COMMITMENT TO THE HIGH CALLING

[Albert Finch]

Colossians 1:25 - "I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God..."

The word "stewardship" in the Greek is oikonomia. It is a word related to the stewardship and management of God's economy. For those chosen to be born and live in these fullness of times – in the "Day of His Power" – the call to ministry is the high call of stewarding and administering the life of Christ in the fullness of the power and authority intended by the Lord.

BELIEVERS DEDICATED TO KINGDOM STEWARDSHIP

"....In all wisdom and insight, He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him." (Ephesians 1:8-10)
The word "administration" in this passage is translated as "dispensation," and also as "stewardship" in other translations. It is the same word, oikonomia, that was spoken of earlier in Colossians 1:25. It refers to God's administration, or stewardship, of a certain period of history which Paul described as "the fullness of times." This passage also takes into account the Lord's servants who are appointed to partner with Him in this administration, to carry out His will and execute His campaign with authority. Ephesians 1:10 describes it as, "...a plan for the fullness of time..."

This present hour, the saints prepared and brought forth to serve God will be a unique people, bold and courageous, who stand resolute, tethered to Him by humility and the fear of the Lord. The responsibility to execute this stewardship is authorized by a walk of integrity and faithfulness to "their calling in Christ," and undergirded by a resolution of unwillingness to compromise or capitulate. To such a heart is the high call of God given.

THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION

Philippians 3 is a passage written by Paul toward the end of his life. In it, he shares his great longing to know Christ at a deeper and higher level in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)

Paul's words reveal that he was pressing on to attain to something far greater than he had thus far experienced in his life – he was pressing on for more! Paul referred to this prize as the "high calling of God."

What is the high call of God?

In the Greek language, the words "high call," or "upward call," mean a mandate and an invitation to come up higher. The definition of the word "high" adds further light as to Paul's intent. Paul was straining, pressing and reaching forward for this prize, to grasp and lay hold of the fullness of his inheritance in Christ.
Paul prayed that the saints would also know this great power and understand the possibilities of what embracing their true identity as sons of God meant for their lives, and consequently for the world.

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places..." (Ephesians 1:18-20)

Resurrection power is the new dynamic and DNA of saints born again in Christ. We are now supernatural beings by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures clearly show:

"Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49)

God is calling the saints to be bold, to come up higher into the upward and high call of God, and to take our positions in the battle against evil.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com/