In this article, we'll be looking at being vessels fit for Purpose and we'll be starting our observation from Ephesians chapter 2:10. It says; “For we are His workmanship, His own master work of art, created in Christ Jesus, reborn from above, spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used for good works, which God prepared for us beforehand, taking paths which is set, so that we will walk in them, living the good life, which He prearranged and made ready for us.” [AMP.] We are His workmanship, we are His handiwork, we are His crafts, we are His products, we are His creatures.

So, the first thing we must understand about Purpose is that Purpose have been prearranged and preordained by God and we are the vessels of that Purpose. I want to paint an illustration that will help to guide us. Now, if you look at a container, or a vessel, another word for container is a vessel, we have different vessels. According to the Scriptures, we have different vessel; vessels of clay, vessels of gold, different kinds of vessel; vessels of plastics, vessels of wood, vessels of steel, vessels of iron. So, vessels come in different materials. But it's not so much about the vessel, because if it is so much about the vessel, then our focus should be about the vessel and the material alone. But it's not so much about the vessel, it is about the content and the use.

So, for a vessel to be highly esteemed, that vessel is of honorable use, you can go to the market and buy the same plastic vessel and when you get into your house, you determine the Purpose of which you want to use it. And what determines the Purpose of that vessel is usually the content. So, if you want to pour salt into that vessel for instance, you will not place it in the toilet, you will place it probably in the kitchen, or maybe on your dining table. If you have Purposed that the vessel is going to carry water for flushing of the toilet, you are going to place that vessel where it will serve that Purpose and it will be designated for that Purpose. So, everyone that comes to that space will find that vessel useful for that Purpose.

So, Purpose is not so much about the vessel; that's why the Bible says, we have this treasure in earthen vessel. Even though an earthen vessel, what makes it treasureable is what is in it, not what it is made of. So, when you look at yourself as a vessel, it's not so much about your beauty, it is not so much about how handsome you are, it is about the Purpose that you have being fitted for, and the content that has been poured into you.

So, from that background, we'll be looking at being vessels fit for Purpose. How can we, why should we be vessels fit for Purpose? So, we started with Ephesians chapter 2:10, that says that “we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus”; one of the things that makes us treasured is that we are created in Christ Jesus. If you read 1 Peter chapter 2:9, Bible says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.” Why? Because you are still an earthen vessel. He said, but because you have being translated, from the kingdom of darkness, to the kingdom of His dear Son; your location has changed, and that has made your vessel chosen, that has made your vessel perculiar even though you are still earthen. Your location, the place where you are now, has changed the way your vessel is to be treasured. And that's why the Bible makes us understand; He said, do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, you are not your own; so, you can't use your vessel anyhow, you can’t approach your vessel as though it is a common thing.

Where you are now, where you have been located now has changed the way your vessel is to be handled. And that’s why we're going to look at another Scripture. 2 Timothy chapter 2:20-21, “But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold, and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor, and some for dishonor.” So, there's a distinguishing factor. If you read that Scripture very closely, he didn’t say because they are vessels of gold they are for honor, he did not say because they are vessels of clay they are for honor, it is not about the material of the vessel. He said, some, be it; gold or clay, or silver, some are for honor because of use. Verse 21 let us into the details of how some are for honor, and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor. If anyone cleanses himself, if anyone decides to be relocated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His dear Son, if anyone decides to respond to the call of Purpose; he will be a vessel for honor because he has become sanctified.

The word sanctified means that you are become separated. And that's why 1 Peter chapter 2:9 led us into why these people are called chosen and peculiar. Now you have being sanctified; set apart, separated and useful for the Master. You are not just set apart, you are useful for the master, prepared for every good work. Also, in Ephesians chapter 2:10, the Bible says, we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which God has prepared aforetime that we should walk in them. So, every time you see good work in this Scripture, it is speaking about Purpose. The Purpose of God for your life is the good work of your life. The Purpose of the Lord for your life is the good work that He has prepared you for. So, if you are going to become a vessel that is fit, prepared for every good work, you are a vessel fit for Purpose.

