Why Entering Your Higher Purpose Feels So Painful

Stepping into your higher purpose in God can be painful, but I promise you this, it will be worth it. I want to take a moment to explain to you what's happening to you in this season of transition. Maybe you feel like God is causing you to step into something new. Maybe you feel that a new responsibility is being placed before you, a new door is opening, or perhaps You've sensed turmoil and struggle, and you know that God is processing and preparing you for something greater ahead. This message is for you. I wanna explain what's happening. In Acts 10:38, we read, And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, For God was with Him. In other words, God the Father gave to the Son great power by the Holy Spirit. And this power coming upon Jesus is what fueled His ministry of healing. It's what fueled His ministry of deliverance. It's also what fueled His preaching ministry. But I wanna focus in on a key word here. You know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. Well, what does that word mean, anointed? Anointed. You may have heard this phrase used in church. Maybe somebody says, well, that person is so anointed. Or they might say of a moment in a church service, they might say, I can feel the anointing. Or that individual has such an anointing on their preaching, on their singing, on their teaching, on their serving. What do we mean when we say this? Well, that word anoint is a reference to an Old Testament ceremony. What would happen in this ceremony is an individual that was being purposed for something would have oil placed upon them. And that oil represented the nature of God being smeared over them. It was God's way of marking them. It was God's way of setting them apart, sanctifying them, making them holy, and also backing that individual. Prophets would be anointed, kings would be anointed, priests would be anointed. And as they went through this ceremony where oil was placed upon them, it was known that they were marked. That's right. They were set apart. They were empowered. They were given authority. They stood out. So the anointing oil was used to consecrate them. The anointing oil used in that ceremony wasn't just symbolic, it was spiritual. Something was happening as the anointing came upon them. So Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit. In other words, God poured out that measure of power upon him. So this Old Testament ritual, this Old Testament ceremony, gives to us spiritual symbolism or spiritual significance with application for today. So we look to that Old Testament symbolism and we see how the anointing oil was prepared. Take a look at what the ingredients are that went into the anointing oil. We see this list of ingredients in Exodus chapter 30, Beginning at verse 23. Collect choice spices, 12.5 pounds of myrrh, 6.25 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6.25 pounds of fragrant calamus, 24 and 12 and— excuse me, verse 24, and 12.5 pounds of cassia, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get 1 gallon of olive oil. Verse 25, like a skilled incense maker, Blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil. And then we see the application of this. Use this sacred oil to anoint the tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the table and all its utensils, the lampstands, the lampstand and all its accessories, the incense altar, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the wash basin with its stand. Consecrate them, make them absolutely holy. After this, Whatever touches them will also become holy. So we see the various different ingredients being used in the anointing oil. Now, remember, you and I today are anointed with the Holy Spirit, but we can still draw from Old Testament symbolism because nothing in the Word of God is written without purpose. So myrrh, number one, that first ingredient, number one, myrrh symbolizes purity. So when God begins to call you into your higher purpose, When you begin to step into that next season where you know things are changing, where new responsibilities are being laid on your shoulders, or maybe you're coming out of a very difficult season, but you know that God was processing you in that difficult season, then we are now stepping into that higher purpose as we are being anointed. Now, myrrh was a gum that would exude from the bark of a shrub, and it was known for its medicinal application. used in medicinal purposes. It was used in purification and balm, so it had a purifying effect. Ephesians 5:1-4 says, follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you, there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality or of any or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. As you begin to enter into this higher purpose, this divine calling, you step into this new opportunity, this new season that's before you, you must walk in thanksgiving. Before God will promote you, he will purify you. So myrrh was one of the ingredients used in the creation of the oil, that which marked the individual for their purpose, that which set them apart. Likewise, God uses purity in part to separate you, to cause you to be different, to call you to a lifestyle of holiness, to take a different path than others take. You may notice in this next season that the people you've enjoyed fellowship with aren't going to be the people that you continue to enjoy fellowship with. You may notice that while you have goals that are high in God, others might be mocking you. Others might be questioning your devotion to God. Others might be encouraging you to compromise. Well, God is calling you to higher places. Now, sometimes this is painful, this purification, because it involves God's correction. It involves God disconnecting us from things that are impure, even people that are not right for us for that season. So you may have felt this happening, God purifying you. That's part of the process. And it means that you are stepping into something new. So myrrh symbolizes purity. Number 2, cinnamon symbolizes sweetness. Now, what do I mean When I talk about sweetness, I'm talking about the opposite of bitterness. Here's a great example of bitterness found in Acts 8:15. I don't know if it's a great example. Here's an example of bitterness. Acts 8:15. