The High Call of God

The High Call
of God

Going for God's Best!

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 3:12–14, KJV

Every believer in Christ has a “high calling” from God. This is the purpose for which you have been created; both to know God, and also to pursue, discover, and fulfill His purpose for your life. This will require an aggressive spiritual lifestyle of “pressing on” and even “reaching forward,” so that you can “lay hold” of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of you. And for what has He laid hold of you? For His high calling! God’s high call is God’s design and His special purpose for you. It is the very purpose for which you have been created!

God’s High Calling for You is Two-Fold:

To know God personally and intimately, and to fellowship with Him.
(Jn. 17:3; 1 Cor. 1:9; Phil. 3:10 [AMP])
To walk out and fulfill His specific design and purpose for your life.
(Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 1:9)

High calling refers to “the upper part” or “the upper portion.” It can be contrasted with and differentiated from “the lower part” or “the lesser things.” The upper part and portion is God’s best for you. God wants to help you learn to walk in His very best! Satan, on the other hand, wants your life to be very busy and consumed with many cares, worries, and only “natural” and temporal things, which would keep you from what God has designed for you — your high calling.

As long as you are willing to apply yourself spiritually, God’s promise to you is that He will set you “on your high places.” These high places are consistent with your purpose and design.

It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.

—Psalm 18:32,33

Your high call is what God has designed FOR YOU, and
what God has designed YOU FOR.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

— Jeremiah 1:5

What was true of Jeremiah is also true of you! Before you were born, God knew you and He sanctified you (set you apart) for something. That something is your high call!

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

— 2 Timothy 1:9

If you have been “saved” by faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for you, then you have also been “called with a holy calling.” That calling is not according to your works. It is according to “His purpose” and His design for you in Christ, before time began. What an amazing thought! You were in God’s mind, in His thoughts, and in His plans and purposes before time ever began. (Jer. 29:11) You have been included in what God intends to accomplish!

You were created and designed for a specific purpose. Once you begin to discover that purpose, you will also find accompanying “grace” to accomplish that purpose. God’s grace is His supply and His ability in your life. It’s part of the package! Included with God’s high calling for your life is His full supply and ability!

God’s Calling — What You Do and Who You Are

God’s “calling” for you refers not only to the task, function, and assignment that He has planned for you to fulfill, but also to your identity and design.

When we think of a “calling from God,” we normally first think of something we are to do or accomplish. And this is certainly part of God’s calling for you. There is something and some “things” that you have been put on earth to accomplish and participate in during your brief earth experience. (Jas. 4:14; Eph. 5:16) There are certain tasks and assignments that He has planned for you and called you to. These are part of God’s high call for you. This is “the work for which God has called you.”

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,
“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

—Acts 13:2

But also included within God’s calling for you is who and what God says you are. Whatever God “calls you,” that’s what you are! You cannot be anything else! Even though you may try from time to time, you will never be truly happy and successful outside of God’s design for you.

(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him
whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things
which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed,
so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken,
“So shall your descendants be.”

— Romans 4:17,18

In the case of Abraham, God called him “the father of many nations.” And because this is who God called him, this is who Abraham was! As Abraham learned to agree with who God had called him to be, “he became according to what was spoken” of him. He grew up into that image, and he manifested who he was all along, by the grace of God!

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain;
but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I,
but the grace of God which was with me.

— 1 Corinthians 15:10

You are what you are by God’s grace and according to His design! In reality, you cannot successfully be anything else.

Having been born again, you can now find your identity, purpose, and calling “In Christ.”

It will be of great benefit to you if you will invest time to study and meditate on who God says you are IN HIM.
There are many “In Christ,” “In Him,” and “In Whom” scriptures in the New Testament. This is who you are and what God says about you. This is what God CALLS YOU!
Once you discover who you are, it will empower what you do.

All that you are and all that you will ever be, both in this life
and throughout eternity, can be found “In Christ.”

Meditating on who and what God calls you in Christ will open up revelation into those good works that God has planned for you, and the kind of life that He has designed for you to live
Your future, both earthly and beyond, is “In Christ.”

You are Chosen. You are Holy.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain,
that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

— John 15:16

You are not God’s choice for everything. But, for sure, you are God’s choice for something! It’s important that you fulfill that “something.”

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

— Ephesians 1:4

You are chosen “to be holy.” What does it mean to be holy? It means to be set apart. You have been chosen by God, to be set apart for Him and for His purposes! We are “His own special people”!

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you
out of darkness into His marvelous light.

— 1 Peter 2:9

who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed
and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works

— Titus 2:14

You have not been chosen for ordinary purposes, or lower purposes. Neither have you been chosen for men’s purposes or your family’s purposes. You have been chosen for higher purposes, special purposes — God’s purposes! That’s your high calling! As you fulfill your high calling from God, you will be the kind of blessing to your family and your fellow man that God intends you to be!

What’s Common? What’s Not?

Some things in society today are magnified and treated as “a big deal,” whereas other things are treated as common, or handled casually and as “no big deal.” Things that are seen as common or treated casually are often coupled with this kind of speech, “Whatever?!” as if to imply, “What’s the big deal?” In truth, not everything is a big deal. Some things are common and other things are not! We must allow the Scriptures to renew our minds to what is truly common and what is not.

Whatever is holy is “uncommon.”
It is set apart for a special purpose or design

Perhaps you have your “best clothes” — a suit, dress, or gown that you have reserved only for weddings, anniversaries, or special occasions. We could say that those special clothes are “holy.” They are not for common, ordinary, and everyday use. They are reserved and “set apart” for special purposes.

