Finding Your Purpose Challenge: I challenge you to sit down and write down 30 things that you would like to do with your life and scratch them off one by one as you accomplish them. The list doesn’t have to be created over night but as God reveals more of his purpose for your life add more to your list until your goal is accomplished.
Ice Breaker: Is to start your “Finding Your Purpose Challenge” list by coming up with 3 things you would want to try to accomplish.
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Finding Your Purpose
Created with a Purpose (How can you find your purpose if you don’t know that you were created for a purpose, so the first thing is you must know that you have a purpose)
· Genesis 1:1-25
God created the heavens and the Earth he put so much time into creating a place for us as human beings to live. He had a plan and his plan was filled with details. He took time to separate the light (day) and the dark (night), land and the waters, God placed stars in the sky, and fish in the ocean. Everything that God made has its purpose. Everyone is in a different place in their life some people don’t know they have a purpose or why they were created, some are searching for their purpose; some know what their purpose is and they are just living life trying to follow Gods purpose for their life and others know their purpose and are running from it.
Genesis 1:26-27
· The only way to find out your purpose and why you were created is building a personal relationship with Jesus. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Christ you won’t find out your true purpose of why you were created.
· Some ways to build your relationship:
o Prayer
o Reading your bible
o Fasting
o Church
o Fellowshipping with other people who have a relationship with Christ
· God created us in his Image as well as for his purpose a lot of the time we as people think that everything is always supposed to go our own way or how we planned it. Even though you may have your own set of goals for your life are you sure what that is what God has for your life?
o Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
· Example: Growing up I always wanted to be a wedding cake decorator as well as go to Johnson and Whales for college. Yet life didn’t go as I thought it would I wanted to do things my own way live life like a lot of the media says is acceptable . When I finally surrendered my life to Christ my plans for my life back then have changed because I have a relationship with Christ and he is now directing my path.
· Time and time again people start searching for their purpose within themselves and others. In the Finding Your Purpose Challenge I asked you what are 30 things you would like to do with your life. Did when you wrote down your first three goals did you think about God’s purpose for your life or your own selfish goals or dreams that will do nothing but benefit yourself?
Birthed for A purpose: Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
God knew you even before you were in your mother’s womb he knows every struggle you go through, ever hair on your head, all the things he put in you to fight in this battle in which we call life. You can choose to use everything he has put in you, everyone is made unique in their own way and we all have our separate journeys, different gifts, testimony’s, different struggles. What we choose to do with them is up to us God gave us free will but you can use them for good, evil or sleep on them and allow them to stay dormant within us. There are some people that I can’t reach that you can reach and there are people that I can reach but you can’t. We all play different parts in Gods purpose: (Also known as his will for our lives). Yet we all have the same instruction manual (THE HOLY BIBLE) but different paths we walk down.
Romans 8:28-31: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, and these He also glorified.
If you are walking in Gods purpose for your life you have already won! Think about it say you’re running a race but you already know from the START you’re going to win because you had the best trainer to coach you along the way and everything you have to do is mapped out for you. All you have to do is run the race!
Part 2:
Finding your Purpose Challenge Part 1 : Last week I challenged you to sit down and write down 30 things that you would like to do with your life and scratch them off one by one as you accomplish them. The list didn’t have to be created over night but as God reveals more of his purpose for your life add more to your list until your goal is accomplished.
Finding your Purpose Challenge Part 2: This week choose a goal of yours that you think is worth fighting for. Do you think this goal is worth being tested to prove it is good for your spiritual walk with Christ? And is this goal or dream more for yourself or part of God’s purpose for your life? How will it benefit the Kingdom of God?
Proverbs 17:3
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the LORD tests the hearts.
But the LORD tests the hearts.
