How can I discover God’s specific purpose for me and fulfill it? - Purpose - TouchPoints

Romans 12:1-2So, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Discovering God’s purpose for you begins with your whole-hearted commitment to God. When you give yourself to God, he promises to make his will known to you as you make yourself available to him. If you withhold willingness and obedience until he tells you exactly what he has planned for you, you will not make progress.

Philippians 1:20-22I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

When we commit ourselves to fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives, he promises that our lives will be fruitful, though often not exactly in ways we would have expected.

Joshua 14:12“If the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”

God’s purpose is best verified by God’s presence and participation in what we are doing. When Caleb realized he was part of God’s purpose to drive out the Canaanites, the strength of his enemies was no longer an obstacle. God’s purpose for our lives is never limited to the things we can accomplish on our own. Ultimately, our greatest usefulness in God’s Kingdom will be in doing work we can only accomplish with God’s help.

1 Samuel 17:26David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”

While others saw a fearsome giant, David saw an opportunity for God’s mighty work. Others saw an obstacle too great to overcome; David saw a target too big to miss! David’s eyes of faith allowed him to see God’s purpose for him in this challenging situation. Don’t let obstacles stop you from discovering and carrying out the purpose God has for you.

Nehemiah 2:17Now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”

Nehemiah’s passion to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was rooted in his understanding of what God wanted for his people. Passionately pursue the process of discovering what God wants for you and the people in your community. Then step out in faith, and watch others catch that passion.

Philippians 1:20I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.

Philippians 3:12I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

The apostle Paul’s great purpose, whether by life or death, was to win others to Christ. Your purpose in God’s Kingdom will be something you feel compelled to do regardless of the risks.

Acts 13:2One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”

Worship, prayer, fasting, and relationships with other believers will help you discern God’s purpose for your life. God can and will confirm his direction through others who are following Jesus with you.