There is deep in the hidden depths of every human being a sense of destiny and purpose, a calling of great worth.

While this sense or hidden awareness of destiny lies within every human being, it is rarely recognised until one is born again by the Spirit of God.

Sometimes one may have dreams, which touch on and surface some long-forgotten aspect of one’s destiny.

Sometimes while watching a movie or reading a book, something touches that destiny, producing an emotional response.

You may want to cry or you are moved in some way. However, those awakenings rarely last, leaving you wondering what it was all about.

Many times while watching a movie or reading a book, something moved me which I could not understand.

The emotional response seemed to be out of character for me; after all I am British! I wondered about this for a long time before I came to understand, at least in part, the meaning of this Scripture from Psalm 42.

“Deep calls unto deep” Psalm 42:7a NJKV.

I began to realise that something deep within me was connecting to a long-forgotten destiny, an assignment that had been abandoned, immersed and absorbed in the busyness of living on this planet.

This stirring of the Holy Spirit within was seeking to awaken an awareness of purpose and destiny. A recent survey of medical practitioners revealed that the majority of their patients were suffering from a profound lack of purpose.

Their lives were meaningless. This in turn had a direct bearing on the physical ailments they suffered.

We were born for a purpose, a majestic mission, which was given to us in a time before we were born into this world.

The Scriptures Make It Very Clear That Our Existence Did Not Begin When We Were Born Into This World.

The question has often been asked, “Did we come into existence at conception or at our birth?”

Let’s look at what the Word of God states about this . The Word of God clearly addresses this question.

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” 2 Timothy 1:9.

No matter how you look at this verse of Scripture it means what it says and says what it means.

You Were Given A Calling, A Destiny, A Purpose Before You Were Born Into This World.

God says this to Jeremiah,

“Before You Were Born, I Set You Apart;” Jeremiah 1:5.

Note : Before Jeremiah was in the womb of his mother, God knew him and sanctified him. The word “sanctified” is the Hebrew word — qadash (kaw-dash) which means to pronounce clean; also to appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, keep, prepare, proclaim, purify and sanctify.

Now you can’t pronounce clean someone who does not exist.

Jeremiah was given a destiny and assignment before he was born on this Earth. He existed in heaven long before he was sent to Earth with a mission.

While this may surprise many of you, the Word of God clearly confirms this reality.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

“They are not of the world, even as I AM not of the world.” John 17:15–16.

Jesus said, “I AM not of this world,” because He came to Earth from heaven. However, He said the same
about His disciples.

He said they also are not of this world. In other words, they did not originate here on planet Earth, but they came from another world, that of heaven.

Jesus clearly tells us here that He was not of this world, He was sent from heaven with a mission. He goes on to say that you and I are also not of this world.

We did not originate here; we came from heaven. We were sent to planet Earth from our home in heaven with a mission.

However, we have to go through much training in order to fulfill this mission. This training involves both good times and hard times, and how we react to both.

The Story Of Job

Job was a remarkable man. He went through great trials but came out triumphant. He lived some time after the flood, but before Abraham. God made this remarkable statement about him:

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” Job 1:1.

“Then The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” ” Job 1:8.

WOW! That is a very remarkable statement about this man — a godly man and blameless. There was no one like him in the entire earth at that time.

These are astonishing statements that God made concerning him. Don’t you wish that God could say that about you?

Nearly every sermon I have heard about Job, he is always being put down and given a hard time!

However, God’s view of Job was extraordinary. After nine months of extreme trials he was birthed into a new life and a new day.

Towards the end of the book God said this to Job:

“Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said, “This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!”
Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?” Job 38:3–12 NKJV.

“God asked Job, “Where were you when I made planet Earth? When all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

God goes on to ask Job many questions, then says to him in Job 38:21 (different versions follow):

“Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?” Job 38:21 NKJV.

“Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?” Job 38:21 KJV.

“But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!” Job 38:21 TLB.

“You [must] know, since you were born then, And because you are so extremely old.” Job 38:21 AMP.

I have heard it said, concerning these Scriptures, that God was mocking Job.

Let me just say this: God will never mock you or anyone else. Job existed when God made planet Earth.

He was there with the rest of us who shouted for joy.

Many years ago, I was going through a very difficult time. I even considered quitting the ministry, when suddenly I was caught up to heaven, where I met Job.

He talked to me and encouraged me, sharing the difficult times that he went through and explained these Scriptures to me, finally saying, “Stand up like a man and finish the task you were given before you came to this earth.”

I thought I was taken to heaven just to be told off, really. The story of Job is a picture of our life on this planet.

Everything is not going to be perfect. Our time here is a set course with just the right difficulties, heartaches, blessing, and joys that we need in order for us to be tempered and tried, grooming our spirit and qualifying us for future roles.

Essentially what God was saying to Job was this: “You, Job, were there when I created planet Earth. I gave you a destiny, a purpose, a course to run, and trials to overcome.

This is part of your training and development. Now stand up like a man and get on with it!”

After these trials, God gave Job twice as much as he originally had.

He was the first double-portion prophet. We are now living in a day where the double portion that Elisha asked for is now available to us.

The trials, difficulties and heartaches we have gone through just served as a grooming process to prepare us who now live in these times of the end.

There is a reason why God sent you to Earth in this time.

Leaving heaven and coming to Earth, as part of this last and final generation before The LORD returns, is an astounding privilege.

This article is taken from the book:
Destiny and the Eternal Purposes of God
by Neville Johnson

~ Neville Johnson ^©

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The late Neville Johnson of The Academy of Light. Neville was in full time ministry for over 40 years. During that time he founded two Bible schools training ministers and missionaries who are now serving The LORD in fifteen nations. He was Director of Living Word Academy of Light in Australia. With great effect Neville preached the Gospel and taught the Word of God in over thirty nations and ministered in countless ministers seminars around the world. He was burdened for the lost with an apostolic calling to the nations.
Neville returned to be with The LORD on September 1, 2019.

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