2 Timothy chapter 2:21 in Amplified; Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, which are dishonorable, things that are disobedient, sinful, he will be, not might be, will be, it is a matter of definiteness.” it will happen, if anyone can cleanse himself from anything that is dishonorable, disobedient, and sinful, you will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, set apart for a special Purpose. God does not redeem a man to nothing, God does not redeem you to abuse you; and that's why the Bible says, we are created in Christ Jesus, when you become redeemed, there is a special Purpose of God for you. In Jeremiah, chapter 29, God was speaking, He said, I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans to prosper you, plans to make you great, to give you a future; that's the plan of God. So, when God redeems a vessel, when God sets aside a vessel; it is not to nothingness, it is to greatness. So, when we're talking about being a vessel fit for Purpose, we're saying that it is time for us to come into the consciousness that God has redeemed us for a great work, God has redeemed us for a good work. And the earlier we start doing that work that we've being set apart for, the better for us. He says, set apart for a special Purpose, and useful to the master.

The question is, are you useful to the Master? How are you useful to the master? The Bible says that those that wait upon the Lord, the Lord will renew their strength. Are you part of those that are waiting on the Lord? If the Lord calls today, Bible says in Psalms that God looks down on the face of the earth looking for a man. If there are men waiting on God, will God be looking? Because sometimes we are quick to say, we are waiting on the Lord, but in the true sense of it, are we waiting? Because if men are truly waiting on God, will God be looking for a man? When there was conversation in heaven and Isaiah the prophet was privileged to be part of it, and God was asking, who shall we send? Who shall go for us? There was a man waiting called Isaiah; he said here I am, send me: a vessel fit for Purpose. Are we vessels that are waiting? Or we are vessels that are busy? Are we vessels that are available or we are vessels that have gone our own business? A vessel that is fit for Purpose is a vessel that wait; that is useful for the Master.

Remember the story of the colt and a donkey that was tied, the Bible says no man had ridden on them. And Jesus sent His disciples; He said, go to this particular place, you will find because they've been waiting, you will find a colt and when they got there, did they find the colt or not? Did the colt wander away? The colt was there waiting for them, that is how our lives should be; waiting on the Lord. We should be like that colt tied, that when God sends any person to our location we will be found waiting. If God sends someone to your location, will you be found there? where God has placed you as a vessel, will you be found there? Hope we are not making God a liar, because if you have abandoned that place, and you've gone in search of money, the person will come and find nothing. So, we must be vessels fit for Purpose, useful for the master, prepared, made ready for every good work which God has preordained.

 If we go back to Ephesians 2:10, which God had prepared before hand that we should walk in them. Let God be true and every man a liar. When we fulfill the Purpose of which God has sent us, we make God true and every man a liar. When we are where God has placed us, we make God true and every man a liar. In our lives, are we making God true? As vessels, are we making God true? When God spoke to Elijah, He said, you want to go, no problem, as you are going, on your way, anoint Elisha in your place. I'm sure Elijah did not know Elisha before, but God gave him a location and he found him there. God said to Cornelius, He said, send your men to the house of a man called Simon the tanner; I have prepared a vessel, he is waiting there: even though I'm showing him revelation; he is not understanding but when you get there you will find him. And when the men got to Simon the tanner’s house they found Peter there. When God needed a vessel to speak to Saul and open the eyes of Saul, God did not look for somebody outside Damascus; Ananias was in Damascus as a vessel useful for the Master, waiting on the Master and God called to Ananias; He said arise, go to Saul and Ananias was not busy doing nothing or outside Purpose; he was there ready for the Master’s use.

So, as vessels fit for Purpose, are we ready for every good work? Sometimes the challenge with us is that we want God to give us a to do list, but God does not operate like that. When God wanted to manifest His glory in Israel, they came to Jesus, a vessel fit for Purpose. And they said to Jesus, Jesus, your friend, the one that you love, Lazarus, he is sick at the point of death and God told Jesus don't go; He said, tell them that sickness is not unto death. And He went He told them that sickness is not unto death and He did not move. And after Lazarus had died, they came to Him saying, Lazarus is dead. He now told His disciples let us go. Thomas said we should go and die with him, why are we now going; when we're suppose to go and rescue him: we didn't go, He said now we go, and He got there, the situation had defiled every human possibility or rationality. But that was where God wanted Him at the time. Are we ready as vessels fit for Purpose?

