It is so important for a Christian to know God’s purpose for his or her life, and to know how to fulfill that purpose.  Here is what I have come up with–which is in my book Joy of Prayer, in the chapter entitled Obedience and Prayer.

God’s Threefold Purpose for Our Life

1.  That we may experience Him.  In Ephesians 3:16-19 Paul prays for the Ephesian church that they would come to know and experience the deep and vast love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God.  This is also God’s purpose for every Christian.

In John 15:11 Jesus tells us that He wants His joy to remain in us so that our joy will be full (Read also Jn. 16:24; 1 Jn. 1:4).  In fact, He states in John 10:10 that the reason He came was so we may have life and have it abundantly.  We can experience this abundant life when we come to know and experience Him.

2.  That we may grow to be like Him.  It is God’s purpose and goal for each believer that they would become like Jesus (Rom. 8:29).  As we grow in our relationship with Jesus and as we are being filled with the fullness of God, we will begin to bear fruit in our lives, fruit that has the flavor and the fragrance of Christ (Jn.15:16; 2 Cor. 2:15).

3.  That we would please Him and glorify Him.  This is God’s ultimate purpose in creating us and in saving us (Eph. 1:12).  It is the chief purpose above the other two.  But it can’t survive without the other two.  Therefore, as we experience God we grow to be like Him.  And as we grow to be like Him we please Him and glorify Him.

Now what I want to tell you is that we cannot fulfill God’s purposes in us without obeying Him.  Our obedience to God is His plan for our lives.  It is the key to finding His will and fulfilling His purposes in us.