Plug into power and purpose

LIFE CAN wear us out and drain us completely. We need strength to make it and keep going. Sometimes we’re ready to throw in the towel and say, “I’ve done the best I could, but it’s not good enough, and I’m done.” We need an ongoing fresh supply of power. In Philippians 1:18-19 (NLT), Paul says, “Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19. for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”

Amid his crisis, Paul was not alone. People were praying for him. Their prayers, along with his focus, ushered in the presence of the Spirit of God to strengthen him. With God’s power, nothing can devastate us. “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, NLT). We also need each other’s prayers, because no man is an island. We are stronger in the Lord when we have the right people around us.

RIGHT PURPOSE

We also need to live our lives for the right purpose. At the time Paul wrote that, ministry was very difficult for him. He was old, tired, and had been in prison for four years. He was ready to go on to Heaven. He wasn’t suicidal, but he was anticipating Heaven. He wasn’t afraid of dying. Death was moving on to better things, out of prison. His jailers had taken everything from him — friends, ministry, freedom, privacy. They’d taken everything from him except the one thing that couldn’t be taken, his purpose.

Paul said, “But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I don’t know which is better. 23. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”

ULTIMATE FULFILMENT

His purpose kept him going, and gave him focus, courage and hope. For many of us, finding purpose and sticking to it would lift the cloak on heaviness off us. The feeling of just drifting along would go, and it would revolutionise our lives. Possessions, pleasure, and power don’t last a lifetime, much less an eternity. Ultimate fulfilment is found in walking in purpose, which is ultimately to please God. “We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfil the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfil it!” (Ephesians 2:10, TPT).

Part of the challenge we have is that we are creating alternate purposes that don’t fulfil us. However, in Christ, when we make Him our priority, He lifts us up. We need to find our purpose in Him. The best use of life is to invest it in something that will outlast us. Something of eternal value. Paul had lived his life for the wrong purpose for a long time, but when he met Jesus he started to take a different look at life. He said, “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” (Philippians 3:13-14). He determined to live his life on purpose.

God leaves us on earth after we become Christians for the benefit of other people. It’s to tell those who don’t know the Lord the good news, and encourage and help each other.