How Do I Know that I am Called to Missions?

How Do I Know that I am Called to Missions?
by Dr. Peter Hammond

The Biblical Model
In Acts chapter 13 we read of the Antioch congregation, where the elders were fasting and praying and sent out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries. That is a remarkable Biblical example of excellence. Church leaders should be fasting and praying and sending out missionaries into the field.  However, the harsh reality is that today most congregations have no missionary objectives and seldom support missions to unreached people in Restricted Access Areas.

​The Contemporary Problem
Today it is more common to find elders placing obstacles, discouragement  and resistance to those members who are keen on answering the missionary call. Some seem to have a ministry of discouragement and a gift of criticism.: This isn't the right time. You are not the right person. It is too difficult. It is impossible!  It is too dangerous!
 
Encouraging Examples of Excellence
Yet, by the grace of God, we have a great cloud of witnesses of those who did answer the call: Cobbler, teacher and local pastor, William Carey launched the Particular Calvinist Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Heathen, headed to India and launched the modern missionary movement.
Hudson Taylor, formed the China Inland Mission and launched the first interdenominational faith mission to China.
Hudson Taylor stated that his life was based upon three facts:  “There is a living God.  He has spoken in the Bible.  He means what He says and He will do all that He has promised.”
“The battle is the Lord’s and He will conquer.  We may fail, do fail continually, but He never fails.” 
“The Will of God will never lead you where the Grace of God cannot keep you.”
Famous cricketer CT Studd formed the Heart of Africa Mission which later became the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade (WEC) to the Congo.
C.T. Studd declared:  “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” 
Robert Moffatt joined the London Missionary Society, headed to South Africa and developed the Kuruman mission station in the northern Cape. It was Robert Moffat who 1st translated the entire Bible into an African language, Tswana.
He later recruited Doctor David Livingstone with his speech of the vision of “the smoke of a thousand villages that have not yet heard the Gospel of Christ”.
Doctor David Livingstone pioneered missions across Africa and inspired a whole new generation of volunteers to reach Africa with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Will you continue the work that I have begun? I'll leave it with you!”
Scottish missionary Mary Slessor was one of the many who responded to Doctor Livingstone’s challenge, Mary went to Calabar, in what is today Nigeria, where she boldly confronted witchcraft and the prevalent killing of twins, adopting many to raise by herself.
Despite having no church or mission backing, Gladys Aylward courageously set out to travel across the vast expanse of the Russian empire by rail to reach China where she distinguished herself in selfless and sacrificial service.
More recently we remember the example of David Wilkerson, a country pastor in Pennsylvania who heard the call to reach teenage gangsters in New York with the Gospel. His Teen Challenge ministry made a great impact in New York and we can read about that in the Cross  and the Switchblade.
Brother Andrew from the Netherlands responded to the desperate need of the persecuted church behind the Iron Curtain by smuggling Bibles into The captive communist nations of Eastern Europe and launching the Open Doors mission. His testimony is published in the God's Smuggler book.
My father-in-law, Rev Bill Bathman also responded to the call to evangelize communists and minister to persecuted Christians behind the Iron Curtain throughout Eastern Europe, during the Cold War. His testimony is published in Going Through even if the door is closed and Going On.
One of the people he inspired, Geoge Verwer launched Operation Mobilization which became one of the largest missionary organizations in the world.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles us
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our Faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2
 
 
When others Fail
In professor CS Lewis's book Prince Caspian, we  read of a time when Lucy heard the call from Aslan to follow him. She tried in vain to convince her brothers and sister that Aslan was calling them in a certain direction. Later when Aslan came to Lucy he admonished her why had she not followed him. When she complained that her brothers and sisters had not believed her, Aslan rebuked her: What is that to thee? Follow thou Me! I cannot take responsibility for somebody else's actions, but I am responsible for my own. Each one of us are responsible to God for our own choices. But we cannot base our own obedience to the call of God, upon the approval, or lack of approval, of others.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. 
It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones.” Proverbs 3:6-7
 
What Constitutes a Call?
The Need is Great
"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few.'"  Matthew 9:37
 
"For 'whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.'  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'" Romans 10:13-15
 
The Opportunity is Unprecedented
"Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!"  John 4:35
 
Jesus Commands Us
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen." Matthew 28:18-20
 
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? And what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’” Matthew 16:24-26
 
"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.'" Mark 16:15
 
"and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:47
 
"So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.'" John 20:21
 
The Love of Christ Compels Us
"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 'This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30, 31
 
"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
 
"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26. Do not be intimidated into silence, fear God and not man.
 
