Acts 16:30-31
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
2 Chronicles 18 (Reference only)
Acknowledging God and calling on Him is life-changing. 2 Chronicles 18 describes how King Jehoshaphat was able to narrowly escape death by calling out to God, after being deceived by King Ahab to wage war against the Arameans. In this way, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21).
Call on God and the Lord Jesus Every Day
Just as King Jehoshaphat was saved by calling out to God, we also need to call on God in the midst of our lives. Then we will survive even if we’re on the brink of spiritual and physical death. During tribulation, we also need to call on God every day. Then our faith will be alive, and we will receive answers.
The book of Acts depicts how Jesus’ disciples gathered together and became his body at the time of greatest tribulation following his death, and how they put their lives on the line to preach the gospel. As a result, even Apostle Paul, who went to extreme lengths to oppose the followers of Jesus, turned around and started to preach the gospel with them. Although the Jewish religious leaders forbade them from preaching about Jesus, the disciples didn’t stop calling on Jesus and testifying, despite tribulation and persecution.
In Acts 4:18-20, Peter and John said to the Jews, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” The apostles of the New Testament preached the gospel and proclaimed that those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Therefore, you have to call the name of the Savior. Then your heart and thoughts will come to life.
At the time of the apostles, the disciples were persecuted and prevented from calling on the name of Jesus. So the disciples gathered and quietly acknowledged in their hearts that Jesus is the Lord and believed. When they called on Jesus’ name, they rejoiced and were strengthened, so their faith came to life.
You Cannot Receive Salvation if You Do Not Call on the Lord’s Name
In Psalm 50:15, God said, “Call on Me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” The stronger the wind blows, the tighter the one climbing a tree needs to grab hold of it to not fall. In the same way, the worse the tribulation is, the more the believers need to call out to God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus. You must hold on tightly to the Holy Trinity and Jesus in order to live.
In Romans 10:10, Apostle Paul said, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” So live a life in which calling the Trinity and the Lord Jesus is your joy. Call on Them and petition Them unceasingly every day. Live with joy and thanksgiving, thinking about all the things They had helped you with in the past. When you live in this way, you will have more conviction about your salvation.
In Psalm 86:3, David confessed, “I cry onto you all day long.” In the New Testament time, if the apostles hadn’t believed in the Lord and hadn’t called on him because of persecution, their faith would have died right away. When God was saving lives through Jesus, the people who didn’t believe in Jesus and call on him could not receive the salvation that came through the Savior.
Therefore, just like David and the apostles, in times of tribulation, as long as you keep your faith of calling on the Lord, your faith will not die. You need to call on the Lord in times of difficulty to receive strength. If you do not call on God and the Lord Jesus, the line of salvation will be cut off. Without calling on Them, you won’t be able to connect or communicate with Them. Especially when you lack strength, calling on God and the Lord Jesus will strengthen you. You must call on God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord. Then you will overcome tribulation and receive salvation.
The Lord Jesus Is the Christ
In Isaiah 19:20, God spoke through Prophet Isaiah and said, “I will send you the Lord who will rescue you,” and He told them about the Messiah whom He would send to their land. The Lord is the name of the mission that Jesus has. It means Savior. Also, the Lord means the owner. Jesus came as the owner of the New Testament.
In Job 41, God spoke to Job when he was going through the most difficult of his trials. His underlying point was “I, Jehovah, am the owner of all creation. Everything that exists in all heaven and earth belongs to Me.” After listening to God’s sermon, Job made a great confession in Job 42:1-2, “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” This was a time when Job was experiencing the most difficult tribulation and when he thought everything was over for him.
So just like Job, whether in regular times or times of tribulation, you have to call on the Lord. Then you will confess with your lips, and with that, your faith will not die. Those who call on the Trinity and the Lord call out even hundreds or thousands of times a day.
What We Should Say When We Call on God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus
You need to call on the name of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus separately and say at least one thing to Them. You can tell Them you are thankful and that you love Them. Ask Them to help you be more faithful and firm during the time of tribulation, ask Them to resolve problems, and ask Them to save those who are wavering and struggling. Ask Them to keep you healthy and others healthy too.
You shouldn’t make decisions according to your own will. You need to call on God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus frequently. Always call on Them in your everyday life of faith. You need to surely ask what you are curious about and receive an answer. God may answer you through a person or through nature as you go about your daily life. Or He may give you a revelation through a dream. He also gives you answers in your heart. One word from God and Jesus is a revelation that will determine your destiny.
Make It Your Joy to Call on the Name of the Lord
In Isaiah 11:2-3, God said through prophet Isaiah that the Messiah who was to come would delight in the fear of the Lord. We need to make calling on the Lord our joy in life. Calling out his name is delight and hope and joy. When we take joy in calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, the Lord will also take joy in calling on us.
Because Jesus’ disciples called Jesus their Lord, the Lord went to them and opened the eyes of the blind. Apostle Paul said he was able to heal the sick because he called on the Lord in prayer. Calling on the Lord is acknowledging him. Through that, Satan will be driven away.
So always make it your joy to call on the Lord Jesus whom God sent. Call on the Holy Trinity and the name of Jesus. They will immediately appear when you call Them. Then you will receive strength and come to life.