When I was six years old, I heard my dad preach. There were probably 7,000 people gathered, almost all teenagers; it was called the Jesus Movement in the United States. These were long-haired hippies, gang members and drug addicts; and they filled this arena. At the end of my dad’s sermon, he gave an invitation to come to Christ and get rid of all your foolish, evil ways.
People started throwing marijuana, bags of heroin, needles and even guns up onto the stage. They were crying out things like “I want my life to change!”
I’ll never forget seeing that and saying to myself, “That’s how I want to spend my life, seeing the power of the Holy Spirit transform lives. I want to witness God breaking chains and setting people’s hearts free from addictions and sins.” Even at that age, I realized Jesus could set people free. It made me want to spend my life helping people and seeing them realize Christ’s promise when he said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, ESV).
Now you may not be on drugs. You may not be in a gang. You may not be an alcoholic or a heroin addict, but there are things hindering you from having the full, abundant life that God promises his children. Scripture says, “A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:19-20, ESV).
It’s pleasant to see dreams come to fruition, but fools refuse to turn from ways that keep them from inheriting all the things that God has for them. So how do we actually realize the fullness of God in our lives and walk in it?
Discipline. You must consistently seek the heart of God and listen constantly for his voice. Don’t fall into bad company with people who pull you away from God’s calling. Be willing to commit yourself to your calling, even when your emotions are down or your attempts have failed. Live out God’s intentions for you, his created purpose for your life.