Understanding Divine Assignment
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1–10; Jeremiah 1:4–10; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
INTRODUCTION
The Church is a divine institution, and every member is a part of its structure. However, a common crisis in the modern church is the misunderstanding of “The Call.” We often confuse baptism with a call to the altar. Just because you have been washed by the water does not mean you have been called to the pulpit. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 7:20, “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.”
I. TWO DIMENSIONS OF THE CALL
There is a fundamental difference between being called to Salvation and being called to Ministry.
The Call to Salvation: This is the general call to follow Jesus, to be saved, and to bear the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). You can spend years baptized but never changed because God is still “fixing” you before He “commissions” you.
The Call to Ministry: This is the specific assignment. Not everyone is an Apostle. Not everyone is a Pastor. The danger is when a singer is “promoted” to a Pastor by men, but God called them to lead worship. We must not do what we believe we should do; we must do what we were called to do.
“If you are teaching without a teaching grace, there is no power. But when the called doctor or teacher speaks, the power of God is felt because the Anointing follows the Assignment.”
II. THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE CALL: SAMUEL’S EXAMPLE
In 1 Samuel 3, we see that Samuel was sleeping in the Temple near the Ark of the Covenant (Sanduku ya Agano).
The Presence Proximity: Samuel received his “experience” and “exposure” because he lived in the presence of God. You cannot hear the voice of God if you are not in the environment of God.
Different Graces: Two evangelists may be called, but their preaching will differ. One may reach the drunkards and thieves, while another reaches the intellectual. Romans 12:6 says, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.” Do not compare your grace to another man’s results.
III. THE SOURCE OF THE CALL: GOD VS. MAN
A Pastor does not “give” you a ministry; a Pastor reveals what God has already placed in you.
Divine Revelation: Just as Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse to find David, he first looked at the “big children” (the older brothers). But God said, “Look not on his countenance… for the LORD seeth not as man seeth” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Exact Obedience: Many are doing the work, but not according to God’s way. If God tells you to look for the “David” who is in the field, do not try to anoint the “Eliab” who is in the house.
IV. THE SACRIFICE AND THE GROWTH
Ministry is not a life of misery, but it is a life of discipline.
The Fasting Test: I remember the 3-day fast where 45 started and few remained. When the Holy Ghost asked, “Who ate?” it was a test of honesty and spirit. If you are a preacher and you lack the discipline of prayer and fasting, your words will have no weight.
The Growing Call: As with Jeremiah, God says, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee” (Jeremiah 1:5). You may feel young or hidden now, but the day will come when the calling inside you grows so large that everyone will know you.
V. SEVEN TYPES OF “CALLINGS” (The Warning)
We must distinguish between the true and the false:
Self-Called: Those who call themselves because the church is weak.
Neighbor-Called: Like the angels who praised Lucifer until he thought he was a god (Ezekiel 28). Beware of people who praise you into a position God didn’t give you.
World-Called: Those who enter ministry for material influence or “overflowing cups” of money. Abraham was called to be a blessing, not just to have things.
School-Called: Theology is good, but a Master’s degree cannot make you an Apostle. Many have degrees but end up in dark circles because they have the head-knowledge but not the Spirit.
Dream-Called: God can give a book’s worth of vision in a 5-minute sleep.
Instruction-Called: Doing exactly what God said, not your own things.
God-Called: Like Saul on the road to Damascus—a direct encounter that changes everything.
CONCLUSION: FINISHING THE MISSION
People say Samson failed, but the Bible shows he finished his mission. In his blindness and his lowest moment, he cried out, “God, remember me!” (Judges 16:28). He did more in his death than in his life because he finally aligned with his calling.