Leon Fontaine - Follow the Path... to Purpose
Today, I want to talk about your purpose. Your purpose. Purpose is one of the most powerful things in our lives. We often think that pleasures are and it's how we often live. That, you know, I want pleasures. And pleasures are wonderful and I thank God that He gives them. But people who live for pleasure always become addicts. People who live with purpose always have even greater joy in the area of pleasures. And so today, as we talk about it. I'm going to, or let me introduce it this way. When it comes to the nation and politics, I am all about rights, privileges, freedoms. But when it comes to the relationship that we have with God, I'm not always kneeling God about my rights and my privileges.
Now I'm finding myself very focused on my duties. My duties, my purpose. So many people they just say, "Duties? What do you mean by duties"? Like there's, yes. You'll find that people who live there life, their entire life with the greatest zest and zeal. It's not about their career. It's not about their money. It's not about how many pleasures they've got. It's about the purpose that they sense and that they feel and that they live for. And I want you to know that you were created with purpose. And when you don't follow purpose, when you don't make purpose your number aim. You get skewed. You get off track. So God has prepared for you ahead of time a path.
I love Ephesians 2:10, the Amplified puts it that way that God has prepared a good life for you and I. It's a life filled with His power, His privileges, blessing, but it's filled with purpose. And He says I've prepared a path for each of us individually ahead of time. And then it says something interesting. It says you should walk in it. Isn't it interesting that God gave you freedom? And He won't manipulate you. He won't force you. He won't make you. Don't ever think freedom comes from government. Freedom comes from God and government is to protect it. And so this freedom that God has given you, is you can walk on the path He's prepared, or you can take your own path. And many times when we take our own path, we think God is punishing us. But He's not. I'll give an example. There's a path that was made to Banff from here. It's a path that was made ahead of time to Banff.
Now, you can decide. Take your car and just start driving to the backyard. You're not going to drive on a road. You're not going to make it to the edge of city for someone bust up your headlights or your windshield. Get out of my yard. And if you ever do get out there, you start driving to some farmers pasture. You get a bullet in the engine. And that's if you ever make it across the creek without going on a road that where the bridge have been prepared ahead of time. You're not going to make it to Banff. But if you take the road that was prepared ahead of time, you'll be there an hour and half and there you will have coffee and go for a walk. God prepared a path for you. He's prepared it ahead of time. It is filled with the things you enjoy and love because He made them for you. It is filled with things that your gifts and your ability would thrive at. It's a pathway filled with purpose.
And so our purpose is to know Jesus, and to know His Word to get to know Him. When you make that your purpose in life, this, the Word of God begins to change your heart. You begin to sense His direction. You begin to recognize that John 10 says He'll guide you by name. Nobody here has the same path but yet He's prepared it ahead of time. Go figure. Every one of your kids a different path. Every path is good. People say, "Well, you know, God's prepared several message just to teach us something". God's not that poor of a teacher that He's got to hurt you to teach you. So I want to share a few thoughts with you today, as we look at your purpose. And the things that you can do in the midst of storms and stuff that goes on, to get through, to get ahead.
The first one I find in Romans chapter 8 really misunderstood portion of scripture. And it says in verse 28, "We know that all things work together for good". Nope. This is a New Testament scripture, and it has in it a couple of clarifications. It says, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to purpose". It's interesting that so many people can just claim it. It goes on on a next few verses to show you that it's for believers, followers of Christ who've been born again, who's the Word comes inside. It's very clearly and beautiful poetic language lays that out. But it's very clear that you can get off the path of purpose. And is God punishing you then? No. It's just that where He is, is in the path He's prepared. Where He's not, is in the path you've just chosen. But you're allowed to go on your strength, your wisdom, your ability, your friendships, yours... Whatever it is you've got you think you want. You go for it. But the problem is the pathways take you somewhere. And God knows where He's taking you.
