Pathway to Purpose | Week 2 | We Will Series

comms   -   September 9, 2023

PATHWAY TO PURPOSE – YOUR DESTINY 

1Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob.  Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.   5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.  9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. – Genesis 37:1–11 (ESV) 

 

God positions us in a place of priority to fulfill our purpose.

11For 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) 

Four Expression that impact our purpose:

  1. Position in the Family – Joseph was the youngest of 12 brothers.
  2. Favor – personal favor – Israel Loved Joseph more than all the boys.
    • Perceived fairness – He favored him with a coat of many colors and with his ear.
  3. Opportunity – plays into God’s purpose in our lives –
    • Family Dynamics
    • Competition leads to opportunity.
  4. Effort is the expression of our engagement with God’s plan.

15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord‘s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”- 2 Kings 13:15-19 ESV

 

God reveals purpose through revelation.

 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. – Ephesians 1:3–6 (ESV)

 

Joseph had Two Dreams of Revelation:

  1. Joseph and his brothers were binding sheaves, and my sheave arose and stood upright and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.
  2. The sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.

 

Revelation when received creates hope and orients our perspective but is not completely understood.

We think we know but we don’t know.

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who lived in the 1800’s.

Maybe one day, 100 years from now, someone will say something like this: ” YOU ARE EITHER AN INFLUENCE OR YOU’RE BEING INFLUENCED”  ~ Tom Lane – Pastor, Organizational Leader, Believer

 

The path to our Purpose is a winding road not a straight line.

  • Every Assignment provides 2 things:
    • Learning Opportunities
    • Tests
  • An Opportunity needs to be evaluated in light of our purpose.

Question #1: What are you doing with your opportunity?

  • Is this opportunity a distraction or God’s purpose?
  • Am I stewarding this opportunity, or are you wasting it?
  • I think our greatest regret in Eternity will be realizing what God had for us, but we missed out on it because we ignored, wasted, or squandered the assignments God brought our way.

 

Question #2: Where are you on your journey to purpose?

  • Are you stuck in a place of missed opportunity?
  • Are you controlled by doubt and unbelief?
  • Have you misapplied or misunderstood God’s vision for you?
  • Have you lost the hope of your vision in the midst of difficult circumstances?

 

God’s purpose will be cocooned in the desire of our heart.

  • We must discover the desire or express it before God so he can change our heart to align with His purpose.
  • If the foundation of our hearts is to fulfill God’s purpose we can’t miss God’s purpose for our lives, he will lead us to it.
  • Do not stagger at the promises of God in unbelief and doubt.

 

Words of Knowledge 

  • We believe the Lord wants to heal people suffering with incontinence.
  • We believe the Lord wants to heal someone suffering with ringing in their right ear.
  • We believe we heard the Lord say that if you are battling anxiety, fears, frustrations, infirmities, or restlessness, He wants to set you free today.