Your Purpose/Gods Plan: Moving into Your Destiny

Copyright © 2022 Rick Knox.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8376-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8378-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8377-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022921183

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/02/2022

Contents

Introduction

Identity theft

Chapter 1 Your name and identity

Chapter 2 Names with a negative meaning

Chapter 3 Renamed by Satan

Chapter 4 Identity coded in numbers

Chapter 5 Living in an identity crisis

Desert training

Chapter 6 Born to be a deliverer

Chapter 7 GO. … I am sending you

Chapter 8 With the staff of God

Chapter 9 Prepared for greatness

Chapter 10 Going camping

Chapter 11 Crossing the river of transition

The King is calling

Chapter 12 Being chosen for ministry

Chapter 13 Going to Gilgal

Chapter 14 Your mission

The Ministry

Chapter 15 3 types of gifts given by God

Chapter 16 Five-Fold leadership

Chapter 17 Supernatural gifts

Chapter 18 Service gifts

Chapter 19 Gifts, talents, and skills

Your purpose

Chapter 20 Who am I?

Chapter 21 The Vision

Chapter 22 Leading the lost to salvation

Chapter 23 Setting up the Acts 6 New Testament church

Chapter 24 Eternal rewards or eternal loss+

Introduction

Each man, woman, teenager, and child has a purpose as unique as their fingerprint and as personal as their DNA. When God created each and every one of us, He established, in our spiritual DNA, a purpose and plan that you, and only you, would be able to fulfill. Rick Warren wrote the book, The Purpose Driven Life, and it became one of the top sellers of its time. People were looking and searching for the answer to one of the greatest questions of all time; What is my purpose and God’s plan for my life?

God created each and every one of us with two voids in our being that would always cause us to feel a great loss until these voids were filled with God and his purpose and plan in our lives. A man or woman without a purpose is like a marble in a funnel. They go around and around until they become so weary, trying to find out what their purpose and God’s plan is for their lives, that they finally begin a slow descent until they sink into the hole of despair. We try to fill these voids with sexual intimacy, drugs, alcohol, our jobs and anything we can get our hands on to try to stuff in the hole to stop us from feeling empty and lost. Maybe if I work out harder. If I could afford that house or car I would fill the emptiness I am feeling in my heart. If I just lose 30 pounds I will be what I am supposed to be. So many questions and so few answers.

Hollywood makes a fortune off of this question. They make commercials that try to convince you that if you just use their product you will become all you were meant to be. We just end up wasting our hard earned income and never achieving the empty promises made. Just stop eating so much and start working out until you drop and you can become what you are supposed to be. They pick the best looking people off of some Island somewhere and stick them on TV and shame us into using their product. Just buy these vitamins, pills, clothes and facial products and you will look as beautiful and handsome as these digitally brushed models look. You’re just not spending enough of your hard earned money. That is why you can’t become Hollywood’s distorted idea of what you are created for. Round and round it goes and where it stops, no one knows. We are so desperate to look like what someone else looks like. They have all they desire because they look perfect without a blemish or pock mark on them. Not an ounce of fat or cellulite on their stomachs or legs. We are all looking for ourselves, but in all the wrong places. People ask, What do you do for a living? They are trying to see if your job classifies you to be worthy of talking to. Almost everything we do we are trying to justify our worth and purpose to those around us.

Trying to fill this great hole in your life, with all these false notions, is like trying to plug a hole in the Hoover Dam with your finger.

Instead of trying to imitate the character of a great man or woman in the Bible we try to imitate the look of a man or woman in the world. We would rather change our earthly status than our heavenly character. We are always chasing after the temporal rather than the eternal. As Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, once said, "This is meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:26). You can never see where it is coming from or where it is going. Do you want to hear something that is sadly ironic? Men and women who are in prison, who had some of the biggest holes through the middle of them, were trying to fill that empty void with drugs and alcohol because they were bored and empty. They end up in a ten by ten foot prison cell, alone and bored for years and years. The very thing they were either looking for or running from gets them incarcerated for trying to fill this emptiness with everything except the one thing that would truly fill the void, God.

The Book of Solomon, in God’s word, is all about one of the wisest and wealthiest men who ever lived. It gave study to this question, "What is our purpose and meaning in the world?" The whole book of Ecclesiastes is dedicated to one of the most asked questions ever pondered by mankind. What is my purpose and God’s plan for my life? Here are some questions and statements Solomon asks himself as he tries to look into these things.

What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?

