Discovering your purpose - Tip 2 - Purpose Indicators

Sep 8, 2023 | by Teacher Michael Carter

As mentioned before, God has given us life and creative purposes.

Discovering and fulfilling them is a lifelong journey and process for us all. Thankfully, there are a few signs to assist us in the process.

* We discover our purposes by recognizing and following the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13 / Romans 8:14 / 1st John 2:20

This prompting and leading is an inner witness or unction from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit affirms truth as well as provide direction according to God’s will and purposes. Looking back in your life, there is a good chance that the Holy Spirit was prompting and leading you according to God's will and purpose.

But as many others, you may not have recognized Him. Often some may not have developed a listening ear or are sensitivity to Him. Often they may say" something told me to do that." " Or something told me not to that". Not understanding that it could have been the Holy Spirit.

Or in some cases, some may know its the Holy Spirit and ignore Him. Yeah, not good. But we've all done that, so don't beat yourself up or feel bad about it. Repent and ask God to forgive you and get back on track with Him. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide us according to God's will and purposes for our lives.

Examplee: In Acts 10 we find God moving Peter past his prejudices by way of a dream to position him to hear clearly and be led according to God's purpose. Although it was a dream, it was that inner promptings of the Holy Spirit that led him to go to Cornelius’s gathering. Acts 10:19-21

The Holy Spirit led him according to God’s purpose for his life in that season. Peter went; ministered God’s word and many were saved. Acts 10:44-45

As we grow in our relationship with God, reading His word and daily prayer assist in the process of being led by the Spirit.

As we grow with God, we will come to know His heart, and desire His will. Prayer helps us to become sensitive to the Holy Spirit and helps deveop a listening ear. And studying God's word gives us a reference point to line that inner leading up with the word of God. The Holy Spirit will lead us according to God’s will and word. That inner witness and prompting by the Holy Spirit is a sign that leads to an assignment or purpose by God for our lives.

Action plan: Get still and quite, then ask yourself; what is God leading and prompting me to do? Write down your answer.

*We discover our purpose by acknowledging those things that provoke our deep compassion.

Compassion is a deep heartfelt concern or apathy for the sufferings, situations, injustices or misfortune of others. This is a heightened level of compassion that leads to God's purposes. It’s accompanied by a strong inner pull that you cannot ignore. It's an absolute heart string that continues to pull on your heart. It just simply will not go away. This level of compassion speaks to something that you may be purposed to bring help, relief or healing to.

Example: Jesus was moved by this deep heartfelt compassion to minister healing. Mark 1:40-42

God desires that we touch others. It’s His heart flowing in and through us. This level of compassion touches the inner core of our hearts. It’s an undeniable heart string. We discover our purpose by acknowledging those things that provoke our heartfelt compassion.

Action plan: Ask yourself; what area is causing me to experience a deep compassionent heart pull that just will not go away?

Write down your answer.

*We discover our purpose by acknowledging those things that provoke our righteous indignation.

Often it presents itself as anger. There are things in our lives that require us to become angry to effect change. Anger can be one of the most misunderstood emotions in our lives. All anger is not bad. Fact is; there are things that will not change in our lives or communities until we get good and angry.

You cannot change what you tolerate. You’ve got to get Intolerably angry to effect change in your life and in certain areas. It’s that inner righteous indignation that moves you to desire change.

We can be angry, yet not sin Ephesians 4:26

Anger is not good when people are out of control, violent or hateful. Those are manifestations of the flesh and sin. Anger from righteous indignation focuses on the problem or system, not the people. Anger can be a sign that there is an area that needs your attention to impact or effect change.

Example: Look at Jesus in John 2:12-16.

He was not angry towards them, as much as it was towards the need for a system change. The system of religion, usery and traditions led them to inappropriatly use thier influence, God's law and God’s temple. It diminished ministry effectiveness and their relationship with God. This was something He was purposed to bring change to; so it angered Him. When we are angered and focused on the need for change God can use us as agents of change. As with Fredrick Douglas, Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and many others. Their anger was towards a system that needed change.

However, don’t focus your anger on the people, focus it on the condition or system that needs attention or change.

