Reclaiming My Purpose for Christ: Why Am I Here?
"You cannot arrive at your life’s purpose by starting with a focus on yourself. You must begin with God, your Creator. You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and for God – and until you understand that, life will never make sense. It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end." – Rick Warren
Discovering who you are is only the beginning of your identity journey. Next, we have to answer the question: Why am I here? Be honest, I'm sure you've thought about this question many times in your life. God, why did you make me? What exactly am I supposed to accomplish? What am I destined to do? This question tends to stagnate many people, especially when they feel God hasn't revealed the answer yet. However, I've discovered that your why unfolds as you understand yourself. Why you are here will inevitably be revealed as you learn more about your gifts, talents, and passions.
As I said in the last blog post, we are each uniquely made. Our uniqueness is designated to us to fulfill a particular purpose on Earth. Your purpose is so much bigger than your job title. In addition, your purpose will always be determined by how it serves the needs of others. God made every human being as the solution to someone's problem. What problem has God made you the solution to? If you can't confidently answer this question, it's time to find out!
"For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]." – Ephesians 2:10 AMP
"We pray that you would walk in the ways of true righteousness, pleasing God in every good thing you do. Then you'll become fruit-bearing branches, yielding to his life, and maturing in the rich experience of knowing God in his fullness!" – Colossians 1:10 TPT
I'm Here to Spread God's Glory
We are carriers of the presence and power of God. As Glory Carriers, wherever we go, the Glory of God dwells also. This means the purpose of every Believer is to spread the Glory and Power of God. Romans 8:11 says, "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you." YOU CARRY POWER! GOD'S GLORY IS WITHIN YOU! So why doubt? With the Holy Spirit in you, everything you need in life to prosper is within. As you review your life and seek to understand your purpose, ask the Holy Spirit to help you on this journey of self-discovery because HE KNOWS!
I'm Here to Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ
What use would God's Glory be if we didn't share it with someone? A foundational scripture of our faith is "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." – Mark 16:15 NIV. Someone is waiting to hear the Word of God from YOU! Your voice is the one God desires to use so that a lost soul may be saved! Never negate this important aspect of your life's purpose! With everything else in the world that you believe defines your identity, if you don't share the Gospel, you'll still feel empty. Share the Gospel any way you can – on social media, with classmates, amongst co-workers, at restaurants, wherever and however! Souls are depending on your acceptance and obedience to this aspect of your identity. Please don't keep them waiting!
I'm Here to Build the Kingdom
We are given specific gifts to edify the House of the Lord. Regarding this facet of our purpose, it's important to note that it's impossible to fulfill this assignment if you aren't a part of a local church. God called us to fellowship and community, and we must be intentional about "not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ's return] approaching." – Hebrews 10:25 AMP. Through fellowship with other Believers and being a part of a Church, you will soon discover the gifts God has given you to help build His Church.
"Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers]. And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministries and service, but it is the same Lord [who is served]. And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good." – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
The gifts God has given you are meant to be used to serve in the House of the Lord and build the Kingdom of God. You begin to discover your potential in environments of servitude. For example, perhaps your church has a media team, and through serving, you find your passion for production and social media. The passion may have been discovered at church, but you can take it outside the four walls and start your own marketing agency or build a social media platform that helps spread the Gospel. Building the Kingdom of God and serving in His House will unlock dormant potential and expose you to new pathways of life. Don't limit yourself – Build God's Kingdom, and He will BUILD YOU!
I'm Here to do Ministry through the Work of My Hands
"Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him." – Colossians 3:17 AMP
What I'm about to say may be mind-blowing, but it is true – All of us are created to do ministry. When you hear the word ministry, you often think of Pastors, Ministers, Evangelists, or Bible Teachers. But the truth is, whether you're working at a church, ordained as a Pastor, in a corporate environment, a Student, or a Doctor, God called you to do ministry!
