There is a price to be paid for achieving our goal of finding the plan of God. This will be different for each individual. Paul had achieved success in Judaism and had to walk away from everything. Charles Finney was a successful lawyer and had to leave his practice.
I do not know what your price is just as you do not know mine. We may have to miss a family dinner or wake up an hour or two earlier. The Holy Spirit is standing by to help us on our journey. He will help us but we must look to Him.
God has placed the gifts and talents needed to accomplish His plan within each one of us. One of Satan’s favorite tactics is to draw a person away from God by tricking them to use their gifts and purposes in ways not planned for God.
Some people have reached the pinnacle of success in business, entertainment, and any number of other areas. They did this by developing their God-given talents. Many of these people succeeded in areas God never planned for them to walk and so will have nothing to show for their success after this life. Unfortunately, their successes came at the cost of fulfilling the plan of God.
It is never too late for us to move into the plan of God. I have read that Smith Wigglesworth was forty-eight years old when he was filled with the Spirit! God used him in a ministry noted for the miraculous that impacted people in many nations.
We need to realize that God can use us to accomplish His plan and purpose. Some of us are introverts and others extroverts. This is not by accident! Even our personality has a part in the plan of God.
Some people may say that you are an accident. Nothing could be farther from the truth! God knew you before you were conceived in your mother’s womb. The situation leading to her pregnancy does not matter because you were ordained to live in this moment.
I have heard people say that babies do not become a human being until the day that they are born. This is an argument often used by supporters of abortion. Tens of millions of unborn children have had their lives cut short even before they took their first breath. God knew each one of these babies and had a plan for them written in His book that will never be fulfilled.
Millions of Christians live in a catatonic state. They stumble through life faithfully attending service every time the church door opens. Some will read a daily verse and others may read quickly through a chapter. Unfortunately, this is as far as their relationship with God will ever go.
It is easy to sit in church and shout ‘amen’ as the pastor preaches. How many people doing this can even remember what the sermon was about an hour after service ends? Millions of Christians are no better off than an aborted child because neither will fulfill their maker’s plan.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Paul finished his race but paid a heavy price to do so. He was able to successfully find and follow the plan of God and left this life with the testimony that he had finished his course. A crown of righteousness was waiting for him as a result!
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15
Each one of us will have our lives examined by God. Those who have paid the price to pursue Him will have a crown of righteousness prepared for them.
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
We are exhorted by the author of Hebrews to “lay aside every weight” and “sins” that hold us back from achieving what God has called us to do. The choice to do this is ours alone. It is not a one-time decision but instead one that may need to be made sometimes daily.
There will be many weights needing to be cast off at the beginning of our journey. We may stumble and fall back into old habits but must not quit. If we continue to meditate on the truths of God’s Word as a daily habit, our minds will become renewed. This is the point where we are no longer “conformed” to the world and it is the point where victories will begin to manifest much more frequently.
It is important for us to always keep in mind that every decision has the potential to either open the door to allow light or darkness into our lives. God is not the author of destruction. He often gets blamed for the terrible things that happen to us but this is a lie perpetrated by religious devils.
I have heard people say God put sickness on them and ask for healing prayer in the same breath. Why would they ask for prayer if they believe He put this sickness on them? The reason is that something deep within their spirit knows the truth!
God is good and desires only good things for His children. This is something most Christians struggle with because they have sat under teaching filled with religious traditions that detract from His goodness. The Church must rediscover the revelation of His goodness if she is going to fulfill His plan for the day in which we live!
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
We serve a good God who desires for us to experience a taste of heaven in this life. He has given Jesus as our redeemer and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to aid us on our journey. If He had His way, every person would be saved and restored to fellowship with Him. We have free will though and He will not override our choices.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
Unfortunately, the majority will choose a path leading to their direction. This is not God’s will but He allows humanity the right to either follow Him or not to.
Religious tradition tells us that God is in control of everything. This implies that our choices do not matter. It is a very dangerous teaching that has led many off the path God planned for them to walk.
I have met many bitter people who are angry with God. They had served Him but then had a tragedy which a preacher credited to God as being the cause. These ministers are often using sovereignty to avoid admitting that they do not have an answer for the person experiencing tragedy.
God gave us free will. Our choices will open the door to blessing or curses being able to manifest. I’ve learned that it is best to humble myself when things are not going right and inquire what I did to open the door allowing the current situation. There have been times when the Holy Spirit showed me a choice made. He has also shown me that my lack of revelation knowledge in a particular area opened the door for a financial need or sickness to manifest.
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