Fundamental Keys to Unlock the Plan of God

By Marc Baker

Have you struggled with understanding why God placed you on this earth? If so, you are not alone. Every Christian will find themselves questioning whether they are running the spiritual race set before them by God at one point or another in their spiritual journey. Some have even discovered that they have been trying to run someone else’s race or even a race that God has not called them to participate in. We all have a plan and unique purpose designed by God even before the moment of our conception!

In Fundamental Keys to Unlock the Plan of God, Marc Baker takes the reader on an inspirational journey to identify fundamental biblical keys that can open the doorway into God’s plans and purposes for their lives. Utilizing these keys will lead the reader into a life of fulfillment walking out the divine plan God ordained for their life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664256521

Marc Baker

Marc Baker is the founder and president of MB Media Ministries. He is a graduate of RHEMA Bible Training Center and Liberty University. The two primary emphases of his ministry are to guide others in developing a relationship with the Holy Spirit and discovering God’s plan for their lives. Marc and his wife, Carol, believe that no life is as exciting as one lived in the fullness of God’s plan and purposes.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

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MANY CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE with understanding what the plans and purposes of God are for their lives. They work through their Christian journey with almost no assurance that what they are doing is fulfilling the purpose for which God put them on the earth.

Every man, woman, and child has a unique plan designed specifically for them by God. It is not a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all type of plan. He has developed a specific purpose for each person that is as unique as they are.

I’ve observed many Christians who have struggled with understanding what the plan of God is for their lives. Intuitively, we know He has a purpose for us to fulfill. Many of us still struggle with understanding what that is. I completely understand their struggles. Early in my Christian walk, I also struggled to understand God’s purpose for my life.

We will focus specifically on learning the fundamental truths that can enable us to discover the plan of God in the pages ahead. The Lord has revealed to me several keys that have helped unlock my understanding of His plan and purpose for my life. I will be sharing these in the pages ahead and believe they can help you find His purpose for your life, just as they helped me find mine.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)

Vision is a critical key to being able to discover and walk in the plans and purposes of God. It grows from the seed of revelation. Revelation will grow in our hearts as we spend time meditating in the Word of God and waiting on Him in prayer. We will fail in our quest to discover His plans and purposes if we do not commit to spending time each day alone with the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:18 NLV)

We fix our gaze on the unseen realm of God by learning to focus on His Word! The world we live in is full of distractions that draw our focus away from God’s Word if we let them. These may be anything from social media to television programs and sporting events.

Satan will use every tactic imaginable to turn our attention away from the Word of God. He knows the danger of allowing it to become planted in our hearts. The Word planted in our hearts gives birth to revelation. Revelation knowledge will begin to grow in our hearts, and when it does, it will become much more difficult for him to hold us in bondage!

There will be times when it will seem like we are being pulled in every direction and are unable to focus on the Word of God. We might have a work deadline that is looming. As we work to meet it, our spouse calls to ask us to run an errand. While running the errand, our boss or a coworker contacts us to request the status on the project. All of these are distractions that will pull us away from the Word if we allow them to.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3–4)

I have heard many variations of teaching about spiritual warfare. Most of these do not agree with Paul’s description in 2 Corinthians 10.

Paul provides us a description of strongholds that we should be pulling down. They are imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Paul’s list is very different from the definition of strongholds used in most teaching about spiritual warfare today! He tells us that strongholds are the things in our lives that pull us away from the knowledge of God.

Paul tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. The Greek word translated carnal could also be fleshly or earthly. It is a reference to the natural realm with which we interact through our five physical senses. To be carnal then is to be more focused on the input of our five physical senses than on the things of God.

CHAPTER 2

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MOST OF THE people who identify themselves as Christians will wake up and go about their daily routine without thinking once about God or His Word. They have responsibilities that may include family or work and only make time for a quick devotion, if they give any time at all.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:5–6)

The Holy Spirit is with us every moment of the day. He is interested in the minor details of our lives but is waiting for us to include Him in them. Unfortunately, He is left waiting by most of us because we do not make time for Him. The responsibilities of life pull our attention away from Him to natural things. We have allowed ourselves to become carnally minded.

