Mark 3: 13-17 The Calling of Harvesters
13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house. NKJV
I want you to notice what Mark says here: “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him” (emphasis mine)
The calling of God is always to go higher. If there is one word or phrase, I sense the Holy Spirit speaking to me for this season it’s “spiritual maturity” While God calls all men and women to come to Him for salvation, there are some He calls to a higher level of purpose. With that higher call comes a higher responsibility.
You can’t take people where you have not been or are not willing to go yourself.
Paul said it best in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. Many other versions use the phrase “upward call” which is a correct translation. I don’t have time to unpack everything I see in this passage, but for this newsletter and in this scripture, the question is what does His call entail for us?
1.They we should be with Him
I know from personal experience, it’s very easy to get so caught up in the administration of a ministry that we fail to remember our first responsibility as a Kingdom leader is to BE WITH HIM.
Many years ago, a man asked me point blank, “what is the main thing God has called me to do?” I instantly said “to seek His face and to be with Him…” The man began to laugh and make fun of me saying, He’s called all of us to do that, but what is it specifically God has called you to do?
I understand what he was saying, but again, it kind of chapped me; not it really confused me for a time. This guy evidently was so focused on “working for the Lord,” that he didn’t get we are supposed to “be” before we can “work” for Him.
It’s being with Him daily that gives us our marching orders, our direction, and our empowerment to accomplish His Kingdom purposes.
One lady leader told a friend of mine once “get alone with Him and get at least one word from Him…when you get that word, then run it that word!”
2.He might send them forth to preach
I hate to say this, but after many years in ministry this can become easy. We should feed ourselves with the Word of God so there will be an overflow to preach from.
I remember years ago Holy Spirit posed a question to me:
“If I were to ask you to preach out of the overflow in your life,
1.Would there be an overflow?
2.What would that overflow produce?
3.Would people receive something tangible from that overflow?
Is there an overflow in your life that produces life in others you encounter on a regular basis?
3.And to have power to heal and to cast out devils.
The ministry of Jesus was preaching, teaching, and healing. It’s become very easy for us to make excuses for why God IS NOT doing something than to tell people how He WILL do it; then get out of the way and allow that demonstration to take place.
I have been meditating on this passage for several months now and I keep asking God, “Father, am I missing something here? Is there something I need to do in order to position myself to receive this type of anointing? Is it more fasting & praying that brings it? (I absolutely believe in fasting & prayer) Or is that a more works-based mindset? My cry is that we will become vessels He can trust to restore a mighty healing anointing through in this season. God position us and use us to relieve the suffering of mankind!
I think it really goes back to point #1: He ordained them that they might be with Him….
I am grateful God has called many of you reading this newsletter to do a great work for Him. But never forget, none of us will ever accomplish anything lasting for Him unless we first learn to be with Him.
