Three Categories of Believers!
- bethelmin
- Jun 30
- 6 min read
Three Categories of Believers!
This message comes to me after spending a lot of time with the Lord and even wrestling with God, with expectations for many believing friends. Many times, I have been discouraged because those I pray for have not broken through to the next level God has in store for them. It came upon me suddenly that they are comfortable in their places with God and that none of what I try to push them through will amount to much. This message is more of a relief and comfort to me and all of God’s true servants who travail much before God with the burdens given to them by the Lord. Sooner or later, God will release them from their burdens by adding wisdom and clarity in situations they are praying for.
Here is what I have learned about different categories of believers.
Ordinary!
“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Romans 10:10-13).
Ordinary believers are those who have accepted the Lord, kept their place in God, and are a blessing to those committed to them. Nothing more comes out of them except that they have called upon the name of the Lord and are saved.
Called!
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).
These are the believers who are called by God with an assignment to do a task for Him. Gideon’s call came to 32,000, but not all of them went all the way. 22,000 departed because of fear. 10,000 remained, and among those, 9,700 departed because they were not watchful.
How many have received the “Call of God” for some specific field or assignment but did not rise to the occasion because something prevented them? They are still God’s children, and they know God. They fall short of fulfilling their destiny in God, and they often look back and wonder, “What could have been if I obeyed the calling and went all the way?”
I am burdened to pray with them and for them. When I minister to some of them in the altar service and I am quickened by the Lord with knowledge to admonish them to remember the calling upon their life and encourage them to follow what God has asked of them. Even after praying with them at the altars, God burdens me to continue to pray for them for a while before He releases me from that burden. My hope is that of what our Lord Jesus said to Simon Peter: “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren’” (Luke 22:31-32). I hope that, as Simon came back to fulfill his calling in Jesus, so will those that we pray for will answer the call of God in their lives.
Chosen!
Here are some of the qualities of those chosen by God. Jesus told us: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). My heart yearns to meet every one of them along the pathway of my journey in Christ. I have indeed met many of them surrounding me, as well as those I have met on my travels. There is a special bond between those who are chosen! Here are some powerful examples of the chosen ones in the Bible:
1) They Were Separated to God’s Circle Apart From the World: Moses was separated from the palace of Egypt to the desert of God: “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing (temporary) pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach (reviling because) of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).
2) They Have Chosen a Narrow Pathway: Joseph could have been popular by playing it safe but chose a narrow pathway: “(God) sent a man before them—Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters; he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (Psalm 105:17-19). Jesus told us: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult (confined) is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
3) Someone Else’s Pain Moves Them More Than Their Own: David saw the whole nation of Isreal as his sheep to protect them just as he protected his flock from the lion and the bear: “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it’” (I Samuel 17:34-35). Once again, when God’s judgment came because of David’s sin, David cried out to God for his ‘sheep,’ the ‘nation of Israel.’ “Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, ‘Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house’” (II Samuel 24:17).
4) They Cry Alone to God, and Not to People: Elijah was a powerful prophet with servants, but he cried alone to God and God answered him: “But (Elijah) himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom (juniper) tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.’…’Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him’” (I Kings 19:4, 18)!
5) Their Joy Comes from People Drawn to God More Than to Them: John the Baptist called himself the ‘friend of the bridegroom (Jesus)’ and received joy in pointing people to Jesus: “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:29-30).
6) They Are God’s Messenger More Than Their Own: John the Baptist: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe” (John 1:6-7). “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).
7) They Sing God’s Praises, Not Their Own: Jesus’ prayer to the Father for His disciples: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do…I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world…And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:4,14,26).
Prayer
“Heavenly Father, I love You and adore You. What a joy it is to know You and be called by Your name! Father, I pray for all the believers whom You have touched by the power of Your love to continue to be examples to represent You with Your divine love. I pray for those whom You have called to serve You. I pray You will strengthen us and empower us with Your grace, not to forsake Your assignment but to follow through to bring glory to Your Name. Most importantly, I pray for those You have chosen to represent You. Lord, fill them with Your power and grace and enable them to stand strong in all oppositions, trials, and temptations. Help us to finish strong in You by keeping our faith in You and love for You through to the very end. In Your Precious Holy Name, Amen! Amen!!"
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John Jeyaseelan
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