1FULFILLING YOUR CALLING #2

Praise God!! I know that our last time together we were discussing about fulfilling your call—
and time ran out. But praise God— he is faithful to bring it back! Amen? And there are areas
in fulfilling our call that we have to have an understanding and we discussed some things
about qualifications in fulfilling your call. And I just want to review them for a second because
there are eight that we discussed and the first qualification was to successfully complete each
phase of testing. If you cannot complete the phase of testing, you get re-tested. If you can’t
pass that phase you will never fulfill the call that God has for you. You will sit and watch
everyone else do the things for God and you will be a little seed sower— but you will never
fulfill the true calling of God in your life until you are willing to allow God to bring you to the
place of testing— and pass those tests! Successfully completing each phase of testing in
your life. The second thing we talked about is that we must know the caller. You must really
understand that you are called! And if you are called, you don’t want to reject it! The third
thing we talked about was to know your call and season. Listen, your call consists of
whatever God wants you to do right now. The calling is the call of God right now. I know
many people have been prophesied— you’re going to do this and you’re going to do that.
That’s wonderful. But God has not asked you to follow a prophesy. He has asked you to
follow him NOW! Amen? That’s what moves people out of position. By not knowing their call
and their season. Listen, its amazing how God will all of a sudden have you learn something
for something specific. See if everybody is chasing prophesies and all other things and their
emotions and everything, then you are going to miss what God is trying to teach you right
now to fulfill your call. Does everybody understand that? So your call, and fulfilling your call
is a process that you are in right now— that you are serving God by even obeying him! So
even in the men and women that are in the discipleship house— you are fulfilling the call of
God! Why? Because you are learning how to become a disciple— a warrior. You are
learning, not only the truth that is going to set you free but free others. See too many
people are moving out trying to do things. Without fulfilling their call, without going through
the process. And one of the worst things that you and I can do is get ahead of God. Because
that is not God’s will. What happens is that you try to get your inheritance in the flesh— and
it will hurt you instead of help you. Just like the prodigal son— it didn’t help him, did it.
Amen? So you must know your call and the season of your call. In other words, right now—
you know my wife came home today— she was exercising a few days ago and was watching
the news and a commercial came on something about something— and the Holy Spirit says I
want you to go to this. So my wife says, I’ve got to go to this. And I said, Alright— I’ve got
peace about it. Go ahead. So I came home today and she went to this— And she came home
and she said, Honey I’ve learned so much, it’s phenomenal! And I know what God is trying to
do in certain things and whatever and it’s about writing grants and all kinds of other stuff and
whatever and certain things that are available to the body of Christ and so forth. And those
are things that, it’s like if you don’t know how to play the game in certain areas, you don’t get
it. Amen? It’s like hidden treasures. That if you don’t know the combination of certain
things, you can’t open the lock. And all of a sudden that’s when the Holy Spirit said, That’s
what I’ve called her for right now— I’m training her up to fulfill the rest of her call. And she
came home to me, she said, Honey, I’ve just got another full time job. I said, Hallelujah.
[Pastor said that in an unenthusiastic manner. And then lots of Laughter.] But I knew in my
Spirit— the Holy Spirit said that to me. That this is a part of her training right now to continue
fulfilling her call. So things that you are going through even right now — if you are doing
something that’s according to the will of God, it’s fulfilling your call. If you are doing
something according to your flesh or your desires or your emotions, it is hindering your call.
Amen? So that’s what I’m talking about— know your calling and your season. Oh, hallelujah.
The fourth thing we talked about is that you must be completely sold out— no matter what.
You know most people aren’t completely sold out. I talked to a gentlemen today on the
phone who was a crack addict. But he owns a business with his father— to inherit a business.
And he said it’s the most important thing in his life. I said, Too bad. And I said, So what
happens when you go to jail? Or you get sick and you go in the hospital. Or you die. What
good are you to anyone then? And he said, Well I’ve just come out of prison from being there
over a year. And I thought, Man you haven’t learned it yet? So I explained all these things to
him but he wanted to be— He’s in charge of three groups and so forth. I guess they do
construction and three crews he’s in charge of and his father— I said, So what about your
father, isn’t he going to be supportive of you getting help? And he says, Well, I don’t know. I
said, Well, man you’ve got to come out of pleasing man and start pleasing God. I said, Don’t
you want to fulfill your call? Well, you know— I didn’t waste any more time. I told him what
was what and when he is ready to do whatever it takes to give me a call. Hallelujah. But see
you have to be completely sold out. Nothing can be in your way. And anything that’s in your
way, you are willing to move aside. Or you will never fulfill your call. And what a terrible
thing to get in front of God— you know because when we stand before him— I mean its just
going to be like a whrrrhhh! And you are going to see everything. When I was before the
Lord, I saw everything. Before you could even ask a question— before the thought could
even be manifested in your mind, the answer was already given— and you saw beyond.
