When Purpose Backfires

… He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. (Psalm 106:15)

For the last decade or so, purpose has been the buzzword wherever you went or looked. From the church to the corporate realm purpose has been the one word whose emphasis can never be overstated.

But one aspect that has been absent from all the teaching on purpose is the need to have that purpose submitting completely to God’s purpose.

I know that many will shout that God is involved in the teaching, there being a superabundance of verses to argue the doctrine.

Why does all the teaching focus on what that purpose does to us as opposed to the common good, leave alone God’s kingdom? Why does it all look at fulfillment on our terms instead of our outreach?

You see, offering the best to get the best is commonsense and not necessarily spiritual. When I start my day at four every day it is almost assured that I will prosper at whatever it is I do, even if it is a wicked device. There is nothing inherently spiritual in that teaching because it will prosper wherever it is practiced. And it is no wonder that that doctrine has taken many of their holding ministers to corporate forums! Then they get accolades and payments but do not lead anyone to Christ.

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8: 19 – 21)

The manifestation that creation awaits is not material or corporate excellence but complete submission to the leading of God’s Spirit. That is the foundation on which purpose should be built on. Any other foundation is vain and temporal, and of course unable to offer fulfillment.

Purpose is therefore not the clever manipulation of verses of the Bible to make me comfortable pursuing anything I want in the world convinced that God is with me because of those verses. It is the shaping and submission of my whole life to the revelation of God through the illumination of His word by His Spirit to lead me into living a victorious life as He purposes.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61: 1, 2)

That is the purpose and fruit of anointing which is the ultimate in purpose. Excellence is nothing if it does not meet those standards. It is of course a good thing and will bring about good feelings excelling in what one is doing. However, excelling is not the main thing when we look at purpose. God expects excellence, but excellence outside His purpose and revelation is vanity and eternally dangerous. And I will get us two passages to get this point across.

Remember the rich man and Lazarus? The rich man had achieved his purpose if we use the teaching about purpose yet ended up in hell because that purpose had operated outside God’s scheme of things. I doubt Lazarus felt accomplished but we know that he achieved the passing grade in God’s assessment.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25: 41 – 46)

 It is inconceivable that God would take people to hell for not ministering to the hurting if they did not have the resources to do so. And that is where all this teaching about purpose will take us; acquiring resources for our exclusive use. That is where it all leads.

The whole world is the focus of whatever purpose God has for each one of us. Attaining a purpose lacking outflow and overflow of what I am and have could be worse that lacking purpose altogether. Lacking God’s clear and direct leadership and guidance in my excellence could very easily be used to add fuel to the fire that will burn me in hell or at the very best turn my works to tinder if I make it to heaven as per 1 Corinthians 3.

Purpose should take us to the reason God created man.  

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

How much of Christ is seen when people look at the ultimate of your purpose? How will your witness fare if you accomplished your purpose? Do people see your accomplishments instead of the workings of God in that purpose? Do people covet what you have instead of craving God when they look at your accomplishments?

Let me summarize what a purpose centred on God will do. The first thing is produce an excellence that is not an end in itself. Remember Joseph and Daniel? Being good was not the only quality they had, because many others had a similar claim to excellence.

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? (Genesis 41:38)

We see the same with Daniel and almost every Biblical character whose narrative occupies some space. The presence of God in their life and His workings in their excellence were undeniable to anyone who looked. Do people ascribe your excellence or that purpose to God?

Due to that, you can’t be overlooked however hard people tried. Joseph was got from prison, Daniel from obscurity, David from the fields.

But they are not only got from those places because that purpose attracts opposition for no other reason than that it convicts people of sin. Joseph went to prison because he couldn’t be compromised by pleasure. In fact we see laws being changed severally to bring people with God’s purpose down like we see with Daniel and Mordecai.

Does your pursuit of purpose attract opposition because of envy or because your life convicts people of their sin and compromise?

Finally, pursuit of God–centred purpose will always bring glory to God and point others to Him as it gives God room to shine even as His servant thrives.

How eternal leaning is your purpose?

If the purpose you pursue does not challenge men to love and seek to know Him more, it is a clear sign that it is a purely human endeavor. If it does not challenge you to grow into righteousness and holiness and point people in that direction, it is a sure sign that it will backfire big time, however successful its achievement.