[Phl 3:12 NIV] 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Passion – Purpose – Potential
Passion is Associated with Purpose and Purpose determines Potential.
Did you know God has a purpose for your life?
You can live out that purpose by the grace of God.
This morning I want to encourage you and I to live out the purpose that God has for our lives.
I would like to look at 3 P’s and then I will be done.
Passion – Purpose – Potential
- Passion
Our passion is associated with our purpose and our purpose determines our potential.
Let’s look at passion.
If you are not sure what you are passionate about, you can ask yourself two questions that will help you find your passion.
Those 2 questions are:
If you could do anything for God and knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you do?
If you could do anything for God and money didn’t stop you, what would you do?
The answer to those questions will usually tell you someone’s passion.
The cool thing about passion is you don’t have to get it from someone else.
When you answered those questions, you didn’t have to ask anyone.
You didn’t have to look at someone else’s answer.
You didn’t have to cheat to get your answer.
It came from within you.
Another cool thing about passion is no one can tell you if your answer is right or wrong.
Only you can determine your passion.
Now another amazing thing about passion is that God is the one who put that passion in you.
Whether it be for music, skits, drama, children, business, teaching, acting, media, sound, serving, or whatever your answer was.
God is the one you put that passion in you.
Now here is the amazing thing, like I said earlier.
Passion is associated with purpose and purpose determines our potential.
What do I mean by passion is associated with purpose.
If you look at the answer you gave for the two questions. That will tell me your passion.
Now what passion does is passion helps us to find our purpose.
That takes me to our second point.
- Purpose
In case you didn’t know. God has a purpose and a plan for our lives.
One way to find out that plan is to find out what you are passionate about.
Once you find out what you are passionate about, it usually lines up with your purpose.
Whatever you are passionate about, usually lines up with your purpose.
The challenge for you and I is to go after our passion.
Too many times we may try to find purpose in what someone else is doing, what someone else is successful in, or even what someone else said we should be doing.
When we allow these things to dictate our purpose, that is when we usually find ourselves being ineffective.
The place that you and I are going to be the most effective is when we are walking in the purpose and the plan that God has for our lives.
That is called your power spot.
We shouldn’t let other people decide our passion. God has placed it in you.
Here is a little illustration about letting people make decisions for us.
Quote: Today in the Word, 1991 P. 16
Former president Ronald Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, “Do you want square toes or round toes?” Unable to decide, Reagan didn't answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn't decide, so the shoemaker replied, “Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready.” When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! “This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you,” the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. “I learned right then and there,” Reagan said later, “if you don't make your own decisions, someone else will.”
As a Christian, you and I should have a desire to fulfill God’s Plan and Purpose for our lives.
Billy Sunday said:
“More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.”
When you and I don’t know the purpose of something, then we can use it wrongly. When something is not used for its correct purpose, that is called abnormal use.
Example: Monitor
It is designed to help me hear myself on stage.
Now I can stand on the monitor, I can sit on the monitor, and I can even use it as a table, but it will not be at its most effective.
When I know the purpose of the monitor and use it for the purpose for which it was created, that is when I will get the best out of it.
So it is with you and I. When you and I are walking in what God created us to do and gifted us for, that is when we will be the most effective and at our best.
Here is a funny illustration about not knowing the purpose of something.
Bird Illustration:
A rich man was determined to give his mother a birthday present that would outshine all others. He read of a bird that had a vocabulary of 4000 words, could speak in numerous languages and sing 3 operatic arias. He immediately bought the bird for $50,000 and had it delivered to his mother. The next day he phoned to see if she had received the bird. “What did you think of the bird?” he asked.
She replied, “It was delicious.”
Ask your neighbor, do you know your purpose?
God has anointed you on purpose.
God has given us a passion that is associated with our purpose and that purpose determines our potential.
- Potential
Not only has God given us a passion and a purpose, but He has also given us the potential to accomplish that purpose.
I would dare to say that whatever you are passionate about, you have the gifts and talents to complement that passion.
Not only has God placed a passion in you, but He has also given you the gits and talents that line up with that passion.
Once you find your purpose, I encourage you to go after it with all your heart.
C.S. Lewis said
The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.
You and I have been gifted for a purpose and make an impact in a world that is hurting and looking for answers.
Our gifts and talents are not for ourselves, but they are to be used to spread the good news of the gospel and reach hurting people.
You have what it takes to make a difference in this world.
You have what it takes to live out your purpose.
You have the gits, talents and potential inside of you.
Now here is the amazing thing.
God has anointed our ministry to reach the inner cities of the world and whatever gift and talent you have will have that anointing on it.
Why? Because you and I are a part of that ministry which has a promise.
That is why we can speak a message on tithing and people get saved.
It is not anything we are doing, but it is God being faithful to His Promises.
God has gifted you and I for His Purpose.
God has given us the potential to accomplish His purpose for our lives.
You have what it takes.
Why because Passion is associated with purpose and purpose determines potential.
Go after your purpose today.