July 25, 2019July 25, 2019 Josephine Ngatia

God-given Purpose – Is It a Myth or Reality?

Article

The conflicting information on the internet about the purpose of life has bred doubts in the minds of many about the existence of a purpose unique to everyone. So, is a God-given purpose a myth or reality? To those with the truth, it is a reality but to those with a lie; it is a myth.

God created each one of us for a purpose. It is His purpose for your life.

God predetermines your purpose

Purpose is not something you determine for yourself. God predetermined it before He created you. That is why it is a God-given purpose. When a manufacturer creates a product, it is for a specific purpose. It means he identified a problem, need or challenge and designed a product as a solution. God had a reason to bring you into this world. There was a need He wanted you to meet and took the time to create you with your unique gifts and talents. He wired you for the purpose He had in mind. He set you apart to fulfill your purpose.

The Apostle Paul said God set him apart from birth to preach Christ to the Gentiles. It is not something that Paul determined for himself. God predetermined it for him before he was born. 

Galatians 1:15-16

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, to reveal His son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood.

It is clear Paul did not have a revelation of his purpose growing up and therefore persecuted the church of Jesus Christ. He was too busy protecting the traditions of his fathers (Galatians 1:14). The purpose that Paul determined for himself was not beneficial to the kingdom of God. That is why Jesus asked him on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He was persecuting Jesus by persecuting the body of Christ (Acts 9:4). 

God anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, John the Baptist as the one to prepare the way for Jesus and Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations. None of them determined their purpose, God did.

God is the One who reveals your purpose

Since your purpose is God’s purpose for your life, it is God who reveals it to you. He created you and has all the information about the assignment He is giving you. No man can tell you your purpose for it is not a creation of man. It is a plan of God for your life. No, one can teach you your God-given purpose. They can only guide you as you seek God to know it. Paul clarified that he did not receive his purpose from man but through revelation from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12). To have a conviction about your purpose, the revelation must come from the Holy Spirit.

What makes your purpose unique?

1. God set you apart for your purpose. God set apart Samson, King David, the Prophet Jeremiah, the Apostle Paul and other men and women in the Bible for a specific purpose. Queen Esther and Nehemiah had a purpose too, though we do not see any announcement by God to that effect. But by seeing the fulfillment of their assignments, we know each had a God-given purpose. In the same way, God set you apart for your purpose before He formed you in your mother’s womb. It is specific to you.
2. God uniquely wired you for your purpose. God gives each of us a unique mix of gifts, passions, skills and talents to fulfill the purpose He has for us. He also gives different spiritual gifts to believers in the body of Christ for different works of service. He has wired each of us differently and has equipped you for your purpose.
3. Your purpose provides a specific solution. God has called you to be solution provider to the world, which is seeking to have the freedom that the sons of God have through their relationship with Christ (Romans 8:19-21). Your purpose solves a problem in the world or meets a certain need. God has not called you to provide a solution to the entire world, but for a group of people with a certain need. God is counting on you to meet that need.
4. Your purpose is for your generation. You are in the world at the right time. What God needs done in this generation will pave the way for what He desires to do in the next. He brought you into the world for a specific assignment, and when you leave this world, someone in the next generation will carry on with the work. King David wanted to build a house for God, but God told him that his son Solomon would do it. David collected the materials needed to build the temple of God and kept them safely for Solomon (2 Chronicles 22). David was busy fighting the enemies of Israel in his generation and when his son Solomon took over as king, there was peace in the land and that enabled him to build the Temple of the Lord. When David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he died and his people buried him with his ancestors (Acts 13:36).

Fulfill your God-given purpose for God’s glory

Your life purpose is not an option, it is the reason for your existence. It is important that you know your purpose today so you can fulfill it and God will receive the glory.

Jesus Came into the world to fulfill His purpose which was to give us eternal life and save us from our sins. When He did the work God sent Him to do on earth, he brought God glory. Today you and I have the gift of salvation through Jesus for He died on the cross for the salvation of the world. God’s will for us is to bring Him glory by fulfilling our life’s purpose.

A God-given purpose is a reality and God has given us His word that we may see how real it is. Let today be the day you find out God’s purpose for your life.

To help you on your journey of knowing and fulfilling your God-given purpose, I have developed a course called The Purpose E-Course. It will guide you as you seek God to know your purpose. You can also read my eBook on purpose titled Life Purpose: A Beginner’s Guide. It has a lot of information on purpose as God intended.