WHOSE CALLED? QUESTION OR STATEMENT

I woke up this morning with this phrase on my mind. This title ringing in my ear – “WHOSE CALLED”? Immediately, I expressed my concern by responding – “NO GOD! I DON’T WANT IT.” I wasn’t sure If I want to be the instrument God will use in this task. I was counting the cost. Yes, I had the nerve to tell God that the cost was too high – “I DON’T WANT IT!” Sometimes when God asks me to perform a specific task or assignment, the slack, I know I will get back from some leaders in the body of Christ, I don’t want it. Here’s the thing, the leaders don’t even have to speak their discord about it. Because in the Spirit, God will sometimes show it to me through impressions, visions or sound. And at times, it’s just too much because I can feel God’s anger, His pain over the claims when some of His leaders speak on His behalf out of their flesh and not what God has spoken. They have not inquired of God on a matter, about a person, about another ministry, about a person or ministry God has elevated. They pray, but then they do not wait to hear what God has to say. They usurp God’s right to speak on such matters and then preach on a public platform what they think without even following the principle that God has set at Matthew 18:15-17. If we are unsure about a person or a ministry or what God is doing through another, it is the expectation of God for us to go directly to that ministry or person first. And sit down with your brother or sister in the faith and inquire of them in love. Anyone who does otherwise, without Godly direction is in disobedience. Verse 15 of Matthew 18 says, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private…” (NASB). Why is this so important? One, if your brother or sister is incorrect, this is an opportunity for you to help your brother or sister to grow. Or, it will be an opportunity for God to open your eyes and help you to grow. That’s the part that leaders don’t want to encounter. Therefore, they skip the first principle that Matthew 18:15 requires of all of us. But this is even more important as it relates to this Bible principle mentioned at Matthew 18:15. Read Leviticus 19:17. “Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives (brothers). Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin” (NLT). God will hold you guilty for their sin if we as a body keep targeting our brothers and sisters without approaching them in private to work out whatever needs to be worked out. Verse 18 of Leviticus 19 goes on to say, “Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am ADONAI” (CJB).  In the early morning hours, God was showing me His heart on this matter. So, as I lay there, I asked, what do you want me to say? For my words carry no weight on the heart of man, nor on Your people’s heart. That is when I heard those words - “WHOSE CALLED”. It was at that moment, I want to flee like Jonah. But before I could run in the opposite direction, I saw myself standing before Jeremiah as he repeated, “Is not My word like fire? And like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29) I immediately recognized those words for they have been spoken over me. Then Jeremiah gave me a word of knowledge, describing me as a person, that left me speechless. For I said to myself, this man does not know me, but here he speaks the truth. Then I realized this was a set up for me to receive what he was about to say next, which was this. FEAR! FEAR OF MAN WILL NOT BE YOUR FATE NOR YOUR YOKE. I have wrapped you in a divine boldness to take a stand against what I AM against. Therefore, they all will come against you because you will refuse to bow down to their ways and their protocols. Nevertheless, in obedience speak and I will be Your guard and Your guide. I sat there in silence to prepare my heart to be obedient. Then I quietly thought about Gideon and afterward begin to write the following words. WHOSE CALLED! It's more of a statement than a question from God’s perspective. But from men, it's more of a question than a statement. For man has placed numerous of steps a person much adhere and crawl through in order to step into purpose, which only delays God’s plans for this earth and for His people. I think of Paul when he was in route to disperse, persecute and kill Christians. But, God interrupts Paul’s plan, gave Paul an unforgettable and convincing encounter that converted that man’s heart. Resulting in Paul becoming a follower of Christ. God placed a new purpose on Paul’s life and gave Paul a new assignment without using the protocols or installment of a religious system. It was God that called Paul and then God sent His leader to confirm Paul after God was done with molding Paul’s heart and mind. Here’s the point. Man did not appoint nor call Paul. God called Paul. Then God called and sent Ananias to Paul. For what purpose? God said to Ananias, “Get up,” “go,” “inquire” and return Paul’s sight to him. (Read the full content at Acts 9). All God needed Ananias to do was to get up, go and see about this man Paul whom God had called. This is no different than today. God is calling men and women of Christ to get up and go. But His leaders have been getting up and going to inquire of other men and women about the individual that God has instructed His leaders to go see. God did not tell Ananias to get up and go to another man or woman of God and inquire about Paul’s heart or activities. No! God told Ananias to get up and go to Paul directly.

