Do you wonder at times if your life truly matters? Whether anything you do makes a difference at all? Have there been moments when you felt forgotten and ignored?
There are seasons in our lives when we face questions like these. We wonder whether our best days are finished—whether anything we are doing is making any kind of significant impact. On such days, we need to hear these words: you are not forgotten.
A Moment of Inspiration
Dick’s comments: Early in my Christian life, my main source of Bible study and memorization was the J.B. Phillips translation—a beautiful paraphrase of the New Testament. But in my later years of studying the Word of God, I departed from the paraphrase phase and used the more literal translations such as the NASB and NKJV.
The other day, however, I experienced a wonderful moment of paraphrase inspiration when I glanced at my wife’s copy of The Passion Translation, which just happened to be opened to 1 Peter 1:2: “You are not forgotten, for you have been chosen and destined by Father God. The Holy Spirit has set you apart to be God’s holy ones, obedient followers of Jesus Christ who have been gloriously sprinkled with His blood.”
Other versions of that verse are much more theological-sounding: “elect/chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (NKJV/NIV). However, for the sake of the pure inspiration we all need, I think The Passion nailed it: “You are not forgotten.”
Words We Need to Hear
Philip’s comments: The Apostle Peter’s first letter was addressed to the early saints who had been scattered throughout Asia Minor, and it is a masterpiece! If you are ever having a bad day, please take some time to read the entire letter. It contains powerful affirmations of our calling in God, as well as needed inspiration to hang in there and remain faithful through the tribulations we face. It was a hope-filled, uplifting letter to these dispersed saints—and thankfully, it hits the mark today for you and me as well.
Who among us doesn’t have those days when we wonder if our service to the Lord is making any difference at all? Peter, of all people, was probably the perfect person to address these kinds of issues, especially based upon his own experiences in life.
Do you recall our Lord’s words to Simon Peter in Luke 22:31, right before Jesus was about to enter into His passion? “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.” Out of his own failure, and then his dramatic renewal of faith, Peter fulfilled the mandate Jesus gave to him. His first letter really does “strengthen the brethren,” beginning by telling each of us: you are not forgotten.
Speaking from Experience
Philip and Dick together: We truly believe the topic of this letter is relevant and important, based upon our own experiences and those of many great (and highly influential) Christian brothers and sisters. For each of us, the clear fact is that Satan regularly attempts to “sift us as wheat.” One of his chief tactics is to convince us that we are of no significance at all—totally forgotten, and of no value to the Kingdom of God.
Peter experienced this self-doubt more keenly than most. (After the crucifixion of Jesus, he decided to chuck it all and return to the obscure life of a fisherman.) But as we see in Peter’s story, Jesus will not settle for that result. Instead, He seeks us out, just as He did with Peter in John 21 at the Sea of Galilee—taking time to locate Peter, call out to him, walk with him, talk with him, reassure him, and reinstate him as His disciple.
Jesus’ message to Peter—and to each of us—is unmistakable: you are not forgotten.
We Are Chosen by God
Can we walk in complete confidence that God has not forgotten us? Derek Prince answers this question with an emphatic YES in his message, “Your Calling Is Holy.”
If you turn to the first epistle of Peter, chapter 1 verse 2, you’ll find that Peter, writing to a certain group of Christians, says of them: “[they are] elect according to the foreknowledge of God…”
Elect is simply another word for chosen. So, they were chosen according to God’s foreknowledge. If you put together Romans chapter 8 and 1 Peter chapter 1, you’ll find that before the call of God comes in our lives, God has done three things about which He didn’t consult us, about which we knew nothing. Three things that didn’t even happen in time; they happened in eternity….
The three things God did in eternity were these: He foreknew us, He chose us, and He predestined us. Let me tell you—if you can grasp this message, you will never again be an accident looking for somewhere to happen. You’ll never again feel that you’re just a speck of dust floating in the universe. You will realize that you are an integral part of an eternal plan of God. There are no accidents in God’s plan.
The beginning is: He foreknew us. He knew us in advance. He knew us before we were born. He knew us before we were named. He knew us from eternity—and on the basis of His knowledge, He chose us. It is very important to understand that God chooses on the basis of His knowledge. So, when God chooses you to do something for Him, He knows you can do it. Understand? He never chooses you to do something that you’re not capable of doing by His grace. So, don’t run away from your calling on the basis of the thought that ‘I can’t do it.’ It’s very important to understand that. It all begins with God’s eternal knowledge of each one of us.
Making Our Proclamation
God knew us and called us before time began. We are not forgotten! The best way to fight back against Satan’s attempts to unsettle our calling in God is by proclaiming what the Word of God says about us. Let’s make that declaration together right now.
In the Name of Jesus, I declare that I am not forgotten. As stated in the first letter from Peter, I am one of the “elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”
Again, as stated in The Passion, “I am not forgotten, for I have been chosen and destined by Father God. The Holy Spirit has set me apart to be one of God’s holy ones, an obedient follower of Jesus Christ who has been gloriously sprinkled with His blood!”
This is my confession—today and forever. I have not been forgotten! Amen.
The Bedrock of Our Faith
The declaration we have just made together is the absolute bedrock of our faith and our service to the Lord. We ought to consider making this proclamation any time we feel the pressure of the enemy to discourage us, devalue us, or make us feel like giving up.
Please know that all of us here at Derek Prince Ministries are standing with you in this declaration of faith. Believe it or not, every one of us has experienced those occasional days when we feel as if it’s no use to continue. We understand some of what you may be facing, and we want to help you in every way we can. One of the best steps to begin taking your stand is to listen to the entire teaching of “Your Calling Is Holy,” the teaching from which we drew Derek’s quote. It is yours, free of charge—as one way for us to show our gratitude for your partnership with us and your prayers for us.
We send our deepest thanks to you. You are not forgotten!
Everyone Needs This Reminder
Once again, have you had those moments described in this letter? When you have felt totally forgotten and ignored, as if nothing you have accomplished is of any value? To close this letter, we relate a story that illustrates everyone’s need to be affirmed.
One of the amazing people who served for years on the Board of DPM-USA was the late Sally Fesperman. Sally and her husband, Jay, were used enormously in the early days of the Charismatic Renewal to minister by the Holy Spirit to countless people. The number of people impacted by her life and ministry would be difficult to calculate. But towards the end of her life, when her eyesight began to fail and her health began to decline, Sally started to struggle with feelings of insignificance. She felt forgotten.
At a particularly low point in that struggle, we took a trip to Franklin, NC to encourage her. The Scripture we shared with her, 1 Corinthians 15:58, brightened her eyes and brought great encouragement to her. We personalized it for her as follows: “Therefore, our beloved sister, Sally, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
What is the message of this verse—and of this entire letter? It is a word we all need to hear: You are loved by God, called by the Father, justified by Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Your life and your work are of great value. You are not forgotten!
Sincerely in Christ,
Philip Wyns
President, DPM-USA
All the best,
Dick Leggatt
Executive Consultant/Senior Editor
