Fulfill Your Destiny
By Honey French
Are you discouraged by your circumstances? Are you dissatisfied with your current situation? Our loving God knows all about it. And because God loves you, He will turn it around eventually for your good as you give Him control of your life. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. It’s a promise of God. But there are conditions, and the first is that we love Him. And if we love Him we’re trying to please Him in all our ways. And the second condition is that we’re trying to always be in the center of His will.
The following story is an example God put in the Bible for us.
Joshua 15:16 And Caleb said, He that attacks Kirjath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 18 And it came to pass, as she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father for a field: and she dismounted from her donkey; and Caleb asked her, What do you wish? 19 She answered Give me a blessing; for you have given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.
We can learn a lot about characters in the Bible by their names. God gives us clues about them when we look up the meaning of their names in the original language, which is Hebrew in this case. Also, looking words up in the Strong’s Concordance gives better understanding of God’s intent.
Aschsah was perhaps viewed by her father Caleb as a pretty object or possession to be given away since the meaning of her name Achsah (5915:anklet, tinkling ornament) was frivolous. Anyway her father offered her as a prize or reward to whoever captured the city, as was often the custom of that time. What a custom! Aren’t you glad you didn’t live in those ancient times?!
Can you imagine what Aschsah was thinking?! What kind of man will this warrior be? Will he be a crude, hulking, brutal oaf of a man? What will he look like? Will he be handsome or ugly, fat or thin, tall or short? How will he treat me? Will he be kind, gentle, and considerate, or order me around? I bet she bombarded heaven with prayer!
But we’re not victims of our circumstances when we belong to God! God knows the beginning from the end! Nothing in our life is an accident! We don’t know that much about Achsah, but we do know that God thought she deserved Othniel (6274: force of God; 0352: strong, mighty, goodly), who we know by his name was a strong, mighty, good man with the force of God behind him. God allowed him to take that city because God wanted to reward her with this wonderful man for a husband.
Perhaps her dad Caleb didn’t think that much of Achsah because Caleb didn’t give them any land when they married. Joshua 15:18 And it came to pass, as she came to him, that she moved (moved 5496: stimulate, enticed, persuaded, provoked) him to ask him to ask of her father for a field. She had to persuade or provoke Othniel to ask her father Caleb to give them land, which he did.
There are so many men or women who feel overlooked or unappreciated because they feel people just look at the outer appearance. Perhaps Achsah was thought of as this pretty, brainless little thing that is nice to look at, period. I’m so glad God doesn’t view us as others do. He looks at the heart! He knows what He created us to be. He knows our potential. He looks past what we appear to be with our flaws and weaknesses and sees us the way we can be. 1Sam 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
Caleb appeared to have overlooked giving them land. Aschsah, however, thought enough of herself and her own worth to persuade her husband to ask Caleb for land. However, when Caleb did, he gave them land in the south (5045: parched from drought) which was not desirable.)
So Aschsah later went to her father with purpose. Caleb recognized that and asked what she wanted. She wasn’t hesitant or wishy-washy. She knew who she was and what she deserved. And she boldly told him the land he gave them was parched from drought. But she wasn’t demanding and obnoxious. She asked in faith believing that her father loved her enough to grant her request. She asked for springs, plural! And he gave her upper and lower springs! (upper 5942: ascend, high, grow over, increase, lift up, raise, recover, restore, shoot forth up, spring and stir up) and (nether 8482: lowermost, depths, figuratively the womb)
The upper spring symbolizes recovering and restoration, ascending high, increasing, a stirring up and shooting forth upward! Don’t be discouraged! Don’t give up hope! Don’t think your situation won’t ever improve! Go on to your full potential…God’s destiny for you ordained from the womb! When God created you, He put everything in your DNA to fulfill all that He has for you! Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future, a hope, a reward.
We can go to our Father God and ask in faith being led by the Holy Spirit! He wants to bless us and help us become all that He created us to be. And He wants us to come into the blessings He has planned for us since the foundation of the world!
And remember the nether springs symbolizes from the depths, from the womb, new creative thoughts and ideas and projects or ministries being birthed! Perhaps there’s an invention waiting to come forth from you! Proverbs 8:12: I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. Perhaps there’s a song or a book waiting to be birthed!
So please be encouraged. Don’t fret, worry, or complain, but praise Him in spite of your circumstances, even when it’s the hardest thing to do. Philippians 4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Nehemiah 8:10…for the joy of the LORD is your strength. We don’t praise Him for the circumstances, but we praise Him in spite of them because He’s worthy of our praise. He’s a wonderful, powerful God who spoke the world into existence! Praise doesn’t change the situation instantly, but it gives us a different perspective as we examine our circumstances. When we meditate on the awesome greatness of our God, our big huge problem will diminish in size because our faith increases as we see the grandeur of God and see the problem from eternity’s viewpoint.
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured…lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees;
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it to pass this day, to save much people alive. Always remember that God loves us and wants to turn situations that the devil meant for evil around for our good just as He did for Joseph in Genesis and for Achsah in Joshua 15! So I’m hoping this article will inspire and encourage you to persevere and fulfill the wonderful destiny God has ordained for you since you were in your mother’s womb.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights in his way. Psalm 37:23.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs3:5.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6
