Walking in Your God-Given Purpose: How to Get Back to Your Assignment

Family, as we step into the final month of the year, many of us start looking back. What did I accomplish? Where did the time go? And for some, a harder question: Am I where God wants me to be?

If you feel like you have drifted from what God called you to do, I have good news. Your assignment has not been cancelled.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV)

You Were Created on Purpose, for a Purpose

Before you were born, God had a plan. "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee… and I ordained thee" (Jeremiah 1:5). Ephesians 2:10 says we are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Your purpose is not something you invent. It is something you discover and then walk in.

How We Get Off Assignment

In our episode "Go Back to Your Assignment," we talked about the things that pull believers away from their calling:

• Disappointment. Something didn't work, so we stopped trying.
• Distraction. Good things crowded out God things.
• Fear. Like Jonah, we ran because the assignment looked too big.
• Comparison. We looked at someone else's calling and felt ours was small.

Elijah ran from his assignment after a great victory. God met him in the cave and asked, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9). Then He sent him back with fresh instructions. God does the same for us.

Five Ways to Discover and Walk in Your Purpose

1. Return to the secret place. Purpose is revealed in relationship. Ask God directly: "What did You create me to do in this season?"

2. Notice your burden. What breaks your heart? Nehemiah wept over the broken walls of Jerusalem, and that burden became his assignment.

3. Recognize your gifts. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another" (1 Peter 4:10). What do people consistently come to you for?

4. Start where you are. Faithfulness in small things opens the door to greater things (Luke 16:10). Don't despise small beginnings.

5. Get connected. Purpose is lived out in community. Find a church family where your gifts can be developed and used. At Encounter Church, our vision is to see people saved, transformed, discipled and serving by the power and presence of God.

It's Not Too Late

Dr. Noemi often reminds women in our church that your past does not disqualify you from your purpose. The same is true for every one of us. Moses was 80. Peter denied Jesus three times. God restored them both and sent them right back to their assignment.

As this year closes, don't just make resolutions. Make a return. Go back to the secret place, go back to what God told you, and walk boldly in His purpose.

Word activated, love motivated, praise saturated, people liberated. See you in the new year, family.

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Go deeper at The Secret Place. Listen to the full episode, Go Back to Your Assignment and Walk in Your Purpose, where we go deeper into this topic.

Join us LIVE every Wednesday at 7 PM CST on YouTube and Facebook, and if this stirred something in you, send us a prayer request. We would be honored to stand with you.

Blessings, Bishop Gary Oliver