When God speaks something to you, it isn’t about present, it’s about eternity. It’s like a wide-
screen tv comes on, it comes all the way around you, and you can see everything when he
says something. And it rips through your being. And his love radiates. And one of the worst
things we can do is stand before Him and see what we missed. I mean it won’t last long. But
to see what we missed by not fulfilling our call. Amen? You must be willing to be mentored.
If you are not willing to be mentored, you will never fulfill your call! Because if you are not
under authority, you have none! And the devil knows and he will eat you up! He will destroy
you, your family, your businesses and everything— it may be just a little bit at a time. But
you’ll be miserable because you can never fulfill your call. There is just something you know
you are supposed to do more. You will try and witness just to make yourself feel good. You’ll
try to give money here and give money there to try and feel good— but it will only be a
moment of feeling good about yourself. Because that’s what the world does, doesn’t it. It
gives a quick little fix— that’s why we used drugs and alcohol. We tried to drown those things
of torment. So you must be willing to be mentored. Amen? The sixth thing you must do is
resist reasoning. Because reasoning will always move you off course. It will always move you
off course. That’s called the “but” ministry. Yeah but— yeah but— but, but, but, but. We are
the head not the tail, right. You must also learn dominion. Jesus said something very
powerful. He said, All things I have given unto you. So everything he owns is yours and
everything you own is his. But the things that you now own, you must know dominion—
because you don’t really own them but you have dominion— Anything that’s owned there is
dominion. We must learn dominion in the body!! We must learn dominion— Listen, the bible
says that the heavenlies are taken by force! There are too many weenies in the body of
Christ! Too many woe’s me’s— too many! Too many people willing to give up and fall into
the hands of satan. Too many people not willing to give up their life for Christ. Wannabees
but neverbees. Watching everyone else fulfill their call and sitting back— in torment. You
must learn dominion. And the eighth thing is you must learn to wait— on God! You must
learn to wait on God. Those are eight qualifications and the number 8 means new beginning.
Amen? New beginnings. Praise God. Would you turn to the— let’s go somewhere. Go to
John 5. John 5. Oh hallelujah. Did you ever realize that the more you are out of fellowship,
the worse you get? You can watch every Christian tv station— you can listen to every tape—
But there is something different about fellowship! Fellowship. God ordains fellowship.
Amen? Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with watching tv stations and so forth.
But you can’t live off of those areas. They help feed your Spirit. But there is nothing greater
than being together in unity where the anointing begins to break the yoke. Where you begin
to see yourself! UGHHHH!!! Amen? Why? Because to fulfill the call of God in your life, you
must overcome self— or you can never fulfill it. Is everybody with me? Is everybody okay?
Boy is it hot in here. Oh, it’s good to hear the pages turning on a Tuesday night!!!! Oh, you
missed that one! We will get to that. John 5:19, would you read it with me. Then Jesus
answered and said to them, Most assuredly I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself—
Now isn’t that powerful! I mean if Jesus said the Son could do nothing of himself, just think
what it means for you and I! We can do nothing of ourselves!!! That’s why self must be
overcome. But what he sees the Father do: for whatever he does, the Son also does in like
manner. Wow!! For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does:
and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. See so there is an area
where we must overcome self! Jesus said he could do nothing of himself. In other words,
fulfilling your calling has nothing to do with you. Fulfilling your calling has everything to do
with Him. If you are in it, then he is out of it. If you’re out of it, he’s in it. Is everybody with
me? Because God does not associate with self. Oh, hallelujah. Go to Ephesians 4 please.