On Your way to your Purpose
Genesis 19:1-5
In Genesis 18 God said that he was going to destroy Sodom because their sins were many. Yet Abraham pleaded with God to not destroy the city just to see if there had been any righteous people amongst the corrupt. So when the angels had come to Sodom it was not an accident that they ran into Lot. (Refer to Romans 8:28)
Vs2 -4: When the angels got there it is as they are testing Lot’s heart to see if he is like the others who are corrupt. Vs 2: The angels said that they would spend the night in the open square. Yet Lot knew that the people would seek after the angels to try to corrupt them because of their sinful nature.In a world filled with Corruption God knows our hearts. That is why we have been chosen for purpose. Though the bible say’s Jeremiah 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
God must have seen something in Lot that he didn’t see in others. Just as God see’s something In you enough to save you from where you are, where you’ve been, or even if you’re not saved he can save you from where you’re going if you choose him down the road (just know tomorrows is never promised and salvation can be today but to be saved you must know you are being saved from something) In Lots case it would be the evils of Sodom in our case it would be the evils of this world.Vs 4-5 Anytime God see’s something different in you enough to save you from your situation, your sin, or wants to bring you to a new place in your life to help for fill your purpose. The enemy is always outside your front door wanting to pull you into his ways.
Genesis 19:6-9
Vs 6: It is very important to not let the enemy in. That’s why Lot closed the door behind him. When you leave the door wide open for the enemy you give him the power over your life to pull you backwards same goes for when you leave the food cracked.
Example: Listening to sexual songs then next thing you know you are thinking about sex, or watching a flick, or even going out to sexual relations with someone. Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. So you left a crack in the door only to let the enemy in.
There will be people who come to test you to make sure that you are really what you say you are. Matthew 7:16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? There are tons of people who say they are Christians but by their lifestyle you wouldn’t be able to tell. God wants us to be pure as Gold so sometimes it takes test from others around you to see if we are ready for your purpose up ahead.
These people won’t care how hard they have to test you. The devil never comes to you how you don’t like he comes the way you like. If you struggle with drug’s he’ll bring the weed man, if your struggle with lust he’ll bring a female or a male who is just what you” like”, maybe it will be your family, or your friends.
Vs 9: When people have their standards on what they think is good compared to God’s standards they don’t understand especially if one week you were hanging then the next week you’re trying to live for God. They will think that you are judging, or think you are better than them but it’s because the world’s standards are not like Gods standards on any level. Sometimes those around you may treat you very harshly even the people you thought had your back because you’re no longer doing what they are doing.
· Sometimes the fact that you are changing people never want to see others doing better than them or moving on without them because sometimes it can be intimidating because they are not changing and it makes them look bad.
Genesis 10-14
Vs 10 There will ALWAYS be an EXIT or a way to escape the pressure of falling into sin. God will never call you to purpose and leave you to fight your battle alone. Even if the battle is just fought with you and him. He will still be there to help you get out of your battle.Vs 11 Yet when God closes that escape door all the way after a while people will become tired of chasing you after a while.
Vs:12-14 These Angels asked Lot if there was anyone who he would want to take with him. So Lot Goes to his Son-In Law and his Son-In law takes him as a joke. Even people who are close to you they will not understand where God is trying to take you. That is not your fault but they are still entangled in their old ways but you cannot sit around a wait for them to get there stuff together you. Like Sodom when God was going to destroy the city. Jesus is coming back will you wait for your friends and those around you or choose Christ. Don’t go to hell, or miss out on things God has for you because you’re waiting on other people.
Example: I use to be on drugs bad every day I would go get messed up with my “friends” and every day I would say to them let’s change our lives and go to school. Yet I was waiting on them to change until one day I had to realize after months had past if I keep on waiting I will never get to where I want to go. By me leaving I found God, got clean and now 3 years later doing bible study. If I would I have waited where would I be? Probably dead or still waiting!
Vs 15-22
God has favored you at this moment in your life. While the rest of the world is living in there corruption there is something he saw in you enough to save you. To bring you to the next place in your life to bring you towards your purpose. God wants this to be the day that you arise and start walking into your purpose.
Question: When others are walking for the world will you be following them or following Christ?
Vs:22 The angels told Lot they couldn’t do anything until he got to Zoar. God cannot do anything for you until you get to the place in your life that he needs you to be. You could be so close but you’re not there.
Question: Where is the place that God needs you to be so he can do what he needs to do for you to fulfill his purpose in your life?
Example: If you go catch the bus you must be at the bus stop or you will miss your bus because you weren’t there even if you missed it by a second. Yet you still missed your bus. DON'T MISS YOUR BUS!!