In the very last verse, verse 31 is a very interesting portion of scripture. That after He's laid out. This is for my children who love me and to live for purpose. Then it says verse 31, "So what should we say? If God is for us, who can be against us"? It doesn't say, "What should we think". It doesn't say, "What should we believe"? It says, "What should we say"? This is a crucial part. You see, in verse 26 and 27, He's teaching here just before this promise, that it is God's desire yes to bless us. But then in verse 26, He's talking about Holy Spirit helps our weaknesses. And He begins to explain praying in the Spirit, and praying the Word. Let your mouth declare this last line and that is, "That hey, if God is for me, no one can change or defeat me". This is crucial. God is for me. No one can defeat me. God is for me. No one can change the orbit of my life. I don't care what job. I don't care, he say, "Whatever the things go on, you just believe this. That ahead of me is the best, ahead of me is the better".
God never takes you on a downward slope. You know, I don't serve God on a bell curve any of you business people that are here. Everything rises and falls on a bell curve except me in the presence of God, and you as you look at life with God. There is no bell curve. The Bible says the light grows brighter and brighter. You're the head and not the tail. You're above and not beneath. And the Bible is very clear. Jesus, I'm going to build my church because that's our purpose. He says, "I will build my church and the gates of hell can't stop it". Well, he doesn't stop, "Oh, I can't build anymore. The devil's too powerful for me". Really? Make sure that you're declaring there is no defeat.
Second thought I want to leave with you is run your race. I'm one of these guys that I just so thankful for the people in my world that keep me slow down because I'm kind of just like a D, you know. I should like, I see gold. Go get gold. Slam dunk it. Let's get this thing. And people have to remind me, there are relationships along the way, and people to train, and people to work with, an organizations to raise. And so it's been really good for me but I've never lost this drive. I have been preaching for 40 years, and I've never lost this passion to get up and teach the Word, help people. Because I know that what I'm called to do is to help people know who they are, and to get up and do incredible things you've ever dreamed was even possible for you to do. So I don't want to walk. I want to run! Walking is boring. Running's better. And I don't want to pause.
It doesn't say, "Pause your race. Walk your race". It doesn't say, "The kiddie your race". It talks about run the race. Hebrews chapter 12, it talks about being surrounded by all the people who've gone before us and says they're watching. I don't know exactly how but there's a real truth here. It's using verbiage from the Greek games. That there will be people in the stance, and people on the field. Now, the people on the stance could cheer. But it was the people on the field that we're playing the game. When we die, we go to heaven. But heaven is the stance. There's no more work for us. And so when we're in heaven, we're cheering on the people still on the planet winning people for Christ advancing His kingdom. Your purpose is to know Jesus, to know His heart, and to help Him advance the kingdom of God. Don't hesitate. Don't take a setback as though, "What happened"? Don't worry about it. You're going back in the sling shot of God. The further back you go, the faster you're coming out. The more territory you're going to take.
And so run this race. And it says that not to let any weights or sins slow you down. You know some people don't realize. They just think, "Wow, gosh, golly, gee. You know, they're just fearful. Don't worry. I guess"... No, no, no. Listen to me. Fear is a weight. Fear will make you pause running. Fear will make you sit back on your heels. Fear will make you take a break. Fear will make you reevaluate, when you know your purpose is to know Jesus. Your purpose is for the kingdom of God. And so when that happens, that weight has slowed you down. They make you slow down to a jog, then a limp, then a walk. Until you just go, "Well, I hope God's in this thing". That you do your running. You to be taking your life and run. Because as you run, and all of us run for the kingdom of God. We create this stunning phenomenal crowd of momentum that people begin to look at and recognize I need what these folks have. Run your race. Recognize, I'll finish with this thought with this thought. Weights become sins. Sins slow you down.
What do you mean weights become sin? Did you know that accepting fear and keeping it is a sin? Cowardice is a sin. First couple of chapters in Revelation is very clear, "To him who overcomes, I will grant". What does it mean? It means get up and use your faith. Get up and believe the God that created the planet hasn't got an issue with public health or government. He's quite aware and He knows how to articulate and move all the pathways of all of His family to end up in the place that's going to benefit the kingdom of God and where it's going. Be salt and light is another thought I want to leave with you. Be salt and light. Which means everywhere you go, that people should just sense this revelation of, I need something you've got. That they just sense this peace.
