"Called to be an Apostle" (Rom 1:1)

Grace & Apostleship

“[...] Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name” (Rom 1:5)

As children of God, we have received grace and apostleship.

In the original Greek text of the New Testament the word “charis” (χάρις) is used for grace, which means favor, thanks, good will, loving kindness and the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace.

And the word “apostole” (ἀποστολή) is used for apostleship, which means Sending off of a fleet, of consuls (diplomats) with an army, i.e. of an expedition. 

Therefore, it is important to know our identity and ability in Christ and pursue our mission of apostleship, by growing in grace, so that God may be glorified through our lives.

The Plan of Satan

Satan wants to use our graces or gifts for his glory, by tempting us with worldly pleasures and by putting many kinds of pressure on our lives in order to stray us from our mission of apostleship.

In the broad way of the world, the Lord Jesus encourages us to enter through the narrow gate, because that is the way that leads to life. (Mt 7:13-14)

The Lord Jesus sends us off into the world by advising us to be wise and harmless or innocent. (Mt 10:16)

Satan plans to steal our innocence with his lies, in order to leave us handicapped and unable to complete our mission of apostleship.

Daniel’s Decision

As you seek to lead your everyday life by using your God-given graces or gifts, the enemy approaches to besiege your life, just as Nebuchadnezzar surrounded Jerusalem  in order to seize it (Dan 1:1)

He is after your graces or gifts, just as Nebuchadnezzar took hold of the most gifted and able young men among the Israelites, in order to train them to serve him in his kingdom, in high ranks in his palace. (Dan 1:3-4)

And finally, he wants to tempt, seduce and promise a false and fleshly rest. (Dan 1:5)

But we have power through the enabling grace of God, to confront the enemy.

«But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.» (Dan 1:8)

Daniel, by faith, used the power of God that was in him, to say “No!” to Satan’s plan.

As those called to be apostles, Daniel behaved as a diplomat and told the chief of the eunuchs: “Please test your servants for ten days ... And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies” (8-16)

Daniel used the grace of God, because he had taken on himself the calling of apostleship. Oftentimes, we may fall and ask God for power, but the Lord’s answer is clear in the scriptures: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor 12:9)

As Daniel and his friends stood firm in their apostleship,

·        “God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom.” (17a),

·        “Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” (17b)

·        And “in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.” (20)

In miraculous ways, God used these 4 men to witness to the world around them. He even used them to bring the greatest tyrant of all times, the King Nebuchadnezzar, to repentance.

Apostle Paul’s Instruction

The world promises us high ranks, riches, a good social life, at the expense of our God-given graces and robs us of our purpose in apostleship or stray us away from our mission.

For this reason, the apostle Paul warns Timothy of shipwreck (1 Tim 1:18-20) and instructs him to wage the good warfare with prophecies (18) and keep the faith and a good conscience. (19)

The reasons of shipwreck are the following:

1.      Robbed by Pirates

2.      Abandoned

3.      Sunk under the sea

As we set sail and embark on our mission, we will come across demonic attacks, which like the pirates of old times will attempt to rob us from our faith and good conscience.

As ships used to fight back these pirates with canons, we should likewise use our grace or gifts, and with the explosive power of the Gospel fight the good fight (Rom 1:16) , releasing prophecies against the forces of darkness.

Our decision and determination is our strength. We will use God’s grace in our lives, for His glory. Our mission will reach its destination and God will be glorified.