There is always that daunting question of “Why am I here?” or “Does my life matter?” Well, the reality is, no matter who you are or where you’re from, your life does matter, and there is a purpose for your life. And so here are a few inspirational Bible verses on destiny to remind you of this truth.
What Does the Bible Say About Destiny?
Destiny can be defined as someone’s preordained future or fate. It can also be seen as the plan of God or purpose for our lives. We can also look at destiny as a book. A book that contains different stories, plots, the good, the bad, a beginning, and an end.
This book also has one author, God, and only He can write or rewrite what happens in the next chapter of our lives. And so for some of you, maybe your destiny has been revealed or maybe you haven’t found it yet.
Still, the Bible assures us that we all have a unique destiny. And it is the will of God that we all play our part in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Bible Verses about Destiny and Purpose
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
Solomon understood the meaning of strategic planning or planning for the future, but he also understood that human plans and what God plans for us are different. He also wanted his readers to know that only the plans of God for our lives are destined to happen.
And so it is for us to realize that while it is okay to plan, ultimately, it is God who decides whether those plans align with what He has for us.
John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
These words of encouragement spoken by the Lord God are ones that we can find comfort in. In this verse, we are told that we are serving an omnipresent God who knows each tear we cry or pain we feel and that everything we go through is all for a greater purpose.
As the saying goes, “Everything happens for a reason.” Yes, sometimes this is a little hard to understand especially when difficult times come and you wonder what reason could there be for you to be going through hell, but know that God is in control.
These words are a means of hope, strength, and support for the faint-hearted.
Isaiah 55:11“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
It is important to realize what this verse is saying, that whatever the Lord puts forth shall come to pass. The Bible says “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” This can be seen as a blessing and warning.
Which means whoever abides by His Word, will reap the reward of the blessings He promised for the faithful. Every promise he laid out in his words shall not go void, but those who neglect his gospel will reap damnation.
And so these words are a wake-up call for believers and non-believers, whatever the Lord destined to happen, shall not return empty.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
There are many verses in Bible that speak about destiny, and among them, this verse is widely used today. Many of us will often ask why is God allowing these bad things to happen to us, and why are we suffering so long.
And so this verse is used to offer comfort to Christians who have their backs against the wall or those who need that little ounce of encouragement.
It’s not an “if” or a “maybe” but the Apostle Paul said for we “know” that whatever we go through good or bad, it all works together for our good according to God’s purpose. So continue to walk by faith knowing that He can turn your test into your testimony.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
This teaching on destiny is one we should hold dear to our hearts. It was a personal promise of God spoken by Jeremiah to the Jews who were suffering in Babylon and it is also a promise for us today.
God’s plan for us is not to see us buried in our pain or crush in despair, but to see us prosper in the fullness of His glory. That even though we too might be struggling in our own version of Babylon, God wants us to know that things may not make sense now, but His plans are good and sure.
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
How wonderful it is to know that even before we were thought about in our mother’s womb, God knew us. The prophet Jeremiah was told by God that he was destined to be a prophet. Jeremiah did not plan to go to Bible school or was this passed down from the generation before, but this was already a calling on his life for God.
Many of us today, despite having a career plan, have a purpose or a calling on our lives, and this was placed upon us even before we were born. And so it is our responsibility to surrender to God so that our purpose can be fulfilled.
Revelation 20:12 ”And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.”
One of the scariest books of the Bible is indeed the book of Revelations. A book that is filled with many terrifying images of the end of days. Where we also hear of the great judgment day, a day that both dead and alive will know their fate.
And this verse clearly tells us that all those who ignore the calling of God and refuse to follow the straight and narrow will meet their demise in the lake of fire. Sadly, this will be their ultimate destiny.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 ”For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.”
The Bible tells us that everything under the sun has a reason and a season. And that includes the plan God has for us. We are all running this Christian journey, and as we can see not everyone will reach the finish line at the same time.
And this was predestined by God, He knows the when, the how, the what, and the why of our lives. We just have to realize that everything will happen when it should.
When Jesus was supposed to raise Lazarus from the dead, he could have come immediately, but He waited four days. Mary and Martha didn’t understand why the son of God would wait this long to come, but he assured them that he is the resurrection and that all who believe in Him, shall not die but live to declare the name of the Lord.
And so we need to have faith in knowing God’s timing and our timing will not always match up. God knows best, and it is just for us to have faith in His desire for our lives.
Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
This tells the story of Job when he was going through a terrible time in his life. He was going through so much that when we read his story today, it is unfortunate how one man could go through so much. He questioned God “Why? Why is all this happening to him.”
