Understanding Purpose and Destiny
Excerpts from our books, Purpose and Destiny, Corporate Destiny, and from courses in our Global Leadership Institute
That the purpose {setting forth, proposal or intention} of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls you. Romans 9:11 In whom we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined {pre-destiny} according to the purpose of him whom works all things after the counsel of his own will. Eph. 1:11
Beloved, persons, places, and things may all be defined with a distinct given purpose.
Television, clothes, shoes, books, tables, and exterior homes all have purpose, but no destiny. The electricity in your garage has purpose, but no destiny. The bill you have to pay is given with a purpose, but no destiny. Instead, whomever the Lord places HIS breath of life into has both purpose and destiny. That is the difference between a thing that is merely purposed, versus someone that is born and destined to be. Even unbelievers have a divinely given purpose and destiny, as it is not confined to being members of the body of Christ.
In the principles of purpose and destiny, bear in mind that destiny demands fulfillment, and purpose expression. Both are the two-witness principle, as life is not about purpose alone. Both are essential for the fulfillment of what you were created for. For purpose without destiny is like having no real life at all. It's like being on earth illegally. Therefore, we must define life from a sense of destiny, by God's purpose and design for our life, fulfillment, and the completion of God's eternal purpose. We are to consider chiefly that God has a purpose in each of us to be fulfilled, for we are purposed and perfected with a purpose, and destined and designed with destiny.
When discussing purpose and destiny, people sometimes relate to the exclusive meaning of "their purpose and their destiny." However, we must return to the principle of the "Law of Circularity" that we came from the Father and shall return unto him. Or, that the heavenly Father created us first with his intentions, and not our own?
That is where many remain, wanting alone their purpose fulfilled without the significant importance of what the Father has created us for in the first place. For after we shout "Know your purpose," have we considered that we were created for His pleasure and delight? You can't know your purpose without a revelation of Christ's purpose! Our purpose is centered and rooted in Christ, and Christ reveals to each of us HIS eternal purpose for our very lives...
Have we taken into consideration that our destiny comes from the true meaning of what the Father has eternally purposed us for? According to Ephesians 1:18, do we realize that our purpose is centered and ordained in the SON? Or are we so self-driven with our own ambition to fulfill our own expectation and desires?
With the many questions to be answered consider this, that purpose teaching alone will not take you into destiny. Seminars that emphasize purpose without destiny is not enough to stir or fan the flames of your passion for divine fulfillment. Having our heads full of concepts and ideas of knowing our purpose apart from the apostolic & mandated position of seizing and fulfilling destiny won't put the icing on the cake, either. For our purpose cries, destiny!
Without going into a list of definitions for purpose and destiny, let us turn our attention to the true meaning and the spirit thereof. {Ephesians 1:17-18}
There is a cry from within humanity to fulfill their allotted purpose, their predetermined portion, the infinite counsel of the Lord. There is travail within the sons of men to arise in the spirit of completion and purpose, to perceive, conceive, and achieve what their illumined spirit would believe.
There is a deep hunger and excitement to win, seize the moment, to vanquish beyond, and to gain a decisive victory. There is a birth of desire, a divine discontent, and in one degree a sense of a sore travail within man to fulfill what he has been give for. All of these dream seeds are there for a relevant purpose, far from mere conceptualization, into transference unto manifestation.
Whether born again or not, the Lord put these dream seeds there to draw us to the staggering realization that man is created for his pleasure and delight, though some people feel a reserved distance that God is void from unbelievers, altogether. Not so!
Deep within the unbeliever, very deep down inside, there is a spark of life crying out to fulfill something, which they were created for. They may not ascertain completely this deep resonation, or comprehend its vast purpose, but there is as the scripture declares "Deep calling unto the Deep!"
In the recesses of their being is something deep and profound calling out to them in, even in the unconscious mind. There is a voice crying in the wilderness, and many don't know it {Him} yet. This voice is none other than the eternal Spirit of the Lord that is calling to and arresting our attention, the creator and sustenance of life, the one who began the beginning, the one that purposed us with an electrifying destiny. O yes beloved, it is the calling of the Elohim God, calling you to attention that all things are working after the counsel of His own will; that his counsel shall stand, and that he will do all of his pleasure. Is. 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Acts 2:23
It is the cry of the Spirit that GOD has created them for HIS pleasure and delight, and that the Lord desires relationship, intimacy, and fellowship through his eternal Spirit...
Now, when it comes to purpose, destiny, and the saints, there is not only an individual look at destiny, but a corporate destiny as well. For when you proclaim apostolic wisdom of the destiny of the saints, you acknowledge in part, the corporate destiny thereof. There is in one sense no such thing as ones individual destiny alone or unto itself apart from a true understanding of Corporate Destiny, and a corporate embodiment of purpose. For in the mind of God, there is but ONE {At-ONE-Ment, ONE-der-FULL} progressive vision, even if you are a single, married, in ministry, and in fellowship with local saints. Whether in business, apostolic colonization, or prophetic promulgation, it is the ONE vision of the Lord, ONE plan, and ONE eternal purpose. O, if only we had time to delve deeper here....
Again, with purpose and destiny there comes a progressive vision. According to Joel 2:28, true vision is born of the Spirit, given by God, and established over a period of time. As the Holy Spirit is pouring out revelation upon revelation concerning our vision, purpose, and destiny, bear in mind it will be tested. {A test leads to a testimony ' Revelation 12:10-11;
In Habakkuk 2:1-3, we discover how important it is to inquire of the Lord what he desires of us, resulting in our writing and making plain the vision. When you write a vision down, you give it legal right to operate in the earth realm. Yet the vision is for an appointed time, and there is also an appointed time for the vision to be tested, tried, and challenged. As the progressive vision of the Lord for your life {Isaiah 14:26-27} unfolds, expect confrontation from adverse and negative forces.
