YOUR PLANS VS. GOD'S DESTINY AND PURPOSE

When I looked up the definition of the word plan it is described as "a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something." Another definition is "an intention or decision about what one is going to do." How many of you have made your own plans and it didn't work out like you wanted? (Insert hand raise here)☝. You ended up disappointed, hurt, confused, angry at God, and depressed. Now let's take a look at the definition of the words destiny and purpose. Destiny is described as "the things that someone will experience in the future." It is also described as "a predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control." Purpose is described as "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists". One thing that I have learned is that no matter how many plans you make, if they are not a part of God's destiny and purpose for your life, those plans will cancel themselves out or delay what God really has for you. When we follow our own plans God will let us go ahead and do our thing and just when we think we have arrived,we will still feel unfulfilled and seek things and people that are not a part of God's purpose for our lives. Some people in the church associate purpose and destiny with being a pastor or evangelist. This is not always true. God could call you to the marketplace as a doctor, lawyer, baker, hairstylist, author, athlete, business owner, etc. The question is will you be still enough to hear God's voice on what He is calling you to do?





When I think of an awesome purpose and destiny chaser in the bible I am reminded of the Jewish Queen Esther. She fulfilled her purpose and destiny which was to save her people from total destruction. I used to have this fairy tale vision of orphaned Esther marrying a rich King, becoming Queen and living happily ever after. There was so much more to this story than I thought. Even though she was chosen as the new Queen out of thousands of other beautiful women, she wasn't ONLY just a pretty face. Girlfriend was a bad chick when it came to praying, fasting, and having wisdom. Originally Esther was undercover upon arriving at King Xerxes's palace. She was a Jew among the Arabs and Persians in the midst of the Persian empire. God used her in her cousin Mordecai's strife with Haman (the number two official in Persia!). Haman became angry when Mordecai would not bow to him; his pride and ego got the best of him. So Haman PLANNED and plotted to have ALL Jews killed on a certain day within the Persian empire. He convinced King Xerxes to sign an irrevocable order allowing the citizens of Persia to slaughter the Jews on a certain day and take their property. (Esther 3:1-15). When Mordecai heard about this new decree/order from the King he was devastated. So much so that he sat outside the palace walls with a sackcloth with ashes crying out. He went out in the city crying out. Soon the other Jews followed suit wailing, fasting, praying and crying out. When the news got back to Esther she had to intervene! She had no choice but to go before the King unsummoned. She had to tell the King the truth about her being a Jew and the evil plot Haman planned for her people.This was no light task because anyone that approached the King unsummoned would be put to death. Esther asked that Mordecai and the other Jews fast and pray for 3 days and 3 nights to get on one accord with her.   (Esther 4: 15-16) When Esther went before the King AFTER fasting and praying, King Xerxes gave her FAVOR!!! (Somebody say Favor aint Fair!) She told the King the truth about Haman and his plan. The King then had Haman hung on the SAME gallows he prepared for Mordecai. (You know that old saying if you dig a hole for me dig one for yourself too, cause IT (the lies, the backstabbing, etc) ain't gonna prosper! Hallelujah!!!) When God has a purpose and a destiny for your life, NO plot the enemy has will prevail!


Just think if Esther became selfish and had her OWN PLAN and the attitude: "I am QUEEN now so there are other Jews in other lands that can re-populate Persia" or just sat and did nothing and enjoyed the luxurious life of being the Queen of Persia.



It is so important to pray and seek God's purpose and destiny for our lives. You never know how many souls you will impact for the Kingdom of God and how many people's lives you can help to restore all by being obedient to the call of God on your life. Generations are waiting on you.

Jeremiah 29:11