Your Purpose Can’t Be Stolen

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Jun 072010
 

Our number one concern in life should be the kingdom of Heaven. After all the bible says seek ye first… (Matthew 6:33)

God’s original plan was to inhabit the earth with his children and impact the world through us so that the earth becomes just like Heaven. (Please see the Lord’s Prayer for proof of this)

So God created all of us with a purpose, a work, a gift that we are supposed to serve the earth with. After all He creates everything with a purpose. However a lot of the time we get sidetracked with the cares of this world instead of the purpose of God. We get caught up in its affairs and lose vision of the original intent. When we do this we end up putting more faith in the  normal outcomes of this world than the results the kingdom culture promises. We wind up putting more faith in things sustaining us than God. Take a look at what God showed me the other day- this blew me away when I read it.

John 12

3) Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4) Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

5) Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

I have read through these verses so many times but never looked at this verse this way and will never see it the same again. Jesus and His disciples knew that Judas was a thief. They knew he stole, they knew he was dishonest, and Jesus knew because of Judas’s heart that he would betray Him… yet Jesus allowed him to stay. Not only that but they allowed Judas to ‘keep the bag’. He kept the bag with the money box, and their belongings! Judas… the thief… held the money!

You never see a dispute in the bible between Judas and Jesus over missing money or belongings. You never see Jesus distraught because Jesus and the other disciples couldn’t eat or provide themselves with provisions because of missing valuables. The stuff in the bag did not sustain them, nor does the lack of stuff in the bag hinder His purpose. And there is our problem.

We get so involved with the work of getting the resources to carry out purpose that we never get to purpose. We’re hindered by the contents of the bag, or lack there of, that we never start the work. Our priorities are out of order. Remember “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these other things I will add unto you.” What a promise! But we fail to grasp the understanding.

Jesus asked the disciples a question one time “Why do you worry what you will eat or what you will wear?- the Father knows you have need of these things.” Quit worrying about where the resources are going to come from and be focused on the purpose. God will provide the resources for His will EVERYTIME! David said ‘I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging bread.” He is a faithful God who provides for His people and is committed to seeing His will carried out in the earth. But when we seek the other things first… we are out of order and God can’t bless disorder. He created this law and wants us to line up with it so we can see the kingdom manifest in our lives. We are confused sometimes by God and His ways. We act like God is surprised or caught off guard by what’s in the bag. (Wallet, Bank Account, Net Worth, Current Resources, Current Position, Current Status) God says “You are about to get promoted” and you were just fired- “I am giving you a helpmate in life”- and you just separated from your girlfriend or boyfriend. God says “It’s time to start a business”- and you’re broke. God sees which kingdom we trust in more- the kingdom of God or the kingdom of man.

This is so important for everyone to hear- please read this next part carefully. Your purpose is not tied to things. Your purpose is not tied to resources. Your lack of abilities and skills has nothing to do with your purpose- it can’t keep you from your purpose. The enemy gets us so involved with what’s in the bag that we look to the bag as a sign of who we are in life. We look to the bag wanting God to fill the bag instead of looking to God. The bag has limits, the bag has a maximum capacity- the bag cannot hold what you need to carry out God’s purpose so quit looking in the bag for a sign of God’s will. Seek the kingdom first and the rest will be added. Get to work on the purpose and the provisions will be provided. God is not concerned with where you were or what you have. Moses was a prince in Egypt, but after fleeing from Egypt He become a keeper of his father in laws herd’s. You never hear Moses saying “What? But I was a prince in Egypt.” God was taking him through a process to train him- by leading the herd’s he was preparing him to lead the children of Israel. Moses did not lose his purpose when he become an employee of his father in law- it was just a part of the plan. Oh how many times we wind up getting stuck in a phase of God’s plan thinking it’s the end of it. It’s just a phase, a season.

Jesus was never worried that Judas would steal something that would keep Him from His purpose. He was never worried that because of Judas’s character that they would be without. Jesus never looked to the bag as the source. The contents of the bag did not sustain them, the Father in Heaven did. IN FACT the very one the enemy would use to hinder Jesus would be a tool to elevate Him and actually be a tool in fulfilling His purpose.

I prophecy to you that the very people that the enemy would use for destruction God will use to bring out His purpose in you. The very ones who try to hold you down will be the ones God uses to push you higher. They will not realize that they are pushing you to the next level but remember it’s not about them but about God’s purpose. God will exalt you, not by going around the storm, but by going through it. The storm, the enemy, is the door to God’s purpose. Remember God has allowed this to come against you and so it has been ordained to lift you higher. Praise God! David could testify of this- that sheppard’s cannot become king’s without their Goliath’s.