Vs:23 God wants to destroy the sins of your past , bring healing to places in your life from things that you hold on to that you should of let go a long time ago. So you can begin a new journey, start over where you have fallen, or open doors that you have been waiting to be opened.
Vs: 26: The hardest part for a lot of people when it comes to finding your purpose, starting over, beginning etc. Is moving forward from the where you are now to where you are going which in this case is God purpose in your life. Do not look back only to break yourself in to a millions and one pieces [[pillar of salt]] keep moving looking towards God and his purpose for your life.
You know God is calling you towards his purpose for your life don’t let people,
Old habits or the past hold you back!
Part 3
Fear of your Purpose Part 1
Finding your purpose Challenge part 3:
Finding your purpose Challenge part 3: What are some things that you fear when it comes to stepping into your purpose with Christ?I challenge you to find the main thing that is holding you back from your past that is keeping you from your future and let it go!
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1 John 4:18
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
Genesis 12:1-3
God came to Abram while he was living in the land of Haran and told him he needed him to leave. God only reveled so much to him to see where he was at in his faith and love for Christ. Abram was known to be a good man of God like any person we lack in some area's or we fear things ahead of us.God will not reveal everything to you that he has for you in his purpose because he knows we as humans sometimes become afraid of the road ahead of us.
Question: If God revealed everything he had for your life would you still want it?
Genesis 12:4-6
Abram fear of what God had for his life showed when he took his brothers son Lot with him as well as all the possessions with him.
Now the LORD had said to Abram:
Genesis 12: 1 “Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
Yet Abram brought Lot and all his possessions from his fathers house which was not what God had instructed him to do. God wanted him to leave everything behind. Now his wife was fine because when two join together(husband and wife) they become one.
Question: Can you think of something that you want to let go of that is keeping you or holding you back from your purpose in Christ?
Genesis 12:7-9
The more Abram followed God the more of his will God reveled to Abram. Now as you head on your Journey do not forget to honor God. Every where Abram went he built an altar for God. You may not build an altar but you may leave good impression with someone on your journey who see's the love of God shine through you as a believer in Jesus.
Question: What are ways that people can see Gods love shine through you?
Genesis 12:10-13
There will come times in your walk where life will seem dry, dark, lacking like nothing is going right. These are usually times that if you haven't got out of your fear. God needs you to get out of your comfort zone!!! Trusting in God for his purpose is not always comfortable because he wants us to grow into the person he created us to be. Yet we as people don't always see our full potential of ourselves like God does. So we go through famine's like here in (Genesis 12:10) This type of famine is a Physical Famine. Physical Famines is an extreme scarcity of food; a great shortage. People can also go through spiritual famines as well which means that you are lacking in your spiritual walk you not getting enough of something to feed your spiritual man. I don't know what it is that you lack on in your walk with God maybe its your prayer life,reading your bible, taking time out to spend time with him, fasting,maybe its not having a relationship with Christ[[salvation]] or even going to Church. God may have to open your eye's to your fear so that you can walk in his purpose he has for your life. Yes again Abrams faith in God was there but he still had fears that he were holding him back in life.
Genesis 12:11-13
And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I[a] may live because of you.”
Verse 11 shows that he feared Gods protection over his life. God will always provide whatever it is that you need when you are walking in your purpose. You may fear letting go of friends just know God will never have you let go of something he can't replace.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
7 “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear[a] when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
When we are connected to God we are the tree rooted by the river and God is the river,God is our main water supply. Even in bad times you will not fear knowing that God has his hand and is in control of the situation, as long as you stay rooted with him. No matter how small or how great the circumstance is.
Genesis 14-20
God had to show Abram that even in his fear that he is still in control to no have fear. Abram could have lost his wife to the pharaoh because his fears. When we fear things in our walk we aren't just hurting ourselves yet others around us. The pharaohs kingdom was sent plagues from God because of Abrams decision.
Question: How are your fears of your purpose effecting others around you?
Fear of your Purpose Part 2
Matthew 14:28-32
“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”
Fear of Purpose Challenge Part 2: Where was it in your walk towards your purpose did you get stuck in the same place or started to sink out of fear because you didn’t have faith enough to keep your eyes on Jesus in order to move forward? You started like Peter did but you got scared and you stopped yourself. I challenge you to ask God to reveal to you all your fears so that you can know what it is that will hinder you from moving forward. Since you already let go what was keeping you back in the past but there will be other things that will keep you from going forward.
