The truth of the matter is, we cannot win a battle that we are not prepared for. Life is given to us as a gift, but in order to sustain it, uphold it, and walk it out with purpose, we must be fortified. That process in itself is a combination of decisions, discipline, obedience, and application.
And the reality is this: without God, life is ultimately vanity. Meaningless. Empty of eternal weight. The Bible makes it clear that to be without Christ is death—not just physically, but spiritually. So, in many ways, life itself becomes a battlefield for those who belong to God, a place where purpose is tested, refined, and revealed.
Life is the battle—and the chosen ones will prosper within it.
A little about me, if you don’t already know, and if you’re new here: I am Sadé. I’m a follower of Christ, a Christian. I’m also a wife and a mother—a fairly new mom, but a mom nonetheless.
God saved me just before I turned 21. But before things could get too “hot and heavy,” I fell off. I wasn’t living life upright for many years. I wasn’t in my Bible. I had no real understanding of who God was. Looking back, I realize I did not have a true relationship with Him—not the way I thought I did. I was doing the bare minimum when it came to Christ, checking boxes rather than walking in relationship.
Since then, it has been an uphill journey.
About seven years ago, I returned to the church and began to undergo what Scripture calls sanctification—the process of being set apart, refined, and transformed. It wasn’t easy. It still isn’t. Especially in the beginning, it felt shaky, uncertain, even uncomfortable. But I made a decision early on: I wasn’t turning back.
And now I understand something deeply—I don’t know if I would call it bravery, but to endure the sanctification process requires courage. Real courage. Because this is the place where many people quit, retreat, or disqualify themselves.
But the Bible reminds us that God’s people perish for lack of knowledge. And that truth alone explains so much of what we see in life, in faith, and in spiritual growth.
Which brings me to where we are today.
For some time now, I’ve been wrestling with this “saved life”—what it really means, how it works, and what God is truly doing in those He calls. In that pursuit, I came across a phrase that has stayed with me: the chosen ones.
Who are they?
What qualifies someone as chosen?
Is it status? Behavior? Perfection? Or something deeper?
In my searching, I’ve been brought into different layers of understanding, and I felt led to begin sharing them in a series of conversations here—because there is far too much to unpack to rush it into one thought.
And since Fortify the City is meant to be a place of discussion, I welcome engagement. Dialogue. Questions. Reflection. I don’t claim to know everything, but I do believe the Holy Spirit reveals things not just for personal understanding—but for shared edification.
So let’s begin here.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” — Matthew 22:14
When I first encountered this verse, I’ll be honest—I was slightly offended. The spirit of offense came knocking hard. And not only did that reveal my misunderstanding, it also revealed my level of spiritual maturity at the time.
I remember thinking: Wait… few are chosen?
“God, are You picking favorites?”
And as a parent myself now, I understand how deeply that question sits. We’re often taught that favoritism is unfair, even wrong. So naturally, I struggled with the idea that God would operate in a way that sounded selective.
But praise be to God for growth, and for the Holy Spirit who brings revelation in due time.
Because what I’ve come to understand is this: it is not a lottery system. It is not random. It is not luck. And it is not God arbitrarily selecting some and rejecting others without reason.
It is deliberate.
Understanding Choice and Responsibility
If we remember the story of Esau and Jacob in Genesis, we see something that initially feels difficult to reconcile. Scripture tells us that before they were born, God had already spoken regarding their destinies—Jacob being chosen, Esau not.
At one point, I questioned this deeply. Is this fair? Is this right?
But then we begin to understand something essential about God’s nature: He is omniscient. All-knowing. He sees the beginning from the end. Even while we were in the womb, He knew us fully.
So when Scripture reveals God’s foreknowledge of Esau and Jacob, it is not based on favoritism in the human sense—it is rooted in divine understanding. God knew their hearts, their paths, and their choices before they unfolded in time.
Esau, in one moment of hunger and impulsiveness, traded his birthright for temporary satisfaction. In doing so, Scripture reveals a deeper truth: he despised what was spiritually valuable in exchange for what was immediate.
And that raises a sobering reality.
Life is filled with choices.
And while God is sovereign, He has also given us free will. Our decisions matter. Our responses matter. Our obedience matters. The direction of our lives is shaped not only by what we are called to, but by how we respond to that calling.
So the question becomes: was it only God who “chose,” or is part of being chosen revealed through our willingness to respond, endure, and submit?
Closing Thought: Part One
This is Part One.
And if there is one thing I want to leave you with, it is this:
Being called is not the same as being formed. And being formed requires process, obedience, and endurance.
The chosen life is not passive—it is active. It is not accidental—it is intentional. And it is not easy—but it is purposeful.
More to come.