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ARE YOU CALLED TO BE A MISSIONARY?

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(1 Cor 1:1) Paul, called to be an apostle…

Have you ever had the impression that you might be a missionary someday?  Is your heart burdened for the lost that are from a different culture?  Do you maintain a keen interest in reaching a group of people that stand in need of Christ?  Then you might be harboring a call to be a missionary.  So how do you know and what might be some things to think about?

IMPRESSION – Many times it works like this:  God will give you compassion for a certain group of people that just won’t go away.  You hear about them and you just can’t stop thinking about them.  You begin to pray for them.  You study their culture.  You talk to your friends about them.  It could be that God is putting desires in your heart.  So the best thing to do is wait on the Lord and to just seek Him in prayer and ask Him to direct your path if this is His will. (Psa 25: 4-5, 27:14; 37:4; Jer 29:13).

CONFIRMATION – As you are in this mode of seeking the Lord and praying, keep your eyes open.  If this calling is from God you will begin to see confirmations along the way.  You will keep hearing about that country or culture or people group when you weren’t even thinking about it.  Interesting things will happen that will point you onto this mission trajectory.  Doors will begin to creak open, maybe just a crack at first but then more and more.  Some things will be just plain undeniable that God is doing something and beginning to open and close doors.  (Rev 3:8) “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

PROVISION – When those open doors keep opening and your confirmations are clearer, then you will see God beginning to uniquely provide for you.  Maybe someone will give you some money in the context that the Lord just told them to do it and perhaps didn’t even know why.  It could be the car you were thinking of selling now has an interested buyer out of nowhere.  It could be an unexpected rebate or an abundant tax refund.  Whatever it is, God is providing and it will probably be just what you need for those plane tickets or whatever you need to make that transition and follow that call.  “…the windows of heaven were opened.” (Gen 7:11)

A good Bible example for all of this is Nehemiah.  Read the first few chapters of the book at least and see how Nehemiah received the IMPRESSION from the Lord to go back and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  Then there was the CONFIRMATION through the king who permitted him go and be involved in this project.  Then came the PROVISION as Nehemiah received favor from the king for what he needed for his assignment.

(Mat 20:16) For many are called but few are chosen.  What will be the next step for you?

Louie