Calling and Purpose

2 Tim 1:9
NKJV
"...who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began..."

Bible in Basic English
"Who gave us salvation, marking us out for his purpose, not on account of our works, but in the measure of his purpose and his grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal"

The Message
"who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it."

The Amplified
[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].

Websters 1828 Dic says that calling can also mean:
Summons
"A call by authority or the command of a superior to appear at a place named, or to attend to some public duty."

Something else to consider. Plumbers aren't known as plumbers because they have a shirt that says "Plumber" on it. They aren't ultimately known as plumber because they drive a "Plumbing" truck. Those things give initial understanding. Ultimately a plumber is a plumber because he does the work of a plumber. If he has all the tools, trucks, shirts, and dressings of a plumber but doesn't know how to do the work the whole ensemble doesn't do him much good. Advertising will get him some initial business but eventually his reputation will precede him. However you could also meet a man who doesn't drive a specially labeled truck or have a special uniform. But if he shows up with just a few tools and gets the job done, quickly and efficiently,  you will know he was a plumber.

What does this mean to us? You may be "Called" to pastor. But if you are not doing the work of a pastor than you are not in fact fulfilling your calling. Likewise you may be doing the work of a pastor but not be "Called" a pastor by others. Your work defines that you are in fact walking as a pastor. "Ye shall know them by their fruit (which is their work)"

Kenneth Hagin wrote a book on the subject called: "Plans Purposes and Pursuits". There is also a teaching on that subject I found on You Tube for your listening pleasure.

Philippians 2:13
For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.

We are summons to purpose. Calling and Purpose are progressive. You never stop seeking God regarding your calling, purpose, and next assignment. You are always seeking God for a deeper understanding of your calling and purpose and to walk in a deeper level of your calling and purpose and you next assignment. Kenneth Hagin talks about the phases of the ministry he was in. He talks of how the whole first years of him pastoring a church and then leaving to do road ministry. He says that the time he started his road ministry was him ENTERING his first phase of his calling. He hadn't even entered into his calling until that point. Everything else was warm up!

"Grace and Peace" are the greeting of most of the New Testament letters. The Favor of God brings the Shalom of God (Nothing Missing Nothing Broken). We do all we do by these. We don't work in OUR power and ability but in His!

His Power works in your to do! (Great short article on this from Joe Purcell)

Philippians 2:8-18
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing

Ephesians 3:15-21
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us

He works in us both to WILL AND DO His good pleasure. Another way to say this is that His purpose in us is both birthed in us by Him and then completed and accomplished through us by Him. His good pleasure is THE BLESSING in us and us. Whatever specific tasks He has called us to accomplish will be in us to do. We don't have to fret

Calling connections. You have connections to people and ministries. Sometimes these connections are for a season and sometimes they are for lifetime. These connections are calling. I know for myself the day I heard summer of 2003 as I listened to the West Coast Believers Conventions on MP3 I made a connection that would last a lifetime and beyond to Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Copeland Ministries. I consider him an extended part of my family. There are many fine ministers out there that I have submitted to, some better than others. There are many people in the world preaching the gospel that are worthy of honor and respect, both for their position and work. But I am forever partnered to and connected with Kenneth Copeland.Whether I meet him in person or not he is a spiritual member of my family. Those types of connections happen in life. Other times you are connected with a church or ministry and you may be there for a season. When your "Purpose" there is done your calling there has ended and you move on.

Some people called to full time ministry miss this point. They either leave too early because they know they are called to ministry or the Sr. Pastor role or they stay to late and should have left long ago.This happens because they haven't identified their purpose/calling at the church they serve at and the Pastor they serve under. Once they identify their calling/purpose there, they can understand when that has come to a close.

Ultimately though, we are all called to one highest calling. There is one thing that all believers have been called to. Independent of giftings and leading's. There is one thing that unites us all and one thing we pursue together.

1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Colossians 2:3-6
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,


We are called into the Fellowship of the God's Son! Fellowship is an interesting word.

1 Corinthians 1:9 Interlinear
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christour Lord.

Fellowship in the Greek here is: Koinonia Defined by Association, Community, Communion, Joint participation, and Intercourse. This intimate word shows us the level of intimacy Jesus would have us come into with him. It's the same emotional intimacy as that between a man and his wife, but closer and deeper still.

What you don't need in marriage to have a good relationship is atmosphere. Your dates don't have to involve flying off to Paris. By creating and maintaining intimacy in marriage you can have the best time in the world just sitting on your porch together. Then when atmosphere is increased, like a cruise or trip to Paris, the enjoyment factor is so much better because intimacy was already there. So in prayer life, you can build on intimacy with Jesus and then atmosphere will create itself over time. You don't need the right worship song, or dark or light or anything outer or external.

Atmosphere doesn't create intimacy, but intimacy enhances atmosphere. 

Peter walked on the water with Jesus. But he didn't really walk on the water. He walked on THE WORD. Notice though that he didn't just hop out of the boat when he saw Jesus. And some of us aren't ready to jump out of the boat and walk on water just yet. He inquired of the Jesus first. "Is it ok if I come out..." You can inquiry boldly but still not be sure it's a great idea. Only after getting the green light from Jesus did Peter venture out. We must learn to fellowship with Jesus until we get good at hearing his call. Trust, which is Faith, comes from Fellowship. Walking begins by seeking.

Notice even with the Israelites coming out of Eygpt, there was a process that God took them in because they were so highly developed in fear.

1. Come out of Eygpt
2. Walk this path
3. Camp by the sea
4. Then cross the sea...

We often make more of what "The Greats" did in times past. We get a sort of Technicolored ideal of what happened. I think of the story Kenneth Copeland told on New Years Eve about a time when a young man who had some financial difficulties was staying with him. I was thinking to myself... "Didn't this man realize he was staying with THE Kenneth Copeland?" My wife laughed at me. "Honey, he wasn't THE Kenneth Copeland at that time. He was some guy who was studying the Word in his garage with a TV that was broken and only showing half a picture. We get the idea that people are born great or have always operated at high levels of faith. When in fact they are men, who took the Word of God, Fellowshipped with Jesus and grew in Faith. Abraham didn't know everything about Jesus and the Holy Spirit and the church when God came to him in Ur/Haran and said "Come". He just got a simple direction and obeyed. He grew in his understanding of what would come of it over time with each new decision. Some were not such great decisions (like Ishmael). Some were better decisions, like changing his name and calling himself the father of many nations which birthed Isaac. It was decisions along the way that led to Abraham becoming the Father of Faith.

Don't embellish what The Greats did/do. Just tell it like it is and then follow the pattern of faith left for you. Fellowship with Jesus becoming like Him! Then you too can walk in the things of God! 

Darrell G. Wolfe

Plans Purposes Pursuits Kenneth Hagin part 1 of 31