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Verse 17, then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers and they received the Holy Spirit. So this is a very powerful demonstration of the impartation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's power is being transferred through Peter and John, but watch this in verse 18. Look at what happens here. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given, when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. Let me have this power too, he exclaimed, so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit. Now stop for a moment here. This specific desire isn't necessarily wrong. Simon the sorcerer desiring the Holy Spirit and desiring that people would receive the Holy Spirit when he prayed for them, there was nothing wrong with that, but there was something wrong with his motives. He desired something godly for ungodly reasons. Watch this now, verse 20. Peter discerns this. But Peter replied, may your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought. You can have no part in this. Watch this now, for your heart is not right with God. Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin. Pray to the Lord for me, exclaimed Simon, that these terrible things you've said won't happen to me. So Peter discerned That Simon the sorcerer was bitter. Where did that bitterness come from? It came from jealousy. Hear me now, please. If God is going to use your life, if you are going to step into this next season that God has for you, if you're going to bear the weight of new responsibilities, you must deal with jealousy. Jealousy brings forth bitterness. Bitterness brings forth impure motives. That sweetness of the Spirit is humility. The sweetness of the Spirit is selflessness. The sweetness of the Spirit is pure motivation unto the glory of God, not for the glory of self, not for your own name's sake, but for the glory of God. Don't be like Simon the sorcerer who has a godly desire, with an ungodly motivation. Don't be like Simon the sorcerer who wants to be used by God simply because they're jealous of other people being used by God. Let the sweetness of the Spirit dwell in you. Now, another example of bitterness would be unforgiveness. So to that, we must respond by reading Mark 11:25. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too. This is something that today worldly culture has an issue with. And that issue with forgiveness that worldly culture has is beginning to seep into the church. Let us not forget how God forgave us. Let us not forget how God gave us grace. Look, if the Lord forgave us the way we forgave others, He would tell us things like, I forgive, but I never forget. He would say, I forgive you of your sins, but you still committed those sins, so you have to go to hell. Well, where would be the redemption in that? Where would be the forgiveness in that? The scripture declares that he does not punish us for all our wrongdoing. Look, I'm not talking about unrepentant sin. I'm talking about sin you've repented of. The Lord forgives you. And In many instances, He's gracious enough to where you're not having to bear the full weight of that. He'll spare you in many instances. Now the world has issue with this. The world doesn't like this kind of forgiveness. Why? Because of bitterness. That's, I'm gonna call it like it is. I know many people won't like that. I really don't care. I'm telling you what the Bible says. I'm telling you what forgiveness is according to scripture, that we forgive. Forgive. that we be gracious, that we let go of our right to hurt because we've been hurt. That's what forgiveness is, to let go of what you think is your right to hurt someone else because the way they hurt you. That's what the Lord did for us. And so you wanna step into this next season, for your own sake also, you ought to forgive. For your own sake, you ought to let that go. That you might move into a higher purpose, think like God thinks, love like God loves, forgive like God forgives. No room for bitterness. And that is, there is no room for improper motives that come from jealousy, and there is no room for unforgiveness. None of us have a right to hold on to unforgiveness, period. That's biblical truth. And it applies to all people for all time. Number 3, calamus symbolizes worship. Now, there was a plant that was referred to as the sweet flag, and its knotted stalk would be cut off, dried up, and then ground into powder. And this is what was used in the fragrance and the aromas. This symbolizes worship. It was used in the most expensive perfumes. It was one of the most, it was an ingredient in some of the most precious perfumes that there were. And it let off a sweet aroma. Luke 7:36 and onwards say this, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet, and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, if this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner. Then Jesus answered his thoughts. Simon, he said to the Pharisee, I have something to say to you. Go ahead, teacher, Simon replied. Then Jesus told him a story. A man loaned money to 2 people, 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him. So