Created with purpose

 Importantly I pray that the enemy would not discourage you or make you think that there is no place for your gifts to be of service. Because that is not true. God has definitely created you with a purpose. In the book of  James 1:17 says, "every good gift, every perfect gift is from above, comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Many times during the course of our lives, we don't know why the devil is fighting us . We'll pray and ask God why me. Why now? We'll scratch our head and think "was it something I did?" But let me tell you something. The reason why the devil fights us a lot of the time is because he wants to keep you from discovering what is inside you. The devil is afraid of who you will become should you fully commit to the Lord Jesus Christ. The devil is afraid of you discovering the gifts that God gave you. Here is what the Amplified Translation for 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, and ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for good stewards of God's multifaceted grace [faithfully using the diverse varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God's unmmerited favor]. Often times we don't know why the devil is fighting us. May I submit to you that you have a gift inside you. A gift that will benefit others. A gift that wil bring glory to the Lord. And certainly, a gift that will anger the kingdom of darkness. Your gift is what the enemy is trying to stifle. It is what he is trying to choke out of you. So, here is what he will do. The enemy will throw naysayers your way. He will throw discouragers your way. The enemy sends people your way. He sends religious people. He sends the Pharisees and Sadducees. Those people who are self-righteous and consider themselves to be highly educated and better than you. He  sends them to try and talk you out of your calling. You can't worship because you haven't completed this training. You can't teach the Bible  because you haven't been through these approved courses. You can't preach because and on and on it wil 

