SCRIPTURE:
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 13:1-3
OBSERVATION:
Every person is created by God, loved by God, and called by God for a specific purpose. However, have you ever wondered how to discover your purpose and hear God as He calls you?
Acts 13 gives us insight into the age-old question of “how do I position myself to hear God’s call?” While Saul and Barnabas were serving in the Church at Antioch, the Holy Spirit first spoke to them, and to others around them, while they were worshipping and fasting. Then, after the Holy Spirit initially spoke, together, they fasted and prayed some more, and then they were commissioned and sent off to confirm their calling before the church commissioned them to go and complete their calling.
APPLICATION:
You are called by God! While you may not get to determine when, where, or how He reveals that calling to you, Saul and Barnabas’ story reveals to us that there are four specific actions you can take to position yourself to hear God’s call when He speaks.
1. Serve God in Ministry
Saul and Barnabas were called by God while they were serving in ministry at church. Serving in ministry is the perfect training ground to prepare yourself––spiritually, mentally, and physically––for completing God’s calling on your life. Serving in ministry allows God to soften your heart, grow your leadership, and tune your eyes and ears to see and hear Him at work. Allow God to equip you with the necessary gifts, tools, and skills you’ll need to complete your unique, God-given assignment.
2. Worship God with All Your Heart
Scripture says that the Holy Spirit spoke “while they were worshiping the Lord.” Worship helps us hear God speak because worship helps us fully focus on God. Recalibrates our hearts to beat in time with God, cleans our ears to hear God clearly, and opens our eyes to see God at work around us. Worship positions you to hear God speak because worship is your personal invitation to allow God to speak into your life. Communication is a two-way street, and worship signals to God that You are ready, willing, and desperate to listen to Him.
3. Fast Earnestly
It was not only worship, but rather, the combination of worship and fasting upon which the Holy Spirit spoke. Fasting is a spiritual practice we seldom discuss, yet it is crucial to our walk with God. In fact, fasting is the secret sauce to hearing God because it not only shows our devotion to Him; it reminds us of our desperate need for God. Our biggest hindrance to hearing God is not our environment, nor is it our circumstances––it is ourselves. Our pride, our self-righteousness, and our false belief that we are in control prevent us from hearing God. Fasting––whether it is a meal, a category of food, or even something non-food related like technology, social media, or anything else that could distract you from hearing God––helps focus your attention on God, remind you of your desperate need for God, and forces your flesh to bow to the spirit within you, allowing you to hear the Holy Spirit as He speaks to your spirit.
4. Pray Fervently
Prayer is not just speaking to God; it is allowing God to speak to you. Prayer is a two-way street. It is just as much listening as it is talking. As you fervently, passionately, and honestly pray to God in reverence, spend time listening to Him. As you pray, let the acronym “PRAY” guide you: Praise Him for all He has done, Repent for your sins, Ask Him to work in your life, and Yield to His will, His way, in His timing. Sit at the feet of your Savior and allow God to speak to your heart. You best position yourself to hear God’s call when you sit in His holy presence, desperately waiting for Him to speak in expectant humility.
God wants to speak to you and reveal His calling on your life, but He will only do so when He sees that you are ready. He is not a God who desires to withhold a blessing from you; He is a God who wants what is best for you. When God is silent, it is not because He wants to withhold your calling from you; it is because He desires for you to be ready, willing, and desperate to complete it when He speaks. Today, position yourself to hear God’s call. Serve Him, worship Him, fast for Him, and pray to Him––and when you do, keep your ears open, for He will speak. For when you position yourself to hear His voice, it’s not a matter of “if,” but “when.”
PRAYER:
God,
Thank You for creating me and calling me for Your purposes. My desire is to hear Your voice, know Your heart, and just like David did, “serve [Your] purpose in [my] own generation” (Acts 13:36). My life is not my own; it is Yours. I am ready and willing to follow You in complete obedience. Holy Spirit, speak to me; I am listening. Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
