Main Summary: Plans, Purposes & Pursuits by Kenneth Hagin is an insightful book, where the author shares profound lessons for spiritual growth and ministry effectiveness. From a divine visitation that emphasizes God’s plans and the pursuit of His purposes, to seeking God’s will, understanding New Testament worship. The author explores key elements of a successful Christian journey. With personal anecdotes and scriptural insights, he guides readers to align with God’s plans, embrace His Word, and experience spiritual transformation.
Lessons You’ll Learn From This Post
1. The Visitation
2. Seeking God’s Plan For Your Future
3. God’s Plans and Men’s Purposes
4. Following God’s Plan as Revealed in the Word and By the Holy Spirit
5. The New Testament Worship
6. Being Filled With the Holy Spirit
The Visitation
The author shares a visitation he had from the Lord Jesus before a Camp meeting in July 1987. During this experience, he received insights into God’s plans and purposes for the Church. The visitation emphasized the importance of following God’s plans and pursuing His purposes to be ready for a great move of the Spirit.
In the visitation, Jesus explained that curiosity seekers and those seeking the sensational would not be part of this move, as it requires sincere pursuit and cooperation with God’s plan. Those who heed His teachings and actively follow His plans will be prepared for the supernatural realm and blessings that God has in store for the Church.
The move of God’s Spirit will become more commonplace as people align with His plans and purposes, giving Him all the praise, honor, and glory. Jesus also warned that this move would be lost unless people are taught how to move with His Spirit, emphasizing the need for sincere pursuit and understanding of God’s plans to be part of this transformative time in the Body of Christ.
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Seeking God’s Plan For Your Future
On personal terms, the author advises that in your pursuit of God’s plan, you should remember that His blessings and the fullness of the Holy Spirit can only come upon His divine purpose for your life. Many times, according to him, ministries fail because they follow their plans and ideas instead of seeking God’s guidance.
It’s essential to find God’s plan for your life, ministry, or church and follow it closely, the author says. Avoid being swayed by trends or other people’s methods; instead, seek God’s direction and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Dissatisfaction arises when we stray from God’s plan, and if we continue on that path, we’ll face the consequences of disobedience. Therefore, the author recommends that you strive to know and pursue God’s perfect plan, trusting that His way will always lead to success and fulfillment.
Using personal ministry examples, the author notes that he bases his ministry on Psalm 127:1, which states that without God’s involvement, all efforts are in vain. He recounts how he adjusted his ministry, like when he shortened the worship time in the Healing School as per God’s instruction or when he stopped counseling in the Prayer and Healing Center to follow God’s plan.
He also shares his experience of receiving divine guidance for his Campmeeting format and how he started his Bible school and Healing School following God’s leading.
The author emphasizes the need to find your place of anointing and not try to do everything. He encourages that you seek God’s plan, wait for His timing, and trust in Him to bring His plan to fruition. He stresses the importance of following God’s plan and not trying to mimic others’ ministries or forcing God’s will through your efforts.
God’s Plans and Men’s Purposes
In the same visitation, the author recounts in the book, how Jesus shared with him the importance of aligning man’s purposes with God’s plans. Jesus pointed out that even when people understand God’s plan, they often go astray by pursuing their own purposes, hindering His full blessing. This applies not just to individuals but also to church meetings.
Many churches try to combine different kinds of meetings into one, missing the full potential of each. Jesus emphasized to him the need to understand His purpose for each meeting, whether it’s believers’ meetings, evangelistic meetings, healing meetings, teaching meetings, prayer meetings, or worship services.
The author recounted experiences from his past, highlighting the power of believers’ meetings where everyone comes with something to contribute, operating under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
He also stressed the importance of evangelistic meetings with a clear purpose of reaching the lost, and prayer meetings focused on genuine prayer rather than mere formality.
The author emphasized the significance of following God’s plan for meetings to experience His full blessings, as demonstrated in a revival meeting where everyone prayed for specific individuals to be saved, resulting in a 100% success rate.