Praise God. Ephesians chapter 4. Bless your Holy Name. You know you may— First of all let
me share something with you— In fulfilling your call, it was prophesied in Isaiah, of course it
represented John who was going to come— he said, Prepare the way of the Lord. Prepare the
way of the Lord. You know— it’s to prepare so that the way of the Lord can flow through you
— is fulfilling your call. See in everything that you and I are doing, there’s preparation. So in
fulfilling your call, there is the present and there is preparation at the same time. Is
everybody with me? There is present and preparation at the same time. Preparing for the
future and fulfilling your call in the present. So in this there is preparation. He said prepare
the way of the Lord. Well, let me tell you— first of all, God came through a man, didn’t he.
He called himself Jesus. When the Lord exposed himself to Moses— What did Moses– The
Lord came down to Moses and said, Listen I have been hearing the cries of my people for 400
years— and I’ve decided to come down. And he did. And he said now I’m sending you. God
always used man. Why? Because he created him in his image and likeness. It was lost when
sin entered in the fall of man. Now the Holy Spirit— The regeneration of the Holy Spirit and
through the blood of the Lamb, God has restored you and I to his image and likeness. But the
devil does not want you to know that. So for fulfilling your call, self must have nothing to do
with it. Again, if you are in it God is not. If you are out of it, God’s in it. We must be
prepared to change at any time. And I don’t mean your clothes. You must be prepared to
change. Paul said, I became many things that many could be saved. I went to a biker
outreach this weekend. It was quite interesting. I was blessed. I began to weep— I had tears
in my eyes. And I sat in this bar in the back— called Fast Eddy’s. A biker bar. Of course they
weren’t serving booze or anything. They brought a Christian biker band in there. And I
stepped back and I looked and I said, Lord look what you are doing!!! Look what you are
doing!! And I saw these people come in— hard core bikers— that loved Jesus. Some of them
gave their lives to the Lord. Some of them were freed up and some of them were still bound
— and the Lord said to me— because my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge— and I
believe that’s why he brought us in there and made connection. And we made a connection
with them. And it was powerful. But you know, God said you must be willing to change. You
must be willing to change— at any time. You can be whatever he wants you to be. Every
character that’s in that bible— is you at every specific time and season! When it’s time to be
Moses, you’re Moses! When it’s time to be David, you’re David! When it’s time to be Ezra,
you’re Ezra!! When it’s time— you must be willing to change!!! I’ve see in it my life— as I
began my walk with the Lord— I began to become all parts of that bible — in every area!
When it’s time to become Elijah, it’s Elijah! Why? Because you are being regenerated by the
Holy Spirit! That’s why without the Holy Spirit in your life and fellowship in your life, you
become religious!!!— bound!!!— to bondage of the letter!!!! And not able to change by the
Spirit of God when he needs you the most! You must be willing to change— in whatever it
takes at any time. When it’s time to be a carpenter, you become a carpenter! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah. Now Ephesians 4, starting at verse 1. Would you read it with me please. I
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to what? Walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called. In other words, be faithful! Be faithful in what God has given you
right now! Don’t worry about tomorrow. And don’t worry about what’s your past! He’s the
God of now. Fulfill and be faithful right now. With what? Lowliness. Not haughtiness! And
gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love. In other words, putting up
with everyone’s garbage. Amen? Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, which just as you were called in one hope of your
calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and
through all, and in you all. And in you all. If you are not willing to allow these changes to
come and to be cooperative and submissive to the things of God to fulfill your call—
somebody must pick it up. Does everybody understand that? Somebody else must pick it up.
Why? Because it becomes a drag to the body of Christ. That’s like a net that has a hole in it.
And many souls are escaping because somebody’s not willing to fulfill their call. You must
have a desire to fulfill the call of God on your life. You must have a desire. It’s not about
becoming acknowledged in your call. Acknowledgment has nothing to do with fulfilling your
call. You do not promote your call. Because first of all it’s not your call, it’s His! That’s all he
is doing is allowing His will to manifest through you!! Amen? That’s why the bible talks about
the gifts of the Spirit. It didn’t say they were the gifts of you. It says they are the gifts of the
Spirit. Oh, how people lose that! Then they take out of context what the gifts and calling are
— without reservations and stuff like that. That’s got nothing to do with that— But they take
that— Oh, yeah the gifts— Baloney!!!! I’ve seen people lose their gifts because they’ve
broken covenant with God! Why? Because the gifts are the gifts of the Spirit! Amen? They
are not the gifts of man! They are not guaranteed to you if you’re unrighteous. Hello. Now
I’ve seen gifts manifested in an individual that’s not right for a period of time— but eventually
it will lift. It will lift. Oh, hallelujah. Okay. Is everybody okay? So we must walk worthy.