Likewise, YOU are holy! You are not common or ordinary. You have been created especially for God’s purposes and should be reserved for those purposes exclusively.

And a voice spoke to him again the second time,
“What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

— Acts 10:15

We must no longer see ourselves as common and ordinary. In Christ we have been cleansed by His blood, and bought with a price! (1 Cor. 6:11,20) We are holy — set apart for God’s high call and purpose — and not for anything else or for anything less!

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.
Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him
thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

— 2 Corinthians 5:16,17

From now on, we don’t regard ourselves according to our flesh, or according to our own humanity with all its flaws and limitations. Are we human? Yes, we are! But we are no longer merely human. We are now “a new creation in Christ.” We are God’s workmanship and design, created for His good works. (Eph. 2:10)

We must renew our minds to what is truly common and what is truly NOT.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it.

— 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tests, trials, temptations, storms, flesh, devils, and demons are common and ordinary! Therefore, they should be lightly esteemed.
Jesus’ Blood, Jesus’ Victory, God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, 5-fold ministers, the assembly of believers, preaching of the Word — these are all uncommon! And so are you! You are uncommon! These things should all be magnified and honored.

A High Call with Higher Standards

As born-again believers, we are called by God “to be holy.” Being holy does not primarily pertain to how we live, but rather, to who we are. Once we understand who we are — holy, special, and set apart for a divine purpose — then it will begin to change how we live. Something has changed!

What was once okay for us is now no longer okay.
What seems to be fine for others to do and participate in is no longer fine for us anymore.
We are no longer satisfied with “status quo” and life “as usual” — we are going for God’s best — because this is what we have been created for!
We have a higher standard, because we see something greater — our HIGH CALL in Christ Jesus!

So what’s really changed? Have the things and the people around us changed so drastically that we have suddenly lost interest in what they are interested in? Most probably not. More than likely, we have changed! And the reason we have changed is because we have been changed! We have been recreated in Christ Jesus, and now we are holy and set apart unto the living God and unto His purposes — and we know it!

Those who know who they are and what belongs to them in Christ will automatically begin to raise their standards! They have seen too much of the “higher things” to even bother with the lower and lesser things. Simply put, they have “moved on” and no longer have time for those things anymore. (1 Pet. 4:2,3)

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law.

— Proverbs 29:18

People who don’t really know who they are or have yet to realize God’s divine purpose often live life without boundaries and without restraint. And why would they? It’s very difficult, or perhaps impossible, to set aside “lower” things when you don’t see anything “higher” or better to live for.

God, through His Word and by His Spirit, wants to give you a clear revelation of your holy calling and purpose in Christ so that you will have something greater to say “yes” to. Once you discover what you are saying “yes” to, it becomes much easier to say “no” to things that are less than God’s best, or less than what you have been created for.

It May be Lawful, but Is It Helpful?

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.
All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

— 1 Corinthians 6:11,12

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful;
all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

— 1 Corinthians 10:23

Now that we know who we are in Christ, there are certain things that we choose not to participate in anymore. Rather than just asking, “Is it allowed?” we have learned to ask the greater questions as those with vision and purpose, “Is this really going to help me?” and “Is this going to build me and build those around me?”

As God’s chosen and holy ones, those things around our lives should either be contributing to or be part of our design and our purpose, in some way or another. It’s not inaccurate to say, “We have become a bit choosy!”

Holy people are choosy, because they know they have been chosen.

Holy people are selective, because they know they have been selected.

Because I understand my purpose, use, function, value, and design:

I recognize that I have been created for some things, but not for every thing. This requires that I must say “no” to many things. (Matt. 5:37)
I become selective in what I do and who I associate with. (1 Cor. 15:33; Prov. 13:20)
There are some things that I could do and I could pursue, but I CHOOSE NOT TO, because it’s not consistent with my design, nor does it contribute to or feed my purpose.
I lay aside “weights and sins” and anything else that would slow me down or try to trip me up. (Heb. 12:1)
I can if I want to, but I DON’T WANT TO…because I am chosen. I am chosen for something higher and something better.
I choose the best, and I leave the rest! I don’t have time for low-level plans and purposes.

He Will Teach You to Choose the Best!

Where is the man who fears the Lord?
God will teach him how to choose the best.

— Psalm 25:12, TLB

The Christian life should not be relegated to a life of “rules.” More than that, the Christian life includes the discovery of your eternal purpose, and being set free to make choices that will benefit yourself and others, in this life and eternally. (Eph. 1:11; Rom 6:18; Deut. 30:19; 1 Pet. 2:24 [NIV])

Christianity is the restoration of your authority. (Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:13)

Your choice is your authority.
You exercise your authority as you choose life. (Deut. 30:19)

The Lord has something for you beyond a religious set of rules and “dos and don’ts.” He has called you unto Himself, so that He can have fellowship with you! His desire is to share everything He has, and to teach you everything He knows. (Lk. 15:31; Gal. 4:7; Jn. 16:13–15) He wants to fill you with His vision and purpose, and then teach you how to choose His very best!

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and
depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best
and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

— Philippians 1:9,10, NIV

Not for Common Use

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription:
“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the
Lord must turn away from wickedness.” In a large house there are articles not only of
gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for
common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for
special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

— 2 Timothy 2:19–21, NIV

The Lord knows who you are and exactly what you have been created for. Truly, you have been created “for special purposes” and not “for common use.”

Because you have been called for the Lord’s high and honorable purposes, it is also important that you are mindful to “cleanse yourself,” by turning away from sin and anything else that you know is contrary to your design. As you do, you will be “instruments for special purposes,” prepared and useful for exactly what you were created for!

—Joseph Kack

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