Although there may be oppressors, abusers, and perpetrators, they will have their time of accountability with God. Romans 12:19-21. This keeps your heart clean before God. Our anger and focus should be towards the system that empowers them. Often change doesn’t come until we stop tolerating something, get angry and do something about it. Anger can be an indication of something that you are purposed to address, impact or bring change to.

Action plan: ask yourself; what raises your righteous indignation that causes me to be angry that you think needs changing?

Write the answer down.

*We discover our purpose by recognizing that inner heightened level of love towards something or somebody. Romans 5:5 / 1Corinthians 13:4-8

We are talking about the God kind of love that's willing to give of itself. Often our purposes are motivated by this hightened level of God's love. Love is a powerful emotion that motivates and compels you to give of yourself. This is an awesome motivation, yet an apprehension as well. We are motivated to do something, yet, apprehensive because we know that it will cost us giving of ourselves. Yet, that the love of God.

You may find that the thing you love greatly is a key that opens God’s wisdom, insight, your potentail, gifting and virtues to effectively serve and impact that area or others. You simply have a heart for it. Some of our greatest contributions from others comes from thier love for that area.They were willing to give all of themselves to it. They loved it, and gave of themselve to it. Often resultitng in impacting others. Often, our love for something, a person, or call is an indication of God's purpose for us to give of ourselves unconditionally to serve in that area.

Example: This level of love purposed Jesus to be the Lamb of God and die on the cross. John 3:16 / Hebrews 12:2

Our salvation was motivated by His love towards us. Our salvation was the joy set before Him. The challenge for us is to overcome our selfish self-centered culture. It can hinder our ability to give of ourselves and our substance for others; the very thing that impacts others as well as our lives. What overwhelms and moves your heart? The answer may speak to something that you are purposed to give yourself to.

Action plan: ask yourself; what area do you love so much, that you are willing to give yourself to it in service. Write the answer down.

*We discover our purpose by recognizing our gifts and abilities. 1st Peter 4:10

As mentioned before, God is a God of purpose. And when He creates, He places in the thing He creates the potential and ability to accomplish and complete its purpose. When God created us, He placed the abilities to accomplish His purposes in us. Some may be apparent, others are in seed form as potential needing to be provoked or developed. These abilities are physical, physiological as well as spiritual endowments. You will have these attributes, mindsets, attitude, abilities and a natural inclination to do a particular thing that you are purposed to do.

Some are naturally inclined to technology, science, mechanics, the arts or medicine. And others are physically gifted, good with their hands, exceptional speakers, researchers and scientist. Others are natural good at teaching or counseling others. These are deposits from God according to His purposes for our lives. Your gifts and abilities were given to you by God to accomplish what He purposed you to do. Take a moment and take an inventory of your gifts and abilities. They are sign that speak to your purose

To accomplish your life purposes you need to discover your abilities.

However, don’t get abilities confused with skill, they are different. Skills are developed, abilities are inherent. Either you have the ability or you don’t. You cannot skill learn your way above your abilities. No matter how much you want to do something, if you don’t have the ability you will not be able to do it successfully. There is a good chance you’re not purposed to do it. Yet, and although you have a gift or ability, you must develop it through skillful training. When abilities, training and the anointing meets opportunity according to God's purpose, great things occur.

Example: Consider Moses

Although he was educated and trained according Egyptian concepts, his leadership gifting needed to be provoked and developed.

As God began to touch his heart concerning his countrymen, Moses leadership came to the forefront. He responded to the harsh treatment to one of his countrymen by the hand of a solder and killed the solder. However, it did not have the outcome and the effect he thought it would. His leadership gift was provoked, but not developed according to God's standards. He fled to the mountains, only to be summoned by God to use his gift to lead his people out of Egypt. His gift was an indication and sign pointitng to his purpose.

Action plan: ask yourself; what natural or God given gifts, abilities, or intuitive inclinations I have? Write the answer down.

*We discover our purpose by recognizing God’s anointing. Luke 4:14-21

God’s anointing is His divine empowerment that enables us to do things in a manner that will have spiritual and kingdom ramifications. We are able to achieve things that we otherwise could not do in our own power. It causes the words that we speak and the songs that are sang to produce His life and move from the mind to the heart to inspire us and illuminate our understanding. God's anointing gives us wisdom to solve challenges divine grace that opens doors, divine influence that empowers us according to His will and purposes.