go. They'Il give you so many reasons to stop but never a single word of   encouragement. But you see, even if the devil aims these rocks in your direction; the rocks of rejection and disapproval, none should injure you if you remain rooted in God's word and looking unto Jesus. It should be no surprise that the devil will throw fiery darts at you. But remember none will pierce you. That is why the Bible says "your gift will make room for you." Your gift will make room for you because no weapon formed against you will prosper. Pay attention to what the Bible says here. Romans 12, verses 6 to 8 reads, "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly. If someone has the gift of prophecy, let him speak a new message from God to his people in proportion to the faith possessed, if service in the act of serving or he who teaches in the act of teaching or he who encourages in the act of encouragement, he who gives with generosity, he who leads with diligence, he who shows mercy in caring for others with cheerfulness. I don't know what your gift is. But if you pray about it, if you seek God concerning it you will find your calling the word gift in the original is often translated as grace. all God's gifts are a reflection of his grace towards us. They cannot be earned they're freely given to us grace is equated with favor again all of these terms suggest that it is  undeserved. One of the original definitions for grace is the power to do. These gifts are the graces and that very term gift, the very nature of the word itself says that it is a gift. Romans 11:29 says that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. They are irrevocable. God does not change his mind about who he chooses nor about who he blesses. That is how you can see people operating in gifts but living jacked up  lives. The gifts are given but I heard a pastor say today that being in the will  of God takes your cooperation. So listen to that. The gifts are freely given but being in his will takes your cooperation. It is not just going to manifest the perfect will of God in your life relies on your cooperation that co-op denotes that there are two things at play. It takes you cooperating with God for that thing to manifest but the gifts and callings; they are without repentance. There may be someone with a prophetic call but they can choose to team up with the devil and call themselves a witch or a soothsayer or a psychic. Or they can team up with the Holy Spirit and glorify God by walking in the anointing. Either way the gift, the gift itself, is without repentance. God does not give you a gift and then take it back. It is just like salvation. Salvation is a gift. It is there and it is available for everyone on the planet who is willing to receive it. What makes one saved is the receiving of that gift. It's the same thing with these gifts they are there but you have to be in a receiving position you have to accept it you have to possess it it is yours but possessing or receiving requires a change in posture Ephesians 4:1 says "I therefore the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." Another version says, "live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you." And then The Message version says, "I want you to get out there and walk better yet run on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline, not in fits. And starts but steadily pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert and noticing differences and quick at mending fences. That was Ephesians 4 1-3; the gifts and callings are without repentance. So that means anybody can have them but it is the anointing that makes the difference. It makes all the difference. I hear my pastor talk all the time about how we have anointed singers at our church but he says that there is somebody out there under a bridge somewhere that can sing someone out of a coma. So, don't get it twisted. Don't be fooled by God using you. Don't think that just because God is using you, he approves of what you are doing. We have to make sure that we live a life worthy of the calling. Live a life worthy. I heard a preacher many years ago say, "Don't let your call take you where your  character can't keep you." That saying blessed my life because doors will open and people will want to hear what you have to say. Think about it. People pay for knowledge all the time. Some people will see your gift and they will want it. But don't let that call take you through a door where your character is going to get you messed up. Check your motives and check your maturity. And make sure that when you go through the door, it is one that God is opening for you. Next, you need to learn your gifts. One thing about the gifts is that many times we're ignorant regarding them. Many of us don't even know why the devil is fighting us. You have no idea what you're packing. I submit my gifts to God so that the anointing can rest on them because it is the anointing that removes burdens and it is the anointing that destroys yolkes. The anointing is what makeshifts the difference. I am gifted and I would like to add the fact that in order for us to realize our gifts, for us to fully experience the gifts that God has placed within us. There has to be  a desperation about us. We desperately need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We desperately need to get the word of God in our hearts. We desperately need to get on our knees and prayer.  That is how you'll learn your gifts and know what it is that God has placed inside you. If you want to live out your calling, if you want to walk effectively in your assignment, you have to know. You need to know what it is he placed in you and if you're wondering what these so-called gifts are, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says, "to each is given the  manifestation of the spirit for the common good, for to one is given through the spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same spirit, to another faith by the same spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues; all these empowered by one and the same spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. The bible is clear that to each there are spiritual gifts but the devil doesn't care that you have gifts, as long as he can keep you from activating them. If he can keep you in the dark, if he can discourage you, then his job is done. This is why wisdom and knowledge is so important for the believer. The devil is after you because of the gift inside of you. And some of you will keep finding yourself under attack one after the other. One battle followed by another constant opposition. But hear me, it is like this. You're attacked like this because as you are making strides in your spiritual life, as you are growing in faith, he knows that sooner or later you're going to break through and realize or recognize your gifts. That is why the attacks are launched but during that time during a season of attack as a child of God you should be persistent. A thief doesn't break into an empty house. They don't. If there is nothing of value in a house that is empty, there is nothing to steal. But when you find the devil trying to break into your life, it is because he knows. He knows what is inside you. He knows the heights you can reach. He knows the value the gift inside of you and that is what he wants. The enemy hates the Christian man or woman who is walking in their calling, operating in their gift with power, with  humility, and with integrity. All for the glory of God. That is what the enemy hates to see. When a baby is born, one of the very first things you have to do is cut the umbilical cord, in order to separate it from its mother. It is abrupt. It is permanent. But it is necessary. And that mental imagery is echoed in a multitude of different situations. In sports, some athletes have to be cut from the team, so that only the best remain. In gardening, some branches have to be cut, so that the rest of the plant can grow. And in every season of life, there comes a time when you have to cut certain things out of your life. Maybe it is a relationship that is tempting you to sin. Maybe it is a habit that is turning into an addiction. Maybe it is a hobby that is becoming an obsession. There comes a time when you have to cut out certain things. It could be anything. Anything that starts off innocent but gradually starts to become an idol. Anything that keeps you from pursuing Jesus Christ and enjoying life to the fullest in him is a risk of becoming toxic. And at that point, it is up to you to decide. You've had enough. It is up to you to decide to cut ties. And often times, we have to do these risk assessments. We need to begin assessing is this worthy of my time. Is this even worthy of my effort. Is this worth my attention. So, if you recognize that something just is not right, don't be afraid to cut that ungodly friendship. Don't be afraid to cut that dangerous career path. Don't be afraid to cut that hobby. 

Proverbs 13:20 says, "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise but the companion of fools will suffer harm." We can't always avoid temptation but we can avoid intentionally putting ourselves in tempting situations. And there are certain people and conditions that bring out the worst in us. Ultimately we must value our relationship with God over our comfort. We must value our spiritual health over our earthly satisfaction. The longer we remain connected to something, the more dependent on it we become. We should never rely completely on one person or activity to make us happy. People change. Circumstances change. But the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If he is calling you to cut ties with something or someone you value then