-Ecclesiastes 1:3

I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

-Ecclesiastes 1:12-14

Solomon even devoted his life to finding out what man’s purpose and God’s plan was for mankind. He denied himself no pleasures, but used his vast and great wealth to try a little of everything. Sounds like many of us, but without all the wealth. Solomon writes down the finding of his results after using his wealth to buy himself all his heart desired. Listen to what he says.

And what does pleasure accomplish? I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly- my mind still guided me with wisdom. (In other words, he did not let himself lose his mind in the times of living a wild life) I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. (He was pretty busy!) I made reservoirs to water the groves. I bought male and female slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers (Rock groups) and a harem as well (I believe that would be a no-no today) the delights of the heart of men. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

(Ecclesiastes 2:2-11)

Solomon used his vast wealth to try and find out if this would fill the void in his soul. He tried to plan his own course with his own agenda, but found out that this created even a bigger hole and a greater emptiness when he tried to fill it in his own strength and in his own way. Solomon came to one conclusion, which he writes about in Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." In other words, you can try to make your own plans but if the Lord is not in your decisions you are chasing after the wind.

When the Lord created each and every one of us He had a specific purpose and plan in place. When God created Adam He gave him something to do right away; tending the garden and naming His creation. Adam did not just walk around aimlessly doing nothing. The old adage is true: You hit what you aim for. There was a great saying in the movie, "The Patriot" that I still think of and use to this day: Aim small, miss small. In other words, you will hit what you are aiming for. If your vision is small, so will be your accomplishments. If your aim (vision) is big you will begin to move the mountains that have been in your way, and you will begin to move into your purpose and God’s plan for your life. Without a purpose and plan you will become like Cain, a restless wanderer. Running from relationship to relationship; running from church to church, restless and wandering. God wants to give rest to the weary. He wants to settle you in your inheritance.

When man did not obey God, He would scatter man from his place of rest. This is called, a curse.

If you have been feeling like a restless wanderer in life and have found yourself going from job to job, relationship to relationship and you just cannot seem to find what your purpose is in life, then you have come to the right place. If you are at a job that you just cannot stand, then you are missing what God has created you for. God has given each one of his children a gift to be used for his kingdom purpose and plan and He commands us to put it to use. Do not be found like the man who hid his talent because he did not know what to do with it and it did not seem to make much of a difference for the glory of the Lord. That man had to give an account for not using the gift God gave to him while on the earth. Jesus said to the man, "You wicked and lazy servant! You should have put my money (talent) on deposit so when I returned I would have received it back with interest" (Matthew 25:26, 27).

We spend more time on knowing and understanding our jobs. We spend more time on working on our looks, buying bigger and better toys, watching TV and wasting time on our computers. But we spend very little time getting to know who we are and why we were we created. What is our purpose? And what are we supposed to be doing for God’s kingdom while here on earth?

We will always feel like restless wanderers every day until we find out the answers to these questions. Searching in places we should not be. Doing things we should not do. All these useless and meaningless things are like chasing after the wind. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired then find rest for your soul. Find what your purpose and God’s plan is for your life so you can settle into your inheritance. When you find what you are created for, then you will have rest from your wandering. Jesus says it best:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Identity theft

CHAPTER 1

Your name and identity

To find out what your purpose and God’s plan is for your life you will need to know first, who you are. To do this, we must go back to the future. To move forward, you must first go backward. The key to your future lies in your past. Each of our lives were shaped and created when we were children. Every word spoken over us and every action done to us helped shaped who you are today. God’s word tells us, As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7 KJV) We think about what we see with our eyes and what we hear with our ears. If you still are not sure who you are, then listen to what you speak out of your mouth.

"Out of the overflow of your heart your mouth speaks."

- Matthew 12:34

This is how the process works: Since the windows to your soul are through your eyes and ears, you will become what you have received. You receive what you hear about yourself. It goes into your heart and comes out of your mouth. Listen to the words that people speak every day all around you and you will have an idea who they are. From as far back as you can remember your life has been shaped and created by those in authority over you. Your parents, grandparents, teachers, spiritual leaders and just about anyone who had authority over your life in some respect or other. Every word spoken over you, against you and for you, all play a part of who you will become.

Everything done to you, against you and for you all play a part in what your purpose is in this world. Again, the key to your past is back in the future. To not understand who you are, what has caused you to be who you are, and what you believe about yourself, is like looking into a mirror, and as you walk away, forgetting what you look like.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man, who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

-James 1:23, 24

Even while you were in your mother’s womb, Satan has planned to destroy your identity so you will not live according to the purpose and God’s plan He has destined for your life. How many times have you heard, either about yourself or someone you know, that you were a "mistake?"

