In the previous two articles we talked about two principles of practicality which we drew from inspiration we’ve received based on the story of Jesus restoring Peter to his divine purpose in (Jn.21:10-17). In this article we will continue with principle number three in this list of seven practical principles for understanding and walking in your divine purpose and calling. Here’s the list once again:
- Define Your 1 Divine Purpose With Love & Fruitfulness
- Define Your 1 Divine Purpose with 3 Goals
- Use the Power of Repetitive Words to Reinforce Your Divine Purpose and Co-Create Your Life With the Lord
- Do Everything Else Before Breakfast
- Get a Clear Vision for the Future
- Set Genesis Deadlines
- Identify Distractions You Are Most Vulnerable to and Come up With a Productivity Plan to Overcome These Distractions
Let’s continue walking through each principle starting with number three!
- USE THE POWER OF REPETITIVE WORDS TO REINFORCE YOUR DIVINE PURPOSE AND CO-CREATE YOUR LIFE WITH THE LORD
Much like the previous practical principle, this one is simply drawn from Jesus repeating Peter’s divine purpose to him three times. Jesus said three times to Peter, “feed/tend to my sheep”. Simply put, daily repetition of words is powerful.
As we made mention of in the previous article, if the eye is single then the whole body will be full of light (Matt.6:22). Another way to put this is by saying if your focus is at a high level then you will move in incredible power, a power that only complete devotion and focus can provide. One of the keys to facilitating this daily power in focus is found in the words we daily and repetitively speak over ourselves and over our lives.
(Heb.11:1-3)
1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.â€
I truly believe that since God has created and fashioned us in his own image and likeness (Gen.1:27) that we have creative power within us, and that power is released by the things we believe and the things we speak out repetitively. This is why we must take command over our speech and treat it with respect for the power that it is. It is truly the power of life and death that you hold on your lips (Prov.18:21), and you will eat the fruit of your speech (Prov.13:2;18:20).
Jesus told us we can have the things we speak if we believe in our hearts and do not doubt (Mark 11:23). So the question is what do you believe about yourself? Where do you believe you’re going? How are you going to get there? How are your words fashioning your path forward? How are your words hindering you?
Start to speak your divine purpose and calling out loud everyday, multiple times a day, just as Jesus repetitively spoke it over Peter, and you will start to see a real tangible shift in your life that will absolutely manifest in fruitfulness. I find that the best time for me to do this is early in the morning when I first wake up, when I’m spending time praying and meditating the word, and in the evening right after dinner when I’m finishing up my work for the day and preparing to wind down for the night. I have a list of things that I speak over myself and over my life each and everyday, multiple times a day, and it’s absolutely amazing to see the fruit that has abounded since I started doing this faithfully. Harness the power of focus and speaking repetitive words of faith and power over your life each day and co-create your world with the Lord.
As the saying goes, many people are waiting on God while God is actually waiting on them. In this regard, when it comes to your life, if you do not, God cannot. In other words, if you do not step up and use the faith principles and take action where God has instructed you according to wisdom and according to the word then you will never fulfill your divine purpose for which you’ve been placed on earth at this time to fulfill. Begin to co-create your life with the Lord daily, take responsibility, and watch what the Lord does!!!
- DO EVERYTHING ELSE BEFORE BREAKFAST
The bible says that Jesus spoke these three affirmative statements to Peter cementing the direction for his divine purpose “after they had eaten breakfast” (vs.15). There’s something about breakfast that serves as a demarcation point for all human beings, which we also saw with the Lord and his disciples. After they were finished eating breakfast Jesus really got busy with restoring Peter and finishing his work with his disciples on the earth in that form. Jesus would often finish up all of his prayer time early in the morning, before the sun rose, before breakfast (Mark 1:35).
People instinctively know to this day that once you see the sun coming up and you eat breakfast it’s time to get to work. God even wired us this way in our physical bodies. Our bodies produce something called melatonin when it starts to get dark. It is a natural hormone that our bodies make that helps us to sleep. Just as melatonin is released when it gets dark, our melatonin levels decrease in our bodies when we see light. This is why medical scientists tell us to diminish the amount of light we expose ourselves to from things like television screens and room lights before we go to bed. God has biologically engineered us to go to sleep when it’s dark and to get to work after the sun rises. All that to say, there’s a reason why billionaires and super high achievers usually get up at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning, early in the morning before the sun rises, just like Jesus did. Whatever else you need to do in your life whether it be exercise, reading, goal setting, writing, prayer, etc… try to do it before you eat breakfast, because after breakfast we’re designed by God to be single in our eye and go after one thing, which is usually best expressed of threes. After breakfast Jesus told Peter to do one thing essentially, three times, and that was to feed God’s sheep. Peter from that day forward was to completely give himself to that divine purpose morning, noon, and night after breakfast!
- GET A CLEAR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Jesus not only restored Peter to his divine purpose and clarified his call in three clear commands, but He also gave Peter a clear path to walk on with his words. He gave Peter a clear plan for his life, which included a vision of the future concerning how Peter would meet his end for the glory of God.
(Jn.21:18-19)
18 “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
I believe this to indicate that we must get a clear vision for our life which helps us to not only realize our dreams of greatness and blessing but also to endure the hard times. I’m not saying that God will reveal to everyone how they’re going to die, but the point still applies. Peter had a clear vision of his future and how He would ultimately glorify God in life and in death, and He was able to hold true to that vision and walk the path set before him.
If you don’t have a clear vision from the Lord for your life, if you don’t have a sure word from the Lord about the direction your heading, chances are when the going gets tough you will turn back thinking that you’ve missed the Lord or somehow gotten off track. And trust me, the going always gets tough when you decide to follow the Lord and pursue your divine purpose. Life will always test you and only those who have absolute conviction, crystal clarity about their call, and laser-like focus on what they are to achieve will press through to finish their race. Remember the words of Paul the Apostle: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim.4:7). Paul had a clear vision for the future, so much so that he knew when His time had come to an end. Paul had laser-like focus in order to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil.3:14). That’s how he got through all of the beatings, the stonings, and the shipwrecks (2 Cor.11:25), that’s how he survived being attacked by wild beasts in Ephesus (1 Cor.15:32), and that’s why He was able to shake off snakes into the fire that stood in his way of finishing his race (Acts 28:5). Are you that in touch with your calling and purpose? Does your divine purpose live in you so powerfully that not even poisonous snakes and wild beasts, not even death itself can stop you from finishing your race and fulfilling your purpose for being here? If it doesn’t I suggest you go deep with the Lord and ask him to stoke such a fire of purpose within you. Without that fire of purpose you will never accomplish great things for the Lord.
Thanks for sticking with me to this point. I know this has been a longer series of articles, but I believe the riches of his wisdom and understanding which we’re drawing together from the scripture is acting as fresh water for our souls! Let the words of Jesus and the power of this story of restoration bring fresh life and healing to your own soul. Be filled with faith afresh for God to speak to you, restore you, and place your feet upon solid ground so you can press on into the next season of your life filled with conviction and divine purpose! We will finish the series tomorrow!
In His Service,
Stephen Powell
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