Answers for Me Support & encouragement for every-day life
The Bible is prophetic. What that means is that it has the power to speak into and define your life. To tell you who you are and what your purpose is on this planet. Spirit through the Bible can take a story from three thousand years ago and tag it onto you and your destiny. It’s fantastic. It’s your birthright, and it’s what you deserve. You get to know just exactly who you are and read about it in the sacred writings of God.
Now before you think this is far fetched, flung and not true at all, listen to my little story and be inspired. I am convinced that what has happened to me is par for the course for anyone who encounters God and listens. After all, knowing your identity is a huge, huge, HUGE part of finding meaning and fulfillment in life. Jesus Himself said He came so we could have life fully, so why not?
Destiny Stamp
I received my destiny stamp from God when I was about twenty-seven years old. It happened on an ordinary day—just out of the blue. I had wanted to be heading for the Columbia River Gorge but took the wrong exit (84 West instead of East) and was now just about in downtown Portland. I was bugged. But every time I thought to get going the other way I felt impressed to carry on. Was there someone I needed to visit in Portland? I racked my brain. God, why do you want me to spend my time off relaxing in the city?
If you’ve never been to the great town of Portland, you need to know that it’s chucked full of one-way streets. I was still rather new to the area at this point in life and had not a clue where I was or where I was going. Then I turned onto a beautiful park block and noticed a church, this mammoth grey stone structure just up to my right. Go into that church. I felt impressed. Go into that church because I want to give you your anointing.
My Anointing?
Now as weird as that may sound, that’s what I felt. My anointing? You mean like the guys in the Bible who got oil poured on their heads to do things for You? I was kind of put off a bit. Was I dreaming this up? Did this kind of stuff happen nowadays? Wasn’t it enough that I’d given my heart to Jesus and decided to work as a pastor? I thought I had enough blessing in my life, I guess. That, and I’d never heard a sermon on getting your anointing from God in a strange church in a strange town. This was all off the script for sure.
Well, if you’re a Christian you know that you humbly follow God if you believe He is leading you, so that’s what I did. I parked in front of the church went up and tried the door, which was open. Then I noticed the roster—seven pastors and the senior pastor a woman, wow. This really meant something to me. I was a woman pastor and very aware of my unique status. It warmed my heart that God had led me to this church—probably the only church with a woman leading in the city—this couldn’t be an accident.
What God Told Me
Bible in hand—as impressed—I walked half down the isle and sat down on one of the long beautifully carved wooden pews. Ok, God, here I am and I’ve got my Bible. Now what? Even as I thought the words, I immediately I knew to open my Bible. Then God led me to three verses. I say led, and I guess that’s what you call it when you feel a strong urge to turn to a book like Exodus without any forethought.
First I read Exodus 30:30, a call to Moses to anoint Aaron and His sons to consecrate them to serve as priests. I’m being consecrated to serve? I’m going to anoint people to God’s service? Then I felt impressed to go to the book of 2 Samuel 23:1-7, the call of God to David to rule in righteousness and the fear of God. So I was called to lead and be a person who was righteous and feared God and to lead well. Hmmmm.
Finally, I felt led to Judges 5, the story of Deborah. At first I resisted going there. I’m sure this is my idea. I thought. Of course Deborah—the only woman judge in the Old Testament. Yeah. Nice, Clair. But the impression persisted and so after arguing about it three times in a row, I gave in. God impressed me to read Judges 5:7 and suddenly I felt something deep inside. Something like recognition, familiarity and a making sense of things. I felt addressed by God Himself. I read… Community ceased, it ceased in Israel until I, Deborah, arose a mother in Israel.
What I Was Called to Do
I was called to be one of those who restored community among God’s people. This verse was so incredible to me. It was what I had always wanted to study, preach on, share, pray about, obsess over and talk to whomever would listen about—the proper practice of marriage, family and the spiritual family. I remember being twelve or thirteen years old and frustrated at how we lead altar calls in church. Where would these people go? Who did they have? How would they ever integrate in? If I’d had any drop of doubt about the afternoon’s events, this cleared the air completely. This verse resonated with a every deep longing I had.
I remember reading (Laurie Beth Jones) how if we can change what we hate about the world by doing what we love then we’ll be in our sweet spot. This was my sweet spot. I scribbled down the verses, underlined my Bible and said a prayer of thanks. And since that day no matter what comes or goes, I have no doubt what I’m on this earth for. None. Zero. That’s how it is when we listen and let God tell us our purpose right out of His Bible of teachings.
So what’s your story? Do you know it? You deserve to know it. As I mentioned earlier, it’s your birthright. Also, if you need one more reason to get curious and seek God on this: Your destiny is the only thing about you that will never change—it’s actually who you are. So get to listening to God and find out your destiny–how He had you in mind while inspiring the Bible writers. It will ground you like nothing else.
If you liked this, you may also like A Life of Purpose
© 2002 - 2024, AnswersForMe.org. All rights reserved. Click here for content usage information.