But then after speaking with God, he realized that God knew what He was doing. Job’s encounter with God straightened his faith, and it is a lesson for us as well to understand that God is in control. And even though the battle might be hot, once we stick it out, the victory shall be ours.
Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
This verse holds a special place in each of our hearts. It can be seen in our offices, in our devotional journals, and even pasted across our walls at home. It is the confidence that we have that when God is for us, no one can be against us.
Like (Ephesians 1:11) says “In him, we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose scheduled for each of us. So let us remain content in our faith and in God’s Promises.
Philippians 3:13 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”
As Christians, we are all in different places in our Christian race, but we all have one aim in mind and that is the prize at the end of the finish line. Here, Paul too shared the analogy of running his own race.
He reminds us not to remember the former things and that our past mistakes is in the past. So we should try to live in the now and keep our eyes on the higher calling.
Psalm 138:8 ”The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”
When there is a calling on our life, the Bible says it will be fulfilled, no matter how long it takes. Our life is not our own, it belongs to the Lord and so whatever our hands findeth to do, do it with all thy might so that our God in all things can be glorified.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
This is a reminder to both believers and non-believers alike that God searches our minds and put tests in our path to see our reaction to them. He also awards us according to what we have done with what we have been given. In other words, we reap what we sow.
And so our moral choices in life can definitely affect our destiny, and whether that is good or bad is totally dependent on us.
Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
As God’s children, we are called to serve a greater purpose. The word “foreknew” here is also telling us that God knew us before we knew him and as such our life was already preordained and predestined.
He also knew who would join His family and be born-again and bear the likeness of His son. And so our it was not a mistake that we chose to serve God because we were already chosen.
1 Peter 2:8-9 ”And “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
In these verses, Peter described what happens to those who disobey the Word of God, that they are destined to stumble. However, he also tells us what happens to those who are chosen, as God calls them a royal priesthood.
As believers, we are a set-apart people, chosen to carry out our God-given assignments. As a chosen race we each play a special part in His plan, all aiming to proclaim the excellence of Him who called us into the light.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
From our days in Sunday school, we can recall hearing these words a few times. Words that assure us of God’s love. It also offers an everlasting life that is destined for those who believe in Him.
How Can We Fulfill our Destiny?
Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
This instruction is clear as day, to achieve our destiny, we have to commit our ways to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our plans will then succeed because we choose to walk in the way of the Lord, and allow His light to shine in our lives so we can see the fullness of His glory.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
The Bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and this verse ties into it by saying we were fashioned in the likeness of God, created to do good work. We all have been given special gifts and assignments for different purposes.
The verse tells us we are His workmanship, and His plans for our lives were known to him before birth. So we are encouraged to step into our purpose so that like a tree, we can bear good fruit.
Proverbs 20:24 ”A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?”
This verse aims to declare that a man’s steps are ordained by God. We will not always see the future as God does, but it is important to know that he will never lead us down a path of destruction.
That will only happen when we choose to lean on our own understanding rather than putting God behind the wheel of our car. And so today, we should join in David’s prayer “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths,” (Psalms 25:4), so that we can be guided on our journey.
It may not be easy trusting in an unseen God, but He is and always will be an on-time God, perfect in all his ways.
Hebrew 11:7 “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith, he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”
God’s Word tells us that if our faith is as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. (Matthew 17:20). Noah was one such character that was unsure of the future but chose to live by faith and trusted in the wisdom of God. We too can become an heir of righteousness when we have faith in the unseen future.
Bible verses on Destiny Killers
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
One of many destiny destroyers is the lack of knowledge. When we choose to reject the law of the Lord, we become enemies of the cross of Christ. This rejection will ultimately lead to our downfall.
1Timothy 1:19 “Holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith.”
Secondly is the lack of faith. When we lack faith in God, we eventually try to take matters into our own hands and start trusting in the destiny we want rather than what God wants for us. We also become a slave to fear.
Proverb 29:23 “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.”
Having too much pride is also another destiny killer. This causes a person to be arrogant, and self-centered and pretty much distracts us from recognizing our true purpose and as such destroy our destiny.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”
Sexual immorality is another one that affects our destiny. Our failure to realize that our body is the temple of the Lord. And that God will not pour clean oil into a dirty bottle. And when the Holy Ghost can’t find a home in you then you won’t know what God requires of you.
Proverbs 25:28 “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
A lack of self-control can destroy your destiny. It also makes you susceptible to temptation. A man without self-control is a man that has no sense of direction which detracts him from his purpose.
Conclusion
These Bible verses remind us that we are all destined for greatness, and it is up to us to build a connection with God so that His plan for lives can be revealed.