Now let me share a couple of hindrances. We want to talk about some hindrances— besides
self. Hallelujah. The first hindrance I want to share with you is called worldly allurements.
Things that allure you. Like the love of money. Worldly things that draw you. Worldly. The
second thing I want to share with you is— Let’s go to I Samuel 17— to give you more
understanding. I Samuel 17. Praise you Lord. To God be the glory! I Samuel 17, I believe
it’s 39. I’m not going to go to every single one of these or we would be here all night.
Worldly allurements and love of money is the first one. The second one is in 1 Samuel 17:39
— Would you read it with me. So Saul clothed David with his armor and put on a bronze
helmet on his head, he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his
armor and tried to walk— He tried to what? Walk. For he had not tested them. And David
said to Saul, I cannot walk with these; for I have not tested them. So David took them off.
One of the things we must be careful of is using worldly defenses. Worldly defenses and
weapons that don’t associate with your spiritual call. Is everybody with me? These are
hindrances. Using worldly defenses and weapons that don’t associate with your spiritual
calling. David was trying to use something from somebody else, wasn’t he. He was trying to
use something worldly to try and defeat something spiritually. Goliath was nothing but a
demon! He was an offspring— he was a giant. But God did not use the common weapons,
did he. In fact, David grabbed what? How many stones? Five. Five-fold ministry. Hello. And
he took one of those and swung it around, which nobody had done before. Nobody tried to
approach Goliath with a stone. Everyone came out screaming with a sword that they couldn’t
even carry— and they died. But there is something David came out with— he said, You come
out with a sword but I come out in the name of the Lord! See David took his spiritual weapon
and God turned that spiritual weapon into a stone. And that stone struck right between the
eyes— right in the brain— and killed him. Hindrances. The first one is allurements of the
world, especially with the love of money. Money is the number one ploy that the devil uses to
manipulate individuals. The second with that is, of course, lust. But the second thing is using
worldly defenses and weapons that do not associate with your spiritual calling. These are
things that will hinder fulfilling your call. The third thing is discouragement. Man, do not
hang around with people that do not have a desire to fulfill the call of God in their life. Don’t
get near them! Why? Because those demons will bite you and bring you down. The bible
says that bad company what? Corrupts good habits. Get away from individuals that do not
want to fulfill their call. They may be a wannabee but they are not a willing-to-do-bee. The
fourth thing, unbelief. Unbelief— I just don’t believe it! People don’t realize that while they
are being obedient in the present, they are fulfilling the call of God. Many people don’t
believe that being obedient in the present is fulfilling the call of God. They are still looking to
fulfill the call of God and they are actually missing the call of God because they are not
looking in the present! Is everybody with me? Yes, well I’m going to do this — and I’m going
to do that! You had better do what is right before your table right now. That’s why Paul said
you had better not worry about tomorrow, you had better do if the Lord wills. The fifth thing
is worldly possessions. Those are hindrances to individuals. Worldly possessions— people
are out there working and trying to make a living because they have so many possessions
that they are trying to maintain them and keep them. You must ask yourself, what would you
do if you did not have a job right now. What would be the first thing you would be willing to
give up? Oh, are you kidding me? I’d do everything to keep that. Is everybody with me? Do
you understand this? Worldly possessions hinder people because they begin to work— they
get in debt— let me tell you satan’s greatest weapon we know is deception and one of the
greatest deceptions he has is— Hey! I’ve got a loan for you!!! Interest free!! Come on, you
can write all the checks you want and I won’t charge you anything for five months. And if you
are faithful in writing all those checks, I’ll increase your limit!!!!!!! And I would gladly put you
in debt for eternity so you can’t serve God— so that worldly possessions are now your
stumbling block because you have all of this stuff! Hello. Come on!!! We’ve got to
understand these things! These are things that hinder the fulfilling of your call. I love that
one where somebody goes out and buys a car— tells me they have been blessed by God!
