Today we continue our series entitled, “God Loves You”, under the overall theme for the year of, “Supernatural Manifestation.” We have been looking at John 3:16 for over a week now. Let’s go back to it this morning.
The Apostle John said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV). We have discussed the entire verse thus far. I trust you can see the sacrifice God made for you. Yesterday I told you that there is a high cost associated with receiving the free gift of eternal life in Christ. Today’s message will flow in that same vein. Today I will discus sacrifice, purpose and true prosperity.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Jesus was completely purposeful in His actions.
a) Although He was God in the flesh, He humbled Himself to the process of growing as a human and He even submitted to His parents as a boy.
b) A Levite had to wait until the age of 30 before he could perform his priestly duties (Numbers 4:3, 23 & 30). So Jesus, completely purposeful, waited until He was 30 years old to begin His ministry (Luke 3:23).
c) Jesus humbled Himself to His divine assignment in every way, even when it required Him to be obedient to death; death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8).
d) Jesus was prosperous in every way, because He completed His divine assignment. He fulfilled His purpose. Prosperity cannot be measured in houses, cars, money or land. True prosperity can only be measured in purpose.
2. Jesus redeemed us to purpose.
a) Jesus lived a purposeful life. The completion of His purpose positions us to do the same.
b) Jesus fulfilled His purpose so we could fulfill ours. Without Jesus, we could never maximize our purpose or potential. But because of Jesus, we can.
3. The message of sacrifice often gets lost in the pursuit of earthly prosperity.
a) God is not against earthly prosperity — not by a longshot. But what He is against is forsaking divine purpose in the pursuit of it.
b) Jesus was prosperous, because He sacrificed His life for the Father’s purpose. If we want to be prosperous we must do the same.
c) You cannot find true prosperity making up and then pursuing your own life’s story. Jesus did not live for Himself. He lived for the Father. We must do the same. God’s story for our lives has already been written. Therefore, we cannot experience success outside of God’s plans. This means you must sacrifice your desires for the desires God birthed in His own heart for you. If you do, believe me, God’s desires will prove to be much greater than anything you could have ever come up with on your own.
d) God is not against you living where you want to live, driving what you want to drive, and wearing what you want to wear. He just doesn’t want your life to be about that. Don’t pursue things, pursue God. If you do, things will pursue you, but more importantly, you will fulfill your divine purpose.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I can declare this confidently, because I am not pursuing my own purpose. My life is not about my own story. I am dead to self. I am alive to You. I pursue Your purpose for my life. I pursue Your story, not my own. I am willing to sacrifice the life I came up with, for the life You planned for me before the world began. My sacrifice leads me down the road to Your purpose and it will be better than I ever imagined. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
