Walk In Your Purpose

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Don’t allow other things/people tell you who you are.

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INTRODUCTION
God is the Creator of all things—the heavens, the earth, the oceans, the birds, the trees, the mountains, and the flowers. Amidst all of His creation, He made humanity—each of us is His workmanship!
Let that truly sink in!
Everything we see was created by God, but we, the creation into whom He breathed life, are His masterpieces. Sometimes, we forget just how worthy and precious we are to God.
Society often tries to define who we are based on our appearance, speech, or background. In today's world, social media amplifies this, offering more influence than ever before. Society and social media can distort our understanding of ourselves and our purpose, shaping our identity through external pressures.Society and social media can distort our understanding of who we are and what we’re meant to do. Our very sense of identity is constantly being shaped by external forces.
Society frequently evaluates our worth based on our careers, appearance, or financial success. From a young age, we are encouraged to excel academically, secure good jobs, and adhere to specific standards. These expectations can confine our self-perception and set unrealistic goals for our lives.What happens when we become entangled in society’s expectations of us? How do we respond when we turn to social media for guidance on how to live, what we should look like and ultimately who we are suppose to be?
When we become entangled in these societal expectations, we may turn to social media for guidance on how to live and who we should be.
Social media can have a crippling effect on our lives, as it often imposes unrealistic expectations from people who have little genuine interest or investment in our well-being. The constant pressure to meet these external standards can distort our self-image and detract from our true sense of worth.
When we lose sight of our true identity, the best place to return to is the truth of God's Word.
INTO THE TEXT
Our passage today is from Ephesians. I love the letter to the Ephesians because, Paul the Apostle directly addresses the misconceptions the world imposes on us.
The first three chapters teach us how to understand our identity while the last three chapters focus on how to live accordingly. Essentially, how we see ourselves affects how we navigate our daily lives.
Paul the Apostle wrote this letter to the Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome. Ephesus was known for its pagan worship, sorcery, and magic. Imagine trying to live a holy and righteous life in a place where many around you practiced magic and worshipped other gods! Paul wrote to guide the newly converted Christians in Ephesus, helping them grow spiritually and live out their new faith.
LETS TALK ABOUT IT
Paul begins by stating that we are God’s workmanship
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
He starts the verse writing we are HIS workmanship
( IDENTITY)
The greek word for workmanship is poiema.
to make or to do
it is often translated to masterpiece or handiwork
it conveys something that has been meticulously crafted for a purpose.
WE ARE JUST NOT SOMETHING GOD THREW TOGETHER. We are specially crafted work of art by God, designed with purpose and intentions.
We are His poiēma—His masterpiece. Just as God declared His creation as "very good," we are created to reflect His divine design.
Transparent moment: There have been times when I haven’t felt like God’s masterpiece.
In those moments, I let my struggles dictate my self-perception and began to believe that this was how God saw me.When these moments happen… Go to the word of God!
I was in conversation with the First Lady at my home church her name is Nissa (shout to her) about growth and growing and allowing God to grow us. I express to her that God reveal to me that everything he is created, including me, is good. I have ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. There was a period of time when I believed that my ADHD was a character flaw. How can God use me?
When we have thoughts like that go to the truth of His word!
In Genesis God said:
Genesis 1:31 ESV
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Everything God created everything including humanity he said it and it was very good.
The Hebrew word for "good" is "Tov," which means “capable of” and “functional.” It signifies something that fulfills its purpose. God created humanity exactly as He intended—without flaw. He makes no mistakes.
We reflect God’s purposeful and deliberate design. We carry attributes of His character and are meant to exhibit divine qualities and live according to His valuesWe reflect God’s purposeful and deliberate design.
We reflect God’s very nature, certain attributes of God’s very character…we have those.
We are meant to exhibit divine qualities and live our God’s values.
We were made with purpose and care and we have value and worth to God.
People will tell you that you arent worth anything. Society will tell you that you unlovable, that you dont measure up, that you wont succeed, that you want become anything but I am here to remind you that we are God’s MASTERPIECES. His POIEMA!
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Paul continues to write that we are ARE CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are transformed into new creations. This transformation changes our identity and status before God. Our relationship with Christ gives us a new purpose and identity, beyond mere physical or superficial changes—it's a spiritual renewal!
Purpose:
The purpose of this transformation is to engage in good works. These works align with God's will and reflect His character. Good works are the natural outflow of the salvation we have received by grace, not the means of achieving it.
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We are called to live out the complete work of Christ. He invites us to show up in faith because faith is the evidence of good works. Faith, as a gift from God, becomes visible through our actions, demonstrating that it is all God's work. This is the fruit of a transformed life.
We are not faithful because we want to be: GOD DID THAT! We are not loving and kind and patient and gentle all on our own. GOD DID THAT. We dont grow the fruit of the Spirit within us: GOD does that with his Holy Spirit and thats why every day we should be praising God that HE is working in us and through and that we dont walk on our own regards.
Matthew 7:20 ESV
Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Reflection:
Are we walking in the renewed identity Christ provides? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us?
He is the potter, and we are the clay—let God shape and mold us.
We shall declare on today
We will not let our experiences or the people we encounter define or defeat us.
We refuse to let the world shape our identity.
We are not defined by material possessions, and social media will not rule our lives.
Romans 12:2 ESV
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
When we fully embrace our new identity in Christ, we align ourselves with God’s will and walk in His purpose.
Paul encourages his readers to walk in the good works!
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Paul's life was marked by significant hardships—imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks, and opposition. Despite these challenges, Paul saw his sufferings as purposeful, using them to advance the Gospel and showcase God's strength.
Walk in your purpose! Embrace your purpose. Paul didn't have everything figured out, and neither do we. But when we align ourselves with our God-given purpose and truth, we begin to experience how real and tangible God's presence truly is."
Today, I want to encourage you to dive into the Bible to discover and understand who God says we are. While we may not be Paul, Peter, John, Moses, Noah, or Ruth, God speaks to each of us personally. His Word should be deeply embedded in our hearts, shaping our daily lives. As John tells us, God's Word is embodied in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Walking in your purpose starts with a relationship committed to Christ! He is the source. In Him is OUR IDENTITY. In him is our purpose. He walk this life sinlessly, died and was resurrected to be reconciled back to him.
CLOSING
Being in a relationship with Jesus profoundly shapes our daily walk with Him. When we place Him at the center of our lives, His presence guides our steps, transforms our hearts, and renews our purpose. By keeping Jesus at the forefront of all we do, we align our actions with His will and reflect His grace in every aspect of our lives. Let this relationship be the foundation upon which we build our day-to-day choices and interactions.
Walk closely with Him
Experience the depth of His love
Become vessels of His light and truth in the world.
Our lives are testament to the transformative power of being in constant communion with Jesus if we allow Him to lead us and shine through us in all we do.
TRANSITION TO ALTAR CALL
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