Praise God!! Look what the Lord blessed me with!! Wonderful!!! Do you have any
payments? Well yeah— six grand a month! You know— [Laughter]. Oh, that’s a wonderful
blessing! I’m glad I don’t serve your God! Oh, hallelujah! People get themselves in debt and
they can’t serve God. They are too busy trying to pay off or keep their possessions. What’s
the next one? One, two, three, four, five, SIX! Thank you. Six meaning what? Man! Family
ties. Woohoo— we had better go to Luke 9. And that way it can be more identified. Luke
chapter 9. Oh, hallelujah. Luke 9, I think that’s it. Well anyway— we’ll go there anyway—
Luke 9, oh here we go — go to 59— go here — oh, let’s start at 57. Did you bring your Holy
Ghost eraser? I wouldn’t want to miss that one! Aren’t you glad we are not religious? Now it
happened as they journeyed on the road, someone said to him, Lord, I will follow you
wherever you go. Oh, hallelujah. Pastor, I’m never leaving here! Are you kidding, I’m
staying here forever!! I’m packing, I’m going with you! And Jesus said to him, Foxes have
holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has not where to lay his head.
Then he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, let me first go and bury my father.
Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go you and preach the kingdom of God.
Family ties— what else did he say? He said, Listen if you want to be my disciple you’ve got to
hate your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your wife, and your children. You
have to be willing to leave them to follow me or you cannot be my disciple. It doesn’t mean
you throw your family away! Does everybody understand that? It doesn’t mean you pack
them up and send them to Jamaica or Alaska. Amen? It doesn’t mean you send them on a
permanent vacation. What he is saying is that he must be first! He must be first. God gave
us families— to be overseers and to raise them according to the will of God. Not for someone
else to. Amen? Now that you know the truth, God will begin to restore things. And as you
are faithful, you will see your whole house saved. If you are not faithful, you will watch your
house slowly diminish and be destroyed. Hallelujah. Number 7, burdens and weights and
sins will be a hindrance. Do you know how many people pick up each other’s burden— Now
listen, the bible didn’t say to carry that burden constantly. The representation of a burden is—
pick up your brother’s burden, or your sister’s— is to help them! Not to be sucked up in the
ring with them— as woe is me and everything else. Burdens of heaviness are associated with
the spirit of oppression. And the bible says that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit to
relieve people and heal them from the oppression of the devil. Amen? Weights and burdens
and sins. And the eighth one— where we want to start a new beginning again— is false
imagery are hindrances. Let me share this with you— in the area where satan’s greatest
weapon is deception, he begins to give you— you know the devil can give you a vision, you
know. The bible says that he comes as an angel of light. Do you know how many people got
down and worshiped the devil because he came— Let me tell you about somebody. I had a
guy in our discipleship program and he came in and this guy could not settle down. He could
not stop prophesying to everybody! What was he doing? Promoting self. Man, I’ve got a
word of the Lord for you— I’ve got a word of the Lord for you. I’ve got a word of the Lord for
you! Anyways, I asked the Holy Spirit how he wanted— I kept seeing him associating with
this familiar spirit and I would see this thing! In fact, this familiar spirit became a teddy bear
to him and he would hold it all the time. Now it wasn’t physical. It was what I saw in the
Spirit. And I said Lord, how do you want to go about this-- I don’t want to lose him. He said
bring him in the main room and let everyone share what they see. In other words, express—
not about beating down, but seeing fruits! The bible says judge by the fruits! So we went
around the room and some of the guys said, You know man I love you but you’re always
talking that God is talking to you and trying to give me something— and as a matter of fact
you never stop talking. And we just went around the room and around the room about and
God gave me this and God gave me that and whatever. And you could see that all these
guys— they were pouring out love— pouring out love to this man. And this guy kept having—
kept saying, I see this and I see that. False imagery. One night— then he began to share
with me and began to share with everyone— he said, Listen the Lord woke me up the other
night and an angel appeared in my room and I came out into the living room and I began to
worship him and he had a big star of David on his chest. Now why would an angel carry a
star of David? No way. If it was an angel he would have said, Don’t do that! So I know he
was granola’d— nutty and fruity! He was associating with familiar spirits. And what happens
is they give you false imagery! False imagery! You know some people will prophesy in your
life and it’s not the Holy Spirit! It’s a familiar spirit to bring you off course with false imagery.
