“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” (James 4: 7-8)
When we are called by the Holy Spirit of God into service as a Christian, we feel that drawing or compulsion to step forward publically and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This compulsion is the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It’s something that we should heed and follow, because it is the will of God. Unfortunately, some people ignore the persuading leadership of the Holy Spirit. They ignore the initial calling to accept Christ, to their eternal demise, but also, many Christians ignore the calling to serve our Lord.
There are people called daily to take up the cross and follow Christ in service, but daily that calling is ignored or questioned or dismissed or altered by our own prideful notion that – we know better than God. People are called into service to our Lord and some even take the calling and try it out for a time, just to fall by the wayside through self-doubt, selfishness or lack of faith. I’ve done this, because I thought – oh, if I follow this calling I might be spreading myself to thin, I don’t have the time, I’m already serving in all these other areas so I shouldn’t obligate myself – but that’s the limitations I put on myself. Self has virtually nothing to do with service to the Lord, because if we are willing, self-sacrificing and dedicated instruments of God, we cannot fail, because He cannot fail.
If you have been called by the Holy Spirit to serve our Lord, you have a few options: 1. Accept the calling and by faith, press forward in service. 2. Ignore the calling, in disobedience to God. 3. Delay the calling in accordance with your will and your selfish pride. This may result in delayed blessings, or God revoking the calling, and giving the blessing and service to another person.
If you are called by the Holy Spirit of God to do something, please heed the call. We will on occasion suffer tribulation in service to our Lord, but we need to heed the call. The Devil (Satan) may try to place doubts in our minds, deceive us with lies and other deceptions, but heed the call of the Holy Spirit, rebuke Satan and press forward. Heed the call. The call to serve is much like the call to accept Christ. It’s a compulsion or drawing power from the Holy Spirit, providing direction for your life, in accordance with God’s will. Heed the call.
If the Holy Spirit tugs at your heart and you are compelled to act, by a need to serve, of your own free will, to the glory of God, in loving selfless service to Him, please, heed the call.