he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that? Simon answered, I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt. That's right, Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't greet me with a kiss, But from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. That's that ingredient we discussed. I tell you, her sins, and they are many, have been forgiven. So she has shown much love, but a person who is forgiven little shows only little love. Then Jesus said to the woman, your sins are forgiven. When we recognize that we have been forgiven, when we recognize that we have been given great grace, we've been shown a great mercy, that God has removed from us our sins as far as the east is from the west, then out from deep within the spirit erupts a flow of grateful worship. And we lavish that worship on the Lord, despite what he does or does not do. We must praise him even when life gets difficult. In fact, you wanna offer God some costly worship? Worship him in the wilderness, worship him in the trial, worship him when you don't feel like worshiping him. And as you enter this next season, As you step into your divine calling, and he is calling you to something else, I'm telling you, he's calling you to something greater. You can feel it. You've sensed it around you. You're tired of the tension that's been there. Maybe you feel like it's just been difficult, one thing after another, after another, after another. And now you sense that something is lifting, that you're stepping into something new, that the chains are breaking off, that the breakthrough is coming, that the lesson is being learned, that the test is being passed. And now you're stepping into something. I'll tell you this. come in worshiping, because worship is an ingredient to the anointing. 2 Corinthians 2:15 says, our lives are a Christlike fragrance rising up to God, but this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. Genesis 8:20-21, then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed his burnt offerings. the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. Here we see Noah's worship came before the Lord as an aroma. And that is what our lives present when we live lovingly. lifestyles of worship, even in difficult times. Worship marks you. Worship sets you apart. Worship gets God's attention. So that's gonna be one of the ingredients as you step into this next season. Now, this next ingredient is where most Christians begin to give up their pursuit of their calling. Please hear me. The next test or ingredient, whatever you wanna call it, this is where most Christians give up. Because it's difficult. But before I talk to you about that ingredient, let me encourage you. If you haven't done so yet, please leave a like on this video, live or replay, and make sure that you and I stay connected. If you wanna continue to receive encouraging and insightful teachings like this, make sure you're subscribed to my channel and do click that notification bell when you subscribe so that you don't miss a thing. Number 4, Cassia symbolizes process. Now, the branches of the Cassia herb, they held moisture through what they could bring in from the soil. These herbs were rooted in wet areas, usually near rivers, because they needed that level of moisture, and those roots would go deep. But think about this. When roots go deep, there is darkness. Roots grow in darkness. Roots grow in cold temperatures. Roots grow where it feels lonely. I'm talking spiritually, of course. And God is allowing for that process to take place. That as your roots go deeper, it creates a potential future that's bigger and brighter. You see, we think in plants, God thinks in seeds. We think in fruit, God thinks in roots. We pray for something and we imagine that God is going to give us the end result of that. But we don't realize that when we pray, we're actually praying that God would process us that we might be prepared for what He wants to send our way. Not only is God preparing the situation for you, not only is God preparing the calling for you, He's preparing you for your calling. And so you will face seasons where you feel isolated, where these seasons seem to drag on, where you feel alone. But look what Psalm 1:1-3 says. We're talking about roots, we're talking about process. Oh, The joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers, but they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do. In John 15:5, we read the saying of Jesus. Yes, I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. Being planted takes time. It takes time for the roots to go deep. And when you are planted, you are as a seed in the soil and seeds die. Seeds have to break apart. Seeds in essence have to die before they can bring forth life. Those roots being processed, the time it takes, you can't rush that. Far too many believers are trying to rush their calling. They feel like they're missing opportunities. They get angry with God, frustrated, and they're thinking to themselves, Lord, if you don't do this now, it's never gonna happen. Or Lord, I don't wanna miss that window over there. Or Lord, you're using this person and you're blessing that person. And you're promoting that person over there. What about me? Everyone seems to be passing me up. And you think that way only because you don't recognize process. God's not wasting time. When you walk at the pace of grace, when you walk in response to the voice of the Holy Spirit, it's impossible to miss the opportunities that God has for you. He'll see to it that you fulfill your calling. Trust him. His process, don't rush His process. Number 5, oil symbolizes crushing. Now here's the thing about the olive, and that's where they would extract the oil from. Before the olive could be crushed, something