Congratulations You Are Called, Welcome To The Process!

If I had a dollar for every time that some well-meaning, excited, Believer has said: “I am called”, I might not have to ever work another day in my life. Sadly, we have treated being called of God as being the end of our ‘Process’ when in reality it is the beginning of our ‘Process’. So many receive ‘Prophetic Words’ these days regarding their purpose or destiny, and then run out to manifest them very prematurely.

I have a friend who one time said something to the effect of: “You have received a ‘Word’ about your future...congratulations...the process is about to begin!” This is absolutely the truth. Just because we have received a ‘Word’ does not mean we are ready to manifest that ‘Word’.

I have often said: “The Prophetic Word releases the Potential of the Purpose of God for your Life.” So often we think that just because we have received a legitimate ‘Word’ that we are ready to manifest and walk in that ‘Word’ immediately. Oh, if only that were true...life would be so much easier...but alas...that is not how this works!

In 2011 I was on a short-term missions trip to Trinidad. At that time I was functioning as a 5-fold Prophet, and had been in the ministry about 32 years. Not exactly a novice or “Johnny-come-lately”. While there, a Prophet friend of mine, who is still a covenant Brother to this day, began to prophesy to me. He said: “Prophet, you are going to be changing again.” (I started in ministry as an Evangelist, but around the year 2000 God began to transition me to the Prophet’s function) When he said this to me, I responded with: “Yeah, I know, Shut Up.”

I knew what he was saying. I knew that meant that just as I had transitioned from Evangelist to Prophet, I would be transitioning again from Prophet to Apostle. He did not hold his peace, but went on to prophesy to me: “As far as God is concerned, He already sees you as an Apostle. But, you have to go through the Process, the Process, the Process, the Process, the Process.”

He said the word ‘Process’ five times...this occurred in 2011...it wasn’t until 2016...5 years later...that I was commissioned to the Function of Apostle. It was one year of ‘Process’ for each time he recited the word ‘Process’. He released the Potential of the Purpose of God for my life. I was called to be an Apostle, but I was not ready to function in the fullness of that call yet...I needed more process. Even though I had already functioned as an Evangelist and a Prophet, and had been in ministry for 32 years...I was not ready...I required more ‘Process’. Do you see the point I am trying to make?!

Folks, you can’t short-circuit the ‘Process’! It is required. Receiving the ‘Prophetic Word’ is not enough. Elisha received Elijah’s mantle thrown over his shoulders, signifying: “The Call of God”, but he wasn’t ready to carry it yet. Bible scholars tell us that Elisha walked with Elijah for 7 or 8 years before Elijah was taken up from him and Elijah’s mantle fell to Elisha and he picked it up permanently.

The mantle being thrown was the Call. The mantle falling and being picked up was the Commission. What was in between was 7 or 8 years of ‘Process’. Congratulations You Are Called, Welcome To The Process!