Your Highest Calling: Discover the Secret Processes That Fulfill Your Destiny

By Dr. Bill Hamon and Jennifer LeClaire

God has a glorious purpose for His people. And those who understand this will rule and reign with Jesus for eternity.

God, in the eternal past, planned for mankind to live on the earth and fulfill a great purpose in the eternal future. Bishop Hamon, a pioneer of restoration in the Church, stands firmly on biblical truth as he explores that great purpose: being conformed to the likeness of Jesus. By tracking the eight major reasons God created human beings, Dr. Hamon tackles the hard issues believers face as the highest race in the universe--including the problem of pain. It is only as we understand the process through which God conforms us to the likeness of His Son that we accomplish our highest calling.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Nov 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781493425068

Dr. Bill Hamon

Bishop Bill Hamon is the founder of Christian International Ministry Network. A prophet for over 60 years, he has prophesied to more than 50,000 people and provided training for more than 500,000 in prophetic ministry. He as authored several major books, specializing in the restoration of the Church and what to expect next on God's agenda. Dr. Hamon is respected by church leaders around the world as a senior leader of the prophetic/apostolic company God is raising up in these last days. He was recently featured by Charisma magazine as one of the 40 people that radically changed the Church.   He serves as bishop to over 800 ministers and churches in the United States as well as over 3,000 ministries overseas via Christian International's headquarters around the world. Dr. Hamon resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. He has three children, eleven grandchildren and, as of this writing, seventeen great-grandchildren!

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PRESENTED TO:

FROM:

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"My father-in-law, Bishop Bill Hamon, has been in ministry for over 65 years and has experienced many challenging seasons, both personally and ministerially. In Your Highest Calling, he shares powerful keys for overcoming difficulties and living a life of success, fulfillment and victory. A must-read for every believer!"

Jane Hamon, co-apostle, Vision Church at Christian International

Dr. Bill Hamon offers powerful insight into God’s highest calling for our lives while confronting the barriers that obstruct our path. A profound legacy message!

Benny Hinn, pastor, Benny Hinn Ministries

In a very real sense, this book will serve as a personal prophecy for each reader. It answers the question, What is God doing? Hamon explains both the highest and the lowest points of life. Courage and a new sense of purpose await behind each chapter heading. Enjoy the journey!

Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., senior pastor, Hope Christian Church, Beltsville, Maryland

Bishop Bill Hamon is one of the wisest people I know. He has lived the message of this book. Bishop Hamon is one of the great Church historians of today, but he also understands building the character of Christ in God’s people.

Cindy Jacobs, president and co-founder, Generals International

"Dr. Hamon’s book, Your Highest Calling, defines the ultimate God-given destiny of mankind: to become like Jesus and co-labor with Him forever. Understanding this makes rejoicing in trials the only logical response, as the outcome is more glorious than we could have ever imagined. I highly recommend this book for every believer, young and old alike."

Bill Johnson, senior leader, Bethel Church, Redding, California; author, The Way of Life and Raising Giant-Killers

"I have read every book written by Dr. Hamon. Each one is full of prophetic insight concerning the times and seasons of the Prophetic and Apostolic movements. In Your Highest Calling, he writes not only as a prophet and a teacher, but also as a Pentecostal theologian. This book brings the relationship between God and mankind to its highest level to fulfill the highest purpose unto God!"

Dr. John P. Kelly, international convenor, International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders

"I honor my spiritual father, Bishop Hamon. As the father of the modern Prophetic movement and a pioneer in the restoration of the Church, he is mightily anointed to bring transformative revelation. His latest book, Your Highest Calling, reveals our supreme purpose in life and ministry: to become like Jesus."

Apostle Guillermo Maldonado, King Jesus International Ministry

"It doesn’t matter what the enemy has done to distort your identity in God. You can shake off the remnants of those tattered garments and be re-clothed! No matter what you go through, you can shout, ‘But God!’ He will show Himself faithful. He will restore, He will heal, and He will move you forward into new levels of prophetic fulfillment. Your Highest Calling will cause you to expect God to move on your behalf to accomplish His plan for you."

Dr. Chuck D. Pierce, president, Global Spheres and Glory of Zion International Ministries

"Dr. Hamon’s legacy of pioneering the restoration of prophets and prophetic ministry has been so significant and far-reaching that only heaven can measure its full impact. In the pages of Your Highest Calling, you can now learn and apply many of the principles and truths that have made Bill Hamon the general that he is. Do yourself—and those you are destined to touch—a favor. Read and digest this book!"

Dr. Dutch Sheets, president, Dutch Sheets Ministries

I have loved and highly respected Bishop Bill Hamon since my initial meeting with him in 1987. He’s down-to-earth, relational, fatherly and even fun. Yet great knowledge and wisdom continually gush out of this seemingly ordinary man. To me this book is the story of how he’s come to be the great man of God that he is—a man conformed to the image of Christ! And he’s shared the story with us so that we can also become conformed to the image of Christ!