That's why I hate religion. Religion is manmade rules that we govern each other with and we judge each other with. I hate it. I want God. I want to know Jesus. And every person just to find their relationship with Him, at your pace and let Him guide you in His way down the path that you've got. But when you serve Him, there's a peace on you. That people just don't know what's different about you. Do you know why? Because when you talk, when I talk, when we deal with people, there is a peace and a joy, not a wimpy one, that comes off of you and I. And we can sense each other. It's one when I go to churches to preach, I'll step in and suddenly go, "Ahh, you're my brother. You're my sister! Woo! I just feel it. It's just ever, and it's wonderful". This enlightenment comes off of us. The world needs it.
The second thing is salty. I always want to be salty. Now, when you use that when it comes to somebody on a ship usually means that you're, "Don't mess with this guy. He's a salty sailor". But what it means is that you provoke thirst in others. It means that when you eat salt, it makes you thirsty. And as you thirst, what do you want? You want to drink. There's a verse that David said, "That as the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you". Did you know that when you live Jesus, when you share Jesus, when you walk in His love, His peace, His joy, His confidence of the future that only He can bring. People begin to desire what you've got. They begin to thirst. I just need what you've got. Over and over they'll begin to want to get into your life.
This thing about sharing your faith with others is not hard unless you're not living it. Then it's hard. Because you've got to tell them about it because you can show them. A picture's worth a thousand words. Living it makes them see this illumination of something's different. It makes them thirst after what it is you have. And that's not the time to brag. "You know, I got a degree in this and I've done this". No, no, no. Talk about your relationship with Jesus 'cause you should be salty and life light-giving. It's crucial for us if we're going to be in the purposes of God. Number 4, change the view you have of yourself. There's a mystery on this planet that stuns me, until I've figured it out. Everybody struggles with self-worth and identity. Everybody. Everybody. Someone will go, "I know a guy that does this a biggest braggart". I know. No, people who acts superior, feel inferior. It's why they've got to talk about themselves so much. It's why they've got to push themselves around so much because of this insecurity on the inside. People who know who they are never have to advertise. And so your view of yourself.
Now, in this world, I would just, I'm just going to call it the mystery of low self-worth. It's everywhere. It is just everywhere. It doesn't matter if I'm speaking with a member of parliament or another country with leaders who are, and they're about to look at their next season. And they're just so unsure. Oh, they're very confident where they are because you've learned to walk in faith and what you've got now. But to move into the next season requires a number of things. And I recognize that with the fall of man, this God consciousness of, bring it on, was gone, and fear took its place. And as we give our lives to Christ and we renew our minds. It begins to clean it out and put on the other. But it's just interesting that this mystery of low self-worth that I, you know, it's always about me, me, me. I'm not enough. What did I do?
I remember going to a death in a home of a mom passed away. And so I went in to see the dad. And I mean, he was just wiped. He said, "You know, it's my fault. I can't believe I let this happen". And I counsel with him, "No, it's not". And then I went into this 12-year old son and into his bedroom. They were in their bedrooms and, you know, and talk with him. I could just, he started to cry. He knew it was his fault that his mom died. Where does this kind of thing come from? But then I went into the bedroom of a little girl. She wasn't even in kindergarten yet. She was playing with her dollies and she informed me that her mom had died because of her. What makes this mess that pushes at us, at our identity and what we had do or don't do. And I begin to recognize this is the dark king.
Why is heaven so filled with perfection? Because the kingdom of light is there but not the kingdom of darkness. Why does the earth have suffering and things that go on? Because on the planet there is both the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. That means we have spiritual principles and we also have worldly principles, and they're at war. At Romans 8 says that to be Godly, to be spiritually minded is life, to be earthly minded is death. And that they're always fighting with each other. And so you can just sense and know here. That, that you need to have a biblical view of yourself. I want you to understand something. Don't ever limit God. Don't ever think He can't use you and give you a strategy and do something that will change the entire... God's people have never had the majority. Gods people have never had the benefits of, of an overwhelming response.
Like a general says, "What's the most important thing to anguish towards God? What's the most important thing about going into battle? Overwhelming ability. It just overwhelmed. Don't go there with half, just go". Well, there's no miracle in the Bible. We had that. So smile. Lift your head up. Let's go do something great for God. My last thought is stop limiting God. In Psalm 78:41, it says there that the children of Israel limited God. What do you mean you can't limit God? God can do whatever He wants. No, He can't. God is sovereign. And this doctrine of sovereignty has gone so far off the rails. God can do whatever He wants. If God gives you His Word about something, He can't change it. That's what God can do. He can't change His Word because He's so powerful. His Word is in what He promised. He can't change it. And so they limited God. Jesus was limited in His hometown. He couldn't do any great miracles there because of their unbelief. And He marveled at their unbelief. And that was His home town.