And that’s why you must know it by your walk and taking time with God! Or you will go
flowing off with every wind of doctrine. Amen? False imagery is a hindrance. And when you
learn how to overcome that and wait on God, you will find that new beginnings begin to
manifest. Is everybody with me? Those are hindrances. You know the Lord says you have a
Holy calling. You have a heavenly calling. He chose you! You didn’t choose Him. Oh,
hallelujah! Go to I Corinthians 7. Oh, hallelujah! In verse 17. Is everybody there? But as
God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so
ordain I in all churches. Was anyone called while circumcised? let him not become
uncircumcised. Was any called while uncircumcised? let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of
God is what matters! Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. You
were called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it. but if you can be made free, rather
use it. For he who is called in the Lord, while a slave, is the Lord's free man: likewise he who
is called, while free, is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of
what? Men! Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. So
that’s just like saying, So listen remain in that state in which you were called until that’s
fulfilled and then go on to the next. Then you to go the next. Never try to fulfill someone
else’s calling. Never fulfill someone else’s calling. You fulfill the calling of God in your life.
Remember the final result is the same purpose— expand the kingdom of God and bring home
as many souls as possible. Amen? But there is an area— I want to share something very
powerful. Callings are also passed down. Callings are passed down. Jesus was the prime
person in the natural realm who was fulfilling the call of God. What did he do? He passed it
down. How was it passed down? By the Holy Spirit. Now— that’ why he said something very
powerful, he said, And you will do greater things than I. Why? Callings that are passed down
should be improved. Any of my successors are individuals that have received the inheritance
that God has passed down to me that they received from this office— should improve my
calling. Does everybody understand that? So all you men in the discipleship house and
women and so forth that are serving in this ministry and you are going to stay and serve in
this ministry— then that inheritance and calling is passed down to you in God’s perfect timing
and then you should be able to improve that call. Does everybody understand that? Oh,
hallelujah. So these things are passed down, aren’t they. In other words, no desire to serve
or to call— then you are not called! If there is not a desire in you to serve the Lord, then
you’re not called. There are people who will call and say, Yeah I need a place to stay. Are
you interested in serving the Lord? Well I really, you know I— He’s not called. See ya! I’m
not a mission. This is a place for training. This is a place for Holy Ghost boot camp. Why?
Well then maybe you could open a mission. Amen? If that’s part of your calling then what
you’ve done is you’ve gained all of this training. The anointing has been passed— what are
you going to do? You are going to expand and improve the calling. Something that I couldn’t
do here. Does everybody understand that? Oh, hallelujah. Many people are in positions they
aren’t called to. And they become religious. Because they are out of their position of their
calling. Oh, hallelujah! I want to use an example of Peter. Peter. Peter was powerful. I love
how God dealt with Peter. Think about Peter’s calling? What was Peter? He was a fisherman.
Then he became a fisher of men. Amen? We are going to go through this. I think this will be
good for us. Hallelujah. Go to John 1. John chapter 1. Callings! There are specific areas like
we’ve said— callings and seasons. Alright? And if you follow Peter’s life you will see how his
calling began to change. But in true reality he was fulfilling his calling. And in the natural
sight you may think well his calling changed— No it improved! It grew— more and more and
more. In John 1:40. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found
the Messiah, which is translated, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus
looked at him, he said, You are Simon the son of Jonah: you shall be called Cephas, which is
translated, A stone. The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and he found Philip, and
said to him, Follow me. Now we see Simon– and Peter’s brother— all of these were first
what? Called. They were called. What were they called to be? Disciples. He said follow me.
Amen? Look at Matthew chapter 10. You first must be what? Called. The word called means
invited. You must have an understanding and a desire to not only fulfill your call but to
realize you have been called. Matthew 10. Is everybody there? Verse 1. And when he what?
Called his twelve disciples to him, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them
out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. What did he do? He called
them, he said, Listen you are my disciples, here it is— there isn’t anything they had to do! He
said, man I’ve given you power already! The problem is that most believers don’t know they
have it!! Isn’t that what the devil wants you to know— is that you don’t know! That’s what
the devil wants. That’s why people are still preaching the baptism of John and not the
baptism of the Holy Ghost! What it’s doing? It’s preventing the power of Christ to flow
through individuals to cast out devils, lay hands on the sick and raise the dead! Oh,
hallelujah. They were called an apostle— an apostle. An apostle is one that is what? Sent.
