Written
by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
The
Apostle Paul for instance had a clear sense of his vision and mission which was
global and all encompassing – the Gentiles, Kings and the children of Israel.
Please read Acts Chapters 9 verses 15 to 20, 22 to 30; 13 verse 47. He commenced his mission at Damascus where he
encountered Jesus, progressed to Jerusalem, Tarsus, Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis,
Perga in Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Ephesus, Lystra and Derbe as
well as the numerous places he went for missionary work. The Apostle Paul harvested
souls; he planted Churches wherever he went amidst persecutions; significantly
from the Jews who always incited people in these communities and cities against
him and his team. None of the challenges such as health, financial and
sometimes emotional challenges; coupled with the backsliding of certain
brethren, as well as insincerity amongst some brethren discouraged Paul.
Rather, he focused on finding solutions to the challenges; grew a thick skin to
persecutions and learnt to leave immediately his life was at great risk. He
also encouraged backsliding brethren to remain steadfast to Christ, challenged
insincere brethren to be sincere to the faith they professed, earned his upkeep
as a tent maker, prayed for divine health for himself and members of his team.
The Apostle Paul truly identified his constituency; significantly by the
leading of the Holy Spirit. He also paid significant attention to the peculiar
opportunities and challenges of his constituency and responded to them wisely
by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Quite
significant is the fact that the divine call is not even your decision. It is
the decision of God that was made even before you were born. Please read
Jeremiah Chapter 1 verse 5. The divine call therefore confers on you God’s authority
and power over the nations that God called you to so that you can root out and
pull down, to destroy and throw down whatever is not of God, whatever opposes
God and contaminates the people and the nations. Additionally, God also
empowers you to build and to plant the righteousness of God, the love of God,
the wisdom of God, the prosperity of God, the kindness, compassion, mercy,
forgiveness of God and His grace in the nations of the world He called you to.
But if you operate outside of your constituency, you may have to work in your
own strength and sadly, with really nothing to show for it.
