Summary: THIS SERMON IS ABOUT THE THREE KEYS TO FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY IN LIFE NAMELY 1. REALISE THAT YOU ARE NOT YET PERFECT 2. PURSUE THE PURPOSE OF GOD WITH ALL DILIGENCE 3. FORGET THE PAST AND PRESS FORWARD TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING

THREE KEYS TO FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY IN LIFE

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1. REALISE THAT YOU ARE NOT YET PERFECT

2. PURSUE THE PURPOSE OF GOD WITH ALL DILIGENCE

3. FORGET THE PAST AND PRESS FORWARD TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING

THE MESSAGE

THREE KEYS TO FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY IN LIFE

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1. REALISE THAT YOU ARE NOT YET PERFECT

The first key to fulfilling our destiny is to realise that we are not yet perfect . The Apostle Paul realised that he still had a long way to go. Inspite of all the spiritual experiences that he had in his life he did not think that he had attained everything. Unless we realise our need and true condition, we will become complacent and self satisfied.

The church at Laodicea did not realise it’s spiritual poverty . It was neither hot nor cold but was living in a lukewarm state . The Lord warns that He would vomit anyone who is lukewarm. The Lord counseled the Laodicean church to buy gold from Him and white clothes to wear and eye salve so that they can see. Our true riches are eternal. Our works will be tried by fire and if they are pure gold they will bring us our eternal rewards. We need the robe of righteousness from the Lord because our righteousness are as filthy rags in the sight of God. We need our spiritual eyes to be opened in order to see beyond the natural into the supernatural.

The rich young man who came to Jesus did not realise what he lacked until Jesus exposed his coveteousness. Therefore the first key to fulfilling our destiny is to realise our true condition . Our hearts are deceitful and we may be blind to our own faults. We must ask the Lord to reveal to us all that is lacking in our lives and lead us in the path of eternal salvation.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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PHILIPPIANS 3:12

" Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, ......"

REVELATION 3:14-19

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

You say, ’I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent."

1 CORINTHIANS 3:12-15

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

PHILIPPIANS 3:9

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

ISAIAH 64:6

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

ISAIAH 61:10

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

EPHESIANS 1:17-18

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

2 KINGS 6: 15-17

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

MATTHEW 19:16-22

" Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " ’Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,

honor your father and mother,’ and ’love your neighbor as yourself.’"

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. "

JEREMIAH 17:9-10

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

PSALM 139:23-24

" Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

2.PURSUE THE PURPOSE OF GOD WITH ALL DILIGENCE

The second key to fulfilling our destiny is to pursue the purpose of God in our lives with all diligence. The Lord has chosen us and called us with a purpose . Once we become a child of God , we must press on to find out the plan of God for our lives and then pursue that plan with our whole heart . The Apostle Paul exerted all his energies to fulfill the plan of God for his life. The Apostle Paul asked two important questions when he met the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus . The first question he asked was " who are you Lord ? " The second question that he asked was " Lord , what do you want me to do ? " These are the two vital questions that we must ask in our lives in order to fulfill our destiny.

The purpose of God for our lives is to make us a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to win souls and make disciples .The purpose of God is to transform our lives into the image of Jesus. The Lord has chosen us in order to bear fruit in our lives. When we pursue the purpose of God in our lives , we should not allow any other influence to divert us from our destiny. We should be willing to pay any price to please God and fulfill His plan for our lives . We may even have to displease our family in order to obey God.

The Lord Jesus was focussed on finishing His task during His life on earth . Therefore He was able to complete His mission on earth and before He died on the cross of calvary , He was able to say ’It is finished’ . when we reach the end of our lives we would be able to say with the Apostle Paul that we have finished our course and that now a crown of righteousness is waiting for us. We need such a dedication and commitment in order to fulfill the destiny that the Lord has planned for our lives.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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PHILIPPIANS 3:12

" ....... but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. "

ACTS 9:5-6

" And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

ACTS 26:15-16

" So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. "

ROMANS 8:28-29

" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. "

JOHN 15:16

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

LUKE 14:26-27

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

MATTHEW 10:34-39

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to turn " ’a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw—

a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "

LUKE 12:49-50

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! "

JOHN 4:34

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. "

JOHN 9:4

"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work."

JOHN 19:30

" When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. "

2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8

" For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. "

3. FORGET THE PAST AND PRESS FORWARD TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING

The third key to fulfilling our destiny is to forget the past and press on toward the goal that the Lord has given to us. As long as we are brooding over the past , we will not be able to make rapid progress towards the destiny of God for our lives . We should not be bound by our failures and sins of our past . The Lord is merciful to forgive all our sins and iniquities .He will remember them no more . Therefore we must receive forgiveness for all our sins and be cleansed by the blood of Jesus and move on forward towards fulfilling our destiny.

We cannot allow our past hurts and disappointments to keep us in bondage. We must put the past behind us and press on forward towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us in Christ Jesus. Yesterday is over and tommorow is a new day and a new opportunity to make a brand new start.The Lord’s mercies are new every morning.

We should not persist in following our old ways and traditions when the Lord is leading us in a new way . The Apostle Peter was led by the Lord to follow a new way of reaching out to the Gentiles to expand the kingdom of God .When we forget the past and press toward the call of God in our lives , we will have a great sense of satisfaction and fulfillment of attaininf our destiny in Christ.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

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PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

" Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

1 JOHN 1:7-9

" But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

HEBREWS 10:16-17

" This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. "

LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23

" Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "

1 SAMUEL 16:1

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

PSALM 147: 3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

ISAIAH 61:3

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

ISAIAH 43:18-19

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

ISAIAH 42:16

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

ACTS 10:9-16

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.

He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.

Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.