Let’s pause and take a moment to think about what our lives would look like if we were walking in everything God has planned for us. Do you think they would look different from how they do today? Would we be as focused on the natural things going on around us as we are today? I don’t think so!

Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

God knew us and ordained a purpose for our lives before we were born. Many Christians wake up with their natural responsibilities on their minds. Most of these things are not a part of His plan. We often make commitments without first consulting with the Holy Spirit.

Paul told us to fix our gaze on things that cannot be perceived by our five physical senses (2 Corinthians 4:18). Learning to do this is the key to success in the natural and spiritual realms.

Some Christians have found the plan and purpose of God for their lives. The majority have only entered the fringes of His plan by accident. Many of us have allowed our focus to drift away from the spiritual realm. We allow this to happen by looking at the distractions thrown at us by Satan instead of God’s Word.

We discern spiritual things only with our spiritual eyes. We must commit to developing our spiritual senses by spending time giving careful and considerate thought to God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit is standing by to teach and guide us into the truths of scripture. Most of us depend on our natural abilities to learn new things and never look to Him for help.

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46–50)

Satan is a master of distraction. Natural responsibilities are some of his most effective tools to divert our attention away from God. He will use our family, work, or friends to pull us away from God. If we look to the Holy Spirit, He will help us fulfill our natural obligations and still make time for spiritual things.

Some people are nearsighted, and others are farsighted in the natural realm. They require corrective lenses to help them see clearly. In a sense, we could say that the Bible is God’s corrective lens. It is what He uses to enable us to see clearly in the spiritual realm. Our spiritual vision may be nearsighted or farsighted. The Word of God will correct either condition if we pick it up and put it on our spiritual eyes!

Christians call Jesus the Great Physician. He has issued a prescription for our spiritual vision that is unique to each one of us. This prescription is not the drugstore one-size-fits-all reading glasses! It is tailored to our spiritual vision and will provide the ability to see clearly into the plan of God if we will follow it.

Far too many Christians miss the plan of God because they are not following the Great Physician’s instructions. The result is a mediocre life that may find some natural successes with no associated eternal impact.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

I have heard people say that they find it hard to make time for prayer and studying God’s Word. They claim their schedules are far too full. These people may read a verse or even a chapter when they can squeeze it in.

When he stepped into the position as leader of Israel, more than one million people were looking to him for leadership. If anyone had an excuse for being busy, I think it would have been Joshua. God told him that his key to success would be to spend time meditating in His Word day and night.

The average Christian today will place their Bible on a shelf where it gathers dust between services. Each Sunday, they dust it off and dutifully carry it to church. The minister delivers a message at the service. Some congregants will open their Bibles to read along with him, but most will look at the words on the overhead screens. Very few will give very little thought to what the minister is reading. At the end of service, the majority will go home and place their Bible on a shelf until it is time to take it back to church the following week. It is no wonder so many of us struggle with understanding what our purpose is!

CHAPTER 3

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Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be which go in thereat.

—Matthew 7:13

THE WORLD AROUND us is rushing toward destruction. I compare it to being like people who are riding canoes down a rushing river without a paddle. The majority are so focused on enjoying the ride that they are clueless about the destruction awaiting where the river is carrying them.

Jesus told His disciples that the road leading to destruction is broad. Unfortunately, even most people who identify themselves as Christian are also choosing to travel on this road.

We previously talked about the need for focus to walk in the plan of God. Pursuing God’s plan will require us to turn our proverbial canoe in the opposite direction that everyone around us is traveling. Critics will accuse us of being fanatical when we begin to move in the opposite direction of those around us traveling on the river of religion.

Church congregations consist of many people who are satisfied with things as they are. These are the same people who will be our greatest accusers.

I have heard ministers talk about how easy it is to follow the plan of God. The opposite is true. Satan will use every weapon at his disposal to knock us off the path when we begin to move toward the direction that God has planned for us to walk.

It will not be easy to pursue the plan of God, but we will not be alone in our journey! The Holy Spirit will