We’re Born Again for Something Now — Not Just to Go to Heaven Someday

You and I are recreated in Christ Jesus for good works. Unique things. Not just to go to heaven someday.

Will we experience them?

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV).

We are his workmanship — it’s a creative, artistic, design term in the Greek. We’re remade in Christ to execute on unique things he has prepared for us to do!

I want to think and pray in these categories …

  • The Father has special plans for me which he has prepared in advance.
  • As I’m recreated in Christ, I’m connected to those unique plans.
  • I get to walk them out with Christ-Energy.

LATEST EPISODE: The Cross Factor: Unlock Your Life (Ep 307)  Listen >  JesusSmart.com/307

Live the Pages in God’s Book (Not Referring to the Bible)

When I write about living the pages in God’s Book, I’m not talking about the pages of the Bible. Though we get to live in the extraordinary promises of that book too.

I’m referring here to a book we don’t often think about.

recorded in your book

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. David in Psalm 139:15-16 NLT

In Christ, we’re connected to those pages in God’s book. We don’t know everything written. We know some things. But not everything. In fact, I would like to suggest that we know a lot less than is there.

not just to go to heaven someday

But the good news is that we can progressively experience these pages as we pray into them by faith … trusting what is there. And as we progress in our relational knowledge of Christ, he will show us more about everything. See Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:15-19.

  • PRAY about what’s on the pages of the Creator’s Book. Even if you have no specific sense about things. Just pray that you would know them as you know Christ, and that the content of the pages will be manifested in your life. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding …” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
  • PRAISE God about what’s on the pages. Thank him. Praise him in advance. Praise is a way-maker, a precursor to what’s good from above.
  • PROCLAIM what’s on the pages. That’s right, speak out what you begin to sense from the Holy Spirit. Say it before it comes to pass. Prophesy. Like God, call those things that be not as though they are. See Romans 4:17-22.
  • PERFORM what’s on the pages. Take baby steps. Begin to execute on what the Holy Spirit is saying about you. Lean in the direction of the pages. Pray them. Praise them. Prophesy them. Perform them.

Those recreated in Christ Jesus are created for good works. Unique things. Not just to go to heaven someday.

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Don’t Hyper-Individualize — It’s About Your Story, Yes, but in Relation with Others in the Body of Christ

We’re so good at individualizing everything in the West. Resist that. It’s limiting. Look to the Spirit to be rightly engrafted in a company of believers — the local church.

We have individual stories that fit into the Grand Story of Jesus. But we’re meant to run with others in the pursuit of the good works which God has prepared for us.

In fact, I believe there are some things we quite probably will not experience without it. We need each other. The giftings within the Body of Christ will draw out more of your potential. And you will do the same for others. It’s the way Jesus has designed it.

Submit what you do to leaders in the Lord that you respect. Seek out their perspective and input.

Know this too: you may need to run in tight Kingdom Clusters as well that are niche. You may find this in the local church in which you are engrafted. Or often we have to go translocal to experience this.

There is a Kingdom webbing with believers between churches which is often necessary. I believe this is an edge the Holy Spirit is developing with some. Especially on strategic Kingdom initiatives.

Think with Me About This — “Not Just to Go to Heaven Someday”

Our destiny in Christ is not just to go to heaven someday. For sure, we’ll be actively involved in Christ’s enterprise in the New Heavens and New Earth. The Heavenly City is coming to a renewed earth.

But it starts when we’re born again (see John 3:1-8). Our life now is a seed. Is this something that resonates with you? I’m interested in your reply below.

things freely given by God

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.

1 Corinthians 2:12 NABRE

When you’re with the Lord in the Word and Prayer, concentrate on these things. Meditate on Psalm 139 and Ephesians 1:1-10. Pray into these passages. Ask the Father in Jesus’ name to lead you by the Spirit and bring you into all he has in mind.

I just know this — we need the accuracy and alignment that Jesus offers. We need full deployment as Kingdom Agents. We need Spirit Strategy and Transcendent Tactics.

And this too … we need to “waste” ourselves on the affection of Christ as a priority like Mary in John 12. It’s from this reservoir at the feet of Jesus, pouring out everything on him, that we rise to accurately and fruitfully do those things he has prepared for us to do.


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destiny, heaven, on earth as in heaven


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  1. “We have individual stories that fit into the Grand Story of Jesus. But we’re meant to run with others in the pursuit of the good works which God has prepared for us.

    In fact, I believe there are some things we quite probably will not experience without it. We need each other. The giftings within the Body of Christ will draw out more of your potential. And you will do the same for others. It’s the way Jesus has designed it.”

    A great point, Brian. Cannot do these things alone. We are made for partnership and collaboration. Nice post.

    1. Thanks, Josh. Yes, I think we Americans especially tend to underestimate the value of connectivity and collaboration. But it’s the way the Kingdom works. We get it eventually!

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