When we're talking about the Purpose of God, the Purpose of God is not something that God will sit you down and say see let me show you the next 25 years and He will start giving you month by month, week by week what will happen; No! if God does that, how will we walk in faith? If faith is important to God, then He won't do it like that, you must be able and willing to trust Him. God said to Elijah, go to Zarephath I have commanded a widow to feed you there. That woman was a vessel in Zarephath fit for Purpose, even though she did not know. She just knew she could not leave Zarephath and all she had left was the last meal she and her son will eat and die. And the man of God came, make a meal for me and she said this is the last meal; if me and my son eat this meal, that's the end. He said make for me first and the vessel (woman) fit for Purpose obeyed and as she obeyed, the man of God prophesied and said, the bean of flour will not be empty, the jar of oil will not cease until God sends rain; and it was so.

That woman would not have stepped into her eternal provision if she was not there waiting; she could have said there is famine in Zarephath let me go to Shushan or another place and migrated. Isaac wanted to follow the step of his father Abraham to go down to Egypt. God said don't go down to Egypt, and he sow in the land of famine and Bible says he reaped a hundred fold: a vessel fit for Purpose. It is not about you; it is about what the Lord wants to do. Why must we be vessels fit for Purpose? There are seven points we're going to share together. Why it is important for us to be vessels fit for Purpose? The first thing that I want us to see that is so important is in Revelations chapter 22:12, “Jesus said, and behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone (nobody will be excluded) according to his work”, not the one that he did for himself but the one that he did being useful to the Master. The reward is for those that were useful to the Master.

Number One: God will judge every vessel according to contents. Why must we become vessels fit for Purpose? God will judge every vessel according to content. He won't judge you as a vessel, He will judge you according to your work, not according to your vessel but according to your work; the work you do is the content of your vessel. You will be judged according to Purpose, I want us to see another Scripture in 2 Corinthians chapter 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body”. Every one will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad: it is not whether your vessel is good or bad but whether what you have done; the content is good or bad. Let’s also see Ecclesiastes chapter 12:13-14, “let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man's all, for God will bring every work (why is it about work, not about life) into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil”. You will be judged according to your contents, that's why you must become vessel fit for Purpose; according to your content, according to your work.

Number Two: We will be identified by the contents of our vessels. Revelations chapter 19:7-8, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory for the marriage of the lamb has come and His wife has been made ready, and to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints”. Another word for acts is works. We will be identified by the contents of our vessels, and that's important. So, the bride is identified; you know when she wears a dress, they say, that is the woman with the white dress; that comes with an identification. For the bride of Christ; the church, Bible says the bride will be identified by the acts; the works of the saints. So, you will be identified by the contents of your vessel. Paul said, he has fought the good fight, he said there lies a crown waiting for me; we will be rewarded and also identified by the contents of our vessel. What you have done will not die, that's why the Bible says that our works will be tried in fire; the ones that don't weigh, that don't cut it will be burned. But what happens with the ones that are fit for Purpose? You will carry it with you, they have become part of your life.

So, that's why we must be vessels fit for Purpose. What you do in this realm does not finish here. What you do for God in this realm does not leave your life. The Bible says Jesus died on the earth and in the presence of God, He is still like a Lamb that was slain. In the Revelation of John, when he saw the Lamb, he said He still appears like the Lamb that was slain. When Jesus resurrected, showing us that some of the things that happen to us in this realm does not end here. Thomas said if I don’t see those marks, I won’t believe; Jesus said to him, touch it. In His glorified body, those marks were still there. So, you can't be preoccupied by what is happening. Apostle Paul said, though our outward man perish, our inward man is being renewed. He said for our light affliction is but for a moment, it is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. So, you must endure it; go through and be a vessel fit for Purpose because it does not end here.