As a Believer in Jesus Christ, any and everything you do can bring Glory to Him. My Pastor says it like this, "You may be the only Bible someone reads." You see, some people will never step foot in a church or open a Bible, but you are the one they're looking to as a role model for the Christian life. God is so unique that He would strategically make it so each of us is gifted, talented, and passionate about different occupations, allowing every person to be a Christian role model in various spaces. Remember what I said above: we carry the Glory of God! That means if you're a doctor or nurse going into the room of a sick patient, you are carrying with you the resurrection power of God for someone in need. If you are a student on a college campus, you are carrying the glory of God to your classrooms and dorms, where students are in desperate need of the Lord's light. If you're working in retail, you're carrying the love of God into the store you work at and sharing it with every customer that comes your way. ALL WE DO IS MINISTRY!
Ministry isn't minimized to titles. It's bigger than a title. It's about meeting the needs of people. Whose needs are you meeting? In understanding that all we do can glorify God, we can have peace concerning two things – Even if you're not working in the particular place or role you'd like to, God can be glorified in your current work regardless of what it is. God has burdened every person with a desire to meet the needs of a particular set of people or solve an issue that will help free a group of people. For example, although my ministry is greater than gender alone, I am passionate about empowering women to fulfill their God-given destinies and walk in purpose. I have a friend whose entire life has been about helping and equipping children. Is one person's ministry greater than the other? No. Both of our ministries are impactful and on the heart of God. Allow God to manifest Himself through your ministry, gifts, and the work of your hands.
“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.” – Psalm 90:17 NKJV
Whenever you glorify God in all you do through the work of your hands, He will establish your hard work and effort – Success is soon to follow! Believers are successful when they make it their business to meet the needs of people on God's heart. As Matthew 25:40 says, "When you cared for one of the least of these, my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me."
I'm Here to Stand in the Gap
"Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on Earth, just as it is in Heaven." – Matthew 6:10 TPT
The only way to manifest the Kingdom realm on Earth is through prayer. Our assignment as Believers is to stand in the gap through the avenue of prayer to ensure that God's every purpose is fulfilled on Earth. We are in partnership with God through prayer.
“A Prayerless Christian is a Powerless Christian." – Pastor Joe Asmah
If you don't know what you ought to do, PRAY! Sooner or later, as you stand in the gap for others, God will bring clarity to you. It's worth highlighting that there are individuals whose purpose on Earth is Intercession. They are called to intercede on behalf of family, friends, communities, nations, and the world at large. When you pray, God moves. When you intercede, lives are transformed. Every Believer should take on the mantle of intercession and fervent prayer.
The best part of standing in the gap is that there are no requirements besides availability. You don't need to be a certain age, speak a different kind of language, or know every scripture in the Bible. All you need to do is avail yourself to the Spirit of God so that He can enforce His mind and will through you in the realm of prayer. Prayer releases God's power in us and through us into the world. Heavenly manifestations take place when we pray.
And if you're wondering where to begin on the journey to reclaiming your purpose for Christ, prayer may be the best starting point! You can do it anywhere, anytime – the Lord's ears are inclined to your voice. Yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to pray through you!
Purpose Protects Your Soul
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" – Matthew 16:26 AMP
When your purpose is rooted in Christ, other things don't stand a chance of defining you! In the world, people allow their purpose to be grounded in their ability to attain success by society's standards. Just think – how many people are allowing their level of success and fulfillment of purpose to be defined by how much money they make, how viral their social media videos go, or how many likes they got on their most recent post? Purpose through the world's lens has become a platform of foolishness. But our purpose, from God's perspective, is to provide a platform for Kingdom Glory. The Kingdom of God is elevated when Christians walk in their God-ordained purpose. Just think how phenomenal it'd be if every Christian made intercession their priority, displayed the love of God in their workplaces, and spread the Gospel wherever they go. How many more would be added to the Kingdom of God – Millions, I'm sure!
The safest place for your soul is in the purposes of God. Redefine how you view fulfilling purpose and reclaim your Kingdom destiny. Surely, God has a unique and effective mandate for you to fulfill! Don't get comfortable in mediocrity and following the world's standards, your purpose is too big and assignment too great, to ignore your life's call!
Reflect
Where do I need to carry God's glory next?
What opportunities am I presented daily to share the Gospel with someone?
What gift(s) has God planted in me to help build His church?
How can I prioritize glorifying God through the work of my hands?
When is my set time of intercession in the day?
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