One of the secrets to fulfilling our Kingdom and Kingly destiny is becoming child-like. When we were little, our philosophy of life was going after whatever we wanted. We would crawl or waddle over to the desired object and simply grasp for it. If we couldn’t get it, we would cry, take a nap and wake up as though nothing happened and start all over. This process should remind you of some verses; “ask whatsoever…” and “you have not because you ask not” are two of many. God puts a high value on simple initiative born out of our own heart’s desire. He played a role in putting those desires there. (Heb 8:10, 10:16)
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17 NIV
Were you raised on lemons or lemonade? – The key to being child-like is a willingness to operate out of your heart’s desires. Most adults do not, and many cannot, because we were trained in our family, school, and church that “wanting your dream” is self-centered, ego-driven, impossible, greedy, risky, out of character, or carnal. So now the questions are, “How was I raised?” and “How do I fix it?” without blaming our parents, principal or pastor, or making excuses.
- Were you treated as though you were unique with special gifts and talents that just needed to be developed? Were you loved and respected for those abilities?
- Were you told that you could do and be anything you wanted when you grew up? Were you loved and respected no matter what it was?
- Were you given real help, support and encouragement in finding out what you wanted to do, and were you shown how to do it? Did you ever work with your father or mother?
- Were you encouraged to explore all your own talents and interests, even if they changed?
- Were you allowed to complain when the going got rough or were you told to quit?
- Were you bailed out when you got in over your head, without being judged?
- Were you surrounded by winners who were pleased when you excelled?
The environment of success – People who are successful have fathers and mothers who give them those seven things. Few of us got all seven from our natural parents. So we just have to see what’s missing and get it from mentors and our heavenly Father. Here is the simple key: The environment that creates winners is a team of winners. The environment that creates success is a support system of people that are already successful in the area of your heart’s desire. Even more surprising is that people who are successful in pursuing their own heart’s desire are normally very willing to help you. They naturally understand a little-known spiritual principle, “making others successful is the key to my own success.”
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Gen 12:2-3 NIV
Releasing your genius – People who lead fulfilling lives spiritually and vocationally have one common ingredient: they have all been freed from the obligation of doing what others feel they should do (servants) and they’ve made a transition into what they really want to do as Kings. It is a process that requires wisdom and patience, but we have no real alternative. God created us to operate out of our heart’s desires. That’s just the way human motivation works. The only discipline that ultimately works is “self discipline.” If we don’t trust God to operate through our heart, we surrender our lives to mediocrity and miss the opportunity for our destiny. Here are some steps you can take to move from Desire to Destiny.
Have a dream – Give yourself permission to explore it and pursue it. We’ve created a self-guided coaching process that will help you, entitled The Price of Success.
Get help – Find a mentor who is an example of success in the area of your dream. Don’t get lost in generalities. People that know how to create wealth are totally willing to hire the consulting expertise they need to be successful. Dreams always cost money, and a real approach to reaching your dream always has a legitimate financial component.
Learn the process – Saturate yourself with examples and encouragement while you find your direction. Our book, Desire to Destiny is a great resource to help you through this progress. I recently read Wishcraft – How to Get What You really Want by Barbara Sher. It’s a secular book, with a very Biblical theme, that is filled with great ideas.
Guard your heart – I believe the primary front of spiritual warfare is the desire of our heart. If the enemy can divert us to some worthy alternative that is second best, our life is compromised and the empty feeling never leaves.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Prov 4:23 NIV
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Prov 4:23 NLT
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Prov 4:23 TNIV.
Guard your Time – Without goals or a destiny, I allow circumstances and the agendas of other people to randomly mold my future into nothing… a ship drifting aimlessly at sea, tossed by wind and wave. Even if I have a dream, everything else will come first and the dream will languish in procrastination. Thoughts and discernment become double-minded and unstable and I will eventually compromise my ability to hear God’s voice for myself. I become the servant of another man’s dream, hoping for an entitlement to relieve the poverty in my heart and finances.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:6-8 NIV
Leading – We are called to be the head and not the tail… always at the top, never at the bottom (Deut 28:13). Now is the season to manage our time and prioritize our own destiny. Before God, that is my personal responsibility. No one else can do it for me. Time management is simply the realization that I am a steward of the talents, time, desires, and destiny God has given me.
Once I make the simple decision that I am important to God and my role in the Kingdom has significance to the King of Kings, I begin to manage my life and a new power begins to “work within” my heart. My life begins to flow toward meaning and fruitfulness. Things I need start to appear… motivation, wisdom, opportunities, divine appointments, mentors, support. It’s amazing!
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, Eph 3:20 NASU
Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. William Jennings Bryan
Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. Charles Reade
Control your own destiny or someone else will. Jack Welch
