Prophecy

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In my time with the Lord Jesus this morning, I was reading again from Matthew 4:18-22 that says, “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19-And He said unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20-And they straightway (at once) left their nets, and followed Him. 21-And going on from thence (there), He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22-And they immediately (at once) left the ship and their father, and followed Him.”

HEAVEN MEETS HUMANITY:
I had read these Scripture’s over more than once in times past. I had even done some teaching in relation to Jesus making them fishers of men. But on this particular day, it caught my attention that these men just up and left their business and income, their father and everything to go with some man who came by and said, “follow me.” If somebody stopped by your business today and said to you, “follow me” and didn’t give you any reason why---no explanation of any kind, what would be your first reaction? Most of us would be asking this man some mighty important question. The first of which would be, “Are you crazy? Who are you, and what are you all about?”

As we saw from Scripture, Simon (Peter), Andrew, John and James didn’t ask the first question. When Jesus said, “Follow Me.” They were like, “Yeah! Sounds good to me. Let’s go!” Simon and Andrew had just cast their net in the sea but at the call of Jesus, they dropped the net, fish and all and took off. And what about John and James? Here they are in the family business with their father and at the moment, they’re helping him mend nets. This is the way they make a living to support their families.

But at the call of Jesus, they leave all of that along with the rest of the mending to their father and they follow Jesus. You have to admit that the actions of these men are a bit radical. You see, one of the first areas that the Lord dealt with in these fishermen was concerning money. Jesus said, "You can't serve God and mammon (money). Only one of them can be your God. In our call of destiny, the Lord Jesus deals with each of us no different. We also have to choose whom we're going to serve. "As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord!" I agree with Joshua.

As I read over these Scriptures again, I had a question. “Lord, what was it that made Simon, Andrew, John and James drop everything right now and follow You?” Never think that because you’ve studied Scripture for a while that you’ve come to a point of learning that you need no further help in understanding. In fact, never study without doing so with the Holy Spirit because He is our Teacher, Who is to lead us into all revelatory truth of the Logos Word of God.

After I had asked the Lord my question, I got still before Him to listen for His answer. He said, “It was a call of eternity and the spirit of man, despite himself, will respond to the call of eternity when he hears it. It was the call of destiny.” (Eph.1:4, says we’ve been chosen in Him before the foundation of the world). They were occupied until heaven and humanity would connect in them by My Spirit, and cause them to forfeit everything they held dear. Even their very lives.”

I could see where this was true because they had walked off and left families, homes and friends, not to mention their business.

The Lord continued, “When you hear the call of destiny and it resounds in your spirit, your spirit will rise up to answer it immediately. Earthly things will always lose their appeal quickly when you’ve caught a glimpse of heavenly things. It is in the call. And even if you don’t understand the why, you will follow that call of destiny.”

I understood what the Holy Spirit was saying about responding to the call of destiny despite yourself. I remember well how my spirit rose up to respond to the Lord’s call but my soul and flesh said, ’Wait a minute, I need time to think this over a bit.’ I was a lot like Moses at the burning bush saying, ‘Lord, I think you’ve got the wrong person. Can’t you send somebody else?’ But despite all I was saying in protest, my spirit was rising to the occasion and having a celebration at hearing this call of destiny.

In light of that, I answered, “That’s true, Lord. That’s true.” I waited to see if He was going to tell me anything else about this. I sensed that He had some more He wanted to say to me.

In knowing all things, He said, Your spirit-man will recognize things pertaining to destiny before your mind will. By your spirit, you recognize something greater---something on a much larger scale than you can imagine. Though you don’t understand all this call of destiny means, you know you must follow it now, wherever it leads. It lead’s to life in Me.”

(the Bible says, we live, breath and have our being in Him. He’s the way, truth and the life. He is the resurrection and the life. He is our very life).

“Many people become frightened when destiny calls them and they try to run from it. Jonah ran from My call of destiny on his life because he wasn’t fully agreed with My ways (Jonah 1:3). His disobedience brought him close to the jaws of hell. His obedience delivered him. (Jonah 1:17--2:9-10).

Peter is another example. Peter loved Me, but he was impetuous (marked by sudden and forceful energy, or emotion. Impulsive) and quick to act before thinking. He had much to learn in order to fit into the design and call of destiny on his life. In the process, he tried to run and leave his call lying in the dust of failures and disappointments.

There is no place that man can devise to go where I am not there by My Spirit. If he makes his bed in hell, I am there. If he ascends to the heavens, I am there also. If he runs to the far ends of the earth, I am there. My call of destiny is forever branded upon man’s spirit, and he will never know true peace until he surrenders fully to Me.” [the gifts and calling of God are without repentance--Roms.11:29].

I continued to be still and listen. “Take no thought for your life, because your life is hidden in Me. I am the Sustainer of life. I am the Giver of all life. Your life belongs to Me. The call of destiny that was upon My disciples, and upon the hearts of all people, is to come into close communion with Me. My call of destiny and purpose for your life, primarily is to walk with Me as My covenant friend.”

(Abraham was called the friend of God. Moses talked with God face to face as a friend. John 15:15 Jesus said, ‘I no longer call you servants but friends.’ (covenant friends--sons and daughters who serve).

The Lord concluded His expounding on the question I had asked by ending with a question. “How many are willing to answer this call?” I knew the Lord was speaking about, how many people would be willing to pay the price to come into that ‘secret place’ to commune intimately with Him? The cost is your life. He wants the total surrender of your heart to Him. He wants each of us to come in child-like faith and put ourselves into the loving hands of God, trusting that He will make us whole in Him, spirit, soul and body.

God told Abraham to walk before Him. The disciples were told to follow Him. But the Lord’s invitation to you and me today is to walk with Him in the close fellowship of a friend. This has been our call of destiny since the Garden of Eden when God started with Adam and Eve. This is our purpose and everything else concerning out mission in life will flow out of fellowship with God. What we do by revealing God’s heart of love for all people will be the result of walking close to Him as His covenant friends.

How about you? Can you hear His call of destiny upon your life? Can you hear Jesus calling you to you, “Follow Me?” If you hear the Holy Spirit’s voice today, harden not your heart but rather, drop everything immediately and say, “Yes. Wherever you lead, Jesus, I will follow.”

Prayer:

Father, in the matchless and mighty name of Jesus, I pray for those people that you’re sending out the call of destiny to by your Holy Spirit. I pray that their hearts will be yielding to receive You and say, ‘yes.’ I pray that the soil of their hearts would be good ground and ready to receive the seed of your spoken Word. That they would not only receive your Word but that they would conceive Your Word, and then birth into the earth the vision you place in their hearts.

You’ve already made provision for their vision. You are Our Provider of all things, blessing us with every spiritual gift and providing for our daily needs. Thank you for each one who hears your call of destiny to further advance your Kingdom rule in the earth. May all they do and say bring glory and honor to You. All praise and worship to You, Jesus. Our soon coming King. Amen.

Plain As Day Ministries

Shirley Williams

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