Taking a Step of Faith: Discovering Your True Kingdom Purpose
Our living on earth is ultimately about fulfilling kingdom purpose. It is easy to forget that foundational truth, and when you forget, you are not so concerned about how other folks are going to make it. You wind up saying, in essence, “I made it—why are you all not making it?” We become self-absorbed.
I know that I am not supposed to be where I am today. I was supposed to be on the street and not serving as a preacher. My father was not a believer in those early years, and our home was in total disarray. But God invaded our home and led my father to Christ. God came into our family, taking me to a Bible-teaching church and allowing me to have unique opportunities. The only reason I am here today is because of the goodness and grace of God.
The moment I lose sight of that grace, my role has been illegitimized. I am what I am only by the grace of God. God did not give you experience, position, and resources so that you can testify only about yourself. It is not just about you. Anyone who lives that way must be held to account, because life is about the Kingdom of God. When we lose sight of that reality, we miss God’s plan and program in history.
“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
— Deuteronomy 8:18 (NKJV)
God has given you the power to make wealth and to fulfill His covenant. It is always about a kingdom purpose. It is fine to benefit from a kingdom purpose, as long as you do not lose the kingdom purpose in the process of benefiting. Once you pride yourself and patrol in your own glory, God begins to examine your heart.
Where you are right now—are you there for God? Are you there for how He can use you for others, or are your pursuits just about selfishness? When you pride yourself in yourself, you lose your destiny. Your destiny will always involve a test of whether you want to be a blessing or whether you only want to be blessed.
Your value to the kingdom of God is tied directly to your usefulness. The sand on a natural beach is free. But that same sand, if you want to put it in a playground, is going to cost you. You have to go to the store and buy bags of sand because it is being used differently. Computer chips are made with refined sand—that is the most expensive sand you have ever seen in your life! Not because the raw material is inherently different, but because it is used differently.
You are a saint now. Your value must be tied to your divine usefulness. What good is a refrigerator that does not cool, or a stove that does not light up? No matter how expensive it was, or how good it looks in the kitchen, if it does not do what it was created to do, it is a useless appliance. In Luke 14:34–35, Jesus explains that when salt loses its flavor, it is no longer fit for the soil or the manure pile—it becomes completely useless.
1. When God Blesses You, He Puts You on Display
Many believers wander without direction because they have no kingdom orientation, winding up saying, “I do not know what my purpose is.” You will never find your true calling if life is only about you and not flowing through you. Your time comes when you discover how God can use you to be a channel of blessing.
Display Windows: Large department stores set up display windows featuring mannequins dressed in fine tuxedos, gowns, or luxury watches.
Attracting the Passerby: Store owners put dummies in the window because they know other people are walking up the street. They put them on display so that passersby will be impressed by what is showcased.
The Greater Purpose: Having been impressed, people are drawn into the store to acquire products for themselves. The dummy is not put on display to show off the dummy; it is put on display to be an attraction to a bigger market.
When God blesses you, He is putting you on display. God allows you to gain an education, achieve success, and acquire resources so that as a representative of His kingdom, other people can see what a person looks like who has been touched by the grace of God. To make sure your witness remains fruitful in everyday life, focus on developing the fruit of the Spirit so that your character reflects the King you represent.
Biblical Context
In the ancient Near East, royal ambassadors wore the distinct garments and seals of their sovereign to reflect the monarch’s authority and wealth. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, the Apostle Paul uses the Greek word presbeuomen (“we are ambassadors”). Believers do not showcase their own talents; they represent the authority, character, and generosity of the King who sent them.
2. We Do Not Exist Merely for Ourselves
On our best days, we are sinners saved strictly by grace. Consider the historical disaster of the Titanic in 1912, where over 1,500 people lost their lives. The tragedy is that 1,500 people did not have to die. Most of the lifeboats launched from the Titanic were only half-filled.
The people who were already saved and delivered did not want to risk turning back. They feared that if they returned, the drowning crowd might rush the boat and capsize it. Since they were secure, they would not risk going back to rescue others because it might interfere with their own deliverance. Over 1,500 people perished because those who were safe refused to reach out.
