Some excerpts:
“Dear friend, God has a perfect plan for your life, and that plan includes walking in the light of His specific will for you. But it also includes walking in the light of His holy written Word.”
 
“You will not fulfill the entire plan of God for your life all at once. Fulfilling God’s plan for your life is a step-by-step journey of obedience and faithfulness to walk in the light of what you know He wants you to do each day.”
“God has a way, but He also has a timing. And to move out of God’s timing is to move out of His will.”
At this rate, I’ll probably quote the whole book but self-restraint brakes applied. 🙂

The first time I read this book several years ago, I plain didn’t like it! Forgive me, I was much younger in maturity and in the Lord, basking in the euphoria of the exciting dreams and goals I had for my life, very confident that they were God’s plan for me – they weren’t!  I was wrong!!
Truth is, not all your dreams, goals and desires come from God (some do though – gotta be sure which). Make peace with that truth and it’ll save you a lot of heart ache and hassle. Yep, there’s the sovereignty of God and the free will of man; a balance is needed however. A sign of Christian growth and maturity and ultimately God’s desire for us is to lay down our all for Him. Someone (Derek Prince?) calls it the Exchanged life; you lay down your life and pick up the one JESUS wants you to live. Yep, it has its challenges, but wouldn’t you rather be in the centre of God’s plan for you? It matters for ETERNITY!

Back to review 🙂

Rewind years back <== I thought the book was too deep, I didn’t understand much of what it was saying or trying to say and didn’t feel it tallied with ‘my vision for my life.’ I have since then grown the more and have come to love, really love the book. This is probably my fourth or fifth time reading it, and I learn so much from it, EVERY TIME!  With knowledge comes responsibility; it’s often said that you don’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.

The book is filled with wisdom and practical advice on living a Spirit-filled life, the leading of the Holy Spirit, walking in love (God’s way), obedience, consecration, preparation, God’s timing and so much more.

The book is a deep stirrer to consecration; a word or notion that could be more popular in Christian circles and in the ‘ME’ centred age we live in. To pause our lives and try to find out if we’re still in sync with God’s purpose for our lives takes time, effort – studying the Word is work for example, some pain (I don’t think those times seeking God in prayer and fasting are very pleasurable, at least to the flesh; if you find they are, you’re probably more spiritual about it than me), lots of patience and much more. But I assure you by God’s grace, the sense of deep peace and security you feel that you’re doing what God has created and called you to do would certainly be worth it…oh the joy! 🙂

Whilst listening to a teaching, a fantastic bible teacher mentioned something along this line “We’re doing all God has asked us to do.” I found that challenging. Can you say that about yourself? Maybe not. That’s why by God’s grace, we’re sticking with our commitment to help you find and fulfil your God-ordained purpose through teaching articles and book reviews like this (albeit slowly but surely). Click Purpose on the menu to see all posts about this.
Book quote:
“Obedience to God and His Word every day, even in the little things, will help you maintain a Spirit-filled life. Also, if you want to maintain a Spirit-filled life, you must maintain an attitude of consecration to God.

In this marvellous book, God through a vision He gave Kenneth Hagin gives us insight on the “Cloud of witnesses…Heb 12:1” (if you’ve ever wondered who they were or what this verse means).

Hagin knows what he is talking about! He doesn’t come across as a ‘perfecto’; ‘I’ve never missed it in following God’s plan for my life as a Christian/minister’, but shares several personal examples of when he’s missed it, when he hasn’t and the accompanying results/consequences.

Preparation, an often overlooked aspect in this fast-pacing age, is a vital tool for the fulfilment of purpose. Jesus spent thirty years of His life preparing for a three and a half-year ministry – we have no reason whatsoever to downplay preparation. Below are some quotes on preparation from the book that are enlightening:

“There are often different stages to the Christian race, and there are usually times of preparation before each new stage. Often our own obedience every step of the way and our faithfulness to prepare ourselves in the Word determine how long the time is between one stage and the next or if we ever reach the next stage.”

“Days of preparation are never lost time. There may be important lessons or truth that you still need to learn in order to successfully fulfil God’s plan for you. And it takes time to prepare and establish yourself in God’s Word (2 Tim. 2:15).”

“However, going through a time of preparation is not always easy, for sometimes there is a price to be paid. From your perspective, your preparation time might not always be comfortable because you might have to die to your own desires and your timing as you allow God to prepare you.”

This book has the potential to cause pain and joy simultaneously. Pain because it may make you realise you’ve been running the race you’ve set for yourself, not the one God has for you. If this is the case, well brace yourself because God’s grace is ready to ensure you start living daily according to His plan for your life, should you so wish. Forget the past and start anew. I’m so glad God offers us new beginnings (Isaiah 43:18-19,25).

Or joy, in knowing that God has a plan for you and you can achieve it; and if you’ve already discovered His plan for you but not walking in the fullness of it yet,  it’ll comfort your heart to know that days of preparation are vital. Find out why things are the way they are and KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

One last excerpt:
“You have a personal responsibility to wait before the Lord in the Word and in prayer in order to receive His direction for your life. Just trust the Holy Spirit to give you guidance in whatever way He sees fit. Stay sensitive to His leading and obey what He tells you to do to prepare for what is to come. If you’ll keep yourself willing and obedient, He’ll take you step by step into the fullness of God’s plans and purposes for your life!”
Highly recommended for study and its principles put into practice; it would really, really bless you.
God bless you 🙂
(c) Lydia for PneumaWord
Excerpts and quotes from Following God’s Plan for your life by Kenneth E Hagin
Copyright (c) 1993 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc. Electronic Edition Published 2011.
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