A crucial question all believers must answer is, 'Now that I'm saved, where am I headed, and is it the path for fulfilling my portion?" Portion is defined as that part that is allotted to you by God. This is your supply to His overall plan in the earth. It is the purpose He has given you to fulfill on this side of heaven. Think about Noah's portion. What if Noah had decided to not build the ark? What if Noah had compromised on the materials He used in the construction phase? None of creation would have survived the flood. Believe me, someone is depending on your portion.
Ministry was never on my radar over twenty years ago as I was in the middle of pursuing a degree in the medical field at the University of Michigan. In the natural, I had planned to finish my degree and be available to be used of God secondary to this degree. Little did I know then that my primary call was a call to ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). God started showing me that my 'portion' was completely different from what I had been planning and pursuing. It seemed like every opposition imaginable came my way when I started turning toward His plan over twenty years ago, but having a strong revelation of my portion kept me on course during the tough times.
Over time, I have learned the difference between my primary calling and the gifts and talents designed to undergird me in that calling. I almost made the vital mistake about six years ago of making a gifting designed to undergird me in my call the 'primary call.' I almost got in a bit of spiritual trouble or a better way of saying this...out from under the umbrella of God's grace and protection because of error and disobedience. At that time, I had to quickly correct this bend I was developing in my walk. Walking in a path of ongoing disobedience will expose us to the attacks of the enemy.
Learn How to Turn
Earlier this year I was praying in the Holy Ghost, and this phrase came up in my spirit, 'learn how to turn.' I could sense that many in the body of Christ were in an alternative path they had chosen and ventured into settling for a 'lesser' road that wasn't the full measure of their purpose and calling. Hence the phrase I heard...'learn how to turn.' Learn means 'become aware or informed of, find out.' Turn means 'a change of direction, motion, or position.'
Your Spiritual Diet
It will be hard to discover your 'turn' with a low spiritual diet. The same way we monitor our diet in the natural, we must monitor what we are allowing in our three gates: ears, eyes and mouth. These three gates are entry ways into our spirit. What are you eating spiritually? If you eat very little and/or on a low level, this will be your spiritual ceiling. If you come up short in your fellowship with God (i.e. prayer, Word of God, praise & worship), then you will come up short in revelation, direction, insight, guidance, rest, and faith.
I believe many are in a state of spiritual frustration because they reach for revelation and insight beyond their current spiritual diet and/or continue to walk in a path that isn't their portion. I believe deep down we all come into moments of clarity when we know something is a little off in our path. In those moments, pause and get away with God in the Word and prayer. Let Him talk to you about His plan for you...He knows it better than anyone else. Habakkuk Chapter 2:1 says, "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved." Many times, I don't think believers give themselves enough time to truly get over in the spirit to hear from God, and once they get over there, they don't stay long enough to hear the fullness of what He is saying.
Vision is spiritual, not carnal. You don't figure out with your head what your purpose and calling is. God doesn't lead you by your mind or intellect. God doesn't lead you by your body. He leads you by your spirit... Revelation concerning His plan and how to turn into it comes to your spirit first, and as a result enlightenment comes to your mind. Take time to develop your spirit by spending more time feeding on God's Word and spending time in prayer. Proverbs 20:27 (KJV) says, " The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord..."
1 Corinthians 2:12, 14 (KJV), "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
One Size Doesn't Fit All
In this season....well I should rephrase that to say....in 'every' season, this powerful word is required - humility. Your portion will not look like everyone else's portion, and you're going to have to be okay with that. I really believe that social media has many shook to the point that they are paralyzed or just settling. Ask yourself, 'what is the standard?' If you use someone else's portion or lot as the standard, you're likely going to do one of two things: 1) Go way pass God; or 2) Come up short in how far you are supposed to go.
Will you be okay if He called you to impact 20 people? Will you be okay if He called you to impact millions? Will you be okay if your portion is more or less than your neighbor's? God is interested in motives more than actions that appear to be good. God wants to know why we do what we do - that's our motive. When it comes to portions and assignments, one size doesn't fit all, but His portion for you will fit you perfectly. Keep a pure and loving heart in all that you do.
We're not in a race against each other. I don't know about you, but I'm in a race to finish my course and reach the throne. I'm rooting for you! I need you...you need me....God needs us to come forth with our portion!