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
— Luke 19:10 (NKJV)
If you have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, God did not leave you on earth merely to coast until glory. He left you here because people around you are drowning spiritually, relationally, and morally. Sitting comfortably in your personal lifeboat while others perish misses the entire call of the Gospel.
We exist to make a kingdom impact. Consider a bowler: someone can wear fancy bowling shirts, specialized shoes, and carry custom equipment. But no matter how professional that bowler looks, if the pins are still standing, the frame is a failure. A bowler is measured entirely by impact. No matter how “churchified” you act, if there is no impact on the kingdom of God, you are missing your assignment.
3. We do not exist for ourselves
On our best days, we are sinned and saved by grace. The Titanic was a terrible incident in 1912. About 1500 people lost their lives in the maiden voyage of the sinking of the Titanic. Did you know that 1500 people did not have to die? Most of the lifeboats coming off of the Titanic were half-filled.
But the people who were saved and delivered did not want to risk turning back. Because if they turned back, the people drowning might bum-rush the boat. And if everybody bum-rushed the boat, it might flip the boat over. So, since they had been saved and delivered, they did not want to risk going back to save and deliver others because it might interfere with their being saved and delivered. So, 1500 people died because other people who were already saved did not want to save others.
If you have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, God has not just left you here because you are making it to glory. He left you here because people are drowning spiritually, relationally, and morally. Here you are in this OCBF lifeboat, your personal lifeboat, and living large while people are drowning. It can not only be about you or me or even us in our church.
We do not exist only for ourselves. We exist to make a difference and impact. Today, we have bow fancy. When I was growing up, there was no fancy bowling. Today, we have bowling pants, shirts, gloves, and socks. They even have bowling bags and fancy bowling balls. No matter how good you look as a bowler, if the pins are still standing, you have failed because a bowler is measured by his impact.
No matter how ‘Christiany’ you look, or how ‘Churchified’ you act, If there is no impact on the kingdom of God, you are a failed representative.
4. God is always having another solution elsewhere if you do not do it
Why would God share his purpose with you for you to dismiss it? You are blessed to be a blessing.
Verse 13
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place. And you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have been attained royalty to the kingdom for such a time as this
If you do not do it, God has a solution elsewhere. Nobody is indispensable. God never limits himself to one person. How good you are, how rich you are, how powerful you are, how skilled you are, God always has a replacement for you if you ignore him. How good you are, how rich you are, how powerful you are, how skilled you are, God always has hidden options.
If you are going downtown 35, Dallas, and you get stuck on the highway, there are other options. 35 is not your only option. It is just your direct option because you can get off on Illinois, turn left, go over to Zion, turn right to Jefferson, turn right again, go across the Jefferson seat bridge, and arrive in downtown 35 Dallas.
If he cannot use you, he will find somebody else we do not even know who they are. God never allows men to box him in. I am of no delusion that God can get rid of me and bring somebody better than me here at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. And so, if I feel that about me, how much do I feel same about you?
Nobody is indispensable when it comes to his kingdom purpose. The reason Mordecai said that was because God had made a promise, ‘I will preserve the Jews.’ Mordecai had enough of God’s word. He knew enough that if Esther did not do it, God’s sovereignty would bring deliverance because God is true to his word.
You can bank on his word and depend upon it. God would rather use you, but he does not have to. So, stop smelling yourself because you ain’t all that he is got. In fact, not only will he bring somebody else to replace you, but he will mess you up because you are disobedient to your kingdom calling.
The great tragedy today is if our church exists and still does not accomplish kingdom purpose. God gave you the education, opportunity, position, and job to use for the kingdom, which involves God’s promise for the preservation of his people.
5. Winning people for Christ is the goal
Just because you are in church does not mean you’re accomplishing kingdom purpose.
If we are not winning people to Christ, cycling them in the faith, and improving their lives in history so that they can be greater impact vessels for God for eternity, then all church sermons and activities are weekly vain parties. We must demonstrate the kingdom of heaven on Earth through kingdom discipleship. We must be heavens representatives on Earth.
The Church should facilitate the kingdom of God.
Verse 15-17
Go assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will fast in the same way. And thus I will go into the king, which is not according to the law.
6. God is preparing you to be a blessing
How do you know it is your time? There will be a spiritual conflict that God wants you to intervene in. You will see how he has prepared you to be a blessing and not just be blessed. Then, he will ask you to take a risk of faith.