Amen? It says that he called his twelve disciples and he gave them power. What are you
doing with the power? This is where you’ve got to sit back— man when was the last time you
cast out a devil? Out of yourself? Come one — you’ve go to get those devils out of you! You
pick them up daily! People tell me, Well I got up on the wrong side of the bed. No you got up
and shook hands with a devil! You invited him in, you both had tea and he took you over.
You became desert! Oh, hallelujah. Now look at— this is powerful with Peter. He’s called.
He’s called to be an apostle. He gets— Jesus tells him, Listen the power is yours man!! Then
Jesus brings him through some testing, doesn’t he. Go to Matthew 14. Now we’re just
following the life of Peter here. Matthew 14:28. Now you know this is where Jesus comes
walking on the water. And Peter and the crew are out there on the middle of the lake, or the
sea— wherever they were. Yeah, the sea. And everything’s happening. They ran out of gas.
And there was no lunch left. Nothing to eat— and there were surfing waves all over the place
and all the surfers boogied because— they were too big. These guys thought they were
going to die! In fact, they saw a ghost. And the ghost spoke— and said, Be of good courage
it’s me! Don’t be afraid. And Peter said something very profound. And Peter answered him
and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. Oh man, Peter’s
growing. And Jesus said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the boat, he walked
on the water, to go to Jesus. He did not walk on the water to go to the shore. He was not
trying to escape the storm. He was not trying to escape the sinking of the ship. He was
walking to Jesus. If there was any other intention, he would have drown. What was he doing?
Fulfilling his call. And of course when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and
beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his
hand, and caught him, and rebuked him. Oh, you little bonehead! You have little faith, why
did you doubt me? But you’ve got to give Peter credit man— Hey he walked on water even
for a little bit. Amen? While he was fulfilling his call! First of all he was called— he was
called to be an apostle— he realized he had power and then the next thing he’s walking on
water!! He’s growing! Isn’t he. All of these instances are happening— Oh look at this—
Matthew 16, while we are here. Matthew 16:15. And Jesus said to his disciples, But who do
you say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh
and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father which is in heaven. Man, now he’s
hearing God! He’s hearing from the father! We are seeing growth. What’s he doing? He’s
fulfilling his call. Jesus was training him up! Peter was coming to a place where he wanted to
become like Jesus! See that’s part of fulfilling your call, to want to be like Jesus. And of
course now in Matthew 17, what happens here is that he goes up on the mount of
transfiguration. Now look at the progression of what God is doing with Peter. Called to be a
disciple. Becomes an apostle. Walks on water. Confesses Christ as deity. Then he witnesses
the transfiguration. Man, you don’t think God was preparing him for something? Amen he
was. Now after six days, starting at verse 1, Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, led
them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them: and his
face shown like the sun, and his clothes were as white as the light. Whoa. He got to see
heaven on earth. He got to see the most glorious miracle that could be. Better than
someone’s leg growing back or something else. The King transfigured and who he is. He got
to see Jesus— who he is!!! Does everybody understand that? Man! Then what happens?