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There will come a point in your life were things will start getting uncomfortable in the place that you’re in because God needs to bring you into what he has a head of you which is in your purpose. So there will be a time to let go of things which can cause fear as well as the fear of coming into your purpose. After you let go of what was behind you must let go towards moving forward to Gods plan. We always get afraid of things we can’t see ahead of us because it can be new and uncomfortable and we don’t know the uncharted roads. It feels uncomfortable:
“Now the land was not able to support them that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.” - Genesis 13:6-7
Question: Is there a situation in your life that every time you try to hold on things just keeps getting worse? What is it, why are you still holding on to it, and at this moment how is holding on to this thing adding on to your life by helping you grow?
Genesis 13:8-9
Abram kindly departed from what was hindering him. This in Abrams case his fear that he need to let go from his past was Lot. Lot represents him holding on to his nephew because he wanted to bring something from the past with him. (Genesis 12:1-5) So he has to separate from his fear that held him back/ hindered him from his promise. Abram made a deal with Lot ( Genesis13:9) and said no matter which way he went Abram would go the other way. Amos 3:3 says: Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? If you are going right and what you need to give up is on the left hand side of the road you are no longer agreeing and need to go right where your destination is.
Question: Does what you are holding on to agree with your future at this point in your life? Example: I want to be a social worker if I dated someone who didn’t like kids they would have to go because I want to work with kids it does not align with my purpose.
So here is the fork in the road! Say there was two trains one is inbound which will head to your future and the other is out bound which will head to your past. It is either you go towards your future or you go towards your past. For Abram if he chooses to go backwards to Egypt he probably would have got killed for what he did in Egypt lying saying his wife Sari was his sister. He had a choice move forward, go back, or stay in the same place in the fork in the road. A lot of the time we can be the person who keeps missing the train on purpose because we don’t know where the train is taking us next. After a while when it gets to certain time at night the trains slow down and finally stop running. We miss out on a lot of opportunities that we could have had because of our choice to stay where we are in life.
Question: What is something that you have missed out on because of fear of moving forward?
Genesis 13: 10-13
See Lot choose the land that looked the best and that’s what we do in fear we always choose what looks the best. Yet even though things look good don’t mean that they are good for us. (Genesis 13:13) said that the land that Lot choose to travel in was wicked. The enemy does the same thing to us to he always comes to us just the way we like because that is what we like. The enemy won’t come to you how you don’t like it because what you don’t like will not become an issue because you have already made up your mind that you don’t like it. Yet what you do like is always hard to let go of because it sparks your interest even if it is hurting you to hold on to it.
Genesis 13:14-18
So once Lot (Abrams fear of letting go his past and hindrance from moving forward) God revealed more of his plan for Abrams purpose. Once you push past the place in your life where you are ready to move forward God will reveal to you more of what he has for your life. Yet it won’t be until then where he will do that. God won’t give you something if you’re not ready for it and if he does things won’t always go the way we intended it to. It’s like a fruit that is unripe if you eat it too early when it’s not ready it will taste nasty.
Example: You have tons of younger females having children before they have time to learn to be a mother. Now there is a difference from being a mother and having a baby. So then you have children who turn out wild and out of control why is this you may ask? This is because their parents didn’t do what was needed to prepare themselves to be a mother and all the sacrifices and love and care it comes with. The bible says that Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. If you don’t have what is needed to produce what it is needed within yourself to love yourself how you can love your child thus your lack will lack on your child because
you can’t give your child what you don’t have.
Yet once you get past your fear stage the doors will open and God will reveal to you his will it will be bigger then you imagined. He gave Abram all of the land even the land that Lot was sent to it was all his. (Genesis 13:14-17). (Genesis 13:18) Shows you that Abram was thankful and he built an altar to the Lord. DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU BLESSING COME FROM ONCE YOU WALK INTO YOUR PURPOSE!
