In this final segment of “Grow into the Destiny Within You,” I share wisdom keys and action steps to lay a foundation for destiny. God gives each believer a spiritual assignment; therefore, we must understand that living a purely natural existence will not reap Kingdom results. God’s Kingdom is spiritual! And He desires that His Kingdom manifest in the earth: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). To be a conduit through which this Kingdom manifests, we must come up higher!
How do we come up higher? The Apostle Paul says, “Continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity]” (Philippians 2:12, Amplified). He also encourages us to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
To walk in destiny, we pursue spiritual maturity and press forward toward God’s call on our lives. We take our growth and transformation (sanctification) in Christ seriously with God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, guiding and helping us (John 14:26).
Steps Toward Destiny
To fulfill your Kingdom call, begin by evaluating your life. Ask yourself these questions:
1) Do I regularly spend time with God in His Word and prayer?
2) Do I ask the Lord to heal my heart so I can readily love, forgive, and express gratitude?
3) Do I freely share what I am learning in Christ? Do I proclaim the good news of the Gospel?
Lay a firm foundation in preparation to partner with God to fulfill your destiny!
Spend Time with God in His Word
We work out our salvation—drawing out what God has placed in us—by developing our relationship with the Lord. As we faithfully spend time with God in His Word and prayer, He guides us through the Scriptures: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). He stirs us as we read a particular scripture or drops an answer in our spirit. When we engage with the Word, we engage with Jesus Christ, who is the Word (John 1:14).
God’s Word is spiritual; it is from God’s Kingdom. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). His Words are full of life and power! As we feast on this Word, live it, and speak it, we walk in a power that releases God’s Kingdom on earth through our mortal bodies! The ability to handle God’s Word for His glory (1 John 1:1) lays a sturdy foundation for our Kingdom assignment.
Cultivate a Heart to Love, Forgive, Be Thankful, and Pray
To fulfill our destiny, we must be mindful of our hearts. God’s Word lives and grows when planted in the soil of our hearts. When our hearts receive the Word and accept it—in other words, we live by it—fruit comes forth: “some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred” (Mark 4:20). When the Word that is cultivated in the heart multiplies and produces fruit, then our lives overflow and bless others. That’s destiny!
The condition of our hearts determines if the Word flourishes. When we encounter scriptures that tell us how to live in a way we are not currently living, believers must respond. If wise, we examine our hearts and ask God to forgive us for living contrary to His Word. It’s vital to pause and choose to live according to the Word. Then, prayerfully, ask God for help from His Spirit! If we are not loving, forgiving, thankful, or prayerful in our hearts, we can ask for the Holy Spirit’s help.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart diligently, for from it flow the springs of life.” One Bible translation says the content of life flows from the heart. In other words, life does not flow freely from a hardened heart. It flows from a heart guarded, directed toward God, and steered away from evil.
One of my constant prayers is the same as King David’s: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, Amplified). Hearts that overflow with prayer, love, forgiveness, and thankfulness lay a graceful foundation for a Kingdom purpose!
Now, I extend myself to you personally. If you have difficulty releasing things and know your heart is blocked or hardened, contact me! God has gifted me to help! I’ll share wisdom and light with you. Make your heart a priority; your life flows from it!
Share the Good News
With our foundation laid, we move forward in expectation! Fulfilling our purpose and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ go together. Isaiah declares, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’” (Isaiah 52:7). Jesus directs us, as He did Peter, to go and strengthen others after we find our way (Luke 22:32).
God has strategically placed us in families, work environments, and communities. At the very least, Jesus potters us so we can share who He is in our lives! We are a living example of how Christ Jesus lives today—through us! May the love of Christ compel us, as it did Paul (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Work out your salvation, lay a foundation of growth in Christ, and then share what the Lord has done for you! He will work through you: “And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs” (Mark 16:20). Fulfill your destiny and hear from the One who commissioned you: “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”
Peace~
Dr. Iris Barrett
Part 1: Grow into the Destiny Within You
