Why Am I Here? (Part 2)

“Anything clearly understood can be concisely told.” – unknown professor

Do you know the main purposes of your life?  Have you taken the time to ask God, “Why am I here?”

Case Study:  Paul

YOUR PURPOSE IS DISCOVERED!

You discover what you are called to by what BURDENS you

• Paul was burdened that Jews were not saved

Romans 9:1–3 (NKJV)

You discover what you are called to by what BREAKS you

• Paul was broken by the prejudice that existed in Peter and other Jews against the Gentiles, a people to which he was called.

Galatians 2:11–14 (NKJV)

You discover what you are called to by what BOTHERS you.

• Saul was a deeply devoted Jew and he was bothered by the fact that these “Christians” were espousing Jesus Christ as the way.

Acts 9:1-2 (NKJV)

Another way you discover your purpose is the thing you do that BLESSES OTHERS

• The Galatian Church was so blessed by Paul’s ministry that they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him if it would bring healing for him.

Galatians 4:15 (NKJV)

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WE SEE FROM PAUL’S LIFE THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE PURPOSE.

ANOTHER OF PAUL’S PURPOSES WAS TO WRITE

• GOD HAD TO INTERRUPT HIS LIFE (HAVE HIM ARRESTED) SO HE COULD FULFILL ANOTHER OF THE PURPOSES OF HIS LIFE.

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YOU MUST BE DEVELOPED FOR YOUR PURPOSE

There must be a developmental period in which you are prepared/equipped for what you are called to do.

What does God use to develop you to walk in purpose?

ENVIRONMENT

Philippians 3:5 (NLT)

⁵I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

• What ENVIRONMENTS have you been in?

“Everything may not be God sent, but it can be God used.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

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EDUCATION

Philippians 3:5 (NLT)

⁵I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

• What have you been EDUCATED or trained in?
• God will use your worldly training for a kingdom purpose.

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EXPERIENCES

Philippians 3:6 (NLT)

⁶I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

• Which EXPERIENCES were supposed to aid in your development?
• Why did you have to go through that?

“Some things you go through and you’ll say I’ll never go through that again; lesson learned.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

EXPOSURE
Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

⁸Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

• THE GREATEST THING THAT DEVELOPED PAUL TO WALK IN HIS PURPOSE WAS HIS EXPOSURE TO JESUS!
• What or WHO have you been EXPOSED to?
• How did it impact your life?

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AFTER YOU ARE DEVELOPED, THEN YOU ARE DEPLOYED IN YOUR PURPOSE

God will deploy you in what He has called you to do.

Deploy is a military term.  Paul’s deployment is in Acts 13.

 

Acts 13:1–3 (NKJV)

¹Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

²As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

³Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

What is critical for your deployment?

Strategy of the General

• Jesus’ strategy was to make disciples of every nation; therefore, they were to be witnesses everywhere.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

⁸But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

• What you are called to do is connected to God’s overall strategy.

Ephesians 1:11 (NIV84)

¹¹In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

“Jesus is our strategy.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

We must tie our life to the strategy of the General (Jesus).

Timing of the mission

• Although some progress was made in moving from Jerusalem, they had not gone to end of the world. Therefore, the Holy Spirit gave the order to deploy separate Barnabas and Saul for the work to which they were called.

• The passage has a sense of urgency as you read it, because when they heard it, they did it without delay.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

¹To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (The Message)

¹There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

• There is an optimal season for what you must do; and within that season is a specific time that it has to be done.

“Our times are in His hands.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

Readiness of the soldier

Acts 13:4–5 (NKJV)

⁴So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

⁵And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.

The soldier is ready when:

• Respect authority – vs. 3 – …they sent them away
• Obedient to orders – vs. 4 – …they went
• Capable of carrying out the mission – 5 -…they preach the word of God

 

“Character is important, but competence is also important.” – Pastor Billy Johnson