Better than good greetings, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
It was a wonderful & glorious time in our Flourish To Flourish Encounter Hour, yesterday, at KDCG, with the theme: OVERCOMERWITHOUT STRESS!
May you practically manifest as the Overcomer without stress, indeed, the remaining days of your life, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
Discovering Purpose – 1
Who is the OVERCOMERWITHOUT STRESS?
This is the believer who has discovered divine purpose – 1 John 4.4; 5.4:
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”.
1 John 5.4:
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith“.
Since you’re born of the God of purpose in your new birth in Christ, it is imperative to, also, discover your purpose in Him, for you to live the overcomer’s life without stress!
To further help our understanding, let’s look at two blessings of divine purpose:
1. You stay in the hurt free zone in life – Joel 2.8(Amplified version):
“Neither does one thrust upon another; THEY WALK EVERY ONE IN HIS PATH. And they burst through and upon the weapons, YET THEY ARE NOT WOUNDED AND DO NOT CHANGE THEIR COURSE“.
2 Thessalonians 3.3:
“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil“.
2. You live in the better than good life zone – Ephesians 2.10(Amplified version):
“For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His WORKMANSHIP), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that WE MAY DO THOSE GOOD WORKS WHICH GOD PREDESTINED (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]”.
Also, let’s look at two examples of OVERCOMERS WITHOUT STRESS to strengthen our faith:
1. Daniel: The first Scriptural account we have of Daniel was that he was a slave boy in Babylon(present day Iraq) from the tribe of Judah in Israel, & the Scriptures noted of him as a young boy of purpose who feared God; & in the time of temptation, being thrown in the lions’ den for not giving up on God & His purpose, he overcame without stress & kept overcoming without stress – Daniel 1.3-9; 2.46-48; 6.25-28; 12.3.
2. Peter: Also, the first major account of Peter’s life as recorded in Scriptures before encountering our Lord Jesus, was that, he was a struggling & frustrated fisherman but with that encounter & his obedience to the words of Jesus, he became a prosperous fisherman, farmer & business man; & later, on discovering his purpose, he kept living as the overcomers without stress – Luke 5.1-7,10; John 21.15-17; Acts 2.1-41; 3.1-8; 4.19-21,23-33; 5.14-16,19-21; 9.32-43; 10; 12.1-12.
HOW TO DISCOVER PURPOSE?
1. Ask in definite, specific prayers – Jeremiah 29.11-12(NIV):
11″For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future“.
12″Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you“…
Jeremiah 33.3:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not“.
Because you don’t know His purpose for your life, it is safe not to assume but to find out & be sure, so that frustrations won’t be the order of the day!
Kenneth E Hagin of blessed memory, said that he has been pastoring for twelve years before he discovered his purpose as a teacher of God’s Word!
Abraham was just doing what he grew up to meet his father doing till the age of seventy five when he discovered his purpose in Jesus Christ, as a father of many nations through whom & his Seed(Jesus Christ), all the nations of the earth will be blessed!
Beloved, by God’s grace, being a Christian of twenty nine years & a pastor for twenty two years, I can confidently tell you that it’s safer, more secured & far better to know & be sure of your purpose than doing something because you like doing it.
Even if you like doing something, please, be humble enough to find out from your Maker & Father, His purpose for your life.
I love to share my thoughts with people both as groups & individuals & that propelled me to want to be an international lawyer, a pilot or a soldier in the Army.
I did a bit of Philosophy before ending up with Mass Communication & I served in the Public Enlightenment department of the Federal Road Safety Commission before starting my own business with main focus on Public Relations/Advertising & allied matters, & you know what, I had everything going on well for me, we were even producing a Christian magazine, Transfiguration, which was being distributed across the globe, freely, but you see, beloved, I was just doing what I liked with passion, I wasn’t in His plans & purpose!
1 John 5.14-15:
[14]”And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us”:
[15]”And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him“.
His major will for you is His purpose, the sound knowledge of His grand design for your life!
A major hallmark of matured & wise Christians is that, they always ask the Lord what they should do, what the Lord wants them to do, for the Lord to make them His servant – I’m sure you still remember the prodigal son & Apostle Paul, formerly called Saul?
2. Be a follower, disciple of Jesus Christ, indeed – John 21.15-17:
[15]”So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs“.
[16]”He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep“.
[17]”He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep“.
3. Have a very healthy personal walk with Jesus & in the Holy Spirit – Romans 8.14:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God“.
One of the major ways by which the Holy Spirit leads is by taking of what belongs to Jesus for you & showing you, so that the Lord Jesus will be glorified in you by your compliance – John 16.14:
“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you“.
By God’s grace, after my conversion, I loved to share Christ with people as much as I possibly can & my mind was to use major part of my business profits to promote His Kingdom until November 23, 1996, a Saturday evening, about 4.40pm, while studying one of Kenneth Hagin’s Bible Courses on faith, that I discovered my purpose in Him is to preach (the Word – 2 Timothy 4.2,4-5), those Words, as it were leapt out of the page of the Bible & came up to me, & on asking Him precisely, What Word? He answered, by directing me to Galatians 5.6:faith that works by love!
I still further asked Him if it were to be an independent Ministry or how, to which He gave instructions to join myself to that chariot, implying the Church where I was worshipping.
Now, I was there for in the service for eighteen years & after leaving, He told me that the essence of His purpose for me is to terminate the sufferings of humanity all across the globe, particularly, teaching His people how to worship & serve Him rightly for them to be blessed appropriately!
He further told me that, I’m just stepping into the first phase of my Ministry!
Beloved, endeavour to always be controlled, directed, guided & regulated by Him(the Holy Spirit).
4. Live a ready Christian life – Isaiah 6.8-9:
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me“.
[9]”And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye…”.
1 Kings 22.20-22:
[20]”And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner“.
[21]”And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him”.
[22]”And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so“.
Your purpose in Him will always be to continue in Christ in making this world a better place, like heaven, so live ready…!
Matthew 24.44:
“Therefore be ye also ready:…”.
John 17.4-5:
[4]”I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do“.
[5]”And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was“.
There’s the crown of glory & righteousness awaiting all who discover, pursue & finish their God ordained purpose in Christ Jesus.
Your crown will fit your head, it won’t go to another, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
Take grace to discover your purpose & pursue the same with faith & love in your heart, to the end, in Jesus’ most colourful name!
PEACE!
JESUS IS LORD!