The "I Must" of God and Man
Jentezen Franklin has said, “Do the Father's business, and He will take care of ours!” Yes! God has made every human being on earth in His image with the potential to do great things.
Whether we know it or not, we have an “I must” to fulfill because God gives us a life purpose. This “I must” from God will move us from complacency to action and change our lives. We release our desires to fulfill God’s will [Luke 22:42]. We eliminate the things that hinder us from fulfilling our purpose.
God knows Who He is and is comfortable in His identity. God is good; God is the Great I AM. Through Him [Who knows Who He is], we as human beings can understand who we are. Through Him, we also discover the purpose for which we were created.
But first, to experience all that God wants to bless us with, we must meet the essential “musts” of God. These “musts” are not negotiable and cannot be circumvented. What actions are necessary to fulfill our purpose [our “I must,” as Jentezen Franklin put it], and how can one discern this purpose? How can we discover God’s “I must" for our lives and distinguish it from our desires or ambitions? What are the practical steps to align our actions with God's purpose and live by His will?
Jesus told us the “God’s must” when He said,
Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” [John 3:3, Amp]
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” [Mark 12:28-29, WEB]
We must become born again and love because God commands it. This life is not a game. A spiritual war has been going on since before the creation of man. We must choose which side we will stand with; no “neutrals” exist in the battle between good and evil. To fulfill your destiny, you must choose to know Jesus, ask Him to forgive you, cleanse you, and make Him your Lord. This is the first and greatest “I must.” You will never know the joy of the “I must” unless you do this.
We discover our true identity once we ask Jesus to be our Savior and Lord. We are not the creatures that society and culture have said we are. We are
- Children of the King
- Adopted into the Beloved family of God
- More than conquerors
- Priests and Kings before God
- The temples of the Living God
- Part of the Body of Christ
- The beloved of God
- Men and women with a mission
- Blessed
- Seated with Christ in heavenly places
Each believer is a child of the living God, created in His image and made for great things. Once we know who we are, God will reveal His personal “I must” [His planned destiny] for us. To receive this revelation, we must ask Him to show us what His will is! We then listen for His answer by reading the Bible, meditating on the Word, and praying. [Note: During this time of prayer, we must release forgiveness to anyone who has offended us (Matthew 6:14-15)]. Fasting is also beneficial. We have this promise: if we seek to know God’s “I must” for our lives, He will tell us [Matthew 6:5-8, 7:7-12]. This “I must” gives us a unique identity and purpose that extends beyond ourselves [See Luke 2: 49].
The “I must” that God instills in us serves as a compass, setting the right priorities in our lives. It guides us to align our actions with God's purpose, ensuring that we live by His will. The “I must” ties us to our purpose. Our “I must” shows us what to discuss, study, and spend time on. Our “I must” directs our choices and decisions [Luke 4:43]. Our “I must” shows us what opportunities to say no to; we give up the good things in life for God’s best. God “I must” decides what people we are to be close to [As some say, those who are our crew]. Certain people are to be close to us; others will hinder us.
As believers, “We must” because God gives us purpose [2 Timothy 1:9]. It’s not an “I should” or “I might.” It is an “I must,” a holy compulsion. Jeremiah said,
O Lord, You have persuaded me, and I was deceived;
You are stronger than I, and You have prevailed.
I am a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I must shout out; I shout violence and destruction,
Because the word of the Lord has become to me
A reprimand and a mockery and has brought me insult all day long.
9 If I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak His name anymore,”
Then my heart becomes a burning fire Shut up in my bones.
And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot endure it [nor contain it any longer) (Jeremiah 20:7-9, AMP)].
“I must” propels into levels of creativity and situations we had never considered or imagined [Ephesians 3:20]. The “I must” takes us beyond our natural limitations and personal fears to live a supernatural life. The “I must” slays the giant and wrestles with angels. If someone hurts us, we don’t quit. We don’t “jump ship” during a storm. We endure the trial and stand in patient confidence [James 1:2-5, 12]. When we walk in the “I must,” personal trials, natural disasters, and problems in the Church cannot stop us from completing our purpose and entering into great joy [Matthew 25:21]. Through the "I must" we endure our cross, as Jesus did.
2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]. [Hebrews 12:2, Amp. emphasis mine].
When this life is over, we shall all be judged for how we lived our lives. Non-believers who lived in rebellion against God will face the Great White Throne Judgment [Revelation 20:11]. However, we who believe will also stand and give an account for our lives [Romans 14:10]. The Father has entrusted the judgment of believers to Jesus [John 5:22]. We will stand before the Lord to give Christ an account of our lives.
For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad [2 Corinthians 5:10].
When our King returns, He will gather His people together. He will then command us to give an account of how we have used the resources and talents that He has given us [ Mathew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27]. Those who walk in their purpose and fulfill their "I Must" will receive unimaginable blessings and rewards.
I pray today that we all discover and live out our purpose and that none of us will be ashamed before God.
Father, I want to please you and the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to lift up Jesus's name and bring You great glory. Today, let me--and all who read this--discover [or recover] the “I must,” the purpose for which you made us. Open our eyes to see it, open our ears to hear it, and give us your divine courage and the fire and power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill it, no matter what we have to abandon and no matter what we have to overcome.
In Jesus’ name, we pray for the glory of the Father,
Amen.
