Called Out for A Destiny in God

by:  Lonnie Lane

Is your greatest desire to finish well, so that at the end
of your life you can say with Paul, “I
have fought the good fight, I have
finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7)? If
you’re reading this, then I would think that is your heart’s desire. Then is
there anything in your life you need to align with the word of God to ensure
that you finish well? You know the verse that says, “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Most of us believe
we have settled that issue. If you are in doubt or have not yet, may I urge you
to do so? The stakes for not doing so are higher than you can imagine. We who are
Yeshua’s are committed to serving Him and obeying the will of His Father, right?
But are there areas in your life, or maybe only one area, that if this were
truly the end of days and you were faced with critical or even life threatening
challenges ahead of you, you would do things differently than you are today, to
be sure you are completely right with God? What if now is the time to really
make the choice to do away with the “the little foxes that are
ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Solomon 2:15). Most of us are familiar with the
translation that says, “little foxes that
spoil the vines” (KJV) but the full verse above, applied to the believers, are
vines that are promising fruit which is what blossoms do, but there are things
that ruin it that keep it from ever bearing the fruit it was intended to bear,
despite how pretty and promising it may look now.

If you knew judgment was ahead of you, you would surely be
fully obedient, don’t you think? Because to not be, would be spiritual suicide.
So do you intend to fully line up with the Scriptures or what you feel God is
“suggesting” that you do, or no longer do, now…or later, tomorrow, next month,
next year? I don’t remember the Lord making little compromises so glaringly
evident to me, while letting me know that if I don’t learn immediate obedience
today, one day when I may need to hear His voice, I may not have ears to hear
Him. If we each keep living at the same level of commitment and obedience as we
have been, or as we are today, in one year, or five years, will be we where we
want or intend to be in God? You know that old adage: If you keep doing the
same things but expect different results, it ain’t gonna happen.

What we choose today we are likely to choose tomorrow unless
we change it today. To say it the other way round, if we don’t change today,
we’re not likely to change tomorrow, because it’s always today. It has been
prophesied that this year, 2012, is likely to be a year in which the true
church will become visible. What does that mean?! It sounds like a year of
separating the church from the world to me. Moses did some serious separating
after the gold calf incident which was about rebellious unbelief and looking to
an idol, something other than God, for hope and direction. Moses declared, “Whoever
is for the LORD (lit.
Yehovah), come to me!” And all the sons of Levi
gathered together to him” (Exodus 32:26). The sons of Levi were the priestly tribe –
and so are we. As for all who are Yeshua’s, “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God
and Father— to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:6).

Presently, you can’t always tell that we are set apart unto
Him, as we often look the same, dress the same and seem to have the same ‘ills’
as the world around us. But that’s not the bride Yeshua is returning for. He is
coming to claim His bride who is without spot or wrinkle, “that He might present to
Himself the ekklesia (called out ones) in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such
thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27). Spot in
Greek can mean stain or blemish, defect or disgrace. Wrinkle can mean a fold, or
wrinkle, especially in the face, which makes me think of one’s countenance when
someone is disturbed, like frowning or drawing the mouth down in disdain –
certainly not someone in God’s peace, wouldn’t you say? There will be no
disgrace or spiritual defect attached to His bride and her (our!) countenance
will reflect His glory and the peace we have with God through faith (Romans
5:1). It is from carnality, from the demands of the flesh that we are to be
separate. We are exhorted that when we take the Lord’s Supper (Communion), we
are to assess ourselves according to 1 Corinthians 11:27-32. Why not spend time
in those verses for tomorrow’s devotion time with the Lord, and take communion,
just you and Him while you’re at it. (Note: There is nothing in Scripture or in
the Lord’s intent that said that only ordained priests or ministers were
allowed to serve communion.)

I have the
privilege of being a part of Paul Wilbur’s weekly intercessors group of about
10-15 people. Paul is a psalmist and worship leader to whom the Lord has given
prophetic wisdom for the times in which we live. What you are reading in this
article comes largely from the notes I’ve taken during this past week’s meeting
with Paul. Come on in and join us. Most of these words are Paul’s.

Whether we are Messianic or Christian, we are equally committed
to Yeshua as a Person. All of Scripture reveals Him, His nature, His character and Person. The battle
we find ourselves in is to maintain this fundamental truth. There’s always a
willingness to let go of the basics. We are likely to see churches and even
whole denominations giving up belief in the divinity of Yeshua in this coming
year. Liberal theology abounds, and churches just want to live in peace with
those who do not believe in the divinity of Yeshua. We must be very careful what
we listen to or watch. What you allow will have precedence in your thinking.
Don’t open the gates that are not supposed to be opened. The gates of the
cities in the Bible were shut after dark and only a small opening allowed one
at a time to come in. Small thoughts still get in if you allow them. You must
control what comes into your consciousness. Guard your own gates. Be aware, for
instance, of media bias, in representing the news, in election coverage, in
values they espouse.

Scriptures says in the last days, “…they will not endure sound
doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in
accordance to their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3). That’s why
Torah is so important. It is the foundation upon which the whole of Scripture
is dependent. Zechariah has to line up with Genesis, and Yeshua’s words must
line up with Deuteronomy. If you don’t know the foundation, you could be
deceived. Deception wouldn’t be so deceiving if it wasn’t deceptive! When the
Scriptures are being attacked or faith is waning, the divinity of Yeshua is the
first to go. There are as many as forty appearances of Yeshua in the Old
Covenant. It’s not just a New Covenant reality. It’s the truth!

