GIFTED TO FULFILL DIVINE PURPOSE Sylvester Onyemalechi

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1 GIFTED TO FULFILL DIVINE PURPOSE Sylvester Onyemalechi Purpose is the reason for existence. Purpose is the driving force behind every man or organization. Purpose is the original reason for creation. Purpose is mission statement. Purpose is the vision of God for one s life or any organization. Prov 19:21 21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. From the above scripture, we can deduce the following: 1. Purpose precedes plans. 2. Purpose is more important than plans. 3. Purpose is more powerful than plans. 4. Plans may change, but purpose never changes. 5. Purpose outlives plans. 6. Purpose is better than plans. 7. Plans may fail, but purpose will not. 8. A man s plans may be out of the purpose of God for his life. 9. For plans and purpose to agree, you must know the purpose of God for your life by seeking God. 10. Purpose is the why of life. Purpose is God s plan for your life. Find it and pursue it without turning away from it. Knowing and understanding purpose creates focus. And focus builds momentum. And momentum gives birth to achievement. Purpose determines design and material of construction. It is the purpose for which you were created that necessitated the personality, gifts and talents you were given by God. It is not by accident that you are who you are. There is originality in you that you must identify and use to your advantage and to better our society. That is why you can identify your assignment here on earth by the gifts and talents you possess. What you need to become, what you were created to be is in you. Identify your purpose. You don t need to envy another. You don t need to wonder why you are not like the one you admire. You were constructed to be somebody else and fulfill a particular purpose. Until you know why you are in existence, you will never find fulfillment and satisfaction. As fishcannot survive outside of water, you cannot prosper and find fulfillment outside the purpose of God for your life. There is a place of appointment for every man, except you find it; life will be without fulfillment, and full of crisis. KNOWING GOD S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE

2 Jer 29: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." Matt 7:7-8 7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. To know God s purpose for your life: 1. Seek God with all your heart to know his purpose for your life. 2. Pray much about it till it is revealed to you. 3. Take note of the gifts and talents you have. 4. Take note of the things that run through your mind the things that give you concern, the likely contribution that God wants you to make to the society. Everyone is created to contribute something to the society. Matt 5:13 13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. If you hate injustice, and there is a burning desire in you to help the down trodden and oppressed, may be God has called you to be a lawyer or politician. If there is a burning desire to fight crime in you, then God wants you to be a police officer or detective. If there is a desire in you to help the sick and see them healed, then you might be well off as a medical doctor or faith healer. IDENTIFY YOUR GIFTS To accomplish the purpose of God in your life, God gives gifts that will help. So identifying your gifts and talents will help you to identify the purpose of God for your life. To identify your gifts and talents, identify those things you are interested in as a person, the things you would naturally do with ease and excitement those things you do easily without anyone forcing you and which you can do several times without getting bored; the things you do with great excitement, and give you a sense of fulfillment. These are pointers to the talents leading to the purpose of God for your life.

3 Your future is located in the gift you have in you. Every gift helps to fulfill the purpose of God for your life. Do not despise the beginning stage, for it will bring you to lime-light and fulfillment in life. Your prosperity lies in it. If your heartbeat is towards music, identify whether it is in songs or instruments or both that you will be good in. Under instrumentals, identify the instrument to specialize on. If you have a flare for drawing, playing with clay, painting, or you love playing with colours, you will be better off as an artist. If you have a craving for electrical or electronic appliances you like to investigate how it is made, and like to try to fix them when they develop a fault, you may be better-off studying and becoming an electrical or electronic engineer. This may be also true if your inclination is toward machines, cars and furniture. Check yourself to find out where you fit in. If your inclination is towards sports, find out whether you will be best as competitor, trainer, administrator, or commentator. You can build a carrier in sports. Those who have been destined to be leaders in the circular world or church, always find they attract attention. Even as teenagers, people look up to them for direction and advice. They are born leaders. People just come to them. They have the gift required to lead people, offer direction and proffer solutions to problems. What joy it will be when such people are submitted to Christ, and full of the Holy Spirit. Their leadership will be vibrant, anointed and produce tremendous results. JOSEPH AS AN EXAMPLE Like Joseph whose story is told in Genesis 37, 39-47, all it takes for you to excel in life is developing skills in the area of your gifting, working in integrity and the fear of God. You will always end up as a leader of the people. You don t have to fight or quarrel to get a position. Your integrity and faithfulness will get you where God wants you to be. The story of Joseph is a beautiful and good example of the fulfillment of divine purpose in a man s life. Because of the divine plan of God for Joseph, God gave him favour in the sight of his father. This provoked hatred from the brothers. When the time was ripe, God intimated him of his plans for his life by giving him two dreams that placed him above all his brothers and his parents. Though he did not understand it at that time, it was settled in the mind of God that it must be. Gen 37:5-9 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and

