Growintheword's Blog

I can, I will, I must Part I
Purpose Part I
Synopsis of Bible Study 09/02/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
God is a God of purpose. Everything God does, no matter when or why, he does it on purpose. God created everything on purpose and for a purpose. Purpose precedes creation. Everything in life begins and ends with purpose, because God is a purpose driven God. Every believer must be driven by what they do, because Gods will is that we be in our purpose.
Purpose is the only thing that will bring meaning to your life. The aim is then to become significant with our purpose. We ought to want the Lord to make our life matter. The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but life without a reason or purpose. It is dangerous to be alive and not know the reason you were given life.
Benjamin Mayes says” The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not disgrace to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim, is a sin. “- Benjamin Mays
What is purpose?
1. Purpose is the original intent of the creation of a thing.
2. Purpose is the original reason for the creation of a thing.
3. Purpose is the end for which the means exist.
4. Purpose is the cause for the creation of a thing.
5. It is the desired result that initiates production. Ex-Somebody produces something because they are looking for a desired result
6. It is the need that makes a manufacturer produce a specific product. Ex-Manufacturer saw someone that needed their hair done and decided someone needed to make hair relaxer.
7. It is the destination that prompted the journey. Ex- I saw where I was going and it prompted me to get up to pursue my purpose.
8. It is the aspiration for the inspiration.
9. It is the object one wills or resolves to have.
10. Purpose is the original intent in the mind of God that prompted him to create you. How then do we know what God is up to? We cannot know our purpose while being outside the relationship of God. The Holy Ghost helps us know what our purpose is. It is impossible to know our purpose without a relationship with God.
We were created for and with a purpose.
1. There is a universal corporate purpose that all creation has. Genesis 1:26: 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. – Every purpose that comes out of one of God’s creations has to come out in order to glorify God. Nothing you do will make sense unless you understand why God created you to do it.
2. We were created not be a problem. Instead we were created to solve a problem. Ex-The problem in the text is this, God had order and structure in the garden. He separated the ground and water, put fish in sea, and created things after that. Then God said let us make man. God needed someone to commune with and someone to communicate with creation and let them know who he was. Man was the only thing that had souls so that purpose was given to man. Genesis 1:26 says man was given dominion over everything which means authority, position, power, or to rule. The original intent was for us (mankind) was for us to have dominion in the earth realm. We were to be in charge of this earth. There is no secret that Satan came in subtly in chapter 2 of Genesis after God told Adam and Eve not to touch that one thing in the midst of the garden, which was the tree. Adam and Eve could not resist it and ate of the tree and were cursed. Because of Adam and Eve eating of the tree, which was stepping out of their purpose, they lost dominion and lost their position and were ultimately kicked out of the garden. Satan then obtained dominion in the earth realm. He became the prince of the earth realm. Sin from the garden turned mankind from God. We must remember that sin separates us God.
3. Jesus then became Gods answer to a problem. God was trying to get man’s dominion back on the earth. When John said the kingdom of God was at hand, he was talking about reestablishing the dominion that mankind lost. Jesus started teaching the dominion of God. The scribes had a problem with him, because they thought he was trying to set his own kingdom on this earth. Jesus was establishing God’s kingdom. John 10:10: 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.-Satan wants to destroy your dominion and your authority. Jesus came that we would have a quality of life, where we rule and have dominion in the earth realm. Satan came to destroy. Look at how the devil has taken over in the earth realm. Ex- Look at people who write music in the world. They will be cursing you out on the CD and it will go double platinum, but somebody that sings about Jesus can’t go copper. If a person who tries to open Christian book store, they can’t stay afloat, but an adult book store will have customers in it at midnight. Some of them will be Christians.
4. Our biggest hatters of the church are church folk. We are supposed to take over in the earth realm if we are going to achieve dominion. Ex- In every school, there is someone from Mt Zion. In every hospital, there is at least one member from Mt. Zion. Church folk get mad because we are everywhere, but the unsaved see that we are taking over or in position to make an impact. We are just taking our rightful place in this realm. You can’t take over if your presence is not there. Do you think God just called you to open up another kind of business? No. He called you to take over and make an impact. Some people look at you like your ideas are crazy, but you are supposed to think outside the box, because God promised you. If you don’t have that in your spirit, then you will never understand the totality of your purpose. You will localize your purpose. Your purpose is supposed to be global.
