Dear Friend,
Fulfilling the Purpose for Life
“And you will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the path. Walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21 KJV) Can you hear that voice? It is your mission or vision statement.
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish ” To perish is to wander through life with no direction or purpose.
Jesus gave His mission statement in John 10:10 (KJV) when he said, “I have come to give life and give it more abundantly.”
Life on earth is a temporary assignment. That is why we must live a life of purpose in the light of scripture. Compared with eternity, life is extremely brief. Earth is only a temporary residence with a temporary assignment or purpose. We won’t be here long, so we must work to fulfill the purpose God has given us while we are here on earth.
When we know we are positioned to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives, we will realize life is a test, a trust, and a temporary assignment.
There is no greater purpose than that which Christ gave us in Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) when He said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We will not be completely happy here, because we were created for heaven not earth. As a result we must abide in the word and the direction it provides. It is a fatal mistake for one to believe that God’s goal for their life is material prosperity or success. Each one of us have been positioned for the great purpose of sharing with everyone in both word and deed the love and hope of Jesus provides.
Believers with this purpose for living know that Christ is, “Able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).
As we develop a mission statement expressing our purpose for living we move forward by faith. In order to do this we must believe God when He says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10 KJV).
If you don’t see the purpose God has given you fulfilled immediately, don’t give up. Wait for it.
4. Experience Christ’s peace as you come to Him during life’s struggles. Accept His invitation to come into the divine rest that only He can give at those moments when toxic stress overshadows you. Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV).
Those known as prophets in the Bible were men and women of vision. They were able to access the events unfolding around them and through the spirit of God were able to project a vision for not only their present circumstances, but even for the future. Instead of seeing themselves as victims, through the power of God they were able to rise and be victors. Every obstacle became a hinge on the door of a vision for new opportunities.
You are a person uniquely and wonderfully made. As you surrendered your life to the Lord, He has planted a vision within you. He has set you free from the captivity of sin, death, and the devil. Now, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, let that vision come forth.
Proverbs 16:3 (KJV) says, “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”
As the vision comes forth try to express it in a mission statement, no more than one sentence long. Laurie Beth Jones declares that “Abraham Lincoln’s mission was to preserve the union. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s was to end the Depression. Nelson Mandela’s mission was to end apartheid. Mother Teresa’s was to show mercy to the dying. Nehemiah’s mission was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.”
When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit will come and live within you. We are told in Acts 2:17 (NIV), “In the last days it shall be,” says God, “that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams.”
We can judge visions, prophecies, and dreams through the standard of God’s word and the fruits of the Spirit. Any words that don’t line up with the Bible and the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control should be disregarded.
Believers with vision know that Christ is, “Able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). As we move forward by faith bringing forth the vision the Holy Spirit has placed within us, we must believe God when He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you, yes, I will strengthen you, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).
If you don’t see the vision fulfilled immediately don’t give up. Wait for it. Remember where it says, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. ” (Habakkuk 2:2-3 NIV)
Jesus told us to be specific when it comes to writing down the revelation or vision. He urges us to, “Fear not, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”
When I was in my early twenties, I asked myself, “Who am I? Where am I going? What am I doing?” It was then I began to see the vision for my future. This vision was to tell anyone and everyone in word and deed about the love of Jesus Christ. The mission statement for this vision was to see St. Louis and all Mid America to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Joan of Arc had a vision to see France saved. Her vision was a military one. The vision of New Life Evangelistic Center is a spiritual one. It is to see a revival that would sweep throughout the land.
This vision took many different paths throughout the years. It was anchored in prayer and the scriptures. Fulfilling the vision included: helping the homeless, the incarcerated, the lost and lonely as the gospel of Jesus Christ was shared in word in deed. This involved preaching the gospel, baptizing, making disciples, teaching and obeying Chris’s commands as Matthew 28:19-20 declares.
The vision to share the good news that there is hope, Christ in Risen has been and continues at New Life Evangelistic Center to be shared in spite of the trials and tribulations. Now we must work to tell everyone in word and deed that there is hope because Christ is Risen. We must never forget we are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NIV)
The time has come for us to earnestly pursue the vision God gave us over fifty-three years ago. It involves not only seeing St. Louis come to Jesus but all Mid America. As we look at St. Louis and Springfield and all of the area in-between, we can feel overwhelmed with all the crime, homelessness, and hopelessness. It is easy to think that this is an impossible vision to see fulfilled. For that reason, we must earnestly pray and ask out Heavenly Father to send forth the Holy Spirit to encourage, strengthen, and motivate us daily. Never forget that with God all things are possible. Now we must continue to pray, share the gospel by passing out the ZOA Free Paper, preach the word as we directly helping those in need.
Let us move forward now fulfilling the purpose for the life God has given us. Remember. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us ” (Romans 8:37 NIV).
Yours in Christ,
Larry Rice