Marching Forward to a Purposeful Life

Bible Text: Philippians 3: 8-14

INTRODUCTION
One of the common worry of man is a desire to explore what they are truly meant to do with their life. Most of us have a sense that there is a better, more meaningful way to live our lives, but we can’t seem to find it by ourselves. We carry on living each day as it comes, but still the nagging thought of whether we are living a purposeful life in line with the will of God keeps running across our mind. This underlines our questions such as:

DOES GOD REALLY HAVE A PLAN FOR MY LIFE?
1. He Cares for us– God is concerned about what we do and the details of our lives because they are a barometer of the condition of our heart – Psalm 139:3
2. He plans our life – God’s plans for us are good. Once we understand His plan, we can be assured that we can expect something marvelous – Romans 8:28, Psalm 138:8
3. He guides us – God definitely wants to help us follow the path that will be most pleasing to Him, not the path that may be most pleasing to us – Psalm 32:8

HOW CAN I KNOW GOD PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE?
1. Have a Vision – A vision of God’s future allowed Caleb to see his own purpose and not the strength of his enemies – Joshua 14: 6-15 (To find the best path forward you must first look back)
2. Discover your passion – Nehemiah’s passion to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was rooted in God’s purposes for his people – Nehemiah 2:17-18
3. Know your Values – Living a more fulfilling life starts with knowing your values. Your values could be “making a difference” “being creative” “helping someone” “love adventure” “developing ideas” – Paul’s great purpose was to win others to Christ – Philippians 1:20-24, 3:8-14
4. Make use of Opportunity – While others saw a fearsome giant, Davis saw an opportunity for God’s mighty work – 1 Samuel 17:20-37

WHAT MUST I DO TO DISCOVER GOD`S WILL?
1. Cry out to God for discernment and understanding – Proverbs 2:3-8
2. Let God teach you from His word – Isaiah 2:3, Hosea 6:3
3. Seek God’s will passionately, not casually – James 1:5.
4. Pray for God to reveal His will to you – 1 John 5:14.
5. Let God have His way – Acts 21:14.

However, there are some things we must know are God’s will for us. These have been revealed already in His word
1. To obey His commandments – Exodus 20: 1-17
2. To live under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit – Galatians 5:22-26
3. To do everything as if we were doing it for Him – Proverbs 16:3
4. To love others (Pursue Love) – 1 Corinthians 14:1
5. To serve others and put them above ourselves – Mark 10: 43-45
6. To seek Justice and Righteousness – Amos 5:24

CONCLUSION
Purposeful Life is all about knowing who you are, where you are going and how best you can get there. For most people it boils down to the way you make a difference in the world, feel connected to your higher power (God Almighty), others and live fully everyday. Let Jesus be our Role Model.