IN INVESTIGATING THE reason for man’s existence, it’s imperative to understand the reason why God created mankind in the first place. Using the Kingdom of God Constitution and Law Book[1] as reference, there appeared to be a dialogue among the Holy Trinity the result of which was this:

Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

(Genesis 1:26-27, NIV)

The inference from this is that mankind is representative of God on Earth with the primary mandate of rulership on behalf of God. We are kings and queens, and God is the King of kings. Moses put it this way:

God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number, fill the Earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

(Genesis 1:28, NIV)

Let's not forget that it is not anywhere clearly stated or mentioned in scripture that angels were created in the image of God, neither were they given the mandate to rule Earth on God's behalf. This further demonstrates how special a being mankind is. Just like God, so to speak.

To fully appreciate God's purpose for man requires one to answer the question, “ What is my identity and origin?” One may be tempted to identify himself/herself by name, race, ethnicity, religion, profession, or geographical location, however, to do so is to misconstrue the essence or crux of the matter. God existed before the beginning, and in the beginning He created the heavens and Earth. All things that were, all things that are, and all things to come, God is. He is the source of all things who spoke the unseen into the seen, the invisible into the visible. On the sixth day of creation, God created man and made animals. God made man from the dirt of Earth just like He did animals, however, He created man by breathing His Spirit into man. Humankind is a spirit having a human experience.

Man has a body, soul, and spirit. Now, all living things—including trees—have a body. The body is the medium through which man processes the world around him through the utilization of the five senses. Intuitively, animals are also capable of this. There exists a lot of similarity between man and animals when you consider the shared features of their external body like limbs, eyes, ears, mouth, and hair as well as their internal organs.

I remember as a nursing student each of us was given a dead preserved cat we used as reference in the laboratory during the Anatomy and Physiology class to familiarize ourselves with the systems of the human body. On the inside a cat is just like a human being, yes indeed. Next is the soul dimension which is the mind, will, and emotions. In the soul we are self-aware, and the soul defines our self-conscious. And I am here to report that animals too have a self-conscious. They are aware of their environment. Humans are uniquely positioned as the only living thing with a spirit through which we cultivate a vertical relationship with God.

In the spirit mankind is capable of fellowship with God. When our spirit communes with the Spirit of God, an alignment is established that enables us to carry out the original mandate of rulership as intended by the Creator. In this way, we reflect the nature, morals, and values of God. We can impact our domain with the will, intent, and purpose of the Creator. On the other hand, failure to operate in spirit pulls us down to the level of animals. This brings about a drive to fulfill the desires of the flesh just like animals do. Many a people when not living in a vertical alignment with the Creator end up suffering addictions like drugs, alcohol, and sex. Therefore, you need the Spirit of God for guidance and teaching to help you in discovering the reason for your existence.

When mankind sinned, he lost the connection to God, and in the process declared independence from the Kingdom of Heaven. Consequently, the Holy Spirit deserted mankind. Man was no longer a representative of God as he fell from rulership. Fortunately, God is a benevolent and compassionate King who then embarked on a mission to restore man into dominion by sending His only son Jesus Christ. Isaiah put it this way:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 9:6, NIV).

It's very evident here that the Son was to bring a government, and if you remember, the first man Adam fell from rulership of Earth on behalf of God. Therefore, the coming of the Messiah was about restoring man back into Kingdom of Heaven rulership on Earth as well as re-establishing the Holy Spirit connection between man and God. Becoming born again re-establishes the communion between your spirit and God’s Spirit.

The Spirit of God teaches and guides you towards fulfillment of God’s purpose for your life. The Bible says that God's purpose will always stand no matter what. This implies that whether man fulfills God's purpose or not it never changes. There's no substituting God's purpose. One may come across as successful because he/she is employed with a high-paying job or has a great education, however, this doesn't necessarily imply success or fulfillment.

True success is fulfillment of purpose as intended by God. I believe this could be the reason why even millionaires or billionaires commit suicide; a feeling of emptiness persists when not engaged in what you were born to do. I remember at the height of the 2008 financial crisis there was a German billionaire by the name of Adolf Merckle. It is alleged that when faced with mounting financial pressure, he committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a train near his home. At the time of his death, Forbes ranked him as the 94th richest in the world. Why did Merckle kill himself? His idea of success was the world view.

Many people are captivated by the notion of notoriety and popularity. Instead, man's purpose is predestined by God. The Creator brings man into this world already prepackaged with purpose, implying that true success is fulfillment of the purpose that is already inherent in us.