Matthew 14:28-32
“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”
Fear of Purpose Challenge Part 2: Where was it in your walk towards your purpose did you get stuck in the same place or started to sink out of fear because you didn’t have faith enough to keep your eyes on Jesus in order to move forward? You started like Peter did but you got scared and you stopped yourself. I challenge you to ask God to reveal to you all your fears so that you can know what it is that will hinder you from moving forward. Since you already let go what was keeping you back in the past but there will be other things that will keep you from going forward.
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You gave up what it was behind you now it’s time to get out of the place you are stuck in and move forward to what God has a head of you!
Genesis 13:1-7There will come a point in your life were things will start getting uncomfortable in the place that you’re in because God needs to bring you into what he has a head of you which is in your purpose. So there will be a time to let go of things which can cause fear as well as the fear of coming into your purpose. After you let go of what was behind you must let go towards moving forward to Gods plan. We always get afraid of things we can’t see ahead of us because it can be new and uncomfortable and we don’t know the uncharted roads. It feels uncomfortable:
“Now the land was not able to support them that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.” - Genesis 13:6-7
Question: Is there a situation in your life that every time you try to hold on things just keeps getting worse? What is it, why are you still holding on to it, and at this moment how is holding on to this thing adding on to your life by helping you grow?
Genesis 13:8-9
Abram kindly departed from what was hindering him. This in Abrams case his fear that he need to let go from his past was Lot. Lot represents him holding on to his nephew because he wanted to bring something from the past with him. (Genesis 12:1-5) So he has to separate from his fear that held him back/ hindered him from his promise. Abram made a deal with Lot ( Genesis13:9) and said no matter which way he went Abram would go the other way. Amos 3:3 says: Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? If you are going right and what you need to give up is on the left hand side of the road you are no longer agreeing and need to go right where your destination is.
Question: Does what you are holding on to agree with your future at this point in your life? Example: I want to be a social worker if I dated someone who didn’t like kids they would have to go because I want to work with kids it does not align with my purpose.
So here is the fork in the road! Say there was two trains one is inbound which will head to your future and the other is out bound which will head to your past. It is either you go towards your future or you go towards your past. For Abram if he chooses to go backwards to Egypt he probably would have got killed for what he did in Egypt lying saying his wife Sari was his sister. He had a choice move forward, go back, or stay in the same place in the fork in the road. A lot of the time we can be the person who keeps missing the train on purpose because we don’t know where the train is taking us next. After a while when it gets to certain time at night the trains slow down and finally stop running. We miss out on a lot of opportunities that we could have had because of our choice to stay where we are in life.
Question: What is something that you have missed out on because of fear of moving forward?
Genesis 13: 10-13
See Lot choose the land that looked the best and that’s what we do in fear we always choose what looks the best. Yet even though things look good don’t mean that they are good for us. (Genesis 13:13) said that the land that Lot choose to travel in was wicked. The enemy does the same thing to us to he always comes to us just the way we like because that is what we like. The enemy won’t come to you how you don’t like it because what you don’t like will not become an issue because you have already made up your mind that you don’t like it. Yet what you do like is always hard to let go of because it sparks your interest even if it is hurting you to hold on to it.
Genesis 13:14-18
So once Lot (Abrams fear of letting go his past and hindrance from moving forward) God revealed more of his plan for Abrams purpose. Once you push past the place in your life where you are ready to move forward God will reveal to you more of what he has for your life. Yet it won’t be until then where he will do that. God won’t give you something if you’re not ready for it and if he does things won’t always go the way we intended it to. It’s like a fruit that is unripe if you eat it too early when it’s not ready it will taste nasty.
Example: You have tons of younger females having children before they have time to learn to be a mother. Now there is a difference from being a mother and having a baby. So then you have children who turn out wild and out of control why is this you may ask? This is because their parents didn’t do what was needed to prepare themselves to be a mother and all the sacrifices and love and care it comes with. The bible says that Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. If you don’t have what is needed to produce what it is needed within yourself to love yourself how you can love your child thus your lack will lack on your child because
you can’t give your child what you don’t have.
Yet once you get past your fear stage the doors will open and God will reveal to you his will it will be bigger then you imagined. He gave Abram all of the land even the land that Lot was sent to it was all his. (Genesis 13:14-17). (Genesis 13:18) Shows you that Abram was thankful and he built an altar to the Lord. DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU BLESSING COME FROM ONCE YOU WALK INTO YOUR PURPOSE!
