Your Purpose

Judges 6:11-18 (NLT)
11 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” 13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” 15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” 16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” 17 Gideon replied, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me. 18 Don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.” He answered, “I will stay here until you return.”

Though Gideon felt like he was a total nobody, and his family was not much better.  God had an assignment for him.

“You will only be remembered for two things:

1.      The Problems You Solve

2.      Or The Ones You Create

Everything that has ever been invented was to solve a problem.

I.  The first clue to your assignment on earth is any problem you were created to solve.

All through history people who made a difference were people who solved problems.

Did you know you are a solution to some problem?

You are a solution to somebody.

Somebody needs you

Somebody wants you

You are necessary to somebody, somewhere……

God will assist you in your “assignment”.

Jeremiah 1:4-8 (NLT)
4 The Lord gave me this message: 5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” 6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” 7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

II.                What you love is a clue to the gifts and wisdom you contain to complete your assignment!

Love is the map to wisdom:  what do you love? Do you love animals, computers, sports, extreme sports, graphics, writing, singing, playing music and etc. 

If we love something enough we will seek out wisdom and knowledge on it.

Wisdom is the product of love.

Find what you truly love and then build your daily agenda around it.

You contain certain qualities, special gifts and worthy traits, these are what makes you unique.  What do you love to talk about?  Think about most?

Gideon love his family, and nation.

Moses loved people.

Abraham loved peace.

Jeremiah loved God.

Solomon loved knowledge. 

It is wise to correct the flaws within you, but it is even wiser to acknowledge and embrace your dominant gifts and talents.

Do not run from the essence of what God made you.  Your uniqueness must be discovered, embraced and celebrated.

Sameness creates comfort.

Difference creates reward.

III.             What you hate is a clue to something you are assigned to correct.

Anger is passion.  Anger controlled will make you change and correct things.

a.       You cannot correct what you’re unwilling to confront.

b.      Anything permitted will just continue to grow.

c.       What you tolerate you will never change!

What you passionately get tired of will cause you to rise up and change it, whether that’s hunger in the world, sickness, injustice, racial prejudice, poverty, divorce or abortion.  

Remember Gideon was angry, and very tried with that the Midian’s were doing to his family, friends, community and nation. 

Your anger is important.  I simply needs appropriate focus. 

IV.             What grieves you is a clue to something you are assigned to heal.

a.       Whatever makes you weep is a clue to something you were created to heal.

Compassion is a signpost.

What grieves you?  Abuse? Molested children? Disease?  Ignorance? Loneliness?

Identify it. 

Your greatest enemy is within you!!

Tears are a clue where God will use you the most.  Pay attention to what grieves you and saddens you. 

V.                You will only succeed when you assignment becomes an obsession.

a.       Gideon’s call placed in him an obsession, to defeat the enemies of his family, community and nation.

b.      Without an obsession he would have never obeyed some of the ridiculous commands God gave him. 

c.       Six keys to developing an obsession for your assignment.

                                                              i.      Identify any distractions

Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

                                                            ii.      Don’t get caught up in other things that would break you focus.

2 Timothy 2:4 (NLT)
4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

                                                          iii.      Become informed and work hard toward your assignment.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

                                                          iv.      Avoid people and conversations that would sew negative ideas to your assignment.

2 Timothy 2:16 (NLT)
16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

2 Timothy 2:23 (NLT)
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

                                                            v.      Be prepared for adversity.

Not everyone will be cheering you on!

If you believe strongly in your assignment, adversity will only make you stronger.

                                                          vi.      Disconnect from any relationship that doesn’t celebrate your assignment.

Gideon lost thousands when they realize his approach to defeating the enemy was unconventional. 

When your obsession is to do the right thing (to obey God) wrong people will find you unbearable. 

The end.