Think of purpose as a destination. Purpose is destiny. It's a kind of force that draws you towards it. What I am trying to say is that purpose is the quiet voice that keeps talking to you. It's the inner voice that doesn't drown out. Purpose is the pull that keeps tugging at you. When God created mankind, he placed a seed in him. That’s why in Genesis He tells us to be fruitful because the seed already exists in us. Unless placed in the right environment that will foster growth, the seed remains unchanged.

So, what's the right environment? Metaphorically speaking the right environment is like digging a hole and burying the seed in fertile soil. This way nutrients from the soil, water, and sun provide the ingredients that foster growth. Within no time the tree shoots out of the ground with branches and leaves and later produces fruit.

Important to note is that the tree never produces fruit for itself, but for others. The seed is the potential—call it purpose or dormant ability—until its acted upon. Now, in reality the right environment is a result of what you listen to, what you watch, or read, and whose company you are in. Too often, many people engage in time-wasting habits like binge-watching TV or movies unnecessarily for hours on end or engaging in other nonproductive engagements.

The success of anything manufactured is directly correlated to the manufacturer. Every manufacturer of a thing is desirous of its success. To ensure success of a product, a manufacturer will run the necessary tests no matter how long, as well as equipping the product with the necessary abilities to fulfill the desired end. For instance, the maker of a computer equips it with the necessary ability and runs the necessary tests to ensure it's in good working order. Finally, when finished with the laptop and certain it will perform the intended purpose, the manufacturer places their logo or brand name on the laptop, their image, so to speak. Important to note is that the manufacturer has their reputation on the line if the product doesn't succeed. For this reason, product fulfillment of intended purpose is in the best interest of the manufacturer as much as it is to the consumer.

Success of the product is actually even more important to the manufacturer than it is to the consumer. To put this in perspective, the Bible says that God created mankind in His own image and likeness, implying that God is the Creator and manufacturer of your life. As the manufacturer, God placed in humankind the ability to accomplish His desired purpose. And like any manufacturer, God desires your success because you are His product. Therefore, God's reputation and glory are on the line when you fail to succeed. God designed mankind to succeed if he/she follows the natural laws and inbuilt spiritual principles. The fundamental requirement is for mankind to create an environment where God's Spirit can reside in him. This way man is in connection with His Creator and able to reflect the nature, morals, and values of God.

A person must accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This way they are born again to receive the Holy Spirit.

With the Holy Spirit taking residence in man's heart, a person is capable of discernment of the scriptures which promotes a better understanding of God. Apostle Paul expressed it this way:

For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

(1 Corinthians 2: 11-12, NIV)

The Spirit of God opens our eyes of understanding through a relationship with God. This relationship with God is so important because God is the source of man. To create man God had to speak to Himself thereby creating man in His own image and likeness. Without the connections to God, a person is detached from their Source.

Connection to the source is necessary for the success of the object. In essence, it’s important for humankind’s spirit to be in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The real secret is in trusting God and keeping God front and center. He should be the focus of our life. Mathew said:

So do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

(Mathew 6:31-33, NIV)

Many a people have settled for less in life and resigned to survival, however, devoting time and effort to seeking closeness to God brings about total transformation. In essence, God is the source of all of things. The Spirit of God makes it possible for a person to harness his potential. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you discover your talents. God’s Spirit goes deep into his mind and extracts your purpose and deposits it in your heart. Through discernment God’s purpose for your life is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God then guides and counsels you in living a full and fulfilled life. The Bible says God doesn't live in structures built by hands of men:

However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?

(Acts 7:48-49, NIV)

To this end, a person's body is a temple for the Spirit of God to take residence. However, the requirement is to be born again which implies to turn away from a life of rebellion and independence to a life of submitting to the will of God. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a person permits man to tap into the mind of God. This is important because the purpose of man lies in the mind of the Creator, hence a connection to God is paramount. The Apostle Paul says:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another prophecy, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

(1 Corinthians 12:4-11, NIV).

Finding the reason for your existence should be so important in that it graduates from important to an emergency. Why do I say so? It’s the destination for your life. You should throw all weight imaginable behind the pursuit of God’s purpose for your life. Commitment is a must, followed by persistence together with consistence. Along the journey of life, you will surely encounter failure, setbacks, and challenges, however, it's important to remain steadfast in the Lord God. Per scripture, the steps of a good man are ordered by God. When you choose to submit to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, intuitively you commit to fulfilling your assignment from God. It’s the accomplishment of this assignment that yields a sense of personal fulfillment and genuine success.

[1]The Bible is the constitution of the Kingdom of God as well as Law Book.