What Does Revival of Your Purpose Look Like?

Today, I’m going to share a couple of things I did this morning that revved me up and set my heart on fire again for living my purpose for God. If you don’t read any further than this, please pray, “Jesus, revive me!” Now, if you want to learn more, read on!

Last week, one morning I read 1 Timothy 1-4. This morning I read 1 Timothy 5-6. I keep noticing how the Apostle Paul both instructed and encouraged Timothy. Paul’s words were written out of love for Timothy. Paul also believed in Timothy’s purpose.

In fact, in 1 Timothy 4:14 Paul tells Timothy to not neglect his gift. Timothy was given the gift of leadership to preach and to teach. Paul reminded him that God gave him these gifts. He encouraged him to devote himself to his purpose for God.

I’m a firm believer that we each have been given a specific purpose to live for God. Like Paul encouraged Timothy to not get discouraged by what others may say to him about His calling because he was young, I want to do the same for you.

Purpose for God

You do have a purpose for God. Like Timothy, we all need a Paul in our life, to both instruct and encourage us, to help rev us up again. 

Sometimes we get discouraged. Living our purpose is going to be hard sometimes. Maybe we don’t see much progress or we feel ineffective. Maybe we think our purpose doesn’t matter as much as someone else’s purpose. Maybe we believe we don’t actually have a purpose at all.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Friends, I get it. I’ve felt all these things more than once in my life.

But I know what God’s Word says about purpose. We have purpose! You have purpose!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

~ Ephesians 2:10

Friends, God planned in advance your purpose and He intends to help you fulfill it.

Jesus, Revive Me!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed the power of the Holy Spirit to poke the fire of revival in me. Well, actually I can. Every. Single. Day.

I prayed again this morning, “Jesus, revive me!”

If I try to live my purpose without the power of the Holy Spirit, it’s like a smoldering fire that really doesn’t do much except smoke. Plus, there’s the risk of my fire going out altogether, but we can talk about that another day.

Today, I want to focus on one thing:  Revival of your purpose.

I want to poke the fire burning in you and get the flames showing again.

Have you ever been sitting by a bonfire that just smokes? It’s choking, annoying, and smelly. I think I’ve been like that on more than one occasion. It’s not reviving at all. 

Oh sure, people noticed me, but they weren’t revived by me. They were repelled by me. They weren’t drawn to me. They wanted to escape the choking and blinding smoke I was producing. I don’t blame them. I’ve done the same with others who have produced choking smoke in my life.

I don’t want to be a smoldering smoke that chokes others. I want to help God revive others, like a beautiful bonfire that draws people to it and brings life, light, and smores!

Here’s what I’ve learned. When I allow the Holy Spirit to stir my soul, amazing and beautiful flames come forth. This happens when I spend time with Jesus.

When I surrender to Jesus, I release all the stuff burdening me. All that stuff that’s trying to snuff out my Holy Spirit fire. I pray and I read God’s words until my soul is on fire again. 

Some days it takes longer to get my soul’s fire burning than other days. That’s okay. Jesus is not in a rush to send me off to do my thing for Him until He knows I’m ready. My fire needs to be burning, not just smoldering.

Jesus cares deeply about what’s on my heart and mind. Some days I just have a lot weighing me down so I need to spend more time with Him to unpack it all and give it all to Him. Honestly, sometimes I think He uses all of that stuff for kindling. 

I trust Jesus with my soul and my cares. I believe in Him. I believe I matter to Him. I believe I have a purpose to live for Him. I have deep faith in Jesus.

My faith in Jesus is the essential element of my calling. The work of faith with power comes from the Holy Spirit. There’s power in the Spirit of God. 

Friends, that’s where the blazing fire of purpose lives and comes from. We don’t produce it. God does.

But when we don’t keep persevering by going directly to Him to have Him feed our soul’s fire, we can start to be snuffed out. Then our fire is barely seen. 

Sometimes the only evidence there is fire within us is the smoke. We know something is burning inside of us, but we don’t see the flame of fire any more. Others may not notice it either and the world needs our light now more than ever. The world needs to see your fire burning bright.

Fanning the Flame

We need to fan the flame.

Many times over the years, and again this morning, I asked Jesus to continue to remind me what He’s called me to do for Him. I asked Him to not let me get distracted with all the other stuff in life that’s unessential to my calling. I asked Him to fire me up again. 

Do you know what He did? He instructed me to worship Him through praise music and then He invited me to dance with Him.

Crazy? Nope! 

One of my favorite songs is “You Found Me” by MercyMe. Let’s just say, both the words and the music put a jig in my step bright and early this morning.

Jesus has found me! I’ve found Him too. Jesus has shown me who He is, what He’s done for me, and what He has purposed for me. He has desires for me. Now they are my desires too. He’s filled me with His desires and it’s exciting!

He fanned my flame this morning, Friends. Now I want to fan your flame too.

One of my desires is to always lead you to Jesus. He is good. He is faithful. He loves you. And He has a calling for you.

Today, may you do like I did. Be honest with Jesus. Share with Him what’s burdening you. Set it down. Read His Word. Pray. Listen. And then hey, turn on a favorite worship song and just praise him. Dance with Him.

Maybe you connect most with Jesus when you are out in nature going for a walk or sitting on the shore of an ocean, lake, or river. If so, then go. Connect with Jesus. Let Him reignite the fire of your soul again.

God Used a Friend

This afternoon, I listened to a video message a close friend sent to me. She said she’s focusing on Philippians 2:13-15 this week. So, curious Michelle had to look it up immediately. The Bible on my desk at the time was my new one, The Passion Translation.

Friends, listen to these words:

“God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases Him.”

~ Phiilippians 2:13

I about fell off my chair with excitement! God validates His messages to me in the most amazing ways. I wrote 80% of this blog post this morning before work. After listening to my friend’s video message this afternoon, I knew I had to share this Bible verse with you too.

God revitalizes us. Not just once. Not just once in a while, but continually. He implants inside of us passion. Not just any passion, but passion for the purpose that He’s called us to. This pleases Him immensely when we live out our purpose.

Oh, I pray may the Holy Spirit revive your soul. I pray that God implants inside of you the passion for His purpose. 

I pray that you will also pray fervently, “Jesus, revive me!”

May our Lord Jesus fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power within each one of us.

“We also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power.”

~ 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Today’s Prayer

Jesus, revive me! Jesus revive each person who reads this blog post. Revitalize our smoky souls into burning flames of mighty light to shine Your love and light in this dark world. Help us to discover our passion. Help us to discover our purpose. Help us to live it out for every day for You. Help others to be drawn to the light within us so that they can be revived too. In Your Mighty name, Amen!