We are “called out” for a destiny in God. There is a destiny
operating inside of each of us. We need grace, grace to discern and to understand
the ways in which to walk, to stand on the Rock, to persevere. It all must come
from God, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). We need more grace
than we’ve ever had. Grace to extend to others, to have the attitude of Messiah
to serve and not to be served. Grace to pray for one another and to stand in
the gap. We need more of God’s word than ever before. Grace for “the
fruit of the Spirit (which) is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, (and) self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23). More grace to show forth more of the glory of the Kingdom, to show
forth kindness and the goodness of God in words full of grace, to be generous
people with our words, our time, our prayers, our forgiveness, our finances. We
need now to be sowing into the future to enrich the lives of others through the
generosity of our lives. Grace to live this year and to demonstrate the
Kingdom.

There is an
abundant open door to us now for those who discern the purpose, plans and hope
of God whose we are, so we can clearly articulate what time it is on His prophetic
calendar, from the word of God. Then we can have the attitude that Messiah had
who, “for the joy set before Him endured…”
(Hebrews 12:2), We know our final place with Him eternally, but in the mean
time, we need heaven-sent endurance and perseverance so we can run our race
with joy — joy overflowing from our lives to others, so they say, “Surely the
presence of God is in your midst,” and “we
know that You have come from God… for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2),
because we are walking in the power and authority of Yeshua.

God is sharpening
His two edged sword, which is to say imparting His word to His people in order
to do more separating, “for the word of
God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as
far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and
able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). We
need grace to have spiritual thoughts with spiritual interpretations, to pray
as He would have us pray according to His will, and to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). He will use us to build, to
plant, to water, to tear down, to up root and to build, but we must be
submitted to Him so that it is His work we are doing and not our own. The most
important thing is to give your love to the world and not be bought by it. We must
choose to be separate. We need the Holy Spirit’s constant guidance to discern,
for a revelation of separation. We must purpose to take hold and stay body,
soul and spirit, fully committed to God unto all truth, regardless of the
consequences.

Yeshua said, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it
hated you. If you were of the world, the world
would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because
of this the world hates you” (John 15:18, 19). That’s why believers are
persecuted and hated. But He also said, “These
things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have
tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). If we are Messianic, we are all about
Messiah. If we are Christian, we are all about Christ. All else is a sub-set to
Him. Even the restoration of Israel is only a part. The highest goal is His
Kingdom. If we walk in His righteousness He will add all else (Matthew 6:33).

The power came by “the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony” (Rev. 12:11). That confession will be warred against, by people, by the
flesh and by emotions. It’s that profession the enemy is after – you putting
your trust and faith in Yeshua. He chips away at it, little by little. The same
way we grow is the same way our faith is diminished, little by little. A thought
here, a thought there. Hold fast to the truth and your confession and trust in
Him. He is faithful. Keep in mind it is “not
flesh and blood” (Eph 6:12), nor people, nor the governments of men that we
are at war with, or we should say that are at war with us. They are puppets on
a string held by demonic principalities and powers. What you submit to you are
controlled by. You have to have truth to cut that string. It’s a spiritual battle
we have to fight spiritually and we “overcome
by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony” (Rev. 12:11). When
we continue in Him, He will give us victory after victory after victory!

We have authority
in the earth but we live in our “earth suits” (the flesh). Just as Yeshua had
to come in the flesh to have authority in the earth, so we have to have flesh. We
start by faith but we must walk it out with our flesh. We hear, we believe, we
take a step of faith and walk it out, and He adds power and authority to it to
finish in the Spirit. While in our flesh we must be consecrated and obedient.
Yeshua is the Torah made flesh – to speak with New Covenant authority, to speak
the words of the Sermon on the Mount He has to take on flesh, a body. He is the
Torah incarnate! Just as He did, we must walk out in the natural what we’ve
heard and learned by the Spirit. He wrestled with the traditions of men which
nullified the word of God. Traditions today will war against the word of God,
often beginning with the divinity of Yeshua. As soon as anything opposes the
word of God, it is a place of error. How will we know Him and the truth? “It is
written…!” You choose to believe what the Scriptures say or not. The word of
truth will be contended for until He returns. Know what you believe.

Would you now
join with Paul and his intercessors as he led us in a prayer of declaration?
Would you read through this first to be sure you’re in agreement with it and
then come back and read it aloud to the Lord?

“Father, as
we begin this year, I draw a line in the sand. I declare You are the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You are Lord and Father of My Messiah, Yeshua
(Jesus), I declare I am a believer in Your Son, and that you are my highest
good. I believe You, Yeshua, are Immanuel, God with us, and the Son of the
Living God. You are divine and You are all that is written about You in the
Scriptures. I declare I am a believer in You, with no doubts or fears. I cast
out anything that wars against this truth and I declare that you, Yeshua, are my
Messiah and King. My trust is in You. I stand on this confession, on the Rock
that You are who the Scriptures say You are. You will work in power and
authority in me and through me to be and to do Your will. “It is written of me in Your word, to do Your word,” (Heb. 10:7). I honor and believe that You called me for
Your purposes in the Holy Spirit when I first trusted in You. From this moment
till I go home to be with You, this is my confession, that I have eyes that
see, ears that hear, with an undivided heart to serve and honor and worship You
all the days of my life. Here are the keys of my life, Lord. “Here I am, send
me” (Heb: Heneni, Shlachani) (Isaiah
6:8), in Yeshua’s name (b’shem Yeshua),
Amen.

Reprint of this article is permitted as long as you use the following; Use by permission by Messianic Vision, www.sidroth.org, 2012. 

Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif.  All rights reserved. Used by permission.