So I'm sure one lady said, "I remember changing his diapers. Who does He think He is"? Or, "My boys played soccer with Him. Jesus is the miracle worker"? And it says they couldn't believe on Him. That they just chose not to believe. The Bible, it doesn't say Jesus wouldn't do miracles. It says He couldn't. In this world of free will, it's crucial that God doesn't go against His, His will, His Word. See, freedom doesn't come from the government. Freedom comes from God. And you want a government that will protect those freedoms. And I want to challenge you today. Have you limited God and what He could do in some area of your life? Maybe there's a miracle that you need. Well, they say it's impossible. Okay, the God of the universe put all the laws together about health. He hasn't got a problem. Maybe it's your career. Well, you know, there's just no way anymore. Oh, really. So somebody else was in control in every career and there's no other career out that you... Really? Like where are you limiting God?
And my challenge to you today is to get up and declare, no weapon formed against me will prosper. Get up and declare, God is with me. Nothing's going to stop me from every area of my life being favored. My health, my relationships, my career, what I put my hands to, prosperity, my church. The favor and the blessing of God is on my life. You must believe in the favor of God because of what Jesus did. His finished work on the cross. So my challenge to you today is let's rise up and recognize. These things help you to live with purpose, a high sense of God doesn't fail me.
People often ask me pointed questions. Well, what happens if? Well, let me just, just pretend, just pretend. And I just listen to him and say, "Well, if that failed, God's got something better". What if He doesn't? What if that fails? And He have something else that's even better. People are trying to find when will you stop believing in Him. Never. My eternity is based on what I believe. My children. My grandchildren. The generations ahead of me on this planet. I'm never backing down. I found truth. I found reality. I've tested it for my lifetime. And I've seen it work over and over again. I want to challenge you. Live with purpose. Live for Jesus. Get to know Him. Live His Word. He said, "I'm going to build my church and the gates of"... Help Him build His church. And as we do, the careers, the jobs, the families, the hurts, the things that go on. Recognize this, this ability will be there.
Some of you have maybe your first house or you bought a place and you couldn't do the yard. Just a big all hunk of dirt. So every day as husband and wife get home, they're shoveling and raking and wheelbarrowing dirt and dumping it in the back because they can't afford a company to put it back there. And then after, you go to bed so tired at night. That you can hardly to get up in the morning. You're throwing back four expressos. They go on to work knowing you're going to come back home. Next, you're going to put in grass and topsoil. Then you're going to put in the planters. I mean, it's week after week. It's a month or two. Then you're going to build decks. Then you're going to put... You are suffering with lack of sleep. You are suffering from calluses and water blisters and you're suffering with all... It's just like no time for relaxing. It's just go, go, go.
What gives you the ability to keep doing it? Purpose. You have a dream. It's dream of your kids playing on beautiful green grass, sitting around a little campfire that you've built in the back, sitting on your deck and watching the sunset, you and your spouse and your family. It's watching the kids help you with the flowers each spring and each fall. There's a dream that gives you purpose for what you do. Therefore none of this is painful. Your pain tolerance is so high. It doesn't even bother you. You get up in the morning going, "All right, I need a nap. But let's put in the bushes. Let us do this. Let's put in our birdhouse. Let's"... What's going on? Your sense of purpose. Your sense of dream and vision is bigger than the pain that you're going through.
That is why people who have purpose lives strong, healthy, happy in lives because purpose is so great. That whatever weigh lays them, whatever delays them, whatever put some flat on their back. They just get up and going, "God's got something better". It just comes out of them. You can, you can take a cork and put it down 40 feet in the water. It's coming up. You can take a cork and put down a mile. It's coming up. You can put a cork down 4 miles. It's coming up. Why? That's built right into the cork. God's built into you Him. You're going to succeed, and you're going to do great things. And the best days are still ahead of you. This is what you must believe. Live with purpose. Enjoy the ride.