Knowing Your Call
Isaiah 41:1-7
1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.
2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.
4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
6 They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.
7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.
I have entitled this today: “Knowing Your Call”
In our opening Scripture, God is speaking through Isaiah.
The idea of this passage is that before God man has no argument.
In Isaiah 41:2 when it says: Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings?
It would seem, that according to verse eight, the righteous man was Abraham, whom God called His friend.
He was called from the East in Righteousness to Jehovah’s foot, for God said to him, According to Genesis 17:1 “walk before me and be thou perfect”.
God made him ruler over kings for they became dust to his sword and as stubble to his bow.
Isaiah 41:3says: He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.
Abraham was willing to pursue Lot when he was taken captive by the 4 kings.
God intervened in the life of Abraham because Abraham was considered a friend of God.
Abraham, by no means, was perfect but he was willing to strive to do whatever it was that the Lord wanted him to do.
Isaiah 41:1:4
4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
The generation’s chosen from the beginning were the children of Abraham; for they were in their fathers loins when God chose them.
Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Before you were in your mother’s womb God knew you, before you came out of the womb God has sanctified you and ordained you to do work for you.
God has a will for your life and He has a call for you this morning.
Ro 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
We have to learn to ‘press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.
We have to learn to press, push and not give up when situations arise in our lives that we do not understand.
God has given you something this morning. Hold onto it and don’t let go at any price.
Look at Isaiah 41:10
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
The progression in this verse is precious: “I am with you” but He comes yet nearer: “I will strengthen thee;
And He comes yet closer, “I will help thee; yea,”and finally He throws His arms around His child and says, “I will uphold you.”
God is our Rock; He is our shelter from the storm.
God has a call for your life and He wants you abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
What have you been called to do? And are you abiding in that call?
If you’re not sure what your call might be, are you asking God what it is?
Lu 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Re 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Jesus is standing at our door and He really does knock. If we hear His voice and open the door we will sup with him, and him with us.
I have entitled this today: “Knowing Your Call”
Dream 2-20-09
I dreamed that Susan and I were at some kind of convention. We were sitting by a lady author that Susan had heard of. This lady had a baby. The lady told me there was a man there who was high up in the organization, and he was going to talk to all the pastors and ask them how they knew that they were to be pastors. It made me nervous. The lady then got up and moved because the baby got fidgety. I got up, went to her and told her how God had called me in a dream to be a pastor. I was getting excited.
Interpretation
Ro 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
1Co 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. }
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
God is the one who called me to do what I am doing and no matter who I talk to I don’t have to worry.
Famous or not, it does not matter. God is the one who will help me even in my time of questioning in my life.
In the dream I shared how I was called to preach so I will share it with you.
Preaching Through A Dream
Around 13 years ago, God called me to preach. My sister and brother-in-law were at our apartment. My sister asked me when I was going to get busy. I changed the subject. I knew that she meant preaching the Gospel. When they left that night, I told my wife if God wanted me to preach, then He would have to literally tell me, or give me a dream telling me that He wanted me to preach. I felt that I had done too many bad things in my life for God to use me in this way. That night, I went to bed and God gave me a dream. It was a very real dream.
I dreamed that I was at a great big church. We were sitting in the middle section. All of a sudden, I put my arms in the air, praising the Lord, and a light illuminated my body. I started to say, "I’m going to be a preacher! I’m going to be a preacher!" I said this over and over. I put my hands down, and asked my wife what I saying. Was it that I was going to be a preacher of that church? She said, "No, you said that you were going to be a preacher." I was focusing on the preacher of that church, I was wondering what he thought about what was going on. We were leaving the church; we walked to the church entrance/exit, and the greeter said to me, "Congratulations brother". His hand was outstretched. He shook my hand. I woke up!
I know what my call is, and I know as long as I stay faithful to God then He will continue to take me up in the things of Him.
2Ti 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day
Ro 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Ga 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
We are the seed of Abraham, Abraham was a friend of God, so we can be a friend of God.
Ga 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
If He has promised you something, then He is able to bring it to pass.
Trust in His Word, believe in what He says.
Know that “with God all things are possible” even when it looks impossible.
God will take impossible situations and will make something good take place.
Hold onto your God-given dreams and never let go. In God’s time, if you stay faithful to Him, He will do what it is that He has spoken to you.
I did not say that we would never mess up. Abraham did but He believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
There will be times after God speaks to you that you will mess up, but if you continue not to give in to the temptations that come against you, and live for Jesus He will bring to pass what has been revealed.
De 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Do you know what your call is that God has given you?
Don’t let people scare you into thinking you are not what you are supposed to be in Him.
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
We are the sheep of God and we can hear His voice. God knows us and we have to continue to follow Him.
Abraham was a friend of God and so we can be a friend of God.
We become His friend by taking His Word and living what He says to do.
The closer I draw nigh to God, the closer He will draw nigh to me.
Do you know your call?
Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
God knew who you were before you were in your mother’s womb, He called you, sanctified you, and ordained you to do something for Him.
Do you know your call?
Are you listening to His voice?
Ask, seek and knock!
God will show you what it is that He has for you to do.
Closing
How will you know what the perfect will of God is for your life?
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Knowing Your Call!
If you are interested in seeing some God given dreams given to me and others in our church go to:
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/w/windoffaithdrea/
Go to the new text page for the God given dreams.