Faith is a risky business because you are dealing with something you cannot see. The opposite of faith is sight. If you see it, it is not faith. Faith is acting on what you do not see because you believe God wants you to do it based on his words.
Faith is taking a step without being guaranteed the outcome. We do not mind taking a step when we can guarantee the outcome. The greater the uncertainty, the greater the purpose, and the greater the uncertainty, the more fearful the step.
Biblical Context
In ancient Persia, entering the inner court of the King without a direct royal summons carried an immediate death penalty under Persian law (Esther 4:11). The Hebrew root for faith, ‘aman, signifies firmness, reliability, and standing firm upon God’s structural truth rather than human guarantees. Esther’s preparation combined spiritual fasting (tzom) with decisive action in the face of political peril. Before engaging in intense spiritual conflicts, believers must prioritize deepening their prayer life to seek divine alignment.
3. God Will Raise Deliverance From Elsewhere
Why would God share His divine purpose with you only for you to dismiss it? You are blessed specifically to be a blessing to others.
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
— Esther 4:14 (NKJV)
If you refuse to act, God has solutions elsewhere. Nobody is indispensable in the Kingdom. God never limits Himself to a single human instrument. No matter how skilled, wealthy, or powerful you are, God always has hidden options.
Alternative Routes: If you are driving down Interstate 35 in Dallas and hit a standstill, traffic does not eliminate all movement. You can take an alternate route down local streets, cross the bridge, and still reach your destination.
Sovereign Deliverance: God’s ultimate plan is never blocked by human hesitation. If He cannot use a specific individual, He will raise up someone else.
Unwavering Promises: Mordecai spoke with absolute conviction to Esther because he knew God’s covenant promise to preserve His people. Delivery was guaranteed; Esther’s participation was her own privilege and test.
God would rather use you, but He does not have to use you. Never allow pride to convince you that you are His only option. Not only can God replace disobedient servants, but ignoring a kingdom calling brings discipline and lost destiny. Discovering your true purpose requires aligning with His sovereign will, as explored in our teaching on growth and spiritual fruit.
4. Winning People for Christ is the Ultimate Goal
Just because you gather inside a church building does not mean you are automatically accomplishing kingdom purpose. If we are not winning people to Christ, discipling them in the faith, and strengthening their lives to impact history, then church gatherings become mere social routines. We are called to demonstrate the kingdom of heaven on earth through active discipleship.
“Go and gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
— Esther 4:16 (NKJV)
Biblical Context
In ancient Persia, entering the inner court of the King without a direct royal summons carried an immediate death penalty under Persian law (Esther 4:11). The only exception occurred if the monarch extended his golden scepter. Esther’s call to fast was a total surrender to divine intervention over human legal protocols.
5. Winning People for Christ is the Ultimate Goal
Just because you are in church does not mean you are accomplishing kingdom purpose. If we are not winning people to Christ, discipling them in the faith, and improving their lives in history so that they can be greater impact vessels for God for eternity, then all church sermons and activities are weekly vain parties.
We must demonstrate the kingdom of heaven on Earth through kingdom discipleship. We must be heaven’s representatives on Earth. The Church exists to facilitate the kingdom of God.
“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
— Esther 4:15–16 (NKJV)
6. How God Prepares You to Be a Blessing
How do you know it is your time? There will be a spiritual conflict that God wants you to intervene in. You will see how He has prepared you to be a blessing and not just be blessed. Then, He will ask you to take a risk of faith.
Faith is a risky business because you are dealing with something you cannot see. The opposite of faith is sight. If you see it, it is not faith. Faith is acting on what you do not see because you believe God wants you to do it based on His Word. Faith is taking a step without being guaranteed the outcome. We do not mind taking a step when we can guarantee the outcome. The greater the uncertainty, the greater the purpose—and the greater the uncertainty, the more fearful the step.
Biblical Context
In Persian tradition, presenting oneself uninvited before the monarch in the inner court was punishable by death unless the ruler extended the golden scepter (Esther 4:11). The Hebrew root for faith, ‘aman, signifies firmness, reliability, and standing firm upon God’s structural truth rather than human guarantees. Esther’s preparation combined spiritual fasting (tzom) with decisive action in the face of political peril.