Well ... he denies him three times. Hallelujah!! Go to Matthew 26. Hey listen, you’re going
to go through dry seasons! You are going to go through the wilderness. You are going to go
through areas where you think God has left you! But it is actually you who left him. Oh,
hallelujah! Matthew 26:65. Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, He has spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Look now you have heard his
blasphemy. What think you? They answered and said, He is deserving of death. Then they
spat in his face, and beat him; and others struck him with the palms of their hands, Saying,
Prophesy to us, Christ, Who is the one who struck you? Now Peter sat outside in the
courtyard; and a servant girl came to him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee. But he
denied before them all, saying, I know not what you are saying. And when he had gone out
the gateway, another girl saw him, and said to those who were there, This fellow was also
with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath— he swore that he did not know
Jesus. And a little later, those who stood by came up and said to Peter, Surely you also are
one of them; for your speech betrays you. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I
know not the man. And immediately a rooster crowed. Because the Lord told him that he
would deny him three times and then the rooster would crow. That changed something in
Peter. That right then and there— Peter realized he had to work out his own salvation. Does
everybody understand that? He needed to work it out. He needed to come through. He was
devastated. He was tormented. That’s why when Jesus appeared he said, Make sure you tell
Peter. Make sure you tell Peter— Have him come. Amen? Now, Peter denies Jesus three
times. Now go to John 21. Oh, hallelujah. And Jesus appears to them all— and he was
cooking fish on the shore. And they came together and ate breakfast. In verse 14, this is
now the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
How many times? Third time. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Peter, Simon,
son of Jonas, Do you love me more than these? And he said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I
love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. And he said to him again a second time, Simon,
son of Jonas, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to
him, Tend my sheep. Then a third time he said, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Peter
was grieved because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him,
Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. Now
listen Peter had just gone through all of these things. And then he gets commissioned to feed
God’s sheep. That was an honor. What was he doing? Fulfilling his call, wasn’t he. But he
had to go through things, didn’t he. In every area. Then look at— in Acts 1, what does he
do? He leads disciples, doesn’t he. He speaks. Go to Acts 1:15. And in those days Peter
stood up in the midst of the disciples, and all that gathered the number of names together
were about a hundred and twenty, and said, Men and brethren, the scripture had to be
fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David spoke before concerning
Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and
had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity;
and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his entrails gushed out. Oh,
hallelujah. So we see here that Peter begins to what? Speak. Publically. Amen? He begins
to speak about the resurrection, about the baptism, about all kinds of things of Jesus. So he
begins to lead the disciples now. Then he preaches at Pentecost. Now this is the guy who
denied Jesus three times. This was a fisherman with a bad attitude. And then in Acts 3 he
begins to perform miracles. Oh, hallelujah. Then he was called to minister in Acts 10. What
was he doing? He was fulfilling his call, wasn’t he. He didn’t ask the Lord anymore what he
was supposed to do. He was led by the Spirit. Led. Not misled. Now the bible says that if
you commit your works to the Lord he will establish your thoughts. If you acknowledge him in
all your ways, he will establish your steps. You know too many people move without knowing.
It’s a terrible way to live as a believer. Moving without knowing. Amen? Oh, hallelujah. Go
to I Corinthians 1. Is everybody okay? Look at all the callings Peter went through. The final
result was he was called to be a minister of the gospel. I Corinthians 1. Is everybody there?
Verse something. Oooo yes. Verse 26. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not
many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the
weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; And base things of the
world, and things which are despised, God has chosen, and things which are not, to bring to
nothing the things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. Amen? But of him
you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption: That, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.
You are called— For God’s glory!! You are fulfilling the call of the Lord for God’s glory!!! Is
everybody with me? And I want to close at this scripture, Romans 8. Romans 8— fulfilling
your call. In verse 27. Romans 8:27, would you read it with me? Now he that searches the
hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints
according to the will of God. Now wait a minute— if he is making intercession for the saints
(that’s praying in tongues) according to the will of God, that means you are making
intercession not only for yourself but for someone else to fulfill their call. Does everybody get
it? See that’s why it is so important about praying in tongues. How many people would you
pray for to fulfill their call— in the natural? Come on— you’re too busy asking God for your
own needs! So by praying in tongues you are actually interceding for others to fulfill their
calling of God! Now, verse 28, And we know that all things work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. So things are going to
work to the good no matter what! As long as you have a desire to fulfill the calling of God.
For whom he foreknew, he also did predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he predestined, these he
also called: and whom he called, these he also justified: and whom he justified, these he also
glorified. Why? Your glory is in Him!!! Everything— that’s why every blessing is glory to
Him. Everything that comes is glory to Him. Fulfilling your call is the ultimate goal of your
birth!! You were brought into this world to fulfill the call of God. That’s why you’re alive.
That’s why you’re still here. That’s why you are rescued and that’s why you are in this room.
Amen? Desire. Be willing to do whatever it takes. Deny yourself, pick up your cross and
follow Him— to fulfill your call. The reward is awesome! Amen? Thank you Father for your
word tonight. And Lord in every area of our lives where we have fallen short of our calling,
we repent! And we ask Lord that you would put us back on track — that we would not be a
drag to the body of Christ, but that we would be an asset to the body of Christ— according to
your will and your way, Lord. Lord help us to know our season and calling. Not by reasoning
but by trust in you! Again, Master, I apply the Blood of the Lamb on these seeds that have
been imparted. Let them grow and bear fruit for your glory. Keep us positioned to fulfill your
call in our lives. In Jesus’ name. And everybody said? AMEN!!!
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