Finding God’s Purpose & Making a Living [Article]
Before doing any type of goal planning, the wisest thing you can ever do is to first meet with God. Based on God is your creator, He knows exactly what you were created to do, simply because he created you. He designed and installed all your divine gifts and talents, for the sole purpose of glorifying Him. We glorify God through good works and by winning souls to His Kingdom.
*Scriptures of good works and talents, and made for God’s purpose
A meeting with God in prayer is not just talking with God, it’s learning to be still (Psalm 46:10) and listen to God. Not just listening with our ears, but learning to listen with our spirit. Many are waiting for God to talk to them in an audible voice, He can, but this is not the norm. God communicates to our heart, where are spirit is (Ephesians ), and then establishes our thoughts (Proverbs 16:3).
The best way to start listening to God is to open up His Word, the Holy Bible, because God is His Word, so when we read God’s Word, it literally is a visit with God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
I may sound like a broken record throughout this curriculum, but I’m going to keep referring you back to Joshua 1:8, which states:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
After meeting with God in prayer, He will not only communicate to you through the establishment of your thoughts, but He will begin to install desires within your heart, to confirm the thoughts He has given you.
Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:4
The more time you spend with God, the better your discernment will be, meaning, you will know through a manifestation of faith, peace, and joy that God is directing you, by the way, faith, peace, and joy are three fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) we obtain when we obtain our new Christ spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17).
God says in His Word that it’s not for us to direct our own steps. So many people are depressed and unfulfilled in their employment or business they chose for themselves, through their own understanding.
O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jeremiah 10:23
Now they are miserable and looking for a way out. God knows us better than we know ourselves, He even knows the number of hairs on our heads.
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7
He knows our deepest desires, our likes and dislikes, God knows our future
Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
Isaiah 46:10 ESV
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
So without complicating this message, here are steps to obtaining God’s life plan for your life. Let me note, that His plans don’t come all at once, they come in phases, we can see that in scripture. This is why we are mandated by God to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
1. Start with Praise and Worship to usher in the manifestation of God’s glory. Give God thanks for all that He has done for you. God’s Word tells us to “enter His gates with Thanksgiving and Courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). In Philippians, we are instructed to bring forth our petitions with thanksgiving.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Phillippians 4:6
Be grateful for all of God’s goodness, for saving us from our sin and giving us eternal life, and for His Holy Spirit to live within us and guide us. Give God continuous thanks for food, water, transportation, family, income, health, etc…
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
After you feel the presence of God, through His peace, then begin to present your petitions.
2. Ask God to cleanse and reformat your Heart and Soul from any sin, unforgiveness, and cares of the world. Ask God to cleanse out any ungodly and selfish desires, and goals that you might be holding on to. You want your heart to have a clean template for God to work with. Remember as a Christian, it’s not our will, but God’s will we want to be done in our lives. (add insert reformat)
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
God will not bless any plans that he hasn’t ordained. Many come to God with preconceived plans that they cultivated through their own mind and heart’s desires, and want God to Bless them. He won’t, when we come to God, we must come putting everything on His altar, that which is not of His will be burned up at the alter. Not saying that every goal that we have before Christ is not God’s will, we just have to have trust and ask Him. We will not prosper in any plan, which goes against God’s way for our lives.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18
We are in a spiritual war here on earth daily. There is a battle taking place 24/7 for souls in the unseen spirit realm between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness.
One of satan’s most successful weapons is the spirit of distraction. Satan utilizes the spirit of distraction to make humanity oblivious to the spiritual war going on, and to focus on goals and issues of low importance. vanity, worldly riches, fame, sinful pleasures, etc…
You have to make sure the intent and motives of your heart are pure and line up with God’s Word. This is why many plans and prayer requests don’t receive God’s answers and blessings.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James 4:3
Remember God loves you, you have to have faith and trust Him completely with the plans that He has ordained for your life. We develop this faith and trust by reading His Word. Romans 10: 17 states:
So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
God has a perfect plan for all of us, as stated in Jeremiah 29:11. Whether it be a vocation, business, career, housewife, minister, etc… If God ordained it, and you are faithful and obedient to it, you are guaranteed to prosper in it. If God has put His Holy seal on it, no matter how bad things can look and feel, it’s guaranteed by God’s Holy Word, that it will work out to your good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
In the Kingdom of God, success is not equated with financial wealth, fame, awards, and educational degrees, Godly success is totally based on finding and faithfully fulfilling, God’s plan for your life.