4 bowed down to it." 8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." The event that followed helped to bring Joseph s dream to come to pass. His brothers out of envy in accord sold him to the medianite merchants, who sold him to Potiphar of Egypt one of Pharaoh s officials, the captain of the guard. It doesn t matter where you are, your gift will always manifest and make a way for you. It wasn t long before his leadership qualities because of the purpose of God for his life became noticeable by Potiphar, such that he handed his household and everything he owned to Joseph to administer. Because of his integrity in the fear of God, he refused to sleep with Potiphar s wife who tried hard to make him sleep with her. She lied against Joseph to punish him for refusing her. He was sent to prison. In the prison, his leadership quality became visible. The prison warder gave him charge over all in the prison. God s favour followed him everywhere he went because of His plan for him, and Joseph s integrity and faithfulness in the midst of all the afflictions he had seen. It was in the prison that the GIFT which God intended to use to open the way for him and bring him before kings started to manifest. Prov 18:16 16 A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great. He became an interpreter of dreams. He interpreted accurately the dream of Pharaoh s Cupbearer and Chief Baker. His interpretation came through as he said it. The Cupbearer forgot about Joseph despite his promise to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf for his release. At the fullness of time for the fulfillment of divine purpose in Joseph s life, God gave two dreams to Pharaoh which no one could interpret. It was then the Cupbearer remembered Joseph and mentioned him to Pharaoh. When he came into the presence of Pharaoh, he came without the slave clothes, because it was time for him to be exalted to the position of greatness. Integrity and the fear of God was about to be rewarded. After interpreting the dream, Pharaoh made him his second in command He made him Prime Minister over all Egypt. Destiny is now been fulfilled. The leadership training in Potiphar s house and in prison was now to be given full expression in the position of Prime Minister of Egypt. It was not by his power or by might, but by the Spirit of God.

5 Zech 4:6 6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: `Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. Nine years after ascending the throne of Egypt, the picture God put in his head twenty two years ago in a dream came to fulfillment when his brothers came and bowed to him to purchase grain. They bowed three times to Joseph before he made himself known to them. The purpose of God for placing him on the throne became clearer when Joseph saw his brothers. He told his brethren that they did not send him away, but God sent him to Egypt to save his family and the nation of Israel from becoming extinct through the famine. ' Gen 45:1-8 45:1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Joseph story teaches us that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. The purpose of God will come to pass in your life as you continue to love God by working in his commandments. Joseph s leadership qualities were trained in the house of Potiphar and in prison. It matured in prison. This shows that the experience of life help to train us and build us for the purpose of God for our lives. The gift of interpretation of dreams was given to help him become what God destined him to be.

6 Your gift will help to make you who God wants you to be. Do not neglect your gift. Nurture it and use it to the glory of God, and one day, it will bring you before great men. DEVELOPING SKILLS Skill is the ability to do something expertly and well. Ex 31:3-6 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you: Ex 35:26 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. Ex 35:31 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- Ex 35:35 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers. Ex 36:1 36:1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded." 1. It takes skill to get to the top. 2. It takes skill to stand before great men. Prov 22:29 29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men. 3. It takes skill to be sort after.

7 Isa 62:12 12 They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted. Employers are looking for skillful people. People want to engage the services of skillful people who can deliver. Jer 9:17 17 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come; send for the most skillful of them. 1 Sam 16: Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 Saul's attendants said to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better." 17 So Saul said to his attendants, "Find someone who plays well and bring him to me." 18 One of the servants answered, "I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him." 19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep." 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. 21 David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, "Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him." 23 Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. 4. Skillful people become achievers. Eccl 10:10 10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success. 5. It takes wisdom, knowledge and skill to succeed. Eccl 2:21

8 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. Ezek 28:5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud. 6. It takes skill to become an inventor or achieve great things in life. 2 Chron 26:15 15 In Jerusalem he made machines designed by skillful men for use on the towers and on the corner defenses to shoot arrows and hurl large stones. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. EXAMPLES OF SKILLFUL MEN 1. Esaw was a skillful hunter that was why his father loved him. Gen 25:27 27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 2. Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of singing because he was skillful in the days of King David. 1 Chron 15:22 22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it. 3. David excelled and came to limelight and became a celebrated warrior and king because of his skill. a. He was a skillful shepherd boy. 1 Sam 17: But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.

9 b. He was a skillful musician. He was so skillful that demons bow to the sound of his music. The spirits that tormented King Saul will leave him at the sound of David s music. 1 Sam 16:23 23 Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. c. He was a skillful speaker, composer, poet and singer. d. He was a skillful stone thrower. (He knew how to use the sling). He never misses a target. 1 Sam 17: Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Sam 17: As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. e. He was a skillful swords man and an army general. f. He was a skillful administrator and leader. Ps 78:72 72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. 4. Joseph and many others who were successful in the Bible made it by their skills. CONCLUSION 1. Develop your skill. 2. Don t mind how long it takes you to develop relevant skills.

10 3. Don t mind the stress you will go through. 4. Self-development time is a seed sowing time. Seed sowing time is always stressful and full of tears. Harvest time is a time of joy. Ps 126:6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. 5. It takes great desire, determination and unreserved commitment to acquire skill. Skill development involves: 1. Reading, 2. researching, 3. Exercise and continuous practice, 4. Paying close attention to details, 5. Experimenting, 6. Positive mindset, 7. Understudying those who are skillful and are ahead of you. 8. Readiness to absorb all sorts of humiliating remarks and treatment from your teacher, trainer or mentor.