A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Teaching, Training & Commissioning
Chapter 7
YOUR CALLING
Matthew 4:18-22 “Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”
Jesus is setting the example for you and all of His disciples, present and future. Jesus was “walking” by the sea of Galilee. The word ‘walking’ from the Greek word ‘peripateo’, means to make one’s way and to make due use of opportunities; to tread down, to trample, to crush with the feet. This is reminiscent of Psalms 91:11-13, and “trampling down the serpent”. It is demonstrating Jesus’ Authority.
We must take notice, for by this He is teaching us to be His disciples. We will walk in His Steps, doing His Works, engaging the battle, as we go.
Secondly, we see that Jesus is on mission. He was watching for and “saw” (from the Greek word, ‘horao’, which means to see with the mind, to perceive and to know). Jesus saw Peter and Andrew, with His eyes and with His Mind. In other words, Jesus knew them and knew their destiny, before he had met them.
So it shall be with us, we are being filled with His Holy Spirit, we shall be watching for, and we will “see” those to whom we must reach with the Gospel, as we are making our way, making use of our opportunities, treading down the enemy beneath our feet.
Read the text with me, again. “Peter and Andrew were ‘casting’, (from the Greek word, ‘ballo’ which means ‘to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls, uncertain about the results’). They were casting their ‘net’, (from the Greek word, ‘amphiblestron’, which means ‘anything thrown around one to impede one’s motions, such as chains or a net for fishing’). This is a straight forward statement on the surface. However, hidden in the language, we see that this word is a good description of how most people view their lives, in general. “They feel trapped, casting about in their scattered lives without caring where it falls, uncertain about the results.”
Jesus is calling His disciples, past, present and future, Jesus is calling you, to a life of freedom, to a life of eternal purpose, eternal meaning and eternal value.
Jesus called these men to Himself, and He is calling you, and me, to follow Him, today. This is an urgent command. Jesus is saying, “Come, Now! It is IMPORTANT that we remember Jesus was speaking prophetically then and is a speaking prophetically to us, today! He will make you, fashion you into fisher of men!
We are the clay in the Potter’s Hands; once He touches our lives, we are made new, into His image for His purpose. This is IMPORTANT to grasp.
This word tells us, not only of the urgency of Jesus’ call, but of how the state of our lives is to be made well off. We will fare well and prosper, by answering His call and following Him.
Jesus’ words are so descriptive that you must take each definition and consider the impact and importance. Remember, you are entering His Kingdom. A Kingdom of “royal power, kingship, dominion, and rule. You are being given the right and the authority to serve in His Kingdom; the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah and the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom.”
This is our calling and our role as Christians, Disciples of Jesus,
The definitions of this word are complimentary: To serve, to worship, to heal, to cure, to restore to health. Jesus heals the whole person, body, mind/will/emotions and spirit. His healing is complete. We are called to this ministry, we will learn as His disciples, to do His Works.
Again, Jesus heals the body, the mind, the soul and the spirit of all infirmities. There is nothing outside the reach of God, and we are on mission with Jesus. We cannot stand idly by and watch. To be His disciple means we join God is what He is already doing.
I encourage you to study the details of this teaching by clicking this link “In the Beginning”.
Study the definitions of the words used, and, apply them to yourself, as you journey into His Kingdom and prepare yourself to be on Mission with Jesus, engaging in this Spiritual War.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
(Please remember to click the blue italicized links in each chapter, in order to get the important details on these Bible teachings)
Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,
“The Works” (The previous episode can be found at “The Sermon”)
(Please also notice, you can listen by podcast as you read along. You can pause the audio in order to click the links for details and references which are necessary for the entire teaching)