Purpose Driven Plans

This morning’s message was centred on “plans.” Planning correctly puts you on a predetermined course and helps you to steer your life toward success. Success for any believer is - knowing and then attaining God’s “plan” and “purpose” for your life. Tonight we will be examining “purposes.” Purpose is what will fuel every “plan” you make. Plans are driven by purpose! With no purpose there’s no energy to propel you toward success.

I believe that success is simply:

Becoming what God wants you to become.
Doing what God wants you to do.
Possessing what God wants you to have.

Success in life is a progressive process of self-development and personal accomplishment! Real success is not a destination, it’s a journey! However, every journey you take requires fuel in order for you to reach your destination. This fuel is purpose!

The English Dictionary says, “purpose” is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. We in fact can ask ourselves these very same questions. “What is the reason for me doing what I am doing?” Or, “For what reason was I created, and for what reason do I exist?” When you know the answers to these questions, you will have found “purpose,” and your life will be energised. Nothing can precede purpose. It’s the starting point of your destiny.

At the outset, look for answers to the following four questions: (Simple, but deep and very profound)

Why do I exist?
What am I to be?
What am I to do?
How am I to do it?

As you formulate your answers to these questions you will invite purpose into your life and this will make every task both easy and enjoyable.

The best way to get started (when establishing purpose in your life), is by looking at the life of Christ and listening to His own words. So let’s do that right now.

1. John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The NKJ says, “... And that they may have it more abundantly.”

The reason why Jesus came was to give us an abundant life (a life that is full). The Greek word is literally “super-abundance.” But it implies, “overflowing, surplus, more than enough, above the ordinary, or excessive.” Hence, if Christ’s purpose was to provide us with a super-abundant life, then surely the answer to the first question (Why do I exist?) is, “I exist to live life to the full.” Or, “I exist to live a life above the ordinary?”

2. John 18:37, “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king.

In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth.”

The reason why Jesus came was to testify to the truth that He is the Messiah - the Christ - the Anointed One. The answer to the next question, “What am I to be?” is, “I am to be an anointed vessel.”

Paul had the same purpose, and he knew what he was destined to be. 2 Corinthians 1:21,22, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” Notice, the Holy Spirit is given as a guarantee that you are destined to be established in Christ, and also anointed!

3. 1 Timothy 1:15, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”

The reason why Jesus came into the world was to save sinners - this is what He did! The answer to the next question, “What am I to do?” is simply, “What I am to do is get sinners saved.”

Doing this is in line with the Father’s heart. If you are truly listening to the heart of God, this is what you will be doing most of the time. And your motivation is this, Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

4. 1 John 3:8, “He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.”

NKJ says, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

AMP says, “The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].”

The reason why Jesus was made visible was to exercise His authority and undo, destroy, loosen and dissolve the works of the devil. He did not come to destroy the devil - but His works!

Therefore, answer to the last question, “How am I to do it?” - “How am I to get people saved?” is, “I get people saved by using the authority that Christ gave me to destroy the works of the devil.”

This is the greatest need for mankind today. God is relying on the church to fulfil His divine purpose. And in the process of achieving this aim, signs and wonders will accompany every child of God.

The road to your destiny (your success) should be awash with the souls of saved sinners!

Chris Demetriou, 13/05/2007