Do you have a calling on your life? Are you struggling with how to follow through with what God has placed on your heart? Are you struggling with anxiety and fear about doing it? Perhaps, you are waiting for a vision from the Holy Spirit spelling out your next move. If so, you are in the right place. I’d like to offer some thoughts that may be of help to you.
For this article, I am going to reference a surprising source of insights on seeking God’s guidance and it lies at the heart of the article’s title. I won’t claim to be perfect and I wished that I knew of Dr. Bill Hamon’s “Prophets and Personal Prophecy: God’s Prophetic Voice Today: God’s Prophetic Voice Today: Guidelines for Receiving, Understanding, and Fulfilling God’s Personal Word to You” back in ’97.
If you don’t know, Dr. Bill Hamon is consider the father of the modern day prophet movement. In ’97, I was given a vision of what God was calling me into doing. Do you know what this man suggested I do, with such a vision? It is not to run to the nearest prophet. Rather, I was to run to the Word of God, first. That’s right!
My vision involved writing for the Kingdom of God and I even had a scene of my staring at a computer screen. How the heck am I to do that? Up to that point, I’ve only written a few tech-related articles. I was not equipped to write anything related to Christianity. At the time, I was going to Warren Stewart’s First Institutional Baptist Church in downtown Phoenix, AZ.
Pastor Warren Stewart is correct in suggesting that I seek God’s guidance through prayer. It’s definitely a step in the right direction. If he had known the frequency of my Bible reading habit, I’d have been told to get involved in a daily Bible reading plan. Interestingly enough, a daily dive into Scripture is exactly what Dr. Bill Hammon says in his book.
I would be a very poor tech writer if I didn’t spend time learning about the software and the operating system required to run it. At the same time, I need to know what is going on in the tech community. The same principle applies to writing for the Kingdom of God. It’s not enough to sporadically read Scripture. I had to go in deep.
Here is what Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15-17:
15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 NASB
Here’s what Paul tells Timothy, earlier in that letter. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” You can find this verse in 2 Timothy 2:15.
You may be saying, “That is fine for you. However, I am not inclined to write religious articles or do a Christian YouTube channel. What if I am wanting to do a tech blog or run a gaming channel?” Fair enough! I would not expect you to do the same thing as I am doing. We are all called into different things in the Kingdom of God.
However, we still need to spend time in the Word of God. It is through the Bible that we learn about God, his character and how God interact with the humans that God created. I’d suggest that you start by reading the four Gospels. For me, I would start with Matthew. Others have suggested John. It’s your choice. Here is why.
Jesus is more than just the Son of the Most High God. He is the perfect image of the Father. He is God in human form. Here’s what Paul says in Colossians 1:15-17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:15-17 NASB
I’d also recommend reading the Old Testament, too. If Jesus and others saw fit to reference passages in the Hebrew Bible then it is worth our time to read it. Otherwise, we are going to have trouble with some of the things talked about by Jesus and the apostles. However, it need to be read through the lens of the Cross and grace that has been poured out on the believers.
How does daily Bible reading help with running a gaming channel, a tech blog or a business that is in the real world? How about life in the 21st Century? Did you read the Bible verse that I gave earlier? The Word of Guide is a faithful guide to navigating life and it contains guidelines for living in a right relationship with God, the Father.
I would not read the Scripture with the goal of learning what YouTube channel to create. However, it does say a lot about my conducts online and offline. Did you notice that I said, “my conducts”? That’s right! God is more interested in my character than my blog or YouTube channel. The same thing applies to a church ministry or a business. Here’s what Romans 8:30 says:
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Romans 8:30 NASB
How is this possible? It is done by a daily immersion of God’s Word. It is how we can learn to discern God’s will and what the Holy Spirit is saying. Here is Romans 12:1-2
12 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 NASB
What about specific guidance? Yes, it is possible for the Word of God to give specifics through the Bible. In fact, the Bible has plenty of stories of people getting specific prophetic words from God. However, I need to warn you about something. You will also be happy to learn that Dr. Bill Hamon gave the same warning in his book.
God gave specific instructions to certain individuals and it’s only for that person. It’s only Isaiah who’s told to walk around in his “underwear”. So, he wasn’t exactly naked. Here’s the verse:
2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet.” And he did so, going naked and barefoot. 3 And the Lord said, “Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush,
Isaiah 20:2-3
In his book, Dr. Bill Hamon mentioned “naked”. I have a strange feeling that someone appropriated that instruction and tried to pass it off as “God told me.” If so, I will echo his sentiment. Let’s not take a specific verse and use it to justify our behavior. Really?
When it comes to personal prophetic guidance, God wants you and I to run to Him. I love what God is doing through modern day prophets and the spoken prophecy given to me. However, there is just one problem. Do you know that we are supposed to go to the Father before turning to others?
If you are a follower of Jesus then you have the gift of the Holy Spirit. I can assure you that the Holy Spirit is not sitting there and doing nothing. God’s Spirit is definitely active in the life of all believers and the Holy Spirit can shed light on your calling and direct you in the way to go. Yes, this guidance could be a gaming channel, a local business, children’s ministry and so much more.
The Holy Spirit is God and the Spirit is the one who guided the hands of the human authors of Scripture. The Holy Spirit is not going to contradict the written Word of God or say something contrary to God’s nature clearly shown in Scripture. You can learn to recognize the voice of Christ Jesus through the reading of the Scripture.
Perhaps you are feeling a need for confirmation and have some doubts. Contrary to popular myth, doubt is not always a bad thing and it’s not wrong to have question. The key lies with the motive behind our doubts and questions. What is fueling them?
When I got that vision from God, it would have been okay to ask Jesus, “How? I’m willing but I need some guidance.” Be honest about your doubts, concerns and question. However, it needs to be done in a spirit of humility and a willingness to obey. It’s okay to ask for confirmation for what you’re hearing.
Here’s what Deuteronomy 19:15 says about confirmation:
15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.
Deuteronomy 19:15 NASB
God is perfectly capable of confirming his words through the mouth of trusted mature prophets. He’s also able to do it through the Word of God. I can hear the sarcasm and perhaps a legit question. What about a YouTube gaming channel? Here’s the verse that came to mind:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
I suspect the last verse may point to the why someone is called to start a gaming channel. As always, it is a good idea to talk to Jesus about what you are reading in this article or anywhere else. You can trust God to help you in seeking right guidance. I am going to end this article with a final verse of Scripture that will be of help in knowing God’s calling on your life.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:15-17 NASB
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