Number Three: Your competence is proven when you are fit for Purpose. 2 Timothy chapter 3:15-17, “And that from childhood, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture, is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”. When you become equipped for every good work, you are a vessel fit for Purpose, when you become a vessel fit for Purpose, your competence is complete, he said “that the man of God may be complete.” Your completion is when you are fit for Purpose. Your competence is proven when you are fit for Purpose. God judges your faithfulness in Purpose. Remember the parable of the talent, when the master was going on a journey, he gave one: five, give one: two, give another: one. And when he returned, he was going to judge them not on how well they took care of the house, but how well they took care of the talent. And the one that had five came and said master you gave me five I traded with it, I had another five; he said well done. He called him, good and faithful servant, your faithfulness will not be judged by another man's Purpose. Your faithfulness will be judged by the Purpose that you have being fitted for. It is in your Purpose that we know whether you're competent or not, God does not want you to be competent in another person's Purpose; it is in your Purpose, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Number Four: You are fit for Purpose to do His will. Hebrews chapter 13:20-21, “Now may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work, to do His will, ‘we become a vessel fit for Purpose to do His will’ working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever”. You are fit for Purpose to do His will, if your desire is to do the will of God then you must be a vessel fit for Purpose to do His will.

Number Five: Your preservation is in Purpose. 1 Peter chapter 4:19, “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” Let those who suffer according, not according to their own will but according to the will of God commit their souls to Him. Your preservation is in Purpose. Our preservation is secured in Purpose, the reason you are confident, you are going nowhere at such a time as this; is because you are a vessel fit for Purpose. As long as there is a need in heaven, we should be a vessel fit for use on the earth; that understanding we carry it with us. When you know you are a faithful servant, waiting on the Master, He doesn't want you to die; He is interested. He said, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator; God is committed, the Bible says even when we are unfaithful, He remains faithful. Now, what happens when we are faithful? He remains faithful still. Our preservation is secured in Purpose.

Number Six: God is pleased when you are a vessel fit for Purpose. Hebrews chapter 13:16, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased”. With such life, with such vessel, God is well pleased. God is pleased when you are a vessel fit for Purpose. Let's see Philippians chapter 2:12-13, “Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”  God works in you, God pours content into your vessel to will and to do His good pleasure . The reason why we must be vessel fit for Purpose is because we are here for God's pleasure; God must be pleased. Colossians chapter 1:10-12. “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy”.

That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him; when you are a vessel fit for Purpose, you will be fully pleasing to Him. No wonder God came when Jesus was being baptized: when John said I'm not worthy to baptize you, He said, suffer it to be so; that we may fulfill the will of the LORD. And when He allowed the will of God to be done, the Bible says, a dove came from heaven landed on Him and a voice saying, this is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. I am not well pleased in Him just because He is just goofing around on the earth, I am pleased because He is fit for Purpose.

Bible says, how God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good, ‘did He sit down doing nothing? He went about doing good, casting out demons, healing those that were sick, because that was what was written concerning Him. He said, the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to proclaim liberty to the captive, opening of sight to those that are blind; and He went about doing it, not something else. They wanted to make Him king, He escaped; that's not why I am here. The world will offer us so many things but what we should always accept is the will of God, the world will name us so many things, we should refuse those names except the name that the Lord has named us. The last point.

Number Seven: 2 Corinthians chapter 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work”. Why should we be vessels fit for Purpose? God will cause you to abound. God is able to make all grace abound toward you that you will always have all sufficiency in all things, see the condition; that may have an abundance for every good work not for self gratification, not for self pleasure but for Purpose. If you become a vessel fit for Purpose, if your desire is to be pleasing to God; to do the will of God: God will cause you to abound in every sense of grace. He will cause you to abound in wisdom, He will cause you to abound in knowledge, He will cause you to abound in understanding, He will cause you to abound in riches, He will cause you to abound in glory, He will cause you to abound in blessing in every sense of grace; that is His desire. Are we ready and willing to become vessels fit for Purpose? When God looks down to the face of the earth, will He find us where He has placed us.

 

Thanks for the gift of your time, We are Lara Gboyega Adedeji and Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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