Some years back when I was in High school, there were several promises God made to me, I knew about them and as a matter of fact I was conscious of these promises, waiting to just walk into them without working or striving to bring them to fulfillment, how ignorant I was. While I advanced to college level, I did not only know my purpose in life, but I knew about the promises that would come with fulfilling my purpose, but I relaxed thinking that the God who promised all those will be faithful enough to fulfill them without my contribution. Guess God called me a “huge joke”.
Everyone has a purpose to fulfill on this earth and until you realize and begin to pursue your purpose in life, you’re considered unfruitful, unproductive and completely wasted. Take for example, the story of Jacob, in Genesis 28:1-5;
1 So Isaac called for Jacob, blessed him, and said, "You must not marry any of these Canaanite women.2 Instead, go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your grandfather Bethuel, and marry one of your uncle Laban's daughters.3 May God Almighty* bless you and give you many children. And may your descendants multiply and become many nations!4 May God pass on to you and your descendants* the blessings he promised to Abraham. May you own this land where you are now living as a foreigner, for God gave this land to Abraham."5 So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to stay with his uncle Laban, his mother's brother, the son of Bethuel the Aramean.
Isaac pronounced blessings on Jacob, but Jacob did not stop at knowing that he’d been blessed, he pursued the blessings knowing that his purpose was to become many nations through one of his uncle’s daughters. Not just that, to also possess the land he occupied as a fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham and his descendant. The question now is, did Isaac stop at knowing these blessings? No! look at verse 5;
So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to stay with his uncle Laban, his mother's brother, the son of Bethuel the Aramean.
Immediately, Jacob pursued his purpose, he left for his purpose. While he pursued his destiny, he encountered disappointments but guess what, he did not stop pursuing his purpose. Jacob wanted Rachel, but Laban gave him the wrong woman after seven years of serving Laban (that was the height of wickedness, even if he had an excuse for what he did, I still consider it wicked because he should have informed Jacob about their “tradition”), Jacob went through the pain, sorrow, disappointment and regrets and served for another seven years just to have his purpose fulfilled. Read Chapter 29. All those children borne by Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah and Rachel made up great nations. This goes to say that most times when we think our plans are not working out the way we’d have them work out, there is probably a bigger picture we aren’t seeing. You can’t simply stop moving or pursuing your destiny because of setbacks, failures, disappointments, delays, etc. If Jacob stopped moving because of those setbacks, we probably wouldn’t be, a lot of destinies would have been aborted, a lot of plans would have failed, and a lot wouldn’t have come to play just because of one man’s fear of advancement.
Now having achieved all of these, yes, and his children multiplied and became many nations, but he didn’t stop at that, he continued in pursuit of his purpose, even though it wasn’t easy. Jacob wrestled with the only One who could grant Him rest and establish him. Genesis 32:22;
22 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them.23 After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions. 24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob's hip and wrenched it out of its socket.26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!" But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 "What is your name?" the man asked. He replied, "Jacob”.28 "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "From now on you will be called Israel,* because you have fought with God and with men and have won."
Jacob went away from his family to be alone with God in prayer because he was desperate for a change, knowing that he was entitled to the promise made to Abraham and the only One that could make it happen was God. (verse 26), when God saw that he wouldn’t let go, he wouldn’t stop asking to be blessed, God had no other choice but to grant him his desires.
I have heard a lot of people complain about God’s unfulfilled promise and some even left the faith because they see God as a liar and very unfair. Sometime ago I was having a conversation with my eldest sister regarding some personal issues and one thing I remembered her telling me was, “If God promised, He will fulfill. But you have a role to play”. Jesus Christ did not ascend the throne by just sitting down and knowing that He’s been called to be the savior and with or without His contribution, he’ll be the savior. No! Jesus came and walked the walk, pursuing His divine purpose on earth with all his might, not that he never faced oppositions, disappointments, not that he never felt pains, not that he never cried, as a matter of fact, he begged His father to take this cup away from him, but when he remembered you, when He remembered me, when He thought about your tomorrow, he said, “Father, let your will and not mine be done. Luke 22:42
"Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."
That’s why you & I are alive today, we no longer live under the law of sin, but we live by the grace of God. Jesus pursued his purpose regardless of the pain and suffering, he went through fire, yet he did not give up because he knew what promise awaited Him, and today, he has received it. Like Abraham, it took him obedience, faith and patience to receive God’s promise, like Elijah, who depended totally on God for everything through prayer and frequent communication, received the promise of eternal live, he lived in fear of his enemies, yet, did not give up till he was taken up to heaven by God. If all these people where able to receive the promises made to them by God and pursued their purpose in life without the distractions of this world, you can and I can. You can’t stop at knowing God’s will for your life, you have to keep pushing until it is manifested.
Isaiah 62:6 & 7
6 O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the LORD. 7 Give the LORD no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
Israel gave himself no rest (verse 6B); he prayed to God until he became the father of many nations, his name was changed. Before we can get the desired results in our lives, we have to keep praying till we see results, not just knowing that God has promised, yes, He will fulfill what He has promised but not until we go by the principles. Jacob faced disappointments, failures and oppositions, yet, he did not stop at that, he kept on pressing forward knowing that he had a purpose to fulfill. Again, he depended on God to change his name and bring to manifestation every promise made to him to bless and establish him, he wouldn’t give himself rest till he was absolutely established. Isaiah 62 says, give yourselves no rest until God completes His work and makes you the pride of this earth.
Your purpose in life comes in stages, when one stage is completed, don’t rest until the second is achieved, then the third ……… So many do not even know what direction to take in life, while so many hear God’s voice on what to do and work in their destinies, but for some reasons, they are not responsive. Isaiah 45:11
"thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me".
You CANNOT just stop at knowing God’s plans for you and expect results just sitting there. I can’t remember where I heard this saying, “If you’re not ready to move your legs, don’t tell God to order your steps”.
Ask God for His purpose, ask Him things you know not and he’ll not only show you but guide you through the walk to achieving them. Jacob commanded the works of God’s hands, and today, we regard him as our father. As long as you know your purpose in life, you should never give in to those distractions and oppositions, they are there to make you stronger, better and wiser; the earlier you begin to pursue your purpose with all your might, the better for you. Let me reiterate, without fulfilling your destiny, your life on this earth is a complete waste, regardless of how comfortable you may be now. Psalm 90:12, teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. What does this mean? The earlier you realize that you do not have that luxury of time on this part of the world, the better for you because your ULTIMATE goal is to fulfill your purpose, which is why it’s expedient that you apply God’s wisdom in order to fulfill your destiny.
It is my prayer that your destiny will not be aborted and you will fulfill purpose in Jesus name. Amen!
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