A prisoner who fulfills his daily agenda according to God’s will is successful. At the other end of the spectrum, a billionaire philanthropist, who refused God’s plan to stop traveling the world on business, and enter into full-time ministry, is not successful according to God’s standard, because he is living in willful disobedience, believing his sacrifices of donations and volunteering will appease God. The Word of God clearly states:
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22
So before moving to the next step, make sure you have asked God to create in you a clean heart as King David requested, after he had sinned against God by committing adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband killed.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10
God’s Word tells us, that if we have iniquity in our hearts, He will not hear us.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Psalm 66:18
So after giving thanks to God, with praise and worship, petition God to search your heart for any:
Sin
Un-forgiveness
Un-casted Cares
Then be very still, and God will establish your thoughts.
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs 16:3
Then with pen and paper, be prepared to write down, what He gives you. Take immediate action as the Holy Spirit directs you.
3. Bring your Petitions with Thanksgiving: It is important to have faith, that when you’re bringing your petition to the Heavenly Father, you know you have is full and divided attention.
With our natural mind, it can be difficult for some to understand, all the responsibilities that God has in monitoring, and governing everyone and everything, down to the smallest particle in all the universes. How could God possibly truly care, to give us, His undivided attention? How could He sincerely be a loving Father to all of us, be it, there as an estimated 7 billion-plus on planet earth?
God’s Word tells us, as far as monitoring and governing us, He knows the number of the very hairs on our head, and His eyes are everywhere looking upon us.
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
Proverbs 15:3
As far as God loving us, let’s never forget He sent and gave HIs only Son to suffer and die in our place, and HIs care is so deep for us, that he catches and bottles up all our tears.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Psalm 58:6
Again, in a nutshell, God loves you, and you have His undivided attention 24/7.
Now reverently, in a thankful attitude in faith, bring forth your petitions to your Heavenly Father. The following are some petitions every Believer should have:
What is your perfect will for my life?
What is my purpose?
What are my talents & gifts?
How do you want me to make a living?
Help me to develop a healthy eating and exercise plan.
Teach me how to build positive relationships with the right people and how to avoid the wrong ones
Show me how to share my faith, and pray for people effectively.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:5
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
Psalm 119:99
4. Be Quiet, Still, & Wait on God to Establish Your Thoughts:
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:1
“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Psalms 27:14
5. Write it Down & Prayerfully Chart Your Course Daily:
And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Habakkuk 2:2
As you are Quiet, still, and waiting patiently, the Holy Spirit will begin to start establishing your thoughts. Psalm 46:10 God tells us “Be still and know that I’m God.” Meaning, that it’s vital we stay very still and focused, so we can discern it’s truly the Holy Spirit and not a counterfeit demonic spirit, or even our own thoughts.
When God communicates to us, He confirms it with a calming peace, faith, and a strong desire to initiate what He has instructed us.
Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:4
A solid foundation when beginning to daily chart your course following God’s plan for your life is the prayer Yeshua taught his disciples, which we call the Lord’s Prayer. This is a very powerful prayer, encapsulated in this prayer, is everything you need in a day.
It’s important when you say this prayer, that you don’t say it in a fast and monotone repetition manner, but intentionally and reverently from the heart.
I’m going to break down this prayer, to bring clarity, on how this prayer, which seems so simple, is so very powerful!
The Lord’s Prayer
9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
* Giving God Holy reverence and praise He deserves.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
* Through Christ, we now have the authority to implement Heaven’s sovereign government here on earth.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
*Daily bread is a symbol of the fundamental provision for our daily needs.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
* We are repenting for our sins and forgiving others.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
*Strength to resist temptation, protection from evil, and a further declaration of God’s Sovereign Power and Authority.
God’s Word tells us there will be trials and tribulations, and many afflictions, however, we are commanded by God to walk by faith and not by sight.
Just be assured, that the safest, peaceful, joyful, and most fulfilling place, is being in the center of God’s perfect will for your life.