So far, in this Dawn Of Purpose Blog series, we have looked at the idea that there are spheres of influence in society—and how God has a plan for each of them. In the last post, we explored the sphere of family, and how God’s love is the cure to the brokenness and sickness we see in others and ourselves. In this post, we will continue exploring these spheres together. I hope that you will be able to step deeper into the place, and the purpose, that God has created you to fill.
If you have read the book, Dawn Of Purpose, then you will know that, in the next place Nora entered, the people knew how to party! But, as she found out from a talented musician called Felicity, there is a deeper joy and happiness, that few people know about—at least, not until they experience it for themselves.
This reminds me of the sphere of celebration. This is the area of society that is all about arts and entertainment. It encompasses music and film, sports and fashion, art and literature, dancing and food—and generally anything that we do to have fun and enjoy life. I believe that all these things are gifts from God, for us to celebrate and have joy in His creation.
“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV).
But what’s the point of joy?
Well, I believe it is the strength of our human existence. There is a regeneration that comes from taking time off to enjoy our lives. There is a strength and energy that comes from enjoying the things that God has made. Whether that is reading a book, listening to music, or painting a picture. Whether that is going fishing, enjoying a meal, or cheering for a sports team. All this is part of living a healthy and enjoyable life. And it often involves creativity! I like to think of recreation as re-creation. This is a key idea for those who are called to this area of celebration.
For we are called, in this sphere of celebration, to bring joy through creativity. We partner with God to bring his creative glory into the earth! God is the one true Creator. And we are His children, made in His image, which means that we have the power to create things too!
This is a power that the enemy does not have. Satan is not capable of creating anything. His only strategy is to distort and counterfeit the good things that God has made. Satan loves to stamp out uniqueness, and instead, manufactures twisted copies of these creative works. This is why the arts and entertainment industry is so often feared and misunderstood in churches. We see how the enemy is using these creative outlets to lead people astray, especially young people. But we forget that God has a plan for this sphere too!
“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” — Habakkuk 2:14 (NKJV).
God is delighted to see us engage in creative, joyful activities that bring His love and values into the earth. Our goal is not to abandon these activities. Instead, our goal is to engage with these activities! But always with heaven’s perspective in mind. I am not saying it is necessary to bring overt Christian themes into all that we create or do. There are many ways of inspiring people—and creating atmospheres of love, truth, joy, righteousness, and peace—without hitting people over the head with Christian themes. All we have to do is weave these values into what we create, and they will speak for themselves.
It is important for us to value this sphere of celebration.
We cannot view the arts and entertainment industry as frivolous or useless or wrong. It is an enormous shaper of society! We must learn to appreciate these activities, and the artists and performers who pursue them. For this same sphere that leads people into sin and rebellion, can also lead people to experience the glory of God.
“In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” — Psalm 16:11 (NKJV).
In the presence of God, there is pleasure, bliss, and celebration. These are not tools of the enemy to be feared. They are gifts from God, for us to delight in! He is the one who makes the best songs, the best stories, the best games, the best food, the best designs. He wants us to partner with Him, to release His creative glory into society. And once people get a taste, they will know it is genuine and good, and so much better than the twisted, half-hearted pleasures that the enemy has been feeding them. If we can bring heaven into this sphere, it will transform the world.
So, let’s get in there and have fun!
This is one way of bringing the love of God into society, and seeing lives transformed. We will explore even more ways in future posts. Thanks for reading!
Dawn Of Purpose is a quick and fun guide to discover your purpose in life. The book is written in clear, straight-forward language, and it includes original, hand-drawn illustrations. Order your copy of Dawn Of Purpose on Amazon today, and join the adventure of a purpose-filled life!
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Some people call these spheres the seven mountains. This idea, of seven mountains that influence society, was first developed by Bill Bright and Loren Cunningham in 1975. Since then, the idea has been taught by Lance Wallnau and also expanded in several books by Johnny Enlow. These seven mountain resources inspired the message of Dawn Of Purpose.
You can find them for yourself at lancewallnau.com and restore7.org.