God's Internal Plan For You
How many times have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life? I have personally prayed over God’s plans for me countless times. The Bible says, “Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright.” (Proverbs 4:6, Amp). We are not just going to wake up in God’s perfect plan for our lives. We must work for this, pray for this, and live for this.
When my last employer told me to begin looking for a new job (because his company was going under), I really felt like my world was turned upside down. I knew God would provide, but trying to discern His will for my life became an all-consuming desire. Well here I am, 9 months later. I do believe I’m living in God’s will, and God has provided. But I know that God’s plans are something I must constantly seek. So I’m still praying, believing and studying. And God revealed something to me this morning that I want to immediately share with you.
It seems that whenever we talk about God’s plans for our lives, we are talking about what God wants us to do. Does God want me to be a doctor or lawyer or preacher? Does God want me to move here or there or do this or that? We are constantly focusing on God’s plan for our external lives. But I saw today that God has a plan for our internal lives as well.
Just like God has plans for what He wants you to do, God has plans for how He wants you to be. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) God wants us to be transformed. God doesn’t want us to conform to this age, with its lusts and problems. But God wants us to be transformed.
Transformed into what? Into the image of Jesus Christ. “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29). God plans for us to be changed into the image of Jesus Christ. Consider Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus walked in love. Jesus lived in compassion. Jesus never sinned. Jesus healed the sick, taught the people, worshipped, prayed, and served. Glory to God. This is our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the image and exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3, Weymouth New Testament). And we are to be changed into that image!
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are to constantly look upon God and Jesus Christ. We do that by looking the Word of God. Remember that The Word is God, and Jesus is the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1,14). When we do this we will be changed and transformed into the image of Christ, which is a major part of our destiny in God.
Moreover, going back to Romans 12, God tells us that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Now “renew” in the Greek really means “renovate.” And these days with all the home improvement shows on TV we get a great picture of that. Renovate means to take out the old and bring in the new, to make new again. God says we need to renovate our mind. And we also do that by spending serious time in God’s Word.
So yes, God wants us to do things for Him on the outside. But on the inside God wants us to become like Christ. When we spend time in the Word, the Holy Spirit changes us and makes us like Christ on the inside, and our minds are renovated to further this change, from glory to glory. We are transformed from the inside out. Glory to God.
So I realized today that in a few minutes I received a revelation of at least ½ of God’s plan for my life. Yes, He has an outward plan. But He also has an inward plan too. And now I know it, Praise God. But as I considered this I thought to myself, “Well, that inward part is really not that big a deal, not nearly as big as the outward part.”
I then heard the Holy Spirit like He was in the car with me. “WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.” “I never said the inward part wasn’t a big deal.” “You said that.” And man did that hit me hard.
We have got to focus on the inner man. We have got to be conformed to the image of Christ. I believe that if we will focus on God’s plan for our inner lives, then we will quickly begin seeing God’s plans for our outer lives. In fact, I now believe that faithfulness to God’s internal plan is the key to success in God’s external plan. I even believe that if you aren’t working on your inner man, and being conformed to Christ as you should be, that God won’t reveal to you all of His plans for your outer life.
Consider Moses. Moses had a glimpse of being Israel’s deliverer, that’s why he killed the Egyptian. But until he had an encounter with God, and changed on the inside, he was not fit for his calling. In fact, He probably couldn’t even see it all. He likely saw himself as their deliverer, when in fact, God wanted him to be their deliverer, their prophet, and their leader.
If we jump out in what we think is God’s plan for our lives, without truly spending time with God and developing our inner man, then we may end up like the young Moses, without revelation of God’s full plans, and run out of town. I pray that’s not you.
Rejoice with me that we can clearly see God’s plan for our inner lives. Appropriately appreciate this word, and begin working harder towards your inward transformation today. Spend time in God’s Word, let your mind be renewed and let the Holy Spirit change you into the image of Christ. I know God wants you to be strong and do great Exploits for Him. I believe this is a great Word to help you on your way. Hallelujah.
It seems that whenever we talk about God’s plans for our lives, we are talking about what God wants us to do. Does God want me to be a doctor or lawyer or preacher? Does God want me to move here or there or do this or that? We are constantly focusing on God’s plan for our external lives. But I saw today that God has a plan for our internal lives as well.
Just like God has plans for what He wants you to do, God has plans for how He wants you to be. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) God wants us to be transformed. God doesn’t want us to conform to this age, with its lusts and problems. But God wants us to be transformed.
Transformed into what? Into the image of Jesus Christ. “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29). God plans for us to be changed into the image of Jesus Christ. Consider Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus walked in love. Jesus lived in compassion. Jesus never sinned. Jesus healed the sick, taught the people, worshipped, prayed, and served. Glory to God. This is our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the image and exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3, Weymouth New Testament). And we are to be changed into that image!
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are to constantly look upon God and Jesus Christ. We do that by looking the Word of God. Remember that The Word is God, and Jesus is the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1,14). When we do this we will be changed and transformed into the image of Christ, which is a major part of our destiny in God.
Moreover, going back to Romans 12, God tells us that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Now “renew” in the Greek really means “renovate.” And these days with all the home improvement shows on TV we get a great picture of that. Renovate means to take out the old and bring in the new, to make new again. God says we need to renovate our mind. And we also do that by spending serious time in God’s Word.
So yes, God wants us to do things for Him on the outside. But on the inside God wants us to become like Christ. When we spend time in the Word, the Holy Spirit changes us and makes us like Christ on the inside, and our minds are renovated to further this change, from glory to glory. We are transformed from the inside out. Glory to God.
So I realized today that in a few minutes I received a revelation of at least ½ of God’s plan for my life. Yes, He has an outward plan. But He also has an inward plan too. And now I know it, Praise God. But as I considered this I thought to myself, “Well, that inward part is really not that big a deal, not nearly as big as the outward part.”
I then heard the Holy Spirit like He was in the car with me. “WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.” “I never said the inward part wasn’t a big deal.” “You said that.” And man did that hit me hard.
We have got to focus on the inner man. We have got to be conformed to the image of Christ. I believe that if we will focus on God’s plan for our inner lives, then we will quickly begin seeing God’s plans for our outer lives. In fact, I now believe that faithfulness to God’s internal plan is the key to success in God’s external plan. I even believe that if you aren’t working on your inner man, and being conformed to Christ as you should be, that God won’t reveal to you all of His plans for your outer life.
Consider Moses. Moses had a glimpse of being Israel’s deliverer, that’s why he killed the Egyptian. But until he had an encounter with God, and changed on the inside, he was not fit for his calling. In fact, He probably couldn’t even see it all. He likely saw himself as their deliverer, when in fact, God wanted him to be their deliverer, their prophet, and their leader.
If we jump out in what we think is God’s plan for our lives, without truly spending time with God and developing our inner man, then we may end up like the young Moses, without revelation of God’s full plans, and run out of town. I pray that’s not you.
Rejoice with me that we can clearly see God’s plan for our inner lives. Appropriately appreciate this word, and begin working harder towards your inward transformation today. Spend time in God’s Word, let your mind be renewed and let the Holy Spirit change you into the image of Christ. I know God wants you to be strong and do great Exploits for Him. I believe this is a great Word to help you on your way. Hallelujah.
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