In the pursuit of spiritual development, the author also emphasizes that God’s plan and purpose must be sought diligently. He compares the prevailing fast-food mentality of instant gratification to God’s unwavering standards that require time and commitment.
Pastors are urged to spend time on their knees to discern God’s purpose for their lives and ministries. The author warns against backing away from intercessory prayer groups, as powerful miracles can result when people pray together with the right motives.
Following God’s Plan as Revealed in the Word and By the Holy Spirit
In the pursuit of fulfilling God’s call on your life and prospering as a church, it is crucial to follow both God’s plan revealed through His Spirit and His written plan in the Bible. According to the author, walking in the light of God’s Word can lead to remarkable growth and success in ministry.
The author notes that you should embrace God’s plan, even if it requires stepping into the unknown. Don’t settle for partial blessings; fully embrace God’s Word and His plan for you. Keep moving forward with God, staying open to His further illumination and willing to change.
He remarks that you must avoid complacency and always be ready to practice God’s Word in all areas of your life and ministry to fully accomplish His plans and purposes.
Also Read Unlock Your Potential by Myles Munroe [Summary]
The New Testament Worship
There is a difference between the Old and New Testament system of worship. The author emphasizes the difference between the worship in the Old Testament and the True New Testament Worship for believers. He explains that believers are now a “spiritual house” and a “holy priesthood” under the New Covenant. True worship involves presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, renewing our minds, and offering the sacrifice of praise by giving thanks to God.
During this encounter, Jesus emphasized to the author the significance of being “in the Spirit” as John was in Revelation 1:10. He explained that clapping is neither praise nor worship, but rather an expression of excitement or rejoicing for personal benefit. Jesus pointed out that there is no New Testament scripture about clapping, but lifting hands in worship is scriptural. The author realized that excessive clapping in services can hinder the move of the Holy Spirit and cause the anointing to lift.
The author also explains that dancing before the Lord in the New Testament is unscriptural while dancing in the Spirit is scriptural. He emphasized the need for true worshippers to worship God in the Spirit and not with fleshly means.
The author emphasizes the importance of being filled with the Spirit, singing, and making melody in our hearts. He also notes that laughter and dancing in the Spirit are examples of the Spirit’s work in worship. The purpose of this plan is to help believers grow and build them up.
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Being Filled With the Holy Spirit
Every believer under the New Covenant should be filled with the Holy Spirit. According to the author, unlike the Old Testament, where only certain individuals had the anointing, the New Covenant allows all believers to have God’s Spirit dwelling within them. The emphasis in the New Testament is on being filled with the Spirit and speaking in other tongues, as seen in Acts 2, Acts 10, and Acts 19.
The author encourages believers to continue speaking with tongues to stay filled with the Spirit and worship in the Spirit. He explains that speaking in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is a form of New Testament worship and that it’s essential to stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit within oneself to maintain a fresh experience with God. By praying in tongues and speaking divinely inspired utterances, believers can enter into a life of true communion with God and be continually filled with His Spirit.
In conclusion, the author demands that you pray this prayer of commitment. To choose to pay the price necessary to walk in God’s plan—not only His plan for your individual life but His plan for the world in this hour.
He emphasized the need to dedicate yourself to obeying God’s call, not your plans but His plans. Stressing the need to respond to what God is saying to your spirit and live up to what you know. Life and ministry can be different—manifest the glory of God through your dedication. God’s way is best, and though it may seem costly at times, in the end, it will bring rich dividends.
To stay true to the end, the author also notes that you rejoice in God’s plan and do not hold back from following His will. Stay faithful and obedient, and you will be promoted to a higher dimension of ministry. And that you pay the price to fulfill your ministry and embrace God’s will in your life.
Finally, here are some questions we’ll love you to answer.
How do you distinguish between following your own plans and seeking God’s divine purpose for your life, ministry, or church?
We would love to hear from you, please leave your answer and comment in the comment box below.
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