Text: 1 John 3:8 – For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
One of the most important questions that mankind will ever ask God is the question of purpose. Fulfilling purpose is one of the most important questions begging for answers, and God is always interested in bringing clarity and answers to this important question. It is when you fulfill your purpose in life that God is truly happy with you.

This brings to mind our opening text in the book of 1 John 3:8. This particular verse of Scripture talks about the purpose and mission of Jesus Christ when He was on earth. To fulfill His purpose, we can clearly see from the text that the powerful mission of Jesus Christ on earth was to destroy the works of the devil. The word destroy means to undo, break apart, or render powerless.

One of the purposes of Jesus Christ when He was on earth was to destroy the devil’s works, which include sin, death, bondage, fear, sickness, oppression, and the lies of the devil. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus broke the power of sin, conquered death, set people free from fear and bondage, healed the oppressed, and revealed God’s truth to conquer the devil’s deception.

Therefore, this verse gives us confidence as believers. We are no longer under the control of sin or Satan. The victory of Jesus Christ means we can live in freedom, righteousness, and authority. While the devil may still tempt and try to deceive, his power has been broken and his defeat is sealed. This clearly depicts that Jesus Christ fulfilled His purpose in the three and a half years of His ministry here on earth.

Life is useless without knowing your purpose. There is a reason why you were born. I could recall vividly, when I was growing up as a young Christian, I had the privilege of attending a Christian conference where the late Dr. Myles Munroe, of blessed memory, was a keynote speaker. One of the points he drove home at the conference was his famous saying: “The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose.” Dear reader, find purpose! There is more to you than just being born, going to school, getting a job, and building a career of 40 years before passing on the baton to your children. This brings to mind the story of my dear friend Alvin. Alvin is a young teenager who has always enjoyed reading Christian literature. He always enjoyed listening to Christian tapes and audio messages. Hardly a day passed without Alvin visiting the internet to listen to and watch Christian videos. Alvin grew up with this flair, but his parents wanted him to become a medical doctor. So, his parents enrolled him in school and encouraged him to go to the science class.

Even though he was not doing well in the sciences, because he wanted to please his parents, he tried his possible best to pass all the core subjects that would enable him to study Medicine and Surgery at the Medical University of the Americas in the Caribbean. Throughout his study at the university, he would only read for his exams a few days or weeks before, and also prepare for his assessments just a day before. Fortunately, he graduated and went for his residency. Up till then, Alvin would get to the hospital late and would always be reminded by his instructor of what to do, instead of using his initiative. Eventually, he established his own practice and employed other medical doctors in different specialties to work for him. However, throughout his profession as a medical doctor, he would still arrive late at the hospital, spend time listening to Christian tapes, reading Christian literature, or browsing the internet for audio-visuals. Even when nurses reported that patients were waiting, he would tell them to assign the patients to other doctors.

Throughout his career as a medical doctor, Alvin was not fulfilled. On his 70th birthday, he began to reflect on his life and the choices he had made. He asked himself the question: “What is my purpose?” Dear friends, there are ways you can discover your purpose in life. Your purpose is rooted in your passion — the things that you enjoy doing, and the things you are not comfortable leaving undone until they are done right. Friends, the Almighty is interested in revealing your purpose to you. There is more to life than just passing through it, earning a nine-digit salary, and passing the baton to your children.

It is my prayer that you will fulfill your purpose and destiny. The call of God upon your life will not go unanswered. God will reveal the reason why you were born. You will become a wonder to your generation, and you will change your world. Those bad names that they called you on the playground will not stop the purpose and will of God for your life. Let me share with you how to find God’s purpose for your life: • Start with God, not yourself.
• Seek God through prayer and His Word.
• Live for God’s glory •n Use your gifts and talents to serve others. • Walk in obedience and holiness.
Thank you very much for your time. God bless you.
• Tobiloba Ahmed wrote from Lagos.