Your conception was not planned by your parents. This is one of Satan’s big deceptions to destroy your identity, destiny and purpose. If he can get your parents to believe, that because they had you out of wedlock, while living in sin, that you are a mistake, then he will cause you to receive this lie and realign your purpose and destiny to live out this word of death spoken against you. But your true Creator and Sovereign Lord tells us, This is not true!

God formed me in the womb to be his servant and honored in the eyes of the Lord.

-Isaiah 49:5

Before I was born, the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.

- Isaiah 49:1

God never made a mistake nor does He create mistakes. When He created each of us He knew our name, even if we were not a planned birth by our biological parents. God knew we were to be born on that specific and special day that God formed you in your mother’s womb. Our biological parents did not create us, God did. Therefore, you were not a mistake!

Do not let those words of death ever seep into the depths of your soul. If you receive those negative words you will live them out and will not move into your destiny and divine purpose God has planned for you. The enemy of mankind, Satan, has a whole other plan and agenda for your life. If you receive the words of those around you, and in authority over you, then your enemy knows that you will walk out your false identity that he is trying to get you to believe. He is so evil he even goes after you while you are still in your mother’s womb, your place of safety, until you are born. After your birth you are given a name that you will be known by until your death. Your name is another key to who you will become and if you will walk out your God given destiny.

What’s in a name?

Your name is one of the most important treasures given to you. This is what you will be identified by. This is what you will walk out from now until your death. This will determine what your purpose and destiny will play out in your life. Your name will determine what you will look like, and who you will become. You are known in heaven by your name and also in hell. Your name will tell who you will be and how to get you to walk it out for God’s glory or Satan’s. Since you are identified by your name, then your name is your identity. This is what Satan will try to use for evil. If your name means something positive and awesome, then Satan will try to align you to live out the opposite of what your name means. If your name is something not so good, then Satan will try to get you to live it out and keep you from receiving a new name for the glory of the Lord.

Everything in this world has a name that defines what it is. In the beginning, when God created the earth, he named everything according to what it was or what it did.

God separated the light from the darkness. God called (named) the light day, and the darkness he called night.

(Genesis 1:5)

God separated the expanse of water under the expanse from the water above it. God called (named) the expanse sky.

(Genesis 1:8)

God let dry ground appear and called (named) the dry ground land.

(Genesis 1:10)

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he called (named) them.

(Genesis 1:27)

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

(Genesis 2:19)

From the very beginning of time man had the choice and power to give names to all of God’s creation. Even when it is described how God made woman out of the rib of man and called her woman, meaning: Out of man. Everything that was given a name described something about its nature and character. Adam even gave his wife her name, Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living (Genesis 3:20).

Just as God has many names, and each one of them describes his character, so we also have a name that describes our character and identity.

When children were named it was a common practice to explain who the child was named for, why the child was named for that certain person, and what traits and qualities the name of this child would identify to. Your name is who you are and who you will be.

What does Name mean?

Name, in the Greek and Hebrew context means: To declare, appointed unto him, to cause to bring forth, purpose, to mark an individual with, honor, authority, character, to incite by word spoken, assign, identity, to be identified by title.

Now let’s put these meanings all together and see biblically what name means.

Your name is what God has appointed to you that will mark you as an individual and cause you to bring forth what your name means. Your name will declare what God has purposed for you and will mean the same as what you are planned and called to do for his set purpose and kingdom on the earth. Your name is an individual expression of your character that will be known by God and his heavenly host in heaven. Your name has authority to call forth all that you are and will be, according to God’s plan and assignment for your life.

What does your name mean?

How can you know what your name means so you can know what your purpose, destiny, and God’s plan for your life will be? Look it up on the internet. That’s what I did. Look your name up under the Greek and Hebrew, if it’s under there. If you cannot find it under that, look it up under: Meaning of children’s names, to see the origin of where it came from and what it means. My name is Rick, officially Richard. My name means: Powerful Ruler. I will either live according to that title or I will allow Satan to change my name. Since Satan does everything opposite to God then I know that Satan will try to get me to live opposite to what my name means.

The opposite of Powerful Ruler, is Weak follower. This is what I struggle with. I struggle with the opposite to what my name means because my enemy, Satan, does not want me to live according to my name. I am either leading many toward the kingdom of God or wanting to hide because I feel less than and incapable of fulfilling my purpose. Whenever someone calls me by my name; they are in essence saying, Hi, powerful ruler. Every time they say that, they are proclaiming that I am a powerful ruler to all creation.

Since a man believes what he thinks about himself, if I know what my name means and believe that is who I am, then I will begin to walk out my identity and purpose.

Our Name

Our name is our title by which