• We can only be of sober, alert-minded if we water ourselves with the word of God
• Our spiritual lifestyle matters a lot if we are to succeed in our purpose
For many of us, God's word in Jeremiah 29:11 is often our source of comfort in times of tribulation. "For I alone know the plans I have for you... Plans to prosper you and not to harm. To give you a future and a hope."
This scripture is God's constant reassurance that our existence on this earth is not merely coincidental but intentional. There is a greater purpose — God's purpose — to which we are called and expected to fulfil.
The common saying goes that the two most important days in our lives are our birthdays and the day we discover why we were born. However, the importance of the latter day is amplified by the extent to which we fulfil the purpose for which we were born.
Make no mistake, it is never an easy road in pursuit of this purpose. The devil knows just how much potential lies in you and so will do everything to see you distracted from the realisation of this.
As Jesus said in John 10:10, the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. That is why we ought to be always of sober and alert minds because as Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8, "The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
We can only be of sober and alert mind if we water ourselves with word of God and purpose to apply it in our lives. This will give us spiritual fortitude to focus on the purpose ahead that God has designated for us.
This past week, I was reading about Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40, and I was impressed at just how much work the former had put in before this meeting.
Philip was one of Jesus' 12 disciples who later became apostles and began spreading the gospel around Jerusalem and other parts of the Roman Empire.
Amidst the persecution visited upon the early Christians by the Pharisees, he was among those who left Jerusalem to proclaim Jesus in Samaria, in addition to performing signs and wonders (Acts 8:4-8).
In Acts 8:26, he encounters an angel of the Lord, who told him to follow the road going from Jerusalem to Gaza. Here, he saw the eunuch in a chariot, after which the Spirit told Philip to go near it.
Philip heard the eunuch reading the book of Isaiah 53:7-8, around which they struck a conversation, culminating in the conversion and baptism of the Ethiopian.
It may seem an isolated event, but a look at Philip's spiritual lifestyle, just like those of other apostles, shows that the fulfilment of this purpose required much training.
In Acts 2:42-47, we are told of how the apostles devoted themselves to teaching, fellowshipping, prayer and breaking of bread. They were one mind spiritually and shared their possessions, praising God.
In such kind of a breeding ground, it was little wonder that Philip was able to hear the voice of the Spirit, walk in obedience and efficiently execute the purpose for which he had been sent.
Without God, there is nothing we can do by our own mere human strengths. He is our manufacturer and knows exactly what is required to maximise our potential.
Therefore, we need to water ourselves with His good things to prosper.