7. Taking a Step of Faith in Your Relationship with God
Taking a step of faith is a major part of our relationship with God. Esther said, “If I perish, I perish.” She did not know how this was going to work out. And sometimes God causes us, when it is our time, to take a step, and we do not see where that foot will land. It is a risky step because you do not know where to put your next step and how it is going to work.
You have been given a royal opportunity to take risky steps for the salvation of God’s people. Throughout the Bible, people have had to take risky steps of faith whenever God was ready to do something big. It is spiritual entrepreneurism. Entrepreneurism is where you take risks. But spiritually, it is where you are acting on God’s Word based on God’s revelation without having the results already predetermined, and it could go left, and you could perish.
Spiritual Preparation & Scriptural Examples
You need spiritual preparation to take steps of faith. Everybody had to fast, and Esther had to fast as well. She was willing to risk her well-being for His people.
The Three Hebrew Boys: The three Hebrew boys had to take a risk. They told Nebuchadnezzar, “We are not going to bow to that idol.” They did not know that there was going to be a fourth person in there to meet them. They had to take a risk in faith because they would not bow in contradiction to the Word of God.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den: When faced with the king’s decree prohibiting prayer in schools or courts, Daniel made a courageous decision rooted in faith. His act of defiance led to his confinement in a den of lions. Prior to his arrival, divine intervention spared Daniel from harm, demonstrating the power of God’s protection.
Peter Walking on Water: Peter took a calculated risk when he ventured onto the water. His decision to step out was based on Jesus’ assurance that he could do so. At the time of his decision, Peter was uncertain about the outcome and whether he would drown in the water.
When you have been called for a purpose, there is going to be a risky step of faith. And that risky step of faith has to be taken in both options: this could work or it might not. It will always involve benefiting more than you. As Scripture tells us, do not just look at yourself, but look at the things of others (Philippians 2:4). How will it be beneficial to others in the process of your benefiting?
You do not want to be like the pilot who grabbed the one parachute that was on the plane when the engines failed. He went to the door, unlocked it, and jumped out. Just before he jumped, he said, “Do not worry: I am just going to get some help.”
Open your eyes to such a time that needs faith. A turtle only makes progress when it sticks its neck out. God wants to use you. God wants to bless you. God wants to empower you because He wants you to make a difference. Even with the uncertainty, allow God to use you. If it is the risk that God wants you to take, take the risk of faith because it is your time to act for the Kingdom purpose. For more insights on stepping out in your divine assignment, check our article on growth and spiritual fruit.
The Choice: The Blue Pill vs. The Red Pill
Take a risk of faith and believe that it is your purpose, but I cannot promise you peace and prosperity. In your step of faith, the enemy will duplicate himself, but in every way, he will lose.
There are two pills I present to you: the blue pill and the red pill.
The Blue Pill: With the blue pill, you go back home to your plain old ordinary life, raise your family, make a little money, and pay your bills.
The Red Pill: The red pill reflects the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
I present to you the red pill. If you desire to seize the moment and witness the power of God in your life, and you long for God to work through you, then take the red pill and consume it. I cannot guarantee that taking the red pill will lead to a trouble-free journey, as it is a daring choice to make. Learn more about navigating testing and spiritual decisions in our lesson on prayer and spiritual discipline.
FAQ Schema Questions & Answers:
Q1: What does it mean to take a step of faith according to the Bible?
A: Taking a step of faith means acting on God’s Word and promises even when you cannot see or guarantee the outcome. It requires trusting God’s character and revelation over visible circumstances, as demonstrated by figures like Esther, Peter, and Daniel.
Q2: How do I know if I am fulfilling my Kingdom purpose?
A: You are fulfilling your Kingdom purpose when your life, resources, talents, and position are used to bless others, advance the Gospel, and serve God’s plan rather than solely accumulating personal wealth or comfort.
Q3: What happens if I refuse to obey God’s call in my life?
A: As illustrated in Esther 4:14, God’s ultimate work and covenant promises will always be fulfilled, if necessary through other means or individuals. However, refusing His call means missing out on your destiny and losing the privilege of being used by Him.