Just remember it’s not about the resources in the bag, but about your source in Heaven. The Father will provide and sustain His people. He will add unto those who seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Amen!

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Kings and Javelins

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May 262010
 

We often get the misconception that to be in God’s favor means we are not in a storm at that time in our life. But this would imply that we are in God’s favor in the good times but during the bad times God has removed his favor. The enemy actually gets us on this reverse thinking- but it’s not true!

When your child comes home and has an “F” on his report card- do you not love him anymore? Of course you love him. It’s a process- you go through those times with them. You spend more time with them, work with them on their homework, encourage them- WHY? Because you are not looking at that moment when they bring that report card home as eternal. You see their future, what they will become. You push them to achieve greater! Your favor is always on your children. God is the same way, but He’s even better- after all “we being evil…”

So God’s favor is always on His people, you just have to make sure you’re His people.

I was going through a little storm myself, wondering why I was facing some of the things that I was when I am in God’s favor. I mean why are unfavorable things happening when I am in His favor this seems contradictory. But the Lord spoke to me and reminded me, as He always does, of His word. He said…

“Even David was anointed to be king, but had javelins thrown at him.”

This thought God impressed upon me was enough to change how I was feeling. I had never thought about it and compared it to my life. Samuel had anointed David king. Saul had already been rejected. Yet Saul still sat in a position of authority and threw javelins at the true anointed king of Israel. David played the harp for him and then had to flee on several occasions to escape death. I mean can you imagine? Here you are- you’re supposed to be king. (That’s what this old renowned prophet said!) But you are having to play music for a rejected king and then you get attacked. You have to run from the very person who has your position… and HIDE! It just doesn’t make sense to us. But look at Saul’s perspective in this situation.

1 Samuel 18
12) And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

I LOVE IT! The enemy wants you to feel like those coming against you ‘know’ they have power over you. He wants you to feel destitute. But remember God’s favor has not parted. God is hostage by His own word. What He has said He will perform. He is an AWESOME God! Don’t let the devil fool you. Don’t get caught up in what you ‘think’ others are thinking about you or toward you. They are afraid- because the LORD is with YOU!

I love this part…

1 Samuel 18
13) Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

David got a promotion! Saul wasn’t trying to bless him. He was just afraid of him. Before he was over the men of war, but now he’s the king’s captain over a thousand. God was providing David with his own army. But here is the key…

1 Samuel 18
14) And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15) Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

DON’T YOU LOSE YOUR SELF CONTROL! I know that this is going to speak to somebody. You might want to quit, you might want to wish something bad upon them, you might want to disrespect them, you might have thought to get revenge- BUT DON’T DO IT! This is the KEY! David behaved himself wisely in ALL his ways- and so the LORD was with him. I cannot express how important this is. Our flesh wants to bring resolve in ways that God will not honor. Your ultimate goal is ‘respect’ from that person- look at what David’s behavior brought. When Saul saw David was behaving wisely- he was afraid! See by yourself, you are just like them, what do they have to fear? – but if the Lord is with you…

We all have positions and places in life that are determined for us to go. We have been predestined to be kings in the earth and to have dominion over the earth. (Genesis 1:26) So why do we think we must defend that? Why do we think we need to respond to others disbelief in us and of where we are going? If it is to be… it will just be! David was wise. David knew- if God is God then He owns the country, he owns the place of authority, he even owns Saul. So I will run away from the very kingdom I have been promised because, after all, it’s already been determined that I am the king of Israel. Now moving along with this analogy- Don’t fret what others say to you, or how they treat you, or what they say you’re going to become, or what position they try to stick you in, or even if they fire you- after all it’s already been determined. Imagine the one who is coming against you. They may seem to be blocking you from your promise- your success- your goal. Now imagine them throwing a javelin at you to kill you. (Makes you smile thinking about this actually happening right?- But it actually happened to David.) Now- you have a decision. You can pick the javelin up and throw it back at them…  or you can trust the Lord’s favor and promises. If you trust Him- why fight?… you’ve already won! The end is determined, you just have to stay steady and behave yourself wisely. Stay in His favor, stay in right standing with the kingdom.

The Saul’s of our lives may think there is only one path to succession. A standard process to be king- but remember who made them king… THE KING OF KINGS!

Trust the Lord, the Owner!

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