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God desires to burn His divine purposes into our hearts. That it may provide deep motivations in our hearts for His purposes. From the story of Moses encounter with God at the burning bush we discover some keys by which God will burn such purposes in our lives.
In Part 1 we examined how God’s divine call establishes the conviction in our hearts of His purpose and begins to stir a divine urgency in us. In Part 2 we further examine 2 other aspects that God uses to burn His divine purposes into our lives. These aspects provide greater clarity on what is involved and also deeper assurances of His divine calling. All these elements together cement the divine purpose upon our lives.
BURNING WITH DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS
Exodus 3:16–18 (NIV) 16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’
Imagine if God told Moses, "I told you the vision, now work out all that needs to be done!" God did not just give Moses the call and left him to sort out everything else by himself. Rather, God helped Moses by giving some key instructions about the approach to deliver the Israelites from slavery. For Moses was inexperienced at that point.
We should never ignore God's instructions. We do that at our own peril.
The sense of divine purpose usually comes with some divine instructions. It may be in the sense of a goal or certain key tasks. It may come immediately like for Moses, or it may come progressively or later like for Abraham. When God instructs us to undertake something, we can rest assured that God has the bigger picture in mind. God is aware of much more than we ever are. We may only see the pieces of the puzzle, but God is the one who joins them all together to form a beautiful picture. With each set of instructions, God is moving us closer to His overall plan. We should never ignore God's instructions. We do that at our own peril.
Our job is not to question God but to obey. Obedience is a lot easier for us when we have a trusting, loving relationship with God.
Our job is not to question God but to obey. Obedience is a lot easier for us when we have a trusting, loving relationship with God. Knowing that He has a greater plan for us and His kingdom. When we trust in God’s good intentions for our long term eternal welfare we are motivated to obey. Rom 8:28 (NIV) 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.
There was once a wife who had a harsh husband who demanded lists of chores for her to do and she used to obey out of fear of being punished. Then the husband died, and she later re-married to a loving husband. One day she came across the old list and began to cry because she realised she was now doing all old chores and more, not because of fear but because she loved her husband. She enjoyed doing the chores because her motivation was different. Similarly, doing God’s will is not a chore when we love Him.
God has chosen to work in partnership with us. He provides us, fallen people, with the wonderful opportunity to be involved in His plan of redemption. It is when we trust God enough to walk with Him and to serve Him, step by step, that His wonderful purpose for us is revealed to its full extent. His guidance will be provided as He sees appropriate to help us, as He did with Moses.
BURNING WITH DIVINE ASSURANCES
Receiving divine assurances strengthens our conviction about our divine purpose.
When God imparts a divine purpose into our hearts, He will give us divine assurances along the way. Receiving divine assurances strengthens our conviction about our divine purpose. In the example of Moses, we notice some of the assurances that were given.
Divine influence
Exodus 3:18 (NIV) “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’
God gave to Moses the assurance that God will cause Moses to have the necessary influence to move God's plans forward. The elders of Israel will listen to Moses. Remember, the elders of Israel had no reason to listen to Moses. For Moses was not known to them. Besides, who was Moses to confront Pharaoh?
Whatever God calls us to do, He will cause us to gain the necessary influence in due time to carry out the task.
Whatever God calls us to do, He will cause us to gain the necessary influence in due time to carry out the task. Never think that we are too insignificant or too small to do the will of God. 1 Cor 1:27 (NIV) But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
It is not how strong or wise we are, but how humbly available we are. If you dare to believe the purposes of God that He reveals to you, be assured that He will open doors of opportunity. He will give you influence. God is in-charge.
Gideon was a nobody, an insignificant person in an insignificant clan. Judg 6:15 (NIV) “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
Yet when he responded to God's call his influence grew exponentially. Judg 6:34-35 (NIV) 34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them. A nobody became a somebody in God.
God can cause your influence to increase according to His calling and purposes for your life. No matter how insignificant you may seem now.
Divine empowerment
Exodus 3:18–22 (NIV) 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.
When we respond to God's call with faith, God will provide us the necessary empowerment to get the job done.
God assured Moses that God will demonstrate His power to Pharaoh through Moses. Hence, God empowered Moses to bring God's message. In the same way, God will empower us as we step forth in faith. When we respond to God's call with faith, God will provide us the necessary empowerment to get the job done. God empowers His messengers! 1 Cor 2:4-5 (NIV) 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
When God first called Cindy Jacobs, she felt like she was little more than a housewife just faithfully serving in her church. Yet the calling of God to be a prophet to the nations burnt strongly in her heart. God began to give her strong accurate prophetic words and others began to recognise her anointing. God brought along others such as Peter Wagner who mentored her and opened platforms for her to minister.
As we walk with God faithfully, deeper and deeper into the purposes of God, we discover that God progressively increases His empowerment to our ministry. So that we may get the job done! When we first started Hope Church, we struggled to share the Gospel due to our inexperience. Now we have effective skills and anointing in impacting many with the Gospel. When we first started, we had absolutely no influence in our community. Today, we have an excellent reputation within the community. When we first started, we lacked the supernatural power, such as in healing. Today we have many and increasing testimonies of God's power at work in our midst.
God empowers us as we faithfully step out to serve Him.
Divine success
Exodus 3:21–22 (NIV) 21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”
God assured Moses that his task will be successful. The Israelites will be released and will not leave empty-handed. In fact, this was fulfilled as recorded in Ex 12:35-36 (NIV) 35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
God will grant us success as we choose to follow His purposes faithfully. We will not be left empty-handed. Instead, God will fill us with abundance of blessings. God will never short-change us. If we invest into God's Kingdom with faith, we will reap the wonderful blessings many times over!
Success will come to the faithful because God wants His plans to succeed!
Do it God's way, and there will be success! Josh 1:7-8 (NIV) 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Success will come to the faithful because God wants His plans to succeed!
CONCLUSION
How can we connect with God's divine purpose for our lives? Go to God with open and humble hearts. Seek God and serve God faithfully in whatever your hands finds to do. In the midst of that God will begin to speak to you! He will begin to reveal His call upon your life. God will begin to provide us the instructions we need. He will provide us the assurances we need.
Copyright©️2023 by Wilson Lim. All rights reserved. Materials are free to be distributed in whole or part as long as proper acknowledgement is given to the author and not sold for profit.
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