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Lester Sumrall- The Call From Heaven

 

  1. Who do you say He is?

“I cannot get into heaven just because my mother was a great faithful prayer warrior. It means that you cannot expect to be saved just because your father is a good Christian man.”5

“The relationship must be between you and the Almighty Creator of universe! You need to see Him answering your prayers. You need to experience His mighty peace. You need hear His gentle voice telling you what to do with your life.”6

“To others, He is the great sugar daddy in the sky- the mighty gift-giver! He is merely the Way, the Truth, and the Life, to you- the kind and giving Son of God Who offers salvation but demands nothing from you?”13

 

 

When Jesus truly becomes your Lord, you will change in subtle and radical ways. You will begin a relationship with the Creator, the One who made everything, the King of the universe.1

 

The desire for Him to be our Lord is stitched into our fabric, engraved into our hearts and inscribed on our blueprints. It has been part of His plan since long before the foundation of the world. 2

  1. The Desire of your Whole Being

“Today consider this personal, direct question from your Lord and Savior: ‘Who do you say that I am?”14

“Your answer is vital. Here is what God requires: Jesus Christ must be Lord of your life.”15

“To others, He is the great sugar daddy in the sky- the mighty gift-giver! He is merely the Way, the Truth, and the Life, to you- the kind and giving Son of God Who offers salvation but demands nothing from you?”13

 

 

When Jesus truly becomes your Lord, you will change in subtle and radical ways. You will begin a relationship with the Creator, the One who made everything, the King of the universe.1

 

The desire for Him to be our Lord is stitched into our fabric, engraved into our hearts and inscribed on our blueprints. It has been part of His plan since long before the foundation of the world. 2

  1. What you do in secret

 

“In secret solitude, do you fear what happen if you really began listening to the loving, guiding voice of the Holy Spirit.” 3

“In the matters of the Spirit, this involves cultivating an ever-deepening understanding of God’s will be daily studying and meditating on the Word. In matters of the soul, this involves nurturing the gifts and talents that we possess, taking charge of our minds and thoughts, transforming our negative attitudes. In matters of the body, this involves physical exercise, abstention from destructive habits, adequate nutrition, good hygiene and an appearance appropriate for children of God.” 32

‘We must remember that giving money is not all that God requires. He expects us to manage well all that we possess. We cannot splurge wildly, extravagantly and intemperately, we must use our resources according to the will of the Lord.”35

“He is the Master of all things, we are only His stewards.”36

“One way to close the door on impurity is to surround yourself with people who will protect you and build you up spiritually.”56

I often recalled my vision and grew restless as I waited for God to open the door for me to fulfill it. I wanted to get to the nations so badly that I didn’t know what to do.57

The greatest blessing God has promised to you in your ministry will always be just beyond your grasp, as long as you strive for it. 58

 

  1. The Call cries out

 

“Are you hurting inside, tired of trying to do anything but obey the Lord’s quiet, urgent demands on your life?”4

“He wants you to get out there and change lives, to make a world a better place because you want to serve Him.”7

“He has called us to go!”8

“They seem to like the idea of hiding in the safe, holy sanctuaries of churches, preaching pretty funerals and lovely weddings and weekly fifteen-minute sermonettes lined with pleasant inspiration.”10

“I separately desire to pass the sword to you. A hurting empty world is out there, desperately needing Jesus Christ.”11

“Part of my end-time commission is to pass on the sword God has given to me to wield- the sword of wisdom and knowledge that I have gained over the years.”25

“’Lester, which of these will you choose tonight?’ He asked. It was not an audible voice. However, it was as distinct and firm as any voice I had ever heard. God was giving me a choice: death or a life of serving Him.”23

 

 

  1. A Life of Dependence on Him

 

“God wants you to live in complete dependence upon Him. He wants others to see what a difference He makes in your life. God wants you.”9

“I separately desire to pass the sword to you. A hurting empty world is out there, desperately needing Jesus Christ.”11

“But with the challenges will come unlimited opportunities as the power and grace of God is poured out in unprecedented ways.” 12

“Your answer is vital. Here is what God requires: Jesus Christ must be Lord of your life.”15

“God gives you a free will. You can leave His lordship and return to a life of sin and independence if you choose. You may begin as a mere servant but find yourself voluntarily taking on the role of a slave like the apostle Paul, who frequently called himself a slave of Jesus Christ- bought for a price.”17

 

  1. A Call to Obedience and Surrender

“Today many preach a gospel that doesn’t involve commitment- a rose-colored gospel in which God gives all without anything in exchange.”20

“Many believers find it difficult to live under the lordship of Christ. Many are frustrated and discouraged because they don’t understand how the Lord rules in their lives.”21

“Am I giving the Holy Spirit a chance to speak to me? Am I giving sufficient time to the Word of God, to studying it and investigating it so I can know the will of the Lord in my life?”22

