The three-fold calling of God is, first of all, an invitation to know Him, Second, to allow Him to shape your identity to reflect the image of His Son and third, it is also a command to do the works He prepared for you (see Ephesians 2:10).
Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3
The phrase “to “know” in this verse means to have a deep relationship with and to be intimately acquainted with. Your God-given calling is a dependent of your relationship with Him. The more time you spend with Him and come to know Him, the more He reveals your calling to you. But to walk it out will cost you your former life.
The Apostle Paul describes this as the upward calling of God,
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:10-14
The fact that Paul uses the word upward means getting to know God is a climb and a journey. The higher you go the less you can carry with you but you gain so much more than you give up.
As you give up your life to gain the life in Christ that you have been invited to you begin to be conformed to His image.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30
The word conformed means to be shaped or fashioned after. As you yield to Him, God will mold you into the woman He called you to be through the transforming the power of His love, acceptance, and beauty.
Realizing your identity in Christ and stepping into your position of authority and victory in Him equips to do what God called you to do. This is the hope of your calling,
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:17-18
We all get excited when God begins to show us the plans He has for us and sometimes we get ahead of His process.
However, trying to live out our calling to do what God called you to do apart from knowing God and becoming who He called you to be, it’s like putting the cart before the horse – backward and a recipe for going nowhere. I know I’ve been there.
Beloved, He knows exactly what you need to be prepared and when you are ready to move on to each stage of your calling and fulfill your purpose in His plan. As you lean into His lead, little by little He will get you there.
P.S. If this post blessed you please leave a comment, like, and share.
BTW, Called Conference 2019 tickets are now on sale. Our line up of powerful speakers and teachers will be released this month.
We have limited seating so get your ticket early.
God spoke to me at the beginning of this year and said, “Better, not bigger.”
So, expect the conference to better than last year, deeper worship, more applicable teachings, hands-on activities and a time of activation to equip you and help you conquer whatever may be holding you back from enjoying your calling and living out God’s plan in your present season.
Blessings!
Krista
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