In one of my meetings the Lord led me to answer life’s three biggest questions. They are: where did I come from, who am I, and where am I going. I have found that most people have never answered these questions satisfactorily. In this article I will not attempt to answer all three, but I will begin with “where did I come from?” Although the most important question to your spiritual and emotional well-being is “who am I,” it’s one that cannot be answered until you are sure of your origin. The way you answer that question dictates how you determine who you are.
I’ve asked many people, “Where did you come from,” but I remember one man, in particular, who just started giving me his genealogy. That was not the right answer. It was true that he descended from his grandparents and parents biologically, but that was not his true origin. He didn’t know that we are literally an extension of God, created by Him. From the book of Genesis we know that God created the heavens and the earth and everything that came out of them, including us. In Psalm 139:15-16, David was speaking to the Lord and saying, “You know all my parts and had them numbered before they were ever formed in my mother’s womb.” We were known by God long before genealogy ever entered into the picture.
The Bible teaches that every human being who has ever breathed has an intuitive knowledge of the existence of God. It may not be clear, but it’s there. It is possible, however, to deny its existence. You can harden your heart to the point where you no longer feel any conviction or, even further, reach the point of becoming a reprobate, where God actually takes the knowledge of Himself away. An agnostic or an atheist is simply a person who has hardened their heart to that still small voice of God that operates like a homing device. But the Scripture says that inside of every person, there is a God-shaped vacuum.
Romans 1:18-20 says,
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”
If you will really meditate on these verses, you’ll learn that you don’t have to tell people that God hates their sin. You don’t have to tell them that God is holy and they are unholy, worthy of His judgment. The wrath of God has been revealed to every man and woman, and they are without excuse. That is why it’s so important to tell people about God’s unconditional love and grace. They already feel condemned; they need to know how to get set free.
While I was in Vietnam, I started a Bible study. In one of our meetings, a proclaimed atheist decided he would attend and create a little trouble. He succeeded: he ridiculed me, asked questions I couldn’t answer, and basically made me look like a fool. Then, he just walked out and took all the men in the Bible study with him.
About thirty minutes later, this man came back. I was praying, “God give me another chance to reach this man.” Suddenly, he walked over and, standing in front of me, said, “I want what you have.” Surprised, I said, “You do?” He told me that he knew he had discredited me and out argued me on every point, but what I had was more than an argument. He continued, “You have a real relationship with God and I want one.” Praise God, I was able to lead this man to the Lord. This proclaimed atheist told me later that deep in his heart he really knew there was a God.
Everyone knows there’s a God! That homing device that God placed on the inside of you is constantly sending signals; it’s a still small voice. Psalm 46:10 says,
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
I believe this is literally talking about getting still before the Lord not only physically but mentally. Your ability to hear that voice is hindered when you’re listening to the radio, watching television, or entertaining yourself in some other way. I have found that many people can’t stand to be still. They can’t stand to be in the house alone without some distraction. Why, because when they get still before the Lord, those three questions keep coming up: Where did I come from, who am I, where am I going.
I guarantee you that on the inside of every person, if they will admit it, there is the voice of God telling them of His existence. He is telling them that they are not the center of the universe, there has got to be something more important than serving themselves. That voice tells them there is someone bigger and more powerful than themselves and that they should be serving Him. The most miserable people I’ve ever met are the ones who think it’s all about them, loving themselves, serving themselves, and getting things for themselves. If they ever get quiet, the voice inside will begin to speak to them, and they will learn a very profound revelation. It’s simple but true: There is only one God and you’re not Him.
Once you realize you were created by God and that you weren’t an accident or just a biological creation, you must then ask why you were created. First and foremost, you were created for relationship with God. That is not limited to, but certainly includes, the born-again experience, where you accept Jesus as your personal Savior. But after salvation, we need to recognize that we can no more control our lives successfully than we could save ourselves. We have to remain God-dependent. We need to recognize that we haven’t got sense enough, spiritually, to come in out of the rain apart from God. We just need to say, “God, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do; You reveal Yourself to me.”
Jeremiah 10:23 says,
“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”
This is one profound passage of Scripture. God did not make us to control our own lives. He gave us the privilege and authority to choose, but it’s foolish to choose anything less than His plan for our lives, if we want His best. Another passage of Scripture that has been very special to me is Jeremiah 1:4-5:
“Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
Before Jeremiah was ever born, before he was even formed, God was creating him for a purpose. In Galatians 1:15 the Apostle Paul said that God separated him unto the Gospel from his mother’s womb. These scriptures are not just for Jeremiah and Paul; they are for everyone. God called us, appointed us, and anointed us while we were in our mothers’ wombs.
The reason evolution is so popular today is because people don’t want to accept the fact that they were created by God with a purpose in mind. If they admit to a creator, then they must become accountable for their lives. If they can convince themselves that they weren’t created but just evolved or that they are only the result of biology, then that basically makes them no different than a dog, a rabbit, or any other animal. It leaves them free to follow their instincts and fulfill the lust of the flesh and soothe their conscience while doing it. I’m not going to cover evolution in this letter, but the truth is that there is absolutely no evidence that evolution is anything but a theory. Darwin himself rejected it on his deathbed. He became a Christian and repented and lamented over the whole thing.
Jeremiah goes on to say in chapter 29, verse 11,
“I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
I like knowing we have an expected end. We don’t have to guess. You can actually predict your future if you find out what God wants you to do. You don’t have to wonder what your end will be, if you will still be serving the Lord in the end, are you going to hold on, are you going to die a terrible death. For me, I can tell you what’s going to happen because I have taken the time to hear God’s voice, and He has revealed His plan for me. I understand what my end is going to be — I’m going out in a blaze of glory, with a flash instead of a whimper.
If you don’t have that confidence, it’s because you don’t know if you are where God wants you. You only have one shot at reaching your full potential in this life, and whether you do or not is completely dependent on finding God’s purpose and plan for your life. You may have a degree of success by using your gifts and talents, but that’s nothing compared to what it could be if you knew God’s will and then used those talents in pursuit of His plan for your life.
I listened to a man preach once who asked this question to the audience, “If you wanted to find the place on earth where the people with the most potential are, where would you look?” People started giving ideas like: in major cities, on Wall Street, in a big company, and others. Finally, he gave the answer, “It’s a graveyard, because nearly everybody takes their potential to the grave. They never released it.” Don’t go to the grave wishing you had known His will for your life. Whatever it takes, get that question answered.
You know you were created by God. You know He created you with a purpose and a plan. But be honest with yourself. Would you say, “I don’t know for sure that I’ve discovered God’s purpose?” You may be right where God wants you, but if you haven’t had enough communication with God to know beyond any shadow of a doubt, ask Him what your purpose is, and ask Him to show you your potential. Find out what it is and fulfill it.
Your willingness to follow God’s plan for your life will affect the lives of many others as well. You are carrying within you miracles and blessings for people in your circle of influence. If you’re not in God’s will, those people may not receive what God has for them. Some of you may not like what I’m saying; you’re thinking I’m making it sound like you could miss God’s plan and that would cause someone else to suffer. Well, that’s exactly what I’m saying. So, seek Him, and He will reveal what you were created to do.
It really is imperative that you answer these questions correctly. To help you, I’ve produced a three-part album called Life’s 3 Most Important Questions. I have been writing about the first, “Where Did I Come From” but the other two questions, “Who Am I” and “Where Am I Going,” are just as important. This series is one of the most powerful God has given me, and I know it will be a blessing.
