The Will And Purpose Of God
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Key Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
God had a will and purpose for Jeremiah’s life.
Matthew 22:14 says that “Many are called, but few are chosen” why?
Perhaps many fail to recognize the will and purpose of God
for their life.
If we are going to accomplish God’s will and purpose for our life, we must:
1. First realize that God has a specific will and purpose for our life
2. Then identify what His will and purpose is.
3. Next we must enter into a season of preparation.
4. And finally, we must embark on the journey holding true to course.
Tonight I want to focus primarily on how we can identify the will and purpose of God for our life.
I. Sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture until you put all the pieces together.
A. I believe that each one of us can discover God’s specific will and purpose for our life by first identifying Three Key Pieces to the overall picture.
1. Knowing ‘Our Life Scripture’ &
2. And ‘Our Life Message’ help us to better identify
3. ‘Our Life Calling’ which clarifies God’s will and purpose.
B. Lets continue to read from the key passage in Jeremiah, Chapter 1 in the NKJV.
Jeremiah 1
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
7 But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.
9 Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant."
II. What Was God’s Will & Purpose For Jeremiah? --- Lets look at what could have been:
A. Jeremiah’s Life Scripture
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
B. Jeremiah’s Life Message
10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant."
* Demolition before Reconstruction
C. Jeremiah’s Life Calling
7 For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.
III. God Had A Will & Purpose For Jesus
A. Jesus’ Life Scripture (among others - after all He is the Word)
Hebrews 10:7 ¶ Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’"
* Where would Jesus have gotten this scripture to guide Him?
Psalms 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."
B. Jesus’ Life Message (What did His life speak to others)
Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
C. Jesus’ Life Calling (What was God’s special job for Jesus?)
1 John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
* How did Jesus accomplish this calling?
> He had to do several things, in order and in concert.
IV. Identifying God’s Specific Will & Purpose For Our Life Helps Us
A. Recognize our part in God’s Plan
B. Embrace our opportunities
C. Avoid Temptations Of The Devil and Our Flesh Which Can
1. Detour Us
2. Derail Us
3. Distract Us
4. Disqualify Us
D. Jesus defeated Satan’s temptations in the wilderness, Luke 4, because He understood God’s will and purpose for His life.
1. Jesus rehearsed the scriptures, God’s Word about His life
* Not My will but Thine O God.
2. Jesus understood what His life should speak of
* A testimony for others to follow
3. Jesus knew what He was called to do
* Destroy the works of the devil, not submit to them
How would Jesus accomplish God’s will and purpose for His life? God would show Him; God would encourage Him; God would help him.
It was Jesus’ responsibility not to get detoured, derailed, distracted or disqualified.
Knowing God’s will and purpose gave Jesus strength, courage and direction.
At one of the most critical times in the Garden, He remembered the scripture, I came to do Your will O God, not Mine …
V. God’s Will & Purpose For My Life
A. My Life Scripture
Luke 4
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
B. My Life Message
Matthew 28
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
C. My Life Calling
1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
VI. What is yours?
A. Your Life Scripture
B. Your Life Message
C. Your Life Calling?
What is God’s will and purpose for your life?
What keeps you on track, on course, undistracted by the demands of life?