Barbara J. Yoder, lead apostle, Shekinah Regional Apostolic Center and Breakthrough Apostolic Ministries Network

© 2019 by Bill Hamon

Published by Chosen Books

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Chosen Books is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-2506-8

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled AMPC are from the Amplified® Bible (AMPC), copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations labeled KVJ are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations labeled MESSAGE are from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations labeled PHILLIPS are from The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Administered by The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England. Used by Permission.

Personal stories of individuals in this book are used by permission.

Cover design by LOOK Design Studio

This book is dedicated to my loving and faithful wife of 59 years. She and I went through many Processes of Conformity in our journey to fulfill God’s predestined purpose of us being conformed to Christlikeness. One of my greatest trials was when God put me through a process of having to die to being an active ordained minister. God could not answer my questions and problems for He was my teacher giving me the test, and teachers cannot give you answers when you are taking their tests. But my wonderful wife continually encouraged and reassured me that I would yet fulfill my ministerial calling. She was faithful and true until she went home to be with the Lord September 22, 2014. Her reward will be great.

Contents

Cover    1

Presentation Page    2

Endorsements    3

Title Page    5

Copyright Page    6

Dedication    7

Foreword by Jennifer LeClaire    15

Introduction    18

1. God’s Purpose for His Greatest Creation    23

Before Man Came into Being

At the Right Time, a New Race

Our Goal: To Understand the Process

Trials and Rewards in the Process

Your Own Journey Begins

2. What Is Man?    30

The Biblical Record of Man on Planet Earth

The Physical Body of Man

God’s Commission to Adam

Adam’s Need That He Could Not Meet

The Garden: A Little Bit of Heaven

God’s Judgment on Man’s Disobedience

Preparing Earth for Habitation

Why Noah and an Ark?

God Declares Bankruptcy

3. God’s Highest Desire and Purpose in Creating Man    42

The Kind of Human Creature God Wanted

Awakened by a False Challenge

The Holy Spirit Steps In

Birthing of the Revelation

The Power to Think and Live Independently

The Called-Out Church Race

Foundations in Ministry

Family Leaders and Board of Governors

My Vision Challenged to Increase and Expand

The Third and Final Church Reformation

Fulfilling Our Individual Highest Calling

Jesus Experienced the Human Life

Requirements to Head This New Race

Making Disciples into Apostles

Jesus Demonstrated True Manhood

4. God’s Inheritance in the Saints    65

Inheritance—of the Saints and the Father

Our Confirmation of Christlikeness

Jesus Suffered to Make Christlike Sons

Strange Is Standard for God’s Chosen Ones

Jesus Learned Obedience through Suffering

We Reign with Jesus Only if We Suffer with Him

Eight Reasons for Fulfilling God’s Highest Calling

5. The Higher the Calling, the Greater the Testing Process    76

Great Suffering Brings Great Rewards

Experiences That Expand

Our Majors and Minors in Ministry

Paul and the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

Some of Paul’s Challenges

The Apostle of Our Text

Beginning to Learn in the Process

Two Vital Verses for Our Understanding

Tested Like Gold, Tried by Fire

Why No More Why?

Abraham’s Seventh Major Test—and Mine

It Is Best to Leave Things to God

It Works for All, in All Kinds of Situations

6. How the Process Works!    95

Requirements for Working

Pressing toward the Goal

Being Processed by My Friends

A Lesson from Personal Experience

God Tests His Righteous Children

The Lesson from the Seasons

God’s Tests Are Positive

Tests Are Easier for the Prepared

The Requirements of a Higher Calling

Being Tested through Pastoring

My Employees Working for Me

What Is Your Pleasure?

I Pay My Employees

7. Major Examples of the Conforming Process    117

The Illuminating Illustration: The Human Hand

Beginning to Understand Why

The Background of Our Conforming Process

The Three-Week Major Process Begins

Transition to the Wedding

Progressing to the Funeral

I Cannot Take One Thing More!

God’s Purpose for the Process

Steel Rails: Forging Quality and Dependability

We Went through the Steel-Rail Test

Why Transformation and Conformity to Christ?

Only Overcomers Will Rule with Christ

What Matters Most to God

Could It Happen to Me?

How Prophecies and Dreams Test the Saints

Tests Prove What We Really Believe

Truth from Thumb and Fingers Illustration

God’s Will Is for Our Best

Law of Aerodynamics vs. Law of Gravity

Jesus Made the Way

8. When Loss Is Gain    149

My Conforming Process: When Loss Was Gain

My Personal Gethsemane

Six Months of Silence from God

God Finally Speaks to Me!

The Gain: More of Christ’s Wisdom and Maturity

Heaven Is Waiting for Our Completed Process

9. Conforming to Jesus’ Ability to Forgive    161

The Unforgivable Sin of Unforgiveness

Transferred to Teaching at a Bible College

But First, Some Tests and Trials

Winter Season of Confusion

Things I Learned through the Process

False Accusations Hit Home

Traveling Ministry, Looking for Open Doors

Being Transformed in Nature and Character

Our Process Enables Us to Help Others

God Positions Us for Finalizing the Process

Discovering Three Levels of Forgiveness

Is It Worth It All?