But anticipate the fulfillment of your given purpose and destiny. Don't focus on the assault, but continue to see the Lord bringing to past his intended purpose for you. Get a clear and open vision of the Lord for your purpose and destiny, for the scripture says that the vision will speak.
The Lord owns everything, and will use whatever is necessary to bring about the completion of his purpose. He will use the smith to blow coals upon the fire, the locust to devour {Joel 2, His army in the first place}, and the adverse and negative particles of apparent opposition to buffet you into perfection and completion. Yes beloved for the Lord sees an intended purpose for the positive and negative charge of a wire. Both are needed to produce the electrical current necessary. For without the principle of two, there is no completion of purpose.
Note below this principle of present truth as God is in control…Romans 8:28
Light - Darkness
Morning - Evening
Sun - Moon
Day - Night
Prosperity -Adversity
Mountain - Valley
Water - Desert
Yes beloved, the Lord is bringing about destiny through His intended purpose and will place us through a series and sequences of tests to perfect that which concerns us; for Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for our good, to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. Nothing is wasted or discarded, for the Lord sees the true purpose in it all.
Whether positive or negative, seemingly fair or unfair, the Lord is at work to establish you in His eternal purpose and divine destiny. He may even put us in a place of crushing in order for the oil to flow forth and bless others. He has the materials and the methods for surgical procedure, with keen precision. He has just what is needed to bring about a sense of preparedness for our journey. For when the earth is shaking, the sea roaring, and the fire is burning, God is revealing himself.
Now, notice below differing aspects of a vision. Whether tried or challenged, the Lord is progressively at work in the midst thereof. {Hebrews 6:18; Psalms 27:14}
A EN-VISION- To imagine something not yet in existence - Hebrews 11:1.
B PRO- VISION- Where there is vision, there is provision - Genesis 12:22.
C DI - VISION- Split vision: Ex. 8:22; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Hebrews 4:12.
D RE - VISION- The process of revising {re-again} vision again: Phil. 4:13
E SUPER- VISION- With the Lord it will be well managed: Ephesians 4:11
Note the comparisons and characteristics of a vision with that of a seed…
1 ' birth of a vision' the birth of the seed- Generation {Wow! God sure is moving! He keeps blessing me everyday!} - Composition
2 ' the death of a vision' the corn {seed} of wheat dies' Degeneration {Did God forsake me? Why is this happening to me?} - Decomposition
3' the fulfillment of the vision ' the fruit of the seed ' Regeneration {Resurrection Life again} ' Re-Composition
In the emerging and process of vision potential, take note that your {particularly you} vision, purpose, calling, and destiny will be tested. For a time you may think that at every turn, there is Tobias and Sanballat ready to frustrate your progress and pursuit of purpose. Ezra 4: But take courage, for in order to have the right kinds of friends, you will need the right kinds of enemies.
Nevertheless, the vision of fulfilling destiny continues…Right here, I want you to take another look at the principle of birthing and re-birthing. Note the following again…
1 ' Birth of a vision' Hab. 2:2: Ezekiel 12:28: Your vision is a revelation of your destiny
2 'Curse of a vision' Disdaining the vision, groping, offended, wounded, hurt...remember, hurting people hurt people...
3 'Nursing the curse' Giving audience to lies that the vision would never come to pass
4 'Rehearsing the curse' Give power to the image to speak: Re. 13:15
5 ' Dispersing the curse' Telling everyone the vision is not so: Ezekiel 12:22-28.
6 ' Reversing the curse' Verbal blessings overcome verbal curses: Rom. 4:17;
7 'Re-birthing the Vision of God' You're moving ahead with progressive spiritual momentum. You are feeding the seed of the kingdom & are nurturing the nature.
Principles that takes you into Destiny
1 Always remember the Lord is actively at work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13…It is RESPONSIBILITY, our response to His ability…
2 Our plans may sometimes change, but not the Lord's. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. For he continues to do His Pleasure. Is. 46:10
3 In the fulfilling of purpose and destiny, remember process is not punishment.
4 Destiny ascribes worth to Whom {The Lord} not to what. Destiny esteems the Lord, not circumstance. For happiness may come through the happenings of your life, but Joy comes from the Lord. John 4:23-24; Psalms 150, Matthew 16:13-19; 22:37
5 In the process remember, God made the storm with you in mind {Acts 27}…
6 The Lord is not committed to your ability. Rather, he is committed to your destiny. Romans 4:17; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18;
7 Destiny requires that we let go of the past, and any excess…Phil. 3:13-14
8 Destiny acknowledges the Lord in all of our ways…Proverbs 3:5-6
9 Destiny means {Pre-Destiny}, Predestination, destiny before you were every born.
Jeremiah 1:5: Romans 8:28-30. It requires unbroken focus and daily success habits.
10 Destiny is s way of life. When you see your future, you walk accordingly or differently in the NOW. According to Hebrews 6:5 we have tasted of the good word and of the powers of the world to come. O taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that trust in him. If we taste what the Lord has given us, we taste of his provision {purpose attracts vision}, which enables us to forge ahead and to apprehend those things we have longed look for. We eat things conducive to our calling, election, progression, purpose, and destiny. We eat of the heritage of Jacob, a transformed man from Jacob to Israel.
From the Lord's point of view, all things work together for good, and in pursuing the fulfillment of purpose and destiny, remember, God is thinking good things about you.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11
Apostolic Blessings Beloved, Feed the Seed and Nurture HIS Nature, for by Divine Enlightenment U R Becoming what U already R...
Dr. Tim and Theresa Early
Foundation of Apostles and Prophets International {Ephesians 2:20-22}
P.O. Box 32, Ruston, LA 71273
318-344-2183
