The young and unseasoned in grace like to see themselves as more than they actually are. They like to see themselves as apostles or prophets, because these are special callings and if there were a title that superseded that of apostle, their desire for self promotion would lust for that title. Such was the case with the title Bishop in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Pastor wasn’t good enough, the title bishop had more shine to it.

These titles aren’t often a reflection of the call of God on a person’s life, but a reflection of their cry for relevance or quest for notoriety. The fruit is not that of a deep sense of surrender to the Living Christ, but their own fame and popularity. If someone were truly called to such a ministry, their would be a tendency not to promote themselves as such.

In Ephesians, Paul refers to himself as, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles… (3:1), 
As qualified as Paul was, he never once referred to himself as an apostle to the Jews. Though an apostle indeed, Paul never took it upon himself to boast as an apostle to his Jewish brethren. Paul did preach the gospel to the Jews, but his apostleship was limited to the Gentiles. Furthermore, Paul did not see his apostleship as something for promoting himself, but an as a prisoner arrested for Christ’s sake among the Gentiles.

Being a Jewish scholar, Paul was actually overqualified to be a minister to the Gentiles. Thus Paul had to rely on the grace of God to fulfill his calling to the Gentiles.

The sad truth is, many who refer to themselves as apostles or prophets have no real understanding as to what either ministry was about within the pages of the scriptures. For many, the title apostle or prophet is an opportunity to advance themselves. If they truly understood that as an apostle, they would be called as a missionary, and possibly called to a poor nation where they would have to work and minister to the people without any fame, many of them would never desire such a calling, True apostleship is not in them, to promote themselves is.

You cannot be an apostle, and pursue being a wealthy or celebrity preacher, which is what many of them are actually seeking after. The calling of an apostle is a call to a humble lifestyle without pomp and fame.

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. ~ The Apostle Paul