It's Time for Purpose
Its Time for Purpose
Pastor Keith Hassell
Key Verse: 2 Timothy 1:6-12
I. Its time to stir up the gift that is in you by the Holy Ghost
A. God has not given us the spirit of complacency (verse 6)
1. Lukewarm (neither cold nor hot)
B. God has not given us the spirit of fear and intimidation (verse 7)
C. God has not given us the spirit of shame (verse 8)
D. God has given us the spirit of
1. Power (dunamis)
2. Love (passion and compassion)
3. Sound mind (disciplined though patterns; ability to understand and make right decisions; self-discipline)
E. Its there, so STIR IT UP!
II. Its time to realize that God has a purpose for our lives
A. God has saved us
B. God has called us with a holy calling
1. Not according to our works
2. But according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
C. Ephesians 1:3-4 (NKJV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ”
III. Its time to get connected to God’s Purpose
A. Three target words the Lord spoke to me in October of 1998
1. Vision
2. Purpose
3. Refocus
B. Purpose is the KEY to finding our place in God’s work
1. Ephesians 1:11 (NKJV) “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
3. Romans 8:28 (NKJV) “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
IV. Our vision must flow from God’s purpose
A. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) “Where there is no vision the people perish.”
B. It is equally true that “Where there is no purpose, the vision perishes.”
C. Questions we must ask ourselves:
1. “What is my vision?”
2. “Where is my focus?”
3. “Am I convinced that my vision is birthed out of God’s purpose? Am I convinced that I can stand before God on judgment day and say “I have fulfilled Your purpose for my life?”
D. Without purpose we become deceived in the visions of our heart
1. Jeremiah 23:16 “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.”
2. Worthless: “Useless and without value”
E. Our vision must be birthed out of God’s purpose
1. Without purpose, vision can give us no clear direction.
2. Without purpose, our vision will wander from one thing to another (aimlessness).
3. Without purpose we are double-minded. When we are double-minded, we get double vision (James 1:5-8). He who is double-minded has
a. Confusion (wave driven and tossed by the wind)
b. Doubt (hesitation, wavering)
c. Instability in all his ways (constantly changing course)
d. Fruitlessness (He will receive nothing from the Lord)
Solution: Let him ask God with faith nothing doubting. The only way we can do this is to ask according to His purpose.
4. Without a clear understanding of God’s purpose for the church, church members will “en-vision” many things. More than one vision in a house leads to “di-vision.” A house divided against itself cannot stand.
F. Vision must be submitted to God’s purpose (Acts 21:10-14)
a. Agabus saw bonds for Paul in Jerusalem. Paul saw the purpose.
G. Purpose determines the timing and outworking of vision.
H. Purpose will direct the focus of our vision
1. Vision can focus us on a finish line. Purpose will determine which race we enter.
2. Vision is what we are focusing on. Purpose determines why we are focusing on it.
3. Purpose establishes the destination. Vision enables us to get there.
a. Illustration: We awake in the middle of the night thirsty for a glass of water. We purpose to go to the kitchen and get a drink. Vision helps me get to the kitchen. Without purpose I might as well be sleep walking!
I. Purpose + Vision = Direction
J. Purpose is the womb in which vision is conceived.
V. God’s Purpose
A. Why are we on this planet? Why didn’t we go on to heaven when we got saved? Why did Jesus leave His disciples here when He ascended to the Father? Because we have a job to do!
B. God’s purpose revealed in The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Matthew 24:14)
1. Be His witnesses
a. Preach the Gospel in all the world
b. Demonstrate the resurrection power of Jesus through signs and wonders
2. Make disciples
a. Baptize them
b. Teach them to observe all things that Jesus commanded (multi-faceted revelation of the will of God)
C. The purpose of the church is connected to this purpose
D. The purpose of each believer is connected to this purpose
E. Any “vision” that does not flow from this purpose should be seriously questioned.
VI. Called according to His own purpose and grace
A. Do you know God’s purpose for your life? If not, ask.
B. Do you feel you have followed after visions of your own heart? If so, repent and ask God to help you get connected to His purpose.
C. Do you feel you submitted to a spirit of complacency, fear, and shame thus crippling the work of God’s purpose in and through your life? If so, repent, acknowledge that God has given you His Spirit of power, love and a sound mind, and STIR IT UP!