Building Your Legacy – Pillar 6 – PURPOSE
By Pastor George Lehman
It’s a lifetime action we live it out daily
You don’t build your legacy when you come to church.
You build it every day!
NB!! (Every day we live out our purpose)
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) – “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s PURPOSE that prevails*”
*Prevails: Prove more powerful or superior
Its Gods purpose to perform His deeds through us. The Holy Spirit in me activates Gods purpose in my life.
In the movie “Forrest Gump” Forrest stands by the graveside of his wife Jenny and asks, “Do we float around like a feather on a breeze or do we have destiny.”
Sadly, so many Christians today just as that feather float around in their Spiritual lives without any clear purpose.
And won’t leave a Legacy which has much substance.
Because they are:
Blown from one Spiritual High to hopefully another.
From this move of God to the next.
From this activity to hopefully another one.
From a goose bump experience to another goose bump experience. (We rely on a High to get us by)
This is certainly not living a fulfilled life with purpose that God has intended for you to live.
Throughout many of our 21st Century Churches today,
There’s a lot of church-inanity but little authentic Christianity.
When you are a Christian it means (CHRIST IN YOU) you have divine purpose. (People are living so disconnected from God!)
I would like to categorically say to you – YOU do have a Legacy and a destiny, and that God has a specific purpose for your life. (Ons is nie doeloos op pad nie)
Purpose = the Greek word in this context is Prothesis:
It refers to a setting forth a *deliberate Intention.
*Opsetlike / doel voorneme Purpose produces a consistent life.
Nobody said living your purpose would be easy.
Yes, surely there are days when you are going to feel down, defeated and discouraged.
Sure, you are going to have challenges, hardships and trials.
In between the Highs, the Lows will come. However, you still have a great purpose.
But remember you can get up and face each day of your life,
Proverbs 24:16 “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.
You can be very sure of this: That our life has purpose weather I feel like it or not.
You are significant You are useful. You can face every day effectively with a finishing strong on purpose attitude.
Which I might add at this point; it supports your Legacy because it influences those around you too!
Galatians 4:18 – Its fine to be zealous provided the *purpose is good and to be so always and not just when I am with you.*Your deliberate intention
In other words, don’t only be full of spiritual life and action here in church or when you’re with other Christians.
Philippians 2:12-13(NIV) – 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
As I said, Proverbs 19:21 – The Lords purpose which is more powerful and superior.
God never does or did or will do anything without purpose think of all these examples:
Numbers 23:19(Amp) – God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
Noah
Abraham
Isaac/Jacob
Joseph
Moses
Joshua
David
Soloman wisest man that ever lived
The Prophets
All this ON PURPOSE for the preparation of the Coming Jesus Christ.
They had Purpose written all over them…And so do you!
(Why then do you think you do not have purpose)
John 12:27 – Now my soul is troubled and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
The disciples were called for a purpose.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) – 19” Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Paul called for a purpose
Acts 26:16 – Rise and stand to your feet for I have appeared to you for this purpose to make you a minister and a witness.
What about DAVID
Acts 13:36 (NIV) – “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.”
You too are Called for a purpose
2Timothy 1:8-9(NIV) – 8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.
We have got to understand that we are very special to God. He planned our usefulness before time began.
Ephesians 2:10 (Amp) – For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above-spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us.]
We do not merely exist as Christians and then someday we die and then go to heaven NO!!
We must be people who live out our purpose and not for a month or a year but for a lifetime.
This is what Building a legacy is all about
REMEMBER we don’t finish strong with a great legacy by luck or by accident or by chance.
If you and I are going to build a great legacy and finish strong with purpose, you will have to ensure the following:
You must acknowledge that you have purpose and begin to thank God for using you purposefully in His Kingdom.
Soberly ask what could be keeping me from genuinely fulfilling my purpose and producing maximum fruit.
Get rid of or cut off any negative influences that are causing you to not have a legacy building purpose.
Close: Ephesians 1:15-17 (NIV) – 15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
To fully understand your purpose, we need to go from a level of information to revelation and transformation.
Its Devine revelation that changes people and not just information.
However, having the information must bring Transformation.
God is preparing us His church for a great purpose.
If all of us saved born again believers sitting in this church and those listening by way of media. Just began to live out our God given purpose.
Hell will be plundered and heaven populated.
Your purpose:
To become more like Jesus
To work out your salvation with fear and trembling
To produce the fruit of the Spirit
To be obedient to the word of God.
