4 Keys to Stepping into Your Purpose
We've heard the saying “The Best is Yet to Come!” And what a great hope to believe the best yet still ahead. But there is a tiny… okay, maybe large obstacle in the way.
FEAR
So yes, the best is yet to come if we can get past fear.
Do you love a good Hallmark Christmas movie as much as I do? Sure the plot is the same every time but somehow they never get old. Here’s a quick break down of every movie we can’t stop watching.
- Girl from the small town moves to work in the big city at her dream job with a seemingly dreamy boyfriend.
- She has yet to be back home in quite some time due to oh so busy and important city life.
- Suddenly her aunt dies and she inherits a family farm in her quaint hometown and she must return. (Or it’s some sort back home tie that forces her to return to what she has left)
- While she is home, she stays for longer than she intends because nostalgia sets in.
- Then suddenly she runs into an old boyfriend.
- And on cue right before she and her long-lost love get to close the city boyfriend shows up.
It’s there in that moment the girl must make a choice. She has to decide which guy, which job, which life she wants to move forward with.
As viewers, it’s easy for us to see what the right choice is. But for the girl, it’s a bit more difficult. She is stuck between what she thinks is best and what is actually best. And the thing that holds her in the middle is fear. The best is yet to come for her, but it is up to her to choose.
In the Hallmark movie, the girl always chooses the right path, because that’s what movies do. But for you and me, it’s a bit more difficult. We let fear keep us in a holding pattern for far too long.
All the while, Jesus is there watching us, rooting for us, interceding for us, waiting for us to push past fear and choose the path He has laid out for us. We want the best and the best for our future, but we have a small problem.
FEAR.
Key Point: Fear is Addiction
I was just talking to my son the other day about drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco. I shared with him that while the Bible doesn’t say we can’t drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, we never know what we will become addicted too. But if we never participate we can guarantee we will never have to deal with something else controlling us. What happens when we become addicted is it doesn’t matter how much we love Jesus and how much we want to do what Jesus has called and purposed us to do when that thing starts calling, Jesus will get put in second place to that substance.
Fear is no different, believers think they live sold out to Jesus and free until we are called to take the next step of faith. Then fear comes calling and our Savior and purpose through him get placed on the back burner. We are free until fear comes calling and we go crawling back to that nasty foe, Friend, we must move from fear-controlled freedom to faith-filled freedom.
Key Point: You Won’t Fulfill Your Purpose Living in Fear
You and I were created on purpose for a purpose to impact the Kingdom. God purposed each one of us for a specific destiny to bring glory to his name. But if we live in fear we will never fulfill our calling. We talk ourselves into being brave, into stepping out in faith, then when it comes time and we enter into the brand-new territory of freedom we become so uncomfortable and we return to what we know — fear.
Key Point: You Must Fear God More than Fear Itself
John 3:19 “Now this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness instead of the light, because their deeds were evil.” 21 “But whoever practices truth comes to the light, so that it may be made known that his deeds have been accomplished in God.”
We must be careful to not be women who love the darkness (fear) instead of the light. But practice truth, push away from fear, and live in the light. When we live in the light and fear God we step into the light of truth and walk freely toward our purpose.
Fearing God is crucial to our freedom of fear.
Fearing Him is placing him over what the enemy is saying to us.
Fearing him is trusting in his truth and not our timidity.
Fearing him is believing he will do what he says he will do.
There is freedom in walking in faith. Our job is obedience, it’s up to God to fulfill the promise.
Key Point: It’s a Mindset Turned into Action
In Psalms 34:4 David tells us that God delivers us from all of our fears. Not some of them, not a few of them, but ALL of them.
Romans 8:15 “This Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again, rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him, we cry, Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:5-6 “…but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and shalom.”
We must have a mindset that is on the Spirit, that fears God and walks freely toward our calling and purpose. When fear comes calling, and I can assure you it will, we must listen to the Holy Spirit that will surely be speaking to our heart and mind, reminding us to trust and walk in freedom, fearing God only.
Here’s the deal – IT’S A CHOICE!
We can choose to stay bound to fear or embrace the freedom in fearing God. The best is yet to come if we choose to quit letting fear control us and walk in freedom.
God is so good to offer His perfect love that casts out all fear, offering us the freedom to walk boldly into what He has created for us. Because He has created the best for you and me, so yes, the best is yet to come.
Friend, step out in faith and into the freedom of your God-given purpose.
