L301: Lesson 1: Discovering Your Purpose

Leadership 301  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Grace Fellowship in Rusk, Texas Sunday, June 6 at 6:00 PM

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Discovering Your Purpose

Key Verse: “Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” 2 Timothy 1:9 (NKJV)
Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help the disciple learn how to discover and fulfill God’s purpose for his life.
God always operates on the principle of PURPOSE.
God WORKS everything according to His purpose.
God works all things together for good to those who LOVE HIM and are the CALLED according to His purpose.
God’s LEADERS should also operate on the principle of purpose.
God has a purpose for our lives.
We are CHOSEN by God before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4)
We have a DESTINY in Christ Jesus.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined.” (Romans 8:29)
We have been CALLED to fulfill our destiny in Christ.
“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called.” (Romans 8:30)
We have been JUSTIFIED by God to fulfill His purpose.
“Whom He called, these He also justified.” (Romans 8:30)
God wants to GLORIFY Himself through our lives.
“Whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:30)
Before a person can discover God’s purpose for their life, they must yield their LIFE to Him.
Matthew 16:25 (NKJV) “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Purpose is always based on the WORD OF GOD.
Jesus leaves us on this earth because He has a JOB for us to do.
According to Matthew 28:18-20, our ultimate job description is to be His WITNESSES and to make DISCIPLES.
Our purpose is INTERCONNECTED with God’s purpose for His church.
Jesus said He would build His CHURCH.
We will find our purpose when we discover our PLACE and FUNCTION in the body of Christ.
Our purpose remains meaningful only if we stay CONNECTED and SUBMITTED to other members in the body of Christ.
God’s purpose will determine our CALLING.
Calling should always be RECOGNIZED and CONFIRMED by leaders in the church. (Acts 13)
Along with purpose we need VISION.
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) states, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” It is equally true that where there is no PURPOSE the vision will perish.
Vision is the ability to SEE clearly where God is leading.
Purpose will FOCUS and DEFINE vision.
Vision is the ability to see and focus on a finish line.
Purpose directs vision toward the right race and finish line.
Purpose answers the question WHAT? and WHY? while vision answers the question WHERE?
Without purpose we can become DECEIVED and develop “visions” of our own.
Jeremiah 23:16 (NKJV) “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.” (“worthless” means “useless, without value”, i.e., “robbed of true purpose”)
Purpose gives DIRECTION to our vision.
Without purpose our vision can WANDER.
A church connected to purpose will stay unified. Without purpose we become DOUBLE-MINDED and develop DOUBLE-VISION. More than one vision in the house can lead to DI-VISION. A house divided against itself will not stand. (Matthew 12:25)
Our vision must be submitted to the purpose of GOD.
Acts 21:10-14 Agabus saw a vision of bonds awaiting Paul at Jerusalem. Paul saw the purpose of God and went anyway.
Purpose will determine the TIMING of God for bringing our vision to pass.
Abraham and the birth of his son, Isaac.
Joseph and the fulfillment of his dream.
Purpose is the WOMB in which vision is conceived.
Questions we must ask ourselves:
What is my purpose?
What is my vision?
Am I convinced that my vision for ministry is birthed out of God’s purpose? Am I convinced that I will be able to stand before God on judgment day and say, “I have fulfilled Your purpose for my life?”
Purpose + Vision = MISSION
“Mission” answers the question HOW? and WHEN?
“Mission” is the STRATEGY of God to fulfill our purpose and vision.
In John 4, Jesus stopped in Samaria to minister to a woman and then a to a city. As far as the disciples understood, they were there to pick up lunch and then move on. Jesus was on a mission with a purpose. Purpose makes the difference between being a MISSIONARY or a TOURIST.
We will never be SATISFIED until we fulfill our purpose.
Ways to Live by Purpose
Live for God on purpose.
Prioritize on purpose.
Calendar on purpose.
Study the Bible on purpose.
Pray on purpose.
Go to church on purpose.
Seek vision on purpose.
Set goals on purpose.
Launch mission on purpose.
Witness on purpose.
Preach on purpose.
Minister on purpose.
Make disciples on purpose.
Teach on purpose.
Train on purpose.
Serve others on purpose.
Submit on purpose.
Love on purpose.
Lead on purpose.
Mentor leaders on purpose.
Raise children on purpose.
Develop a career on purpose.
Build relationships on purpose.
Start small groups on purpose.
Program on purpose.
Build on purpose.
Add staff on purpose.
Hold meetings on purpose.
Structure on purpose.
Evaluate on purpose.
Budget on purpose.
Give on purpose.
Start on purpose.
Finish on purpose.
Live on purpose.
Die on purpose.
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