It brakes yokes, enables healings, deliverances, miracles, opens the sight of the blind. God’s anointing raises our abilities to flow according to His will and purposes, not ours. God’s anointing is a sign that you are flowing in His divine purpose in that season.

Example: Consider Philip

Initially he was one of those disciples chosen to serve as a deacon in Acts 6:1-5. Yet, as the church experienced persecution, Philip went to Samaria. There his purpose changed from serving as a deacon to an evangelist. Acts 8:4-8 / Acts 8:26-40 / Acts 21:8-9

He was on the move, preaching the gospel and being used by God to touch lives. Notice how the anointing confirmed his purpose through healings, deliverances and many were saved. Philip could not have done this in his own power, nor could he have endured the persecution on his own. He needed to be empowered by the anointitng and afirmed by the results of the anointitng of God. T

When we are in the right place according to God’s purpose and season, His anointing will be present and flowing. Remember, God would have individuals anointed with oil as an outward sign of His purpose to set them apart for His service. Today we lay hands on folk and anoint them with oil as an outward sign that they have been set apart for a particular ministry, office or area or service. However, that area of ministry and purpose is confirm by the presence of the anointing.

God's anointing is a sign that you are on the right path or doing what God has purposed you to do. If you believe that God has purposed you to do something, it will be affirmed by the empowerment and presence of God's anointing.

Action plan: ask yourself; Is God's anointing empowering you and moving in that area? Write the answer down.

*We discover our purpose by recognizing God’s grace and provisions. Ephesians 4:7

If God gives you a task or vision, its provisions spiritually and naturally will be made available. When God gives us an idea, dream or vision, He will provide instructions provisions and His grace to accomplish it. God’s provisions are His inward strength, anointing, gifting wisdom and influence. These provisions come as we grow in our relationship with Him as our sufficiency. It empowers, upholds, leads and causes us to persevere through the challenges and facilitates those natural and spiritual needs as well. They are not made possible because we are so smart or good, but by His mercy and grace according to God's purposes.

Example: Consider Nehemiah.

His initial job as a cupbearer was an honorable one in which gave him favor and leverage with the King. And although it brought him great honor, it was a very dangerous job. Not only did he serve the drink to the king, he was required to taste it first when the King suspected foul play, to insure that there was no poising in the drink. This was his purpose in that season of his life. But, again, God’s purposes can be seasonal. And as with example, one season can prepare or position you for the next one.

Clearly, God had another purpose for his life. And as mentioned earlier, there was a pull of compassion on his heart towards the condition of his countryman and the condition of the temple. It impacted his countenance and was noticeable to the king.

Nehemiah’s next season of purpose was to return to Judah and have the walls rebuilt

By God’s grace, the king released his influence on Nehemiah’s behalf. He provided assistance in any area he needed. Nehemiah had all of his needs and provisions met to rebuild the wall. Even when adversity rose, God provided His wisdom, perseverance and power. He focused and rebuilt the wall. God’s spiritual and natural provisions are indicators of God’s purpose for our lives.

Recognizing God’s grace and provisions are an indicator that you are in the right place according to God's purpose.

Follow God’s grace and provision. They will lead you to God’s purpose for your life in that season.

Action plan: ask yourself; is God's favor and provisions there? Write the answer down.

God gives us indicators and signs that speak to His life purposes for our lives.

And as you look at these ares and record the action plan answers, you will develop a few signs and indicators that point to God's purpose. Be real with yourself. You may want to choose an area, but there are no signs or indications that you are purposed to go in that direction. Use these signs as a check list. Consider these points as signs and indications of God’s purpose for your life. There is a very good chance, you’ll not go wrong. We all were created by God according to His wiil, pleasure and purposes. Consider making discovering and fulfilling those purposes primary in your life. You will discover and fulfill His purpose for His glory.

Lastly, take the answers and list from the questions and bath it in prayer.

Again, one of the signs that lead us to God's purpose is His promptings and leadings. You want to be in His will, hear from God and be led by Him. When you are in God's will and purpose, you will have an inner conviction and peace.

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Keep in mind that hearing alone does not impact your life or bring God’s success; obedience and application Does. Apply these instruction and walk in them. Then you will experience God’s influence in your life. Joshua 1:8 / James 1:22