Called for Greatness

All through the ages, men and women have received instructions from God to carry out His specific assignments .
God's assignees are called or chosen by God to follow the path to greatness.
God's call is a glorious Call which bestows honour and privileges on those called and this includes the manifestation of growth, progress, excellence; unto glory and victory.
"Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified". Romans 8:30.
Who is "called" or "chosen" and who is not?
Are you born again and you are ,still, waiting with serious fasting and praying; for that special moment for God to "call" you? You are actually expecting to hear rumblings of thunder, lighting and a deep voice from Heaven saying, " THOU art my chosen one. I have called THEE to use THEE mightily.Slumberer arise from your deep slumber ! Now, you have my permission to start preaching"?
Maybe you intend to wait until after you have attended the Seminary or Bible College and then you have been anointed with "special oil", ordained and conferred with some big Church title, given Church robes,an altar or podium and microphone before you would start preaching the Gospel?
Some people even think they have not arrived yet, until they can afford to buy the biggest Bibles,Cable TV licence, the latest designer suits, shoes , the biggest and most outlandish ladies designer hats , to qualify them to preach.

The good news is, you do not need to go to all that trouble .
From the moment you made the decision to give your life to Jesus, the moment after you confessed Jesus with your mouth as your Lord and Saviour and believed in
your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you are saved .Romans 10:9.
You are born again and as such you are qualified and you are called to preach the Gospel and to win souls into God's kingdom.
You are therefore, CALLED as God's minister; a servant in His Church and you are His messenger and ambassador to the world.

When God calls a man , woman or child to carry out God's mandate , it is God's desire for them to be succeessful and be thoroughly equipped to manifest excellence and greatness in their lives and ministries .
In their lives, it should be evident that they have been called unto separation, redirection and upgrading; from their previous lifestyles, occupations and status.
The ability of The Chosen and Called Ones to become great in their roles of accomplishing God's assignment is assured because who God calls , He equips fully.
The Universal Divine call to all Mankind stated in the Word of God in John 3:16 , John 3:3 and Romans 10:8-11.
Then there is the call to all Believers in Matthew 28:18-20,Mark 16:15-18.
God calls people who He has chosen for specific assignments. Moses-Exodus 3:6-18.
Elijah the Tishbite, the "Fire Prophet" of Jehovah was chosen to do battle against the atrocities of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.1 Kings17:1.
God's Chosen Ones are special because out of many that were called, they are chosen by God for unusual assignments.
"Many are called but few are chosen". Matthew 22:14.
Jesus chose twelve apostles out of hundreds of His followers; Matthew 10:1-42; He chose Paul - Acts 26:14; Barnabas Acts 13:1-3 and Philip -Acts 8: 26-40 for great assignments.
Even today ,the Lord is still calling and choosing men, women and children for greatness.

Some people are chosen even before they were born for a particular Divine assignment. For these chosen ones, it would be evident to their families and all who know them, right from the early stages of their lives ; that God has chosen the path of their lives on earth and that they have been chosen for greatness.
Joseph manifested a remarkable anointing for greatness from an early age.
"Behold, this dreamer cometh!" Genesis 37: 9-11, 18-20.
Samson was born to save Isreal . Judges 13:1-5.
Samuel was chosen as a Prophet from childhood - 1 Samuel 3:7-10.
Prophets Isaiah (Isaiah 49:1-7) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) were born as Prophets to minister the Word of God and to reveal the mind of God to the rebellious nation of Israel.
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations".
Jeremiah 1:5.
John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit right from his mother's womb.
His birth and his ministry on earth was announced to his father Zacharias long before he was even conceived in his mother's womb. John was born for the sole purpose of preparing the hearts of the people and preparing the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.Luke 1:13-17.
The excellent ministry of John the Baptist was confirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ himself when He honoured and praised John publicly.Luke 7: 24-28.

Some chosen ones could grow to adulthood and even to middle age and they would be oblivious that they have been chosen by God for anything special.
They could be occupied and doing very well in their own chosen professions or callings ; or they could be set in their lifestyles which are very opposite to the path God has destined for them .
But, eventually ,in the fullness of His time, God would orchestrate events , a shaking , upheavals , a restlessness, a hunger and thirst in hearts of the chosen ones; and then they would receive the revelation of God's purpose .
These life-changing events and manifestations of the Called Ones could be dramatic and unexpected; leading to a complete turn-around to bring the chosen ones into their calling and into their destinies.
This was Paul's experience Acts 9:10-18.

It is the will of God that we remain and prosper in our calling.
God's invitation to greatness does not end with humans answering His call.
After conversion, a Christian should grow in faith.
The growth should be progressive; from being a new convert to being equipped enough to operate in at least one of the five ministry gifts of the Holy Spirit
in Ephesians 4:9-13 and the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:28-31. These gifts have been given to all believers for the edifying of the Church.
Believers are enjoined to covet and receive the anointing for greatness and excellence in performing the works of the Gospel.

There are rewards for the persons who are called and who remain steadfast in the Path of Greatness.
Like John the Baptist, there are persons in our world today who are making the Lord Jesus Christ very proud and winning His commendation because they have performed and are still performing excellently in the roles for which they were born , called or chosen; their roles which are, preparing the way for the second coming of the Lord.
Joseph's life story is one of the many success stories of those persons who were called and chosen and who carried out their divine assignments to the letter.
God would remain faithful to His promise and steadfast to His purpose in a person's life. God would not change his mind , even if the manifestation is delayed and even if earth , mankind, hell and demons join hands together to truncate destinies, they cannot derail the destiny of greatness of any human being chosen by God. The promise of God must surely be established .
John 10 :27 -30 .
"I am Joseph!" Genesis 45:3-15.

God cannot fail, and He cannot change his word concerning His purpose for anybody.
But human beings could fail God and cause delay , derailment and destruction of their own destinies; by quitting God's Path to Greatness.
As we journey along the Path to Greatness which God has appointed for us, at the end of our life journey ,what will be our testimony?
The choice is ours.
Choose the reward of catapulting divine promotion unto immense glory and honour which Joseph enjoyed.
"And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt". Genesis 41:41.
Choose the public commendation of the Lord," My son , my daughter,well done !" and the Lord shall give you the eternal crown which no man can take away from you.
Revelation 3:11.
Amen.