5. Your purposes existed before you were born. Jeremiah 1:5: 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. , Romans 8:29-30: 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. – God fore knew us and predestined us to look like what we are supposed to look like. We were born and had nothing to do with what God planned. Our birth really was insignificant. Your parent’s job was to simply to birth you. What was in you, your purpose, was created before your parents even liked each other. The devil knows your purpose is great and this is why he wants to kill you.
How do we get our purpose?
1. We are growing and forces of life are pulling us in different directions. Ex-At the age of 14 we do thing, at the age15 and 16 we do another. At the age of 20, we do something else and all of the sudden at 25, God calls us. He connects you with a preacher that speaks in your life and it his sermons convict you. You get less and less tolerant of certain things that you used to tolerate. You still have thoughts from your strongholds, but they don’t feel right anymore. Once we answer the call, he speaks to us through his word, and then you say to yourself, “why would God want somebody like me?” You feel in adequate, but remember that God only uses imperfect people because he has no perfect people to choose from. This is why you give the glory to him. God brought our parents together to bring us in this world and then he saved us from our foolishness. We have to realize that as it says in Romans 8:28, 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.-It is not about our purpose, but his purpose.
2. God created you to be a player and not a spectator of the affairs of life. Hebrews 12:1: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, – Notice the phrase in the scripture, “run the race”. Is a runner a spectator or player? Players are assets. Spectators are liabilities. That’s why when you a player, you get irritated by spectators. You in your purpose working hard and somebody who is a spectator is on the side asking what time we get off. Players are for prizes. Spectators are just for fun. Ex- Bishop explains how fortunate he is to see freshman come into this ministry every four years as freshman and the next time you see them, they are seniors. Bishop compares it to child asking for candy and the next time you see them, they want the keys to car. Time moves so quickly. While we see people go through this quick moving cycle, there are others that are always “fixing to do something”. Procrastination is the greasiest enemy of your purpose. Ex-Bishop says he has learned to cease the moment.
There are 3 groups of people
a. People that make things happen.
b. People who watch things happen.
c. People who have no clue what’s happening.
1. Your existence is evidence that this generation needs something that your life contains. Ex- You have the manufacture and his product. The person responsible of a creation is the manufacturer and the thing that is created is the product. Manu means manual. Facturer means maker. The manufacturer makes a manual that will give you a foreknowledge of the functions of the product. Only the manufacturer has the right to determine the purpose of his product, not the customer.
2. Any attempt to use a product in any different way it was created, jeopardizes the product and voids the warranty. People that don’t know how to handle you need to read the manual (the bible). God created you and he created the manual. We who are the product have no say so on how the manufacturer chose to make us or use us. God says stop compromising the warranty by adding parts that he didn’t put on you. You are God’s product and stop letting people tell you who you are. Ex-People say you sound like a preacher and you think you are called to preach. Only God can define your purpose.
10 things about purpose
1. God is the source of purpose. Philippians 1:6: 6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: -Since God started the work inside you, he will finish it.
2. Your purpose is predetermined. 2 Timothy 1:9: 9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
3. Purpose is an integral part of you. Jeremiah 1:5: 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations; Matthew 10:30: 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. – God made us. Ex-Bishop said he was very energetic when he was young. They thought he was going to be a slow child, but it turned out that he was a very hyper child that happened to be very smart. God foreknew his purpose, because that energy comes in handy for a preacher that preaches 4 times every Sunday.
4. Your purpose is the solution to a problem. Exodus 3:7-9: 7And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. – Your purpose is always assigned to a person or people. Your purpose is the solution to a problem.
5. Your purpose is your assignment. Isaiah 6:8: 8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
6. Your purpose determines your destiny. Genesis 12:1-2: 1Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: -Abraham became a blessing, because he got in line with his purpose.
7. Your purpose is interrelated. Genesis 12:3: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. – Bishop explained that if he had gone to law school like he wanted, you might not be reading this at this very moment. Your decision to say yes will always bless something or somebody else.
8. Your purpose stimulates passion. 2 Corinthians 4:1: 1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; -Being in your purpose should not tire you out, because you have a passion for it. Ex-Bishop explained that out of all the time he has been pastoring, there hasn’t been one time that he dreaded coming to church. If you go on your job and you dread it, it is a good indication that that job is not part of your purpose.
9. Purpose transcends your pain. 2 Corinthians 4:8: 8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 2 Corinthians 11:21-30: 21 I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.[a] 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? 30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.

Next week is about purpose and vision and what God is showing you. Some of you are having dreams and God is going to show you if they are real or if you are just tripping.