The Higher Calling of God
Mathew 4:18–25; Mark 1:16–45
The Higher Calling of God; there is always a room at the top. The better life can never be found anywhere else but in Jesus Christ. The high/ordinary call on Peter, Andrew, James and John were those of mere men, illiterate men, men of low estate, men of toiling, poor and wretched, vulnerable, men whose destinies were determined by the number of fishes they caught (Luke 5:5) where they toiled all night but caught nothing ,men whose livelihoods were dependent on the favour of the sea. Men who had issues (Mark 1:30). Peter’s mother-in-law was sick, Some of us have such issues.
Some of these issues are humanly unsolvable. There could be:
(1) Sickness
(2) Marital failure
(3) Wayward children
(4) Finances
(5) Addictions
(6) Toiling- labour so hard but nothing to show for it
Like Peter and the rest they were ordinary fishermen, In fact, to the Zebedee's, it was a family business and their situation grew so worse that were also net menders. Have you been toiling- laboring and instead for the situation to get better, it is growing worse?
Is your net torn all over and you are busy mending it? Are you going through one form of pain and you seem to have reached your wit’s end? Someone is calling you today to follow Him. His name is Jesus Christ. He said in I Peter 5:7 that casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Our father Abraham had a family issue Genesis 11:26,Tera did not give birth until age 70, Sara, Abraham’s wife had no children, (Genesis 16:1) and the story of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:21–34. These are real stories but someone changed their stories from mere humans, sick humans to, fathers of many nations, healthy people, His name is Jesus Christ.
The higher calling to a better life is unto service, What is service? It means meeting the only need of human race. What/who does humanity need? Jesus! He told Peter follow me. It means look Peter, Andrew, James and John what you are presently doing is not the purpose why I created you. Your purpose is higher than this, your purpose is to do the impossible for men. Your purpose is to:
(1) Heal the sick
(2) Set the captive free
(3) Preach the good news
(4) The higher purpose to do My will
The purpose of God for all of us is to win souls, that is why He opened our eyes to see His divine light, win souls in your office, neighbourhood, schools, business areas and conversations etc. win souls anywhere you are.
How?
Use any available opportunity
Abilities, intellect, skills, attitude, knowledge
Testimonies
The higher calling is for services. Peter and the rest left all to follow Christ
Paul did the same thing. Abraham left all. Our Lord Jesus Christ left all the glory above for services
What then Qualifies me to serve, you may ask?
(1) Be Born Again — John 3:3
Peter and the rest performed miracles because they first met Jesus Christ.
Even the shadow of Peter healed the sick Acts 5:12–16
So the first thing is for you to genuinely say YES to Jesus Christ
(2) Obedience
I Samuel 5:22 to obey is better than sacrifice and to harken than the fat of ram. Obedience simply means living a holy life and holiness simply means obedience to God not to men/world but to God. You must be willing to do according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit; Obedience is key. Immediately God called Abraham he left everything behind. Peter and the rest left everything too. In fact, the sons of Zebedee left their father in the boat to follow Jesus. If we must come up higher then, we must leave every other thing behind 2 Corinthians 5:17. A life in Jesus Christ is a new slate of life
It is not a religious life but a transformational life. Once you are in Christ, there must be a change. In Genesis 24:1 Abraham was blessed in all things because he obeyed.
Same with all those that Jesus healed, no one in the Holy Bible who had this genuine encounter ever remained the same. Paul, a persecutor of the Church was changed to a preacher. There is no short cut to anything except in Christ.
(3) Faith
The higher calling is a calling unto faith. Not what the eye can see but unto what the human eyes cannot see Hebrew 11:1,6, Faith as defined by Bishop Oyedepo, in operating in the consciousness of the invisible God at work which empower you to dare the undoable and accomplished the impossible. It is even impossible to please God without faith,
Even in faith, we must aim higher because there levels of faith:
· No faith
· Little faith
· Great faith
The higher calling is unto great faith, Faith in fact, is the currency with which we buy things in the market of God. All that you desire can be yours if only you have faith.
Your desires for:
1. Healing
2. Freedom from every form of oppression
3.
Forgiveness of sins you must believe in the finished work of
4. Living a holy life Christ to wash away your sins.
Make every effort to add unto faith:
(4) Patience Hebrew 6:12 & 15
To operate in your higher callings, we must be patient as Abraham was. Unfortunately, our world is a world of speed where you must have it now. Some even give God ultimatum, God you must do it within a specified period. Yes, there is room for desperation in prayers and fervency but not in bossing God.
Remember God is not a man that He should lie neither the son of man that He should repent if He has said it, then He will do it. Trust Him for all.
Patience is one of the fruits of the spirits in Galatians 5:22–23, James 1:3–4
The product of our faith is patience. In times of trouble, we should be joyful
Let patience and not passion be set to be at work in us in troubled times.
Note
The Higher your expectations, the higher your patience
(5) Grace:
Another higher calling is unto Grace not unto the law, but unto the unmerited favour of God.While the lower calling is unto the law and self-righteousness, the higher I unto the total dependence on the grace and mercy of God. It is not by our power but His Grace & Mercy. Our service is therefore borne out of humility and not pride.
(6)The higher calling is unto Praise and Worship I Peter 2:9 For He has called us from darkness unto His marvelous light. Not unto complain and murmuring but thanksgiving. Not unto human’s effort. Not unto human understanding, expertise. John 1:17 “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We owe all to His divine Grace Ephesians 2:8. We are saved by Grace. The Higher Grace is not unto “I did it” but unto “God did it”It is unto I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me.
Praise God
Glory be to God
Thank You Jesus!!!