Jesus assured us: "There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My sake and the Gospel's, who shall not receive a hundred-fold now in this time - houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions - and in the age to come, eternal life." Mark 10:29-30. Sacrifice is required.
 
"I must preach the Kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent." Luke 4:43. Don't bottleneck the Gospel. Reach out across boundaries.
 
The Holy Spirit Impels Us
"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of Judgment." John 16:8
 
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
 
Our Personal Responsibility
"When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand." Ezekiel 3:18
 
"For if I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel!" 1 Corinthians 9:16
 
"Let us cross over to the other side." Mark 4:35. Overcome all obstacles for the Gospel.
 
"On this rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18. Victory is assured. The best form of defence is attack!
 
"The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it." Matthew 11:12. Be bold, innovative, and persistent in seeking first the Kingdom of God. Nothing is impossible, nothing is beyond the reach of prayer - accept that which is beyond the will of God. No one is unreachable. The will of God will never lead you - where the grace of God cannot keep you.
 
"And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14
"That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11
 
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Habakkuk 2:14
Is your church consistently praying for the fulfilment of The Great Commission throughout The world? It is written: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations" Mark 11:17
 
Rescue the Perishing
"Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep over the erring one, lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus, the Mighty to save. 
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save…
Rescue the perishing, duty demands it; strength for thy labour the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way, patiently win them; tell the poor wanderer a Saviour has died."
 
Seek First the Kingdom of God
"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…" Matthew 6:9-10.
We need to pray for God's Will to be obeyed - not just in the Church - but in the world! You are not to be the salt of the church, but the salt of the earth, the Light of the World.
 
This is the Word of God: "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!" Luke 11:28
 
If you are serious about missions, and share our vision of winning Africa for Christ, contact Frontline Fellowship for details of the next Great Commission Course, and for the Great Commission Manual and for evangelistic resources that you can use to disciple the nations for Christ.
 
“God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” Hudson Taylor
 
“Only one life, it will soon be passed - only what’s done for Christ will last.” C.T. Studd
 
 
Give up your small ambitions and follow Jesus!
 
IF I GO NOT
 
If I Go Not to Those Who Have Not Heard,
If I Withhold From Them God's Precious Word;
If Sin-Cursed Heathen Go to Christless Graves
Having Never Heard That Jesus Saves,
If By My Negligence Some Souls Are Lost,
Despite God's Mercy and Calvary's Untold Cost,
If I Care Not for Those In Distant Lands,
Shall Not Their Bloodguilt Be Upon My Hands?
 
If I Pray Not for Those Who Witness Bear,
If I No Intercessory Burden Bear;
If God's Dear Servants Never Are Upon My Heart,
And In Their Labours I Share No Part;
If By My Prayerlessness There Comes an Hour
When They Lack Wisdom, Grace, Strength or Power,
And Captives Escape Not Sin's Strong Bands,
Shall Not Their Bloodguilt Be Upon My Hands!
 
If I Give Not, And by My Selfishness I Caused God's Work and Workers Sore Distress;
If My Poor Stingy Heart Hardened Be - To Needs of Others, Their Necessity;
If By My Failure Some Shall Never Hear - The Message Of Salvation…
Then I Fear - Mine Is the Sin, And Justice Fair Demands -
That I Accept the Guilt of Bloody Hands!
(See Ezekiel 3:18-20; 33:2-9; 34:2-10; Matthew 25:34-46)
 
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'whom shall I send?" and who will go for us?
And I said 'Here am I, Send me!'" Isaiah 6:8