Christ sacrificing His life for us was the greatest gift anyone could have given us. This is the gift of salvation. Jesus died for us to be free. It took some time for me to realize that when God gifted us with salvation He also gave us an assignment.
We are not saved simply for the sake of being saved. In Romans 1 verse 5 Paul reminds us that through Christ “we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake”. Paul reveals that we received both the grace of God and the assignment of apostleship when we accepted salvation. We’re more familiar with the word apostle, which means the sent one. Apostleship is essentially the same thing.
I know we’ve been conditioned to believe that apostles are specifically the ones who plant and oversee physical churches. The Bible shows us that apostleship is not about being specialing gifted, but it’s actually about being specifically called. & well that applies to every believer. We may not all be called to pastor or to the pulpit but we are called to share the Gospel with all who will hear us. We were all called to be apostles, sent ones of God sharing the kingdom of Heaven with the world.
The Great Commission - Matthew 28 18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
Every one of us has been commissioned by God to work for the Kingdom of Heaven. Though the mission is shared the methods we use are different. In an earlier blog post, I spoke about the fact that we are all gifted with various gifts. The gifts we’ve been given are designed to work as evangelistic tools. Use what you've got to further the kingdom.
Romans 11:29 says, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance". We can look around and see that believers are not the only ones God chose to give lavish gifts too. But there is a major difference between those that are gifted in the world and those that are gifted in the kingdom. Kingdom believers are called to use their gifts to glorify Christ. We are called to put to use what Christ has given us and point others to Him.
God is calling us to obedience
James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
We’re not just hearing the word, we’re doing what it says. The word says to make disciples of all men. The gifts you’ve been given are designed to do just that. When we walk in the fullness of who God called us to be, we become living testimonies of the goodness of God.
Our obedience comes with rewards
Isaiah 1:19 - If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land
When we willingly obey the commands of God we experience the promised fruitfulness of God. When we obey, the land obeys and provides for us.
We are not servants without submission
Luke 6:46 - Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Our obedience reveals our posture, which reveals our heart. God being Lord of our lives means He is our ruler, our supreme authoritative ruler, to whom we listen and obey.
When God speaks, let there be no hesitation - instead, start moving without delay. Sometimes we have what feels like legitimate reasons to hesitate to step into action. Personally, I’ve dragged my foot because of fear, identity issues, and questioning God’s voice.
Fear - Fear is a real thing. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of embarrassment. But we have power over fear. Our fearlessness comes from knowing God is all powerful & is for us.
Isaiah 41:10 - Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’
Identity issues - So many of the challenges we face as believers are rooted in a lack of awareness of our identities as children of God. Knowing who we are and who we belong to positions us to perform the greater works Jesus spoke of.
John 14:12 - I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father
Questioning God’s Voice - It goes without saying that to obey God we have to hear the instructions He’s giving. If you’re struggling to identify the voice of God there are practicals to familiarize yourself with His voice. First, know that He does speak to you. Secondly, practice His presence by reading more of the word. His voice sounds like His word. Lastly, I suggest spending more time in prayer and being still in His presence. The more time we spend with Him, the more we get to know Him.
Psalm 37:7 - Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.
This social media culture makes things look so polished at first glance. The truth is there are a lot of hiccups and pivots that happen along the way. I am absolutely a planner at heart. I believe in preparing to accommodate avoidable mishaps along the way. I had to learn I can’t prepare for everything. I can’t prepare for a future I do not see. But just because I can’t prep it all out doesn’t mean it’s a reason to remain stagnant. God is reminding me not to worry about the things I’ll need, but instead to trust that He will provide as I go.
Take the story of David in the bible. He was faced with situations that called him into action without giving him time to prepare. In 1 Samuel 16:14-23, David was randomly called to play his harp for Saul and freed him from evil spirits. Then in 1 Samuel 17:33-51, David slays Goliath with stones he picked up on his way to face Goliath. Both times David had limited time to prepare. Both times David experienced favor & acceleration as a result of his willingness to be obedient immediately.
This is a call to action. It’s time to get up & move. You are more ready than you think. God saw a reason to call you. He designed your assignment specifically for what He put in you. You were built for what you carry. It’s time to use what God gave us. We have been commissioned as brand ambassadors for Christ. Whatever your gift is, let it become an evangelistic tool pointing souls back to Christ. No matter how legitimate your reasons for hesitating have been, they are false limitations meant to distract and detour you from your purpose.
Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
It’s time to start moving.
Pray with me -
Father, we thank you for the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ. We are grateful to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing your love and truth with the world. Help us, Lord, to have a posture of submission and true discipleship. May we not just call you "Lord" with our lips but demonstrate our commitment through our actions. May we use our talents, skills, and abilities as evangelistic tools, shining your light in the darkness and leading others to the truth of your salvation with boldness and confidence. May all that we do bring glory to you.
In Jesus' name, amen.
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