“’Lester, which of these will you choose tonight?’ He asked. It was not an audible voice. However, it was as distinct and firm as any voice I had ever heard. God was giving me a choice: death or a life of serving Him.”23

“What are you waiting for?”26

“As you submit to the Lordship of Christ, don’t back away from the changes that you see. Maintain a positive attitude, holding fast to the truth of God’s Word. Keep your eyes on Jesus!”27

 

  1. He is the Head

“The first thing I would say to any Christian who is feeling the call into the ministry is this: You did not call yourself into your personal ministry. You have been divinely chosen and then called, anointed and sent by Jesus, Head of the church.” 28

“Most ministers I know, including me. Did not start their lives desiring to preach, nor did their families want them to preach.”29

“If you will be faithful to Me in the little things, Lester, I will give you bigger things. If you won’t quit, I’ll let you touch many people by My power. You will yet bless multitudes,’ God said.”30

“He wasn’t punishing me. He was only training me to be useful to Him. He wants willing obedience.”31

“God expects us to depend on Him in every decision. We are to ask Him how we should proceed, not only in our time management but also in our management of our goods and possessions.”33

“God will give you the finances you need to do His will.”34

“Today, I realize that Jesus, the Head of the Church, does the selecting and God’s Holy Ghost does the true ordaining and anointing. Formal ordination should come from the local church where you have grown up spiritually.”42

“We do not need to exalt ourselves. The Lord will promote whom He pleases.’ 43

 

  1. Consumed by His compassion

“The people to whom you minister need to feel your genuine compassion. When they gather to talk to you, they need to know that you care.” 37

“When you kneel with them at the altar, they need to be aware of your genuine concern and unselfish commitment to them.” 38

“Keep asking yourself, ‘If I am the only Jesus they will ever see, then how should I act?”39

“God opened my ears to hear the screams of damned souls sinking into hell. As the Lord brought me nearer, I could see men and women of all nations plunging into that awful chasm, their faces distorted with terror, their hands flailing wildly, clawing at the air. As I beheld in stunned silence, God spoke to me out of the chaos: ‘You are responsible for these who are lost.’” 40

“God had given me a compassion and an urgency for souls that remained for over sixty years of preaching.”41

Please receive from me the spiritual covering of humility and do not exalt yourself. Your gifts and importance are for the kingdom of God and not to be wasted on your own life.53

“Don’t be too proud to let the very common people talk to you. Be humble and open.”54

 

  1. He will Provide

“God has ordained you to do His work, so He will provide for you too. Not only will He provide financially, but He will provide the anointing you need to minister.”44

“To try to do exploits for God without knowing Him in an intimate, personal and powerful way is to follow the example of the sons of Sceva.” 45

“I felt that if you followed the formula, God was forced to reward you.”46

  1. Don’t Quit

Paul was successful because he refused to quit. Whether he was facing persecution from the civil authorities, natural disasters, flak from the Jews, betrayal from false brethren or struggles with personal sin and weakness, he refused to quit.47

Others are completely corrupted by the power that religion offers them and will tell their flocks anything to gain personal power and get ahold of money. In their covetousness, these leaders have sunk so low that they regard their followers as a source of profit. In their lust, they exploit believers. Some fleece the flock with a feel-good, entertaining gospel that does not require anyone to change, is without a real, personal Jesus and takes advantage of the human lust for an easy way to heavenly reward and earthly prosperity.48

 

It won’t be easy to fight these battles. Nothing about being a preacher or teacher or evangelist is going to be easy. But we have God’s Word to guide us.49

“Some of our worst headaches will take place in churches where we would expect to be enveloped in love of our fellow believers.”50

 

“There are some hard times ahead for you and me. God is calling earnest spiritual warriors who are willing to sacrifice everything. Everything.”51

“The most powerful weapon you have is right under your nose. It’s called your mouth. You can use words to bless people and get the lost saved and delivered, or you can use words to murmur, complain and stir up strife and give an opening for the devil to work in your life.”52

Please receive from me the spiritual covering of humility and do not exalt yourself. Your gifts and importance are for the kingdom of God and not to be wasted on your own life.53

“Don’t be too proud to let the very common people talk to you. Be humble and open.”54

“The greatest example of one who lived by faith in my lifetime was Smith Wigglesworth, a simple, uneducated plumber who shook the world with his faith. The secret to his great faith was his relationship with God. He lived in the Word, eating it with every meal. The Word of God and the Spirit of God were closer and more real to him than was any person on earth.”55

 

If you are building your ministry, God isn’t. If you are ruling your life, God isn’t. And if God isn’t prospering you in your ministry and your life, the problem is in you.” 59

 

 

It was in prison that Joseph would receive his third and final coat. This time God gave it to him. It was the coat of divine revelation, and he would never lose this one. 60

 

Refrences

 

  1. Sumrall, Lester. Embracing the Call . LeSEA Publishing. Kindle Edition. Loc 282
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