Gen 17:15-17 (NIV) God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. (NIV) I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”

Abraham was so very much committed to his assignment and resisted most of the evil temptations in his life.

Isaac’s Assignment was to raise two boys, twins, in the ways of God and to pronounce a very powerful and special prophecy over his youngest son Jacob. Here are the events of their birth: Gen 25:21-23 (NIV) Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Gen 26:24 (NIV) That night the LORD appeared to him (Isaac) and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” Isaac wasn’t committed to his assignment and failed the two boys. He had to be tricked into pronouncing the powerful and special prophecy over Jacob. He resisted most of the evil temptations that came his way on a personal level. But, he pretty much failed as a leader and a father.

Isaac did resisted most of the evil temptations that came his way on a personal level. But, he pretty much failed as a leader and a father.

Gen 28:14-15 (NIV) Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Jacob’s assignment was to have twelve sons and to raise them in the ways of God.

Jacob spent most of his life cheating people trying to get rich. He never did realize that his assignment was his sons. He finally did make it right with Esau for cheating him out of his birth right and the blessing pronounced over him from his father through deception. Jacob failed to be committed to his assignment over his twelve sons. And, he failed to resist the temptation to cheat those that got in his way to riches. But, God saw to it that those twelve sons were born and protected.

Gen 37:6-7 (NIV) He (Joseph) said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” Gen 37:9 (NIV) Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” Joseph’s assignments were to get to Egypt and be trained to rule second in command to Pharoah; and, he was to invite Jacob and the other eleven sons to move to Egypt.

The interesting thing about Joseph’s assignment was, he had no control over getting to Egypt, where he was trained, or how he was going to rule second in command to Pharoah. But, he did have the freedom to choose what his attitudes and character were going to be. Joseph was very committed to God and resisted all temptations to sin. He was an incredible example of true commitment and true resistance.

Exo 3:7-10 (NIV) The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey--the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

As you have seen, Moses had a lot of assignments: He was to get them out of Egypt; he was to get the Ten Commandments; he was to get God’s rules for living life (the laws of Moses); he was to get the Tent Of Meeting constructed and functioning; and he was to get the Children of Israel to the promised land. Moses was extremely committed to the assignments of God and resisted all but one temptation. He was to speak to a rock to get water out of it; but, instead, he hit it. The rock was representative of Jesus and Moses’ actions indicated that Jesus would be crucified more than once.

Gen 12:1 (NIV) The LORD had said to Abram (Abraham), “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. When you start wondering WHAT your life assignment is, you will probably be wondering what God’s goal is. You will probably start asking Him to tell you WHAT your purpose is. You will typically imagine various THINGS God might be calling you to. But, there was something VERY special about Abraham and Joseph that you need to learn about life assignments.

Rom 4:3 (NIV) What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Abraham ultimately had a clear picture of WHAT his life assignment was. But, it wasn’t until he was committed enough to obey God, pack up, and leave home without specific knowledge of his destination that his assignment got started. Abraham had a special relationship with God.

• Heb 11:8 (NIV) By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, OBEYED and went, even though he did not know where he was going. You don’t need to know WHAT God wants to do THROUGH you until you allow Him to accomplish WHAT He needs to do IN you. Your attitudes and character are WHAT make you a success in life. Jesus will be judging all mankind on what kind of attitudes and character PRODUCED the deeds of their life. Your first life assignment is to seek God!


• Heb 11:9 (NIV) By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. Even though Isaac and Jacob weren’t very committed to God, the reason they were in the country that was going to be the home of the Children of Israel was, because Abraham obeyed God. Your obedience can lay a foundation for many people to build on. You commitment to God and resistance to wrong, bad, and evil, effects the people around you.


• Heb 11:10 (NIV) For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Abraham was GOAL oriented. Abraham had a plan. Abraham had a strategy. Abraham emplemented his plan. And, Abraham reached his goal. What was it? He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. He built his relationship with God. His goal was to do what it took to obey God no matter what the cost. THAT produced a very special result in his earthly life assignment.


• Heb 11:11 (NIV) By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was ENABLED to become a father because he CONSIDERED Him faithful Who had made the promise. Isaac and Jacob didn’t give these issues much thought. Isaac was more of a laid back sort of guy. Jacob was quite aggressive but as a cheat, thief, and a coveteous person. His mind was on wealth most of his life. Abraham was quite wealthy; but, it was because of the blessings that came through righteousness.


• Heb 11:12 (NIV) And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. What’s your life assignment? It is to put your full trust and commitment into God. And, it is to resist your body’s desires, the world’s systems, and the devil’s temptations. AND, as you reach this goal, the blessings and accomplishments of your life will be godly, righteous, pure, and very successful. Be an Abraham, a Joseph, and a Moses. Commit to God and resist your body, the world, and the devil.

Rom 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your BODIES as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this WORLD, but BE transformed by the renewing of your mind. THEN you will be ABLE to test and approve what God’s will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will. Your life from here will be VERY successful and your rewards in heaven will be VERY great!