What was Ananias’ response? Verse 13 says that Ananias questioned God’s choice because of Paul’s past, Paul’s history. He said, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man….” God reminded Ananias who He is. He reminded Ananias of His original instructions that He gave Ananias. This was God’s expectations of Ananias. “Get up and go” (Acts 9:15). I proceed that God was reminding Ananias that it is not Ananias' job to decide who is chosen and who is not. For only God does the choosing (See also 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 11, 18, 24, 28). God continues, “… for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name…” (Acts 9:15). It is God who gives each one of us purpose. But man, my brothers and sisters in the faith, continue to challenge even usurps God’s right to choose who He pleases for His purpose. We act as if each soldier of God must meet our standards, go through our required protocols or training modules in order to be declared as fit for the kingdom work. And yet, you will not find any of our man-made protocols anywhere in the Scriptures. God chose Abraham. God chose Moses. God chose Saul, King David, Samson, Jeremiah, Gideon and so on. But, we as men seem to have forgotten that. One of the best stories in the Bible that exhibit this is Gideon. At Judges 6:12, God commissioned, called Gideon into military service for God’s divine purpose on the earth. Only two people were present when Gideon was called by God – Gideon and God’s angel. No prophet or apostle of God’s was present. Gideon was not required to go through a church training program or a spiritual boot camp. He was not required to go get a certification or to go to a Christian college program. God called him and gave him his assignment, his task and equipped him. But, before pouring out God’s Spirit upon Gideon. God, not man, tested Gideon’s faithfulness for the divine task that God assigned Gideon. (Read Judges 6:15-32). Gideon passed God’s test and then as verse 34 of Judges 6 states, “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon.” But, what happens in the next few chapters touched my heart. At Judges 6:27, Gideon started off with only 10 supportive men. These men got behind what God was doing in Gideon’s life. By chapter 7, Gideon had a massive army, soldiers of God right here on earth behind him. (We, meaning the Church, have somehow forgotten that we are an army, soldiers of God). And by chapter 7, God makes it clear, He was choosing Gideon’s men for Gideon. “… I will test them for you there,” God said to Gideon (Judge 7:4).

Here’s the point we don’t want to miss. (1) God chooses, selects and appoints His soldiers in Christ. (2) God decides the task or assignment or gift we get. (3) God gives the instructions to His soldiers that He has chosen. (4) AND THE BODY OF CHRIST SUPPORTS GOD’S VESSEL. READ 1 CORINTHIANS 12. HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT WE ARE ONE BODY WHETHER BLACK OR WHITE OR HISPANIC OR ASIAN OR INDIAN OR RICH OR POOR (verse 12)? WE ARE STILL ONE BODY! HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT THERE IS NOT ONE MEMBER BUT MANY (verse 14)? HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY WHO IS FIT FOR SERVICE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND WHO IS NOT (verses 15-17; 21)? HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THAT WE HAVE NO POWER OR AUTHORITY IN THIS MATTER, BUT ONLY GOD (verse 18)? HAVE WE FORGOTTEN IT IS GOD, WHO COMPOSES THE BODY OF CHRIST and not man (verse 24)? I think we have. I think too many leaders in the body of Christ are unconscious that their protocols and required certification and training programs are instruments they are using to usurp God’s right to choose. I am not saying these programs and protocols are not needed and are not useful. But we have crossed the line when we have said in our hearts this man or woman is unauthorized or unqualified to fulfill an assignment or pursue what’s driving them because they have not gone through or appointed or acknowledged by a more qualified brother or sister in the body of Christ. Just the same as we only have one President over the United States. We have only one God over the Body of Christ. Just the same there are rumors that the President of the United States own administration is usurping the President’s authority by removing paperwork from his desk that enables him to make decision for our country. So, too are leaders in the body of Christ are attempting to remove and push out chosen vessels by God by discrediting the person or ministry and what God had has placed in these ones. We are treading dangerous water and have forgotten our place and God’s authority.
In this season, the body of Christ is lost. We need to repent and discover what God is doing. To understand how God is calling all men and women in their assignments and respect and support what God is doing through them and how we can unify our tasks as one body. As a leader of what God has called me to do, I REPENT because my eyes have been opened. And I vowed to take God's direciton on this matter.