10. Marriage in the Conforming Process    179

Self: The Problem vs. the Goal

Marriage: The Ideal Place to Decrease Selfishness

Sowing Sacrifice Reaps Sufficiency

Jesus Promises a Hundredfold Return

Successful Christian Marriages

Self-Centeredness Destroys Marriages

Sin Originated in Lucifer

Raising Children Provides Further Opportunity

11. What Christlikeness Looks Like    193

Christlike in Character

Christlike in Righteousness

Christlike in Attitude

Christlike in Work

Christlike in Wisdom

Christlike in Faith

Christlike in Holiness

Christlike in Human Relationships

Christlike in Growth and Maturity

Christlike in Prayer and Worship

Christlike in the 10 M’s

The Process Will Continue

10 M’s     217

About the Author     221

Christian International     223

Back Ads    224

Back Cover    225

Foreword

Standing on a North Miami Beach bridge with yachts passing by in the dark blue water, my husband presented me with diamond earrings. He wanted to renew our wedding vows. It was a grand good-bye as he set out on a month-long trip to Latin America on a special work assignment. That was the last time I ever saw him.

After a good-bye kiss, he promised to call when he landed. Several hours after my phone should have rung, there was no call. I did not think too much of it, since cell coverage was spotty in the region. The next morning, however, our two-year-old daughter started asking for Daddy, so I called again. No answer. Days went by, then weeks. I could not reach him. My concern was growing, and my baby was increasingly adamant about seeing Daddy.

After three weeks passed, a friend urged me to call the U.S. embassy to help find him. What I found out was shocking: He had never entered the country to which he told me he was headed.

With my investigative journalism skills, I tracked his location through news organizations. I was told what country he was in and given a phone number where I could reach him.

When I called the number, a Spanish-speaking man answered. I asked him to put my husband on the phone. The man on the other end insisted that my husband was divorced and engaged to marry his daughter.

That is how I found out my husband had abandoned me. It was a life-changing, mind-blowing, earth-shattering event—and it would not be the first one.

Within months, I was accused of a crime I did not commit and landed in jail, fighting for my freedom. After forty days, I was vindicated and released, but it cost me every penny I had. I came out of jail with a small child, no job, no home and no money.

Decades ago, when I was picking up the pieces of my broken life, I had no idea that God would use the devil’s one-two punch to prepare me for my highest calling. I discovered that Romans 8:28 is true—God really does work all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I also realized that what does not kill us really does make us stronger. I learned that the trying of my faith was working patience in me so I could walk in my destiny.

I endured several life-changing, mind-blowing, earth-shattering events as I pursued God’s highest calling on my life. I survived spiritual abuse at the hands of a controlling church leader. When I left, I lost every friend and every ministry position I had, and sat on a shelf for several years. During that time, I had no idea that God was moving me into my life’s work, beginning with the launch of Awakening House of Prayer. Nor did I have a clue that He was going to make me the first-ever female editor of Charisma magazine.

Some years later, my body started shutting down for no medical reason. I felt as if I were losing, day by day, everything I had built over the last twenty years. I was frustrated beyond measure. It was a spiritual attack. False prophets were cursing me, and it was affecting my health. When the curse was broken and I recovered, I walked away having learned to rest in spiritual warfare. It was a vital lesson for the next season. I had no idea that God would start sending me to the nations of the earth to raise up prophets to throw Jezebel off a wall (see 2 Kings 9:30–33).

You may not have to go through the extreme trials and tragedies I have endured—or maybe yours have been more intense. God does not bring those trials and tragedies, but He does use them to prepare us for our highest calling. Bishop Hamon’s book will encourage you as you walk through your process. You will find understanding into why you are experiencing suffering, inspiration that keeps you from giving up and revelation that will put in you a determination to reach your highest calling in Christ. Every Christian needs to read this book.

Jennifer LeClaire, senior leader, Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; founder, Ignite Network; founder, Awakening Blaze prayer movement

Introduction

Out of the fourteen books that I have written, this one concerning God’s highest calling is the most important. The truths found within this book will affect a Christian’s eternal rewards and relationship with Jesus Christ throughout eternity. Understanding God’s highest calling for His children gives wisdom and insight concerning the tests, trials and personal suffering that are experienced in life. Jesus declared that when we know the truth on a matter it sets us free to fulfill life without the horrible discouragement and frustrations that the average person experiences when facing difficult times.

In the first few chapters, we will discover some of the main reasons that motivated God to create man. Man had to be made a certain way from certain material and placed in a special place. This was necessary in order for God to fulfill His plans. We will see why man could not be made in heaven out of heavenly material. Man was completely new, different from all other created beings.

Man was a revelation to all, but the making of woman was a revolution. Angels had never seen such a beautiful and challenging creature in all their existence, for they do not have females in their race. At least there is no record in the Bible of someone seeing and talking to an angel and thinking it was a woman. Nevertheless, God created mankind

Reviews for Your Highest Calling

[DawnMarieHamilton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great book I loved every page