What Does the Book Say? What is a Calling and How Do I Find Mine?

I. God’s Three Callings

A. Salvation is God’s first calling on our life. Acts 3:19

Acts 3:19 CSB

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out,

B. Then we are to grow in holiness. Basically become more Christlike. This is done out of a love for Christ, not performance. When we sin it’s not a behavioral problem, it is a love problem. John 14:15

John 14:15 CSB

“If you love me, you will keep my commands.

C. Then out of the overflow of that love relationship, we get to serve Jesus.

II. God’s Giftings: Rom. 12:1-8

Romans 12:1–8 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

A. Spiritual gifts and talents are separate things.

B. These gifts are used, surrendered to God’s will. Every Christian has them. Some come naturally, others grow into theirs.

C. They are given by the Holy Spirit, as He chooses and wills. We don’t get a say in it, only God does.

D. We are to do this, out of love and obedience, for the Lord and others.

III. God’s Call on Your Life: Ex. 3:2-13

Exodus 3:2–13 CSB

Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. So Moses thought, “I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered. “Do not come closer,” he said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors. I know about their sufferings, and I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the territory of the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. So because the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them, therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.” Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I tell them?”

A. So how do I find my gifts and calling?

Ask Yahweh to reveal it to you. “God speaks through the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways.

Seek advice from seasoned saints, who know you.

God will make it clear in time. “If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.”- Charles Stanley

B. While you wait, be obedient to the next thing the Lord tells you to do.

C. It won’t be easy once you know what it is. Real faith requires action, and there will be a crisis or multiple crisis in getting you to follow God. Look at Moses’ excuses. Ex. 4:1,10,13

Exodus 4:13 CSB

Moses said, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”

D. When you live in that calling, do it until God says stop, or go somewhere or something else. (Deborah ex)

E. If you get silence, check your heart, and start fasting. Silence is always an invitation to go deeper with Jesus.

F. We are all called and gifted. The question is will we be obeident.