Pursuing Purpose with Passion

Pursuing Purpose with Passion

Is the preserve of those know

The real reason for their being.

And would not budge or compromise.

 They would sell all they have

And buy the whole field.

They will spend and be spent

To achieve their goal and dream.

Nothing is impossible to them

They will climb any mountain

Go through any valley or alley.

Nothing can stop or deter them

Nehemiah encountered a barrage of opposition soon after he embarked on the purpose of his life- the rebuilding of the broken down wall of Jerusalem.  Despite the initial favour he received from the king who gave him supplies, permission to go and even armed guards men to ensure there was no one on the way to stop him, he met with fierce attacks back home.

There Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem and others who should know better, mocked, ridiculed and discouraged his mission. But Nehemiah was undaunted, defiant and focused. Fortunately he had a few people who were similarly minded and were willing to work. At one point it was so risky that they held weapons with one hand and built with the other. They also prayed alongside and God protected them as they made progress upon progress.

6 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, ^[Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), ² that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together ^[c]among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.

³ So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”

⁴ But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

When their enemies saw that they were dogged, unrelenting and importunate, they deployed the tactic of distraction. They pretended that they were supportive and called Nehemiah to a summit where they could discuss issues and the way forward. However Nehemiah saw through their sinister ploy and declined in no uncertain terms.

He was invited to the Valley of Ono but Nehemiah emphatically said, “Oh No! I have an important work to do and why should I leave it hanging and come for a summit.” In other words, he told them point blank, “I am pregnant and my water is about to go burst. How can I be so foolish to attend a summit at such a critical time?”

When that tactic failed, they resorted to blackmail saying that Nehemiah was planning and insurrection and wanted to make himself King. Nehemiah dismissed it as a fantasy and remained focused until he was able to finish rebuilding the wall in a record fifty-two days.

Yes, the wall was completed!

This is a lesson for us all, because we all have a purpose in life, a reason for our being. First you need to identify what it is that God created you for.

Secondly, you need to understand that God has made all provision for the completion of that vision or purpose. You may need to locate it and “download it” or pray it into manifestation.

Thirdly you need to prepare to embark on your purpose. You need to start from where you are and use what you have to make a start.

Fourthly, you need to know that every purpose, vision or assignment will be opposed or meet with challenges. This is not the time to doubt your vision or purpose. Know that you are not the first to be opposed. In fact let the opposition be a fuel to your fire. Be immovable and unconquerable and indomitable. Press on for the mark of the prize of the high calling. Pursue your purpose with passion until you finish with finesse.

The Wall Completed

¹⁵ So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. ¹⁶ And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.