else had to happen. The olive must be shaken from the tree. The olive must come loose from the branch. Here's a change of pace in terms of the analogy. So no, I'm not talking about coming loose from Jesus, who is the vine. I'm saying that that branch in this analogy represents those things upon which we so often rely. We rely upon our money, we rely upon our friends, we rely upon our family, and it's good to some degree to rely upon people you love. But you know, there are seasons, and maybe you're in this season now, you can let me know in the comments. Maybe you're in this season now where you feel like everything familiar has been shaken from you. Even that feeling of familiarity has been removed. Nothing feels the same anymore. Even old things you used to do, and I'm not talking about sin, just maybe old hobbies, old fellowships, maybe old, old trips you used to take, you go visit places you would often visit, you know, it just doesn't feel the same anymore. Something's just not off, but different. It's just, there's nothing there. It's 'cause the Lord is shaking you from that. And maybe, maybe you're experiencing a shaking in a relationship you shouldn't be in. Maybe you're experiencing a shaking on the job or in your finances. And God is doing that to show you that that is not your source. And if you are fearful when God begins to shake the systems of this world, I want someone to hear this, this is for someone listening right now. If you grow fearful when God begins to shake the systems of the world, that's a demonstration to you that your trust was in the systems of the world and not in God. So God will shake what is familiar and you will come loose from what is familiar. And now you're in this new place, everything feels different. Everything feels, I don't wanna use the word off, but maybe that's close enough to what I'm describing here. But something is different. Nothing's the same. And you're grasping for some sense of familiarity. You're grasping for some sense of comfort and belonging. Maybe you feel homesick, but you don't know where home is. That's God shaking you from the familiar, from the things of this world. And you're only gonna find that sense of belonging and home in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And then once that olive has been shaken from the tree, it's crushed. But you do realize that the oil was already there. You see, the crushing doesn't produce the oil, it reveals the oil. In other words, Spirit-filled people of God produce power under pressure. It reveals what's in you. So pressures, circumstances, betrayals, setbacks, The image must be marred. Please hear me. Your image must be marred. Who you are, who you think you are, that has to be destroyed first. Then and only then can the image of Jesus come forth. The anointing comes with a price, but it is a privilege to pay that price. James 1:2-4, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. The trials are there to process you, to produce, or excuse me, to yield that oil. Remember this, salvation is free, but the anointing will cost you everything. Now, ultimately, God is the one who produces the oil, Isaiah 53:10, but it was the Lord's good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin. He will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord's good plan will prosper in his hands. We see there, God is the one who does the crushing, but the Lord does it unto a purpose. Our participation allows that oil to flow. So let the crushing happen. So this is what's happening to you as you step into your new season. And if, let me tell you this, here's reason to hope. If I'm describing you in anything I've been saying, that's a demonstration to you that you're coming into something new. Have hope because there is a newness of life coming upon you. There are new levels of responsibility. There are new spheres of influence. There are new doors of opportunity. All of these things happen as we become processed By the Lord. So Lord, I pray that as they step into this new season, you would help them to respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Help them to recognize what you are doing in them, Lord. Touch their lives, I pray. Strengthen them. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Type it in the comment section really big if you believe it. Type a big amen. Now, do not turn this video off right now. I want you to hear what I have to say in regards to the ministry. I want you, maybe you're hearing this and you're saying, this is a new season. In this new season, I want you to consider becoming a supporter of this ministry. Maybe you've been blessed by this ministry for some time. In some way you've been encouraged or helped, and you wanna get involved now. You wanna do your part to pay it forward. Look, you're generous. You wanna see the gospel go forward. You wanna see souls saved. And you are the type of person that would do anything to see the kingdom of God advance. So here's that opportunity for you now. As you enter this new season, let's begin this new season right. Become a monthly supporter of the ministry today. You can sign up to become a monthly financial contributor by going to davidhernandezministries.com/support. You can do that for any amount. We have partnership tiers starting at $15 a month, but you can partner for any amount monthly. Some will do less, some can do more. I'm asking you to do something. Sign up today to become a monthly supporter. Those monthly gifts really do help. And I'm asking you as your brother in Christ to help us on our mission to see souls saved, people delivered, healed, empowered. as the Word of God goes forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. 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