her. It was up to her to accept it. If she failed, she was failing herself and God, but God would find another to save Israel.
My hope for all of us is, we will not only find our calling in Jesus but our destiny. Our calling could be something just menial or it could be a high calling in God. Either way, it is a calling that should not be ignored and cast aside out of ignorance or for the pleasures of this world. Our destiny could affect nations or a generation or something else God has decided. I seek God constantly for my destiny because I need definition of purpose for my life. Since, my calling and election are already sure I concentrate on my destiny. To fulfil my destiny, I must go through my calling and keep reaching for the higher calling in God to ensure that I am going to fulfil my destiny. Moses had to depend on his calling through the trials of dealing with Pharaoh before his destiny could be fulfilled. Had he failed to understand his calling as prophet of God, he would have failed his destiny.
Not everyone’s destiny is made clear in the beginning of the call. Joseph had two dreams about his destiny and suffered seventeen years of torture before he realized his destiny when he was made the governor of Egypt. He became the second in command of Egypt, a high calling indeed. His destiny was realized when his brothers were humbled in his sight and his father joined him in Egypt. There the nation of Israel grew and became a people unto God. The calling and destiny need clarity along life’s journey. Some are settled in their calling and do not seek a destiny not knowing what lies ahead. Others do not want it because they seek another agenda. The people who do seek it must endure the journey of life and wait on the living God who reveals His secrets when He is ready and not in man’s timing.
We are a people of destiny because we are the Church. Our earthly destiny is to be a forerunner that gathers in the bride and at the same time be God’s wisdom to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. In heaven we are destined to be the bride of Christ. Let us not take this lightly. Our calling helps us to fulfill our earthly spiritual tasks as we are called to be priests and kings to God. I urge you to find your calling in life and once you do that, find your destiny. God always confirms with a prophetic word and many symptoms along the way that keep increasing to light the path. However, the journey of life can be exceedingly difficult and cumbersome. It can also be extremely dangerous. Yet, if one focuses on Jesus and realizes the principles of both calling and destiny they will not fail. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholds him with His hand. There is no better hope than to know that the Lord walks alongside with us.
This is the time for us to awaken to who we are in Christ Jesus and fulfil what the Spirit is saying to us. I am extremely cautious of becoming staid (unadventurous) or legalistic in my attempts to understand the ways of the Lord. I think God is full of incredible ways that boggle the mind and the reason for this is, He gets the glory when things work out in the end. Since God orders our steps, if we take them with Him and walk in the Spirit, we will come to an expected end. Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. I have seen too many Christians start well and falter along the way and become couch potatoes in the Church. Others struggle with what they do and settle for less. Yet others seek a worldly solution and try to manage two worlds. They try to hang onto their businesses or jobs when called by God. Very few push through like what Apostle Paul speaks of. Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Destinies can be frightening for some because it may involve martyrdom. Wow! How about that? Well, the truth is, most disciples were martyred. Their destiny was to fulfil what Jesus said and then to die for Him as well. The outcome is always what Jesus wants. The inevitability of death should never worry us. I think a lot of people would like to die in their beds. The truth is, all of us must die one way or another.
We have entered a new phase globally that is irreversible. What has been prophesied will come to pass as it is written down. It is all a matter of time. However, what is not a matter of time is what God has said to the Church on how it should function. Jesus said, the harvest is ready. The problem is, the church is not ready because many are still dealing with their past, their sins and their lack of knowledge and faith. My dear family in God, let us not be like that. Let us go onto what God has prepared for us that is so glorious it will make everything else fade into the shadows. Our time is here, such a time as this.
Blessings & love
Pst Noble
3rd May 2020