5 Practical Ways to Identify Our Calling

Our calling and ministry stems from our relationship with God. Maybe it would be better to say from God's relationship with us, which becomes manifest through our response to that call. In fact, God has called us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4, 1 Pet 1:20, Jer 1:5) but our response and involvement bring that call into life. I would like to share with you 5 practical ways to discover or receive confirmations regarding your own calling or purpose in ministry and life in general.

1. Prayer Life

Before praying and adopting or developing a practical life of prayer, one has to be discipled and has to learn how to pray. Although it is the Holy Spirit, who teaches us how to pray (John 14:26, Rom 8:26), but having a spiritual father is extremely important. I have learnt so many practical things from mine. If you keep asking questions or have problems that sound like this: "I get bored when I pray", "I fall asleep while praying", "I can't focus, my mind goes astray when praying", "I don't understand what the purpose of my prayer is", "I didn't receive anything from God during/after praying", you probably need to learn how to pray by praying with someone. It will still be the Holy Spirit who will guide you and teach you in a very special way that will feel "natural"to you, but accepting guidance and receiving counsel will help tremendously.

Why is this important? Because your ministry will offer the fruit of your prayer life. The preacher's sermon, the worship leader's song, the helper's service are all futile and of no effect without the fruit of prayer life. When we develop our own special prayer lifestyle, we can "naturally" offer Jesus to people as opposed to trying to "shove it in people's mouth" or even in our own mouths sometimes. Prayer will allow Christ that lives in us to manifest in all areas of our life. He will show up in our thinking, attitude, character, morals, relationships, health, wealth, etc... and truly be the hope of glory to the people around us.

Now the things that you pray about, the things that the Holy Spirit urges you to pray about play a very important role in identifying your calling. In some cases, God plainly reveals His goal for our lives by speaking to us in our spirit, by audible voice, visitation, vision, or dream. But that doesn't happen very often and it doesn't happen to most people. Only the Lord knows why.

2. You & The Bible

I remember a while back, Pastor Kevork had given me and others advice to read the Bible and take notes. His intention was for us to come face to face with how the Bible speaks to us, because it would present a direct image of how God speaks to us specifically, which may be distinct from other fellow ministers. This doesn't limit our calling or reduce anything from it. We keep on digging and discovering truth and mystery in more depth as we mature and gain experience. This doesn't necessarily drive us away to wrong or wrong personal interpretation of scripture either, especially when we are accountable and make our due diligence in studying the scriptures testing the spirits and testing what is good and from the Lord (1 Thes 5:21, 1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11).

Now when taking notes, writing commentaries, contemplating on the Word, sharing what you receive and accepting feedback and correction, you receive enlightenment, revelations, rhema words from God, you should write those down, or speak them into a voice recorder and contemplate on them. They will grow and unravel live a gift package. The receiving and unraveling are both a process that will give you a glimpse of the marvelous glory of God and that of yours as a king/priest made in His image.

Pastor Kevork has always rebuked and encouraged me to approach the scriptures like this. We might have tendencies to analyze, which is a good thing, but should never replace, but rather serve the further deepening of our relationship with the Word. The greatest temptation and downfall I have experienced is when I cling to other people's interpretations and commentaries and skip my duty and delight of receiving mine directly from Him. God Speaks! There's a thing that the Pastor always says that should serve as our motto: "God never stopped speaking!". His rhema words are true spiritual food. Let's feast on Him!

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.” (Prov 25:2-3)

3. Your Instincts

This brings us to my next point: Instincts. Although it is a very dangerous thing for carnal man to trust his carnal instincts, I believe that for a spiritual person to trust his spiritual instincts will make all the difference in the world. The difference between a copy and an original, the difference between timeless classics and quick commercial hits, the difference between living a life of confusion and a life of courage and confidence, the difference between a life headed towards its purpose and destiny and the one in stagnation is in the wise and flexible use of one's instincts.

Your instincts will tell you who you are. The use of your gifts in liberty will tell you what you are called to do. The gospel serves to desensitize us from the carnal, the temporal, the worldly and all that tries to control our lives and minds, in order to bring us into the bliss of heavenly life on earth. That is the atmosphere that activates our spiritual instincts.

4. Your Fruits

Fruits have both flavor and benefits. They come in different shapes, sizes and colors. They have distinctive aromas and nutrients. If you produce apples, then you are an apple tree. You can keep pretending to be an orange tree, when people around you have never tasted oranges from you. If you teach then you are a teacher. If you set foundations, then you are an apostle. If you rebuke and encourage, then you are a prophet. If you win people from the world and inspire them to turn to God, then you are an evangelist. If you father and take care of people's needs, then you are a pastor, and so on... All of these of course should be tested and confirmed by the church leadership. No one has the right to declare himself a prophet or apostle or pastor or teacher or evangelist, or a miracle worker, healer, helper, etc... without the church leadership confirmation.

Monitor your fruits. See what people around you say to you. Sometimes, we tend to dismiss anything that sounds like praise coming from the people we minister to, thinking that it will cause us to be prideful. We can always listen to learn how we are being used by God and keep giving God all the praise and glory.

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honored.” (Prov 27:17-18)

5. Your Perseverance

Finally, as the old saying goes: "only time will tell". In other words, it will always remain a mystery, but a mystery to be chased. So we don't sit down doing nothing, until time tells us what our calling is, but time and all the mysteries of life unravel to show us and those around us what it is precisely the calling and purpose of the Lord for our lives, as we walk in His promises day by day with all that we are in Him, a perfect creation, a masterpiece placed on earth to be refined and help those around us in the same process, living out God's dream by loving Him and the people around us. Blessings!

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." (1 Cor 2:7-10)