Reclaiming Purpose

This morning’s quiet time did not make my all-time list of encounters with Jesus. I was there. He was there. But it was pretty blah. I was fighting cold symptoms. I felt dead tired. I had a headache. I soldiered on and read some of Psalms and did a little journaling and prayer. But, yeah, it was bleak. On with the morning – showered, dressed, packed lunch.  Now I’m eating breakfast and BAM!  – a Holy Spirit thought invades my sausage biscuit consumption. “Everything the enemy does is the opposite of God’s purposes.” This interruption redirects my entire morning. Immediately my thoughts are drawn toward personal purpose and how even the “serial killer” whose purpose of giving life was stolen by the enemy and turned into the antithesis of God’s plan for them. Every horrific news story that comes across our media outlets is a sign of purpose that has been usurped by a hidden illegitimate tyrant. That may sound like a depressing thing for God to bring to mind, but He does not make a habit of drawing attention to problems and exiting stage right. As children of God, we have been given the authority to declare His purposes, His plans, His goodness, His mercy, His love, etc. Every time a hijacked purpose is brought to our attention, it is our privilege to speak the Truth, to declare the purpose of God over that person or situation. Our Father is looking for His people to get in agreement with what He is doing. The enemy is doing us a favor by confirming what God is doing in person’s life or in a region or any situation by trying to kill, steal and destroy. Look at all the purpose that God has for Paris, California, Iran, North Korea, The Sudan and beyond! We have been given authority to change the destiny of not only people, families and communities but entire nations. God said to ask and He will give us nations. Begin to declare the purposes of God over your life, family, friends, church, city and nations. Do not join in with the narrative of the world that highlights negativity. Speak out the goodness of God! Reclaim His purposes for this world! If the enemy could he would kill everyone, but he can’t. He doesn’t have the power to pull it off. He has no authority. He wants to kill purpose. Since he can’t kill everyone, he would like to steal purpose.  For those yet to meet Jesus this is the most common tactic. He takes their gifts and corrupts them for his false kingdom. When he loses people to the Kingdom of God, he will try to destroy purpose. He will do whatever he can to attack, tear down and maim what God put inside of you. God wants to give life to everyone, and he has. He pulled it off through creating us and redeeming us through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. He has all authority. He wants to seal your purpose. He gives generously. Not only has he given life and purpose but He gives us everything we need to see that gift become all He intended it to be. Instead of destruction God loves to build up, to edify, to take those things that look dead and bring them to life. God will do whatever it takes to encourage, build up and fulfill the gift inside of you. The plans of the enemy have been fully exposed. He always oversteps his bounds. He is greedy. God is just and is eager to bring recompense where purpose has been derailed. Wherever darkness rises up, be encouraged because light is about to invade with a vengeance. The best news is that we get to be a part of the solution by shining the love of Christ through our words and deeds. As I drove to work this morning I had the odd feeling of anger at the enemy and the strong presence of God at the same time. I knew the enemy had overplayed his hand. As I drove over a bridge, a battle cry rose up from the depths of my spirit directed at the chief liar, “IT IS OVER! IT IS OVER! IT IS OVER! In Jesus’ name.” Remind the enemy any time he tries to play his tired old game, “It is OVER!” He has already lost. Whatever battle it seems he is winning is simply a set up for a greater victory for the glory of God.  Our Father wins every time. In fact, He already won. Jesus confirmed it on the cross, “It is finished.”