Last night I had the opportunity to share the Word on an online radio show. I taught on “Seeking God for Vision for the New Year” and the two major topics I covered were Purpose and Vision. This morning I feel led to share my notes with you and I will also share a link to the audio of the teaching.
First of all, here is the audio of the radio show:
1. God made plans for us before the world began… by Grace.
(Read Gal 1:11-16)
Paul acknowledged that:
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He had done many things wrong.
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He was on the wrong side of God for many years of his life.
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He persecuted God’s people with every ounce of zeal he had.
But Paul also acknowledged that:
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God called him from his mother’s womb, well before he had done anything right or wrong.
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He was called by Grace — undeserved, unmerited and unearned — to reveal Jesus to the Gentiles.
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He could not discuss this with flesh and blood (mankind), because other people would have attempted to disqualify Paul from what God had already qualified him for by Grace!
*** Like Paul, you too were chosen and called from your mother’s womb, BY GRACE!
What God did for Paul applies to all of us:
(2 Tim 1:9 KJV) Who 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,
God saved you AND Called you, with a HOLY CALLING, NOT according to your OWN WORKS
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Not because you were good enough
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Not because you prayed long enough
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Not because you gave enough
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Not because you have been faithful
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Before you ever did anything RIGHT or WRONG
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God called you!
According to His own Purpose and Grace
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God will never give you the Purpose without the Grace to accomplish it.
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Whatever He expects you to do, He equips you to do.
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Divine provision is contingent upon Divine Vision.
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Your prosperity is locked up in YOUR PURPOSE.
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When you find your PURPOSE, you will be in position to access the GRACE.
Before the world began
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You are not a mistake!
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God made plans for you before the world began!
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God finished you before you ever got started!
*** The Plan is given by Grace, it was birthed before the foundations of the world by God’s love, and once it is revealed to you, you then pursue it by faith!
1. Your purpose is fixed and it was established before the foundations of the world.
2. You are born without carnal knowledge of your purpose, but you are born predisposed to your purpose.
3. God allocated you the Grace for your purpose before the world began.
4. Once you are Born-Again, and God’s Spirit is IN you, you are then in position to receive revelation concerning your purpose.
5. When you make an alignment with your divine assignment, you position yourself to receive an abundance of Grace!
2. God will reveal those plans to us, but He does it in a way that is incremental and progressive.
Vision:
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Vision is more insight than it is sight.
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Vision is being able to see beyond where your eyes can look.
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Sight is common, vision is rare.
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Vision is foresight, birthed from insight, with the benefit of hindsight.
(Prov 29:18 NIV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.
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People with Vision don’t do everything.
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Their vision restrains them.
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Their vision keeps them focused.
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Their vision makes their life simple.
(1st Cor 6:12 NIV) “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
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Just because you CAN do something, it does not mean that you should.
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People with vision know what they should do and they focus their efforts therein.
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People without vision are people that fail to operate in discipline, because they lack to the direction to make the right decisions.
3. Like Jesus, we should expect to hear from the Father on a continual basis.
(John 5:19,20) Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
(John 5:30) I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
(John 14:10) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
1. Jesus was in this world, but hearing from another world (and so can we).
2. Jesus could do the supernatural because He received supernatural instructions (and so can we).
3. Jesus understood that the Father only blesses what He wants to do. So instead of doing something and saying, “Father, bless what I’m doing,” Jesus said, “Father, what are you blessing? Let me do that!”
4. Being connected to the right church and hearing the right Word is critical.
(Read Hosea 4:1-6)
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The nation of Israel was in a terrible situation.
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No one was faithful, no one loved God, no one had compassion.
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People were lying, cursing, killing, stealing and having loose sex.
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All because of the priests and prophets were not hearing from God and preaching the Word!
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When you don’t have a God-given Pastor, who is preaching God-given words to you on a regular basis, you open yourself up to a world of trouble.
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You need to hear a prophetic Word from God on a regular basis in order to maximize your purpose and potential in life.
5. God has already given us everything He was going to give us by Grace. Our job is to find out what He has given us an access it by faith.
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Many believers live in frustration, asking God to bless something that is not theirs to have.
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Faith is NOT you telling God what to do. Faith is NOT you trying to get God to put a “yes” on your plans. Faith is you submitting to God’s will. Faith is you putting a “yes” on God’s plans.
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Revelation of God’s plans and purposes positions you to operate in faith. And by faith you access the Grace.
Closing thoughts:
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When you find Jesus you are able to find yourself
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When you find yourself you will be able to discover your purpose
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You don’t come up with your purpose, you discover it
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When you discover your purpose you will receive incremental vision
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When you walk in accordance with God-given vision you will experience divine provision and favor
But just remember,
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If the vision came from God, the provision will come from God.
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If the vision came from God, the opposition will come from satan.
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Instead of getting discouraged by the opposition, get encouraged!
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Satanic opposition is proof that you are heading down the right road!
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What satan means to destroy you can actually help validate your assignment!
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The only way you can lose is if you quit!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your amazing, immeasurable and inexhaustible Grace. I know You called me, by Your Grace, before the foundations of the world. You did not call me because I did everything right. You did not call me because I was good enough for the assignment. You did not call me because I earned Your blessing. You called me by Your undeserved Grace and You then choose to use me by Grace, even though I have made more mistakes than I want to acknowledge. Thank You Father for being so good to me. Thank You for loving me with an everlasting love. Thank You for making plans for me before the world began. Thank You for revealing those plans to me, little-by-little, as I walk with You. You know how much to reveal to me, because You know how much I can handle. You don’t tell me everything about my destiny, but You do share enough with me so that I am able to maximize the season I am in. Therefore, as I seek You for vision and clarity for 2014, I release my faith to see what You want me to see for this year. As You reveal Your Kingdom plans and purposes for this year to me, I will align my plans with Your plans, and I will experience divine success by Grace. I live my life from the inside-out, being led of Your Spirit every day. I don’t come up with my purpose, because You came up with it before the world began. I discover my purpose as I walk with You and the more You allow me to see about my purpose, the more I am able to make decisions that keep me on the path to Your desired destination for my life. My life is not about me, it is all about You. As I enter this day and this year, I declare by faith that 2014 shall be the best year of my life, because I make decisions that keep me in line with Your purpose and Grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
