At Faith Bible Training Center we have a class called “Jump Starting Your Ministry” or “How to Know the Call of God on Your Life.” One thing that we discuss in this class is how to know you are called, and if you know you are called into the ministry, how do you get your ministry started?
The more we discussed it in class, we began to realize in actuality everybody is called. Everybody who is a Christian is called to teach the Word of God somewhere. It may be on the assembly line at General Motors. It may be behind the checkout stand at Wal-Mart.
Wherever you are is where the calling is on your life. The calling is not a building. The calling is not a place. The calling is not a radio program. The calling is not a book. The calling is the Spirit of God working in you and speaking the gospel through you. That’s the calling.
Of course, we know that some are called into a special placement in the church. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.” If you are a saint (born again), then you are called for the work of the ministry. What is the work of the call?
The call on your life is to be a witness and an influence with everyone you come in contact with. Is there something that hinders the call? Is there something that is holding you down and keeping you from going forward? Are you living your life without witnessing power? Could it be there is something real simple that is keeping you from influencing people? The answer to that is, yes!
We know that Acts 1:8 says, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” That power is to be a witness. You do all the right things – go to church, raise your hands, sing, read the scriptures – but everything around you seems stale. Nothing seems to be working. The two main things that hinder the call of God in almost everyone’s life are offenses and unforgiveness.
Jesus said in John 8:31-32 “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Here’s the truth and we can back this up with the Word of God. If you are offended or if you are in a state of unforgiveness, you are bound.
If you have unforgiveness and offenses in your heart, you are not going to accomplish anything and the call of God will not work in your life. You need to be set free.
If you are an offended, unforgiving person, the influence you have on the people in your neighborhood, the people who work with you, the people who come into your office, will be null and void for the gospel. It won’t work.
You can know all the right scriptures, you can sing all the right songs, you can pray all the right prayers, but your life, by being an offended, unforgiving person will nullify everything that you do. People will look at you and think you are a hypocrite because you talk it, but you don’t walk it. This is what hinders most people’s ministry.
Let’s look at offenses. Matthew 18:7 says, “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” The scripture tells us that offenses will come. Here’s what the word “offend” means: to trap, to snare, to entice to sin, to place a stumbling block or an impediment in the way. It means to cause a person to distrust one that he ought to trust.
When you become offended, you step into the devil’s snare. He entices you to sin and he places a stumbling block, which is the offense, in your path that will keep you from doing the ministry that God has called you to do. The word offend also means that you will distrust the trusting hand. So when someone reaches out their hand to help you, you will distrust them.
Offended people feel they are never wrong. They always have an excuse and they will always look back at the offense as the reason for their actions. Offended people offend people. This cycle must stop.
Galatians 5:15 says, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware…” This is not talking about actually walking up to somebody and biting them on the arm. What is biting and devouring? Biting and devouring is actually hurting and taking a bite out of someone else’s heart. Devouring them is a type of destroying. “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:15-16).
The answer to biting and devouring each other is for us to walk in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we will walk above the offenses of life. You cannot hear God properly if you are offended and you will not function in your calling until you are “offense-free!”
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Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.