“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 ESV
While I was still in my mother’s womb, God revealed to my mom my destiny! Though I was a ‘surprise child’ to my parents, I was not a surprise to God! My mom treasured this in her heart for years as I wandered from God and wholeheartedly rebelled. I literally ran the opposite direction for years. But God never left me, even when I left or didn’t know Him! Nevertheless, my mom never stopped praying for me! My mom is pretty much an unknown figure, but because of her, many have come to know Him through me. God called and knew me before I was even born, and my mom played a huge role in aligning me to His will!
The truth is, we have all been known, even since we were in our mother’s womb! Yes, God knew me then, but He also knew you!!!
The Apostle Paul tells us that God has predestined each of us (Romans 8:28-29)! That means, He does have a plan for our lives. But we have a choice to walk in it!
Do you think you took God by surprise? Though I was a surprise to my parents, I was planned and known by God! We’ve all been predestined to be conformed to His Son. No one has ever been born who wasn’t pre-known and predestined!
Hell was never made for humanity. It was made for Satan and his fallen angels. But because so many don’t understand that they were predestined and known by God, the enemy has moved in and ensnared them in deception. Just like me in my early years when I ran hard away from my destiny, many today still run!
The only cost to come into alignment with our destiny is to believe in Jesus. He has paid the price for the whole world (1 John 2:2). If you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and you confess Him as your Lord, you are saved (Romans 10:9) and your destiny is available for you to step into!
God knew us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-5)! God sees every day that was formed for us (Psalm 139:16). God does not control us, but the destiny He has for us must be chosen to be walked in. God is not the author of our pain, our addictions, our wounds. But even these can become part of our story and a tool to impact others.
Somehow, God weaves it all together (Romans 8:28). This includes all our victories, our mistakes – into one book of our life! You have been created for war and God is going to use what you’ve gone through to victoriously battle against the enemy for our generation!
When we choose to walk in our destiny we begin to reveal Christ. What God wrote over our lives is meant to shake darkness, and nations, and reveal His Son to the world! Through our lives we are meant to reveal His glory!
God has a book written for every single person! He wants each of us to know who He has created us to be. He has fore-ordained each one of us to walk in a specific grace that He gives us. Everyone is unique and different.
Psalm 139 talks of a scroll, or book that is written about us, for us! There are times when we need to remind each other “this is not who you are! Get back to the book, to your scroll and behave according to who you are!”
We are not to be ignorant of who we are. Though no eye has seen, or ear has heard, He has revealed it to us (1 Corinthians 2:6). When you came to Christ He opened your scroll and showed you who you are.
Comparing ourselves to others is a disease worse than cancer. We need to know God’s will and destiny for each one of us. We’re not to compare ourselves to anyone else. Their book is not your book! Your book is not my book!
Our destiny is more about the journey than the destination! Don’t just hope to do something great in your lifetime, but right now purpose in your heart to fulfill what God has written for your life TODAY! Every steps in the journey matter!
Ask God to realign you right now to His purpose for your life! Repent if you have wandered from it, if you have compared yourself to others, if you have taken on other burdens, other causes, other battles, other yokes that are not yours. Lay them all down right now. Ask God to show you who you are and what you are here for. Ask Him for the grace to fulfill your purpose in this generation, starting today!
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This post was adapted from Andrew Whalen’s message at Tim Sheets’ Oasis Church (https://youtu.be/vsy_PLl2_Dc). It is pretty much my notes, being tweaked into this article. I would highly recommend listening to this message yourself.
