04 March 2007
1. Introduction:
· Ephesians 2:8-10 - “We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in”.
· God is working on our lives to mature us so we can represent Him.
· God has created us for a specific purpose – the reason we exist is to fulfill this.
· God’s purpose was prepared / planned before we ever came into existence.
· God’s purpose involves works – things we are called to do unique to us.
· If you try to live without God – you will live without a purpose => abuse life.
· Your purpose is unique to you – your personality, gifts, experiences, passion.
· It is your responsibility to discover your purpose!
2. God’s Purpose for Man
i) Desire: What is the desire of your heat?
· Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
· Within you are a desire and a command to be fruitful.
· Desire is a God-given force within us – it moves us to action.
· Desires can be good – or bad.
· Desire is not a whim, passing thought, fantasy, but a longing within.
· “Delight yourself” => become pliable, soft, and vulnerable in the hands of God.
· God places desires within – to create, speak, manage, build, and help.
· What do you really want?
ii) Passion: What stirs passion within you?
· John 2:17 – “The zeal of your house has eaten me up!”
· Zeal = to boil, to be hot, to have strong feelings or passion in pursuing.
· Passion is a fire, zeal, enthusiasm, excitement within.
· Passion stirs us to action and energizes us.
· When you do things you are passionate about you come alive with life.
· Passion for children – passion for helping – passion for numbers etc.
· What stirs you? What do you love? What energizes you?
What do you hate? What do you grieve over – want to act?
What do you notice – feel concern about?
· Romans 12:4-8 - God gives grace to fulfill his purpose.
iii) Flow: What naturally flows out of you?
· John 7:38-39 - “…out of his belly flow rivers of living water”.
· Flow = to pour out like a continuous stream – steadily and easily.
· Fulfilling God’s purpose feels natural – feels right – just flows easily.
· Don’t be complicated – what God designed you to do will “seem natural” to you.
· God’s purpose is ‘natural’ – not spectacular – often not recognised, because too natural.
· Fulfilling someone else’s purpose = burden, heavy, unnatural, stressful.
· Romans 12:4-8 - “God gives grace to fulfill his purpose”.
· Trying to be ‘someone else’ => stirring, lack of joy, burdensome.
iv) Fruit: What are you good at, productive at?
· Matthew 12:33 - “A tree is know by its fruit”.
· Everything in nature has a unique DNA – inner instruction / commanded to bear fruit.
· God expects us to be productive – He designed and commanded us to be productive.
· Luke 13:6-9 - Parable of the Fig Tree; Matthew 25 - Parable of Talents
· What are you good at? Gifted at? Get good results?
· God has designed you to be good at something ….He planned success for you.
· Your calling = specific thing you do in which God placed you to fulfill, purpose.
v) Holy Spirit: What ‘witness’ does the Holy Spirit put within you?
· 1 Corinthians 2:12 - “Now we have received …the Spirit who is from God that we might know the things which are freely given to us by God”.
· God put His Spirit in us to guide and direct us – we must learn how to “hear”.
· The Holy Spirit has many ways of communicating with us – you must position yourself to “hear”.
· ‘Obedience’ increases sensitivity to the voice of God.
· The Holy Spirit can be grieved or quenched by our words and actions.
· The Voice of the Holy Spirit is a still small voice within us.
1 Kings 19:12 - an inner ‘knowing’.
· As we practice to listening to the Holy Spirit and obeying Him, we develop an ear for Him.
· The Holy Spirit is given to lead us and to empower us to fulfill God’s purpose.
vi) Inner Peace: What brings inner peace?
· Colossians 3:15 - “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts”.
· ‘Rule’ = to be umpire, to determine or direct.
· When we are doing what God called us to do, there is an inner peace.
· It is a supernatural witness within you that you are ‘on course’ with destiny.
· Philippians 4:6-7 - “…and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds”.
· Guard = to mount a guard, a watcher against destructive forces of fear, confusion.
· People who are in inner turmoil have their energy and life drained out.
· When you are fulfilling your purpose – there is an inner peace.
vii) Dreams and Vision: What dreams keep stirring you?
· Acts 2:17 - “The Holy Spirit will give dreams and visions – prophetic pictures”.
· The Holy Spirit communicates with our spirit – plant a vision within us.
· When God puts a vision / thought / idea within it won’t just go away.
· Moses had thought of delivering 40 years before it happened
– Acts 7:23-25.
· Joseph had dreams of leadership 13 years before it happened
– Genesis 37:6-11
· Often people bury these seed ideas – doubt, fear, reasoning, complicates.
· Thoughts and dreams in the heart may indicate God’s purpose for you.
· Often the dreams of our heart are quenched by those nearest to us.
· To discover purpose – we need to discover what is unique within us.
viii) Godly Council:
· Exodus 3:2-6 - “I have called by name Bezaleel”.
· See = perceive, discover, examine.
· God showed Moses the giftings in others that God had called.
· God brings people to us to help us discover our purpose.
· Our responsibility to build open relationships with people who can help us.
· Proverbs 18:1 - “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire”.
· We are called to work together – not isolate – we need the input of others.
· Isolation from good relationships mentally leads to independence / deception.
· Psalm 1:1 - “Choose carefully who gives you council and advise about the future.
· Those you are closest to influence the direction your life is taking.
· Proverbs 12:20 - “ You are becoming like your friends”
Notes:
Acts 20:24 - “None of these things move me, neither do I commit my life dear to myself that I may finish my course with joy and the ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify of the grace of God”.
2 Timothy 4:7 - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”.
· Have you positioned yourself to discover the purpose God created for you?
· Are you investing your life in the Purpose of God or are you wasting it?