There is a link between separation and your calling. Separating because if
as much as you are called for something in God, you have to separate from what is
not of God or what is not your calling. That doesn't mean holier-than-thou.
I separate from everybody. It means from separating from that which is either not
God's will or is not God's best so you can fulfill the calling that is God's best.
You are separated from something and you're separated to something.
So whenever you're gonna be used for God you have, there's a holy consecration.
You have to be separated for these things to happen. And so ... sometimes people
think holiness is just about that. Just about ... I don't do this anymore.
I don't do this anymore. Well that's great that you don't do that anymore.
But holiness is primarily not just about what you have been separated from
but what you are separated for. It's what you do in God that is holy. For the work
that I have called them says the spirit. So here they are, when you're freed up, when
you have gotten that sin out of your life, you've gotten that, that, that
activity out of your life, you have now extra time, extra energy. Replace it with
doing God's will. Don't just not, I don't do this anymore.
That is giving you energy, time, and focus and devotion to be able to be spent
on the will of God. Replace the things that you've gotten out of your life with
things that are of God. And that's also another way not to go, that'll help you not,
never go back. Because you've replaced it with something good.
For the purpose I have called them. What's the purpose here? This is
the Great Commission. Now what it's saying, for the purpose I have called them,
meaning, I've called them Barnabas and Saul from the moment they were conceived
in their mother's womb. I called them for a purpose. But it's only going to be
fulfilled now as they go forth in the Great Commission. That tells you something,
You have a purpose that God has called you to. God has a purpose
for your life. But you can only fulfill it by walking in the will of God. And what is
the center of the will of God? The Great Commission. Go. Be a light to the world.
Be a light. Spread the gospel. Minister. Walk in his will. It's the only way you can
fulfill the calling that he gave you, and the purpose that you are on earth for.
The purpose for which I have called them. It's a long Greek name ...
... which means not just call, but to which I've called them to myself.
There's a link between fulfilling your calling, ministering, and drawing near to God.
Drawing near to God is crucial for you to fulfill your calling. Because it's
you know ... you are called to him first.
You know the priests of Israel were those who ministered for God. They were
also those who were given access to go into the presence of God. The more you
are in the presence of God, the more your devotion, the greater your devotion and
love for God, the more you can fulfill, the more your calling will be fulfilled.
The more you will min ... and you can't minister to somebody if you're not
ministered to... you only minister what you have been ministered to.
So it is crucial for ministers to have a secret place. For, and when I say
ministers, that's every one of you. Every one of you is called to ministry.
The more you are to bear fruit the deeper must be your roots. The deeper your roots
the greater your fruit. Period. And you can lose sometimes the Lord of
the ministry in the ministry of the Lord. Sometimes you can get so wrapped up in,
I'm doing, I'm doing, I'm doing, that you miss that. You need both. You need to
first be in his presence and get closer and deeper and the more you do that
the more it's gonna lead you to fulfill your calling. So it's no accident that
the priests of Israel were especially given a secret place. You need a secret place.
They were in the holy place. And the importance also of something else.
Notice Paul ... of anybody who is as powerful as Paul and he was being taught
and prepared by God. But even with all that he could never fulfill his calling
until Barnabas brought him to Antioch. Until he was part of the body.
When I came to the Lord God showed me things and taught me. And I had a great time
with the Lord. I visited some churches. I had friends, and ... But,
my calling was never fulfilled until I became part of the body. And what I mean by that,
I mean an active part. The Lord took me step by step.
And in the beginning I was asked, well why do I have to do this? Why do I have to become
a member and all. It's not about, it's not about a certificate. It's not about
status. It's about fulfilling your calling. And that is God has ordained.
And some of you have been on the sidelines. And then somebody said, I don't know
I don't want to commit. You know in America we are very individualistic. We are very
hey, I, I don't want to get involved. I don't want to ... But you will never feel your calling
because God has ordained that through the body of all the callings together
God fulfills your calling. I could not fulfill my calling. Whatever God's done
in my life happened through the body. It happened only when I did that. God has
ordained. And I'm not saying this, this is a plug for membership. Doesn't matter
where you are, you need to be part. And that is what it's about.
We are not an audience. You are ministers. We are here to equip you. You'll fulfill
your calling. If you're on the sidelines, get off the sidelines and get on
to the field. And ... we'll help you with that ...
membership. But now, so what did they do?
They fasted again now. They've been fasting. They fast again. And now it's not
recorded that God tells them exactly what He has called them for. He just says
here, separate them, they got to go. And yet God is going to reveal everything
step by step. And it's very rare that God gives you every detail of what you're
gonna do. I mean sometimes God does give things. Sometimes God gives words and God
gives something that we know that there's, there's certain, certain knowledge was
given to me years and years ago about some things of what would happen, but I
didn't know the details. I didn't know how it would happen. The thing is God
gives you the step. Obey the next step. Obey the next step and it's gonna lead
you to the next step. And it will keep on going. When I was called, when I, when I
you know, you know when I was first called I, I gave my yes to God. I mean when
I knew it was him. But I didn't know where he was leading me, you know. And only and
if God told me everything I don't know what I would have said. But, but if I knew
everything. But he doesn't tell you everything. He didn't tell Abraham
everything. He didn't tell any of them everything. Take the step you know you
need to take. Did Abraham really know where he was going? No. David really didn't
know all that it would be. The point is obey. Obey what you know
is the will of God for your life right now and God will lead you into the will
of God that you don't know. To find out how you can receive more of Jonathan's
teachings, to receive special free gifts or get in touch, go to Hopeoftheworld.org,
or call toll-free 1 (800) YESHUA-1. That's Hopeoftheworld.org, or call
1 (800) YESHUA-1. That's 1 (800) 937-4821.
You can also get more at Jonathan Cahn's Facebook page, or write us direct
at Hope of the World, Box 1111, Lodi, New Jersey 07644-USA.
Hope of the World is dedicated to the goal of spreading God's Word and
salvation to every land and people. We do this by spreading the word throughout
the world and sponsoring compassion projects to the most poor and needy
around the earth. To get in touch or have a part in God's work, just write to,
Hope of the World, Box 1111, Lodi, New Jersey 07644-USA, or go to Hopeoftheworld.org.
Or call 1 (800) YESHUA-1. That's 1 (800) 937-4821.