It’s time to be honest with yourself and the Lord
Think about those people you call friends who you hang out with that tear down others, gossip too much, do not build you up but look for ways to, little by little, tear you down…they have become comfortable to you but it is time to walk away from them.
That bar you go to where you have too much to drink and really wonder why you are there but you go because it has become comfortable and those people you think are your so-called friends but would they be there if you were in a real crisis and have a real need?
Those games you play, and other online spaces that prevent real interaction with genuine people rob you of the joys of true fellowship, trapping you in a fantasy world of games, porn, shopping, news, sports, or whatever it has become. It’s too comfortable, and it’s costing you your life.
Even the food you eat that you know is not good for you, it will make you sick, causing you to gain weight, feel sluggish, and awful. It robs you of the joy of your health.
These things can deceive you into believing you are a victim. Friends who are not genuine want to keep you down at their level. Technology that controls you limits your ability to think freely and creatively, making you feel like a victim of its influence over your life. Junk food restricts your physical well-being, leading you to believe you are trapped by your limitations or genetics!
God wants you to have real relationships with real people who will love you, have your back, see you, really connect with you. He wants you to enjoy the world he created just for you. The sky, this gift of life that he has given you…Jesus’ plan is this
John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
However, our battle is with trying to live a life with Christ without changing our past. It is good to keep relationships that build you up, encourage you, and people that have your back, Jesus said…
Luke 9:62
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Jesus is challenging those who would choose to follow him, you must let go of the past, the past will not take you to your future. We can always learn from our past and use it to avoid pitfalls but Jesus is calling us to something greater, something higher, something more powerful and impacting than we could ever imagine, but we have to choose to pursue Him above all! We are to keep looking at the dreams the Lord has placed on our hearts and pursue them, don’t compromise the real person that you are and called to be. Don’t compromise your character ever but instead build it each and every day by becoming the champion God has called you to be!
Paul pursued the highest education you could pursue both in Greek and Hebrew schools of thought, he was the “attorney general” so to speak, of the Sanhedrin a position of power and prestige, bringing to justice and persecuting those who he believed were standing against God! Coming to Christ, he now changes the world….this became his story
Philippians 3:7-9
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
Paul’s life was about being in a race, striving to be the best he could be at all things. When he came to Christ, that call did not change, it simply became more effective. His call to success become more focused on what was real, rather than the fake, the world has to offer. His old life proved to be rubbish compared to all that God was pouring into him because he let go and ran to God!
Paul led thousands to Christ, started churches in every town where he hung out, raised up dozens of leaders, spoke to leaders of communities and nations, wrote 13 books of the Bible. Billions know his story, if he would have settled or compromised no one would have known him!
God has placed dreams in your heart! They were meant to be fulfilled by you as you walk away from you and run to Him. What are your goals, dreams; have a great family, have a successful career, an amazing marriage, financial security, peace and freedom in your life. I want to give you a few points to help you, regardless of age, finances, education or any other category that you believe will limit you…let’s get your destiny fulfilled!
We have this open window, I have discussed in the past and I want to very quickly give you points that we must meet in order to fulfill the destiny, accomplish the dreams in this season
- Let go of the past –
Philippians 3:13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
– Learn from your past, review your mistakes and failures but don’t live there.
– Allow your mistakes to be stepping stones for your destiny not anchors against it
– Don’t allow yourself to be content with past accomplishments! Rejoice in them, celebrate them but recognize God has so much more for you!
- Keep His focus –
Philippians 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
– You will head straight into wherever you are focused, keep your eyes and heart on His callings, gifts, and destiny
– you will always end up where you set your focus
– set backs will happen but they are only opportunities for growth
– Christians don’t have problems only opportunities for God to move!
- Start Running –
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
– The author of Hebrews is challenging us to look at what the godly men and women around us have accomplished and build on it.
– What is my purpose how can I run toward it if I don’t know. AS we view the things of life begin to list what you love to do and the things you love and list the problems you see. The things you love are the parts of you God wants to use to bless. The problems you see are things you are called to do to be a blessing to others
- Don’t worry about falling down –
Psalm 37:23,24 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall for the LORD holds them by the hand.
-Scripture also tells us faith is the evidence of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for…..this reveals the challenge….God has indeed gifted us but we must gather the people around us with wisdom and insight into our calling that can help us to avoid as many of the pitfalls that we can…there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. But even at that we will fail, it is the nature of walking by faith, which as a reminder is spelled R-I-S-K!
– Failing is merely learning how not to do something and it strengthens your ability to accomplish your task as you have now eliminated one bad choice!
– Choosing to have a mentor and wise people around you and choosing to listen to them is often the difference between true success and failure in fulfilling the call on your life!
- Be faithful –
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. Luke 16:10-12 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
– It is very easy and anyone can do it….what am I talking about? Quitting, giving up!
– It is against our human nature to accomplish the dreams, visions, and plans God has given you. Your flesh will fight you on it….”I don’t want to get up now! I don’t want to pray, spend time in God’s word, sit with my mentor, go do that thing today! But it is the little things that are the building blocks to seeing your dreams fulfilled and your destiny reached, God expects you to even be faithful with your money in order for him to trust you with the true blessings of heaven (Money is not bad it is just a tool)
– be faithful to your friends and family…they will be your greatest supporters and if you remain faithful to them, they will always be faithful to you…To have true friends you must be a friend (Proverbs 18:24)
- Help others run –
John 15:12,13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
-We are called to love God and love people. If we insolate and Isolate ourselves from others we limit God’s plan for us. Part of who you are depends upon the discovery of others…Jesus sent his disciples out two by two as a witness to the world and each other. Proverbs (27:17) tells us our sharpening, strengthening comes from being with others
– Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 strengthens the idea of helping others and being a help.. Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
– Your gifts are not just for you they are to be given away to help others. Proverbs(11:25) tells us that when we are generous, we will prosper and when we help others we will be helped. Paul even commands in Galatians 6:10 that be good to all people especially those of the faith.
– Other people have an impact on your destiny too, at times they are the conduit through which we grow or see other open doors…we are always called to mentor others.
– I challenge people always to have three types of people in their lives a Paul, Barnabas, and a Timothy!
Why did I share this with you today! I believe God is giving the church a window to radically change the world. He is giving us the opportunity to be part of this call! We must choose to finally fulfill the call on our lives and to shake off the things, even the sin as we read earlier in Hebrews 12:1. Sin is anything that is more important or causes us to miss God’s purpose.
You are not a victim but a hero! Change the world