This week I was reminded of the process of refining, and the beauty that happens when we prepare ourselves in submission for calling. God prepares us through the fire and there is just no way around it (smile).
Kathryn Kuhlman once said, “The heavenly Father does not ask for golden vessels. He does not ask for silver vessels. God asks for yielded vessels – those who will submit their will to the will of the Father. And the greatest human attainment in all the world is for a life to be so surrendered to Him that the name of God Almighty will be glorified through that life.”
Imagine what would happen if we were all yielded vessels who were so surrendered that God could bring His glory through all that we did, thought, and said. Wow! Imagine if every believer was so locked into the heart of God that we only did what we saw our Father doing. Imagine if our vessels were so pure that only He could pour through us. The world would truly be a different place.
That purified vessel is obtainable through the price that Jesus paid, but it comes at a cost, an exchange – our life for His. The cost is giving everything to Him. Regardless of calling, if we give God our wholehearted ‘yes’ in each season of our life, we WILL step into destiny. I’ve often heard people speak of dreams that God has placed in their heart, clinging to prophecies and future desires but not knowing how to get there. So many persons wander aimlessly from season to season, hoping to get closer to destiny but not realizing that they are creating the very pathway to it.
I’ve found that the easiest way to get from where you are now to where you want to be is to serve well in your current season. Each part of the journey is purposed to prepare you for the next. So that if we are positioning ourselves righteously, each step is one step closer to knowing more of Him and more of who we are in Him. If we stay yoked in that place, we will always go from glory to glory and strength to strength.
Each season strengthens us in identity, so we discover more of the unique nature of who we are. The gifts, talents, and personality we carry occupy a special part of His Body, where each person is a beautiful facet of His heart represented in the earth. Though there might be others with similar gifts and callings, there is no one that is uniquely you and can accomplish what God has purposed to do through you. The Body of Christ needs you walking in your calling and purpose.
But your destiny is not a position in time as if an “X” that would mark an endpoint stop on the map of life. Rather, your destiny is to look just like Him, whereas each step on the journey is a part of it. Even our trials can be viewed as an “X” point, where God is working all things for good.
Through each challenge, we are refined and strengthened in character. It is these times of stretching and growing that mold us into our calling. This is the place where joy comes in our trials, knowing that you are being refined to look more like Him through each one. You will grow in faith, endurance, and so much more, as you walk through the fire. This process is that of soul transformation, and it is one of the greatest Kingdom mysteries, which if we embrace, will always propel us into greater things.
Each love test prepares a way to move into the next. Acceleration always comes by fire. And though we will never fight the same battle again (Nahum 1:9), each will prepare us for expanded territory in the next season. If we truly yoke ourselves to Him, if we yield our vessels, we will open the heavens with our sacrifice. Radial obedience will always change history. Surrender and honor through the process will evoke promotion and in turn activate us into the desires hidden deep within our hearts.
Be thankful and find joy in each season of your journey. God is refining you into exactly who you were created to be. He is preparing your vessel for greatness. You are walking in destiny!
Written by: Andrea Aasen
Published on 2/20/18