The difference between defeat and victory sometimes lie in what we know about ourselves.
Not long ago, I was having a chat with a very respectable man. He shared a story about his starting days undertaking his PhD research work. His supervisor had requested he wrote an academic paper for presentation. He wasn’t prepared neither was he equipped to do that which was being asked of him, so he gave it his best shot and gave it to the supervisor.
The supervisor was very disappointed at the paper and made it clear that it was so bad that it would go into his file and would ultimately serve as a negative mark.
While recounting the story, the man told me he didn’t object to the supervisor’s comments because he was aware of his ability. He said “I couldn’t do much, at the stage where I was then, that was the best I could do”.
Rather than allow the situation to have a negative effect on him, he worked at improving who he was when it came to writing academic papers. About a few months later, the same opportunity presented itself and he went to the supervisor asking for permission to re-present the paper.
His second submission was outstanding that he flew outside of the country to present it in a conference.
In Genesis 22, Abraham found himself in a position that requires a huge amount of confidence in his belief in God. He had to know (i.e. remember) who he is in God.
God had given Abraham a near impossible task to sacrifice his only son (the same one he waited almost 100 years before having) to Him.
Abraham then obediently sets out on this very depressing journey….. only difference is, Abraham was not depressed at all.
In vs.7 Isaac questioned the absence of a ram for the sacrifice but Abraham’s reply showed us that he knows God is in control over his life.
Vs. 8 “And Abraham said, my son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering”
When you start showing signs of success, life, people and situations will start questioning who you are. No one questions the people on the loosing team (Apart from Sir Alan Sugar)….
In our quest for winning everyday battles, we need to devote time into knowing who we really are. Lack of personal knowledge undermines our ability to reap maximum benefit from fighting.
So at work, you struggle to get your voice heard, but after constant top of the range performance and impeccable hard work, you were given a platform to express yourself……..then …. You can’t define yourself… what a waste of effort that would have been.
If you call yourself a Christian (i.e. Christ follower) stammering when your identity is called into question places you on the platform of defeat... (Long before the battle commences).
Jesus during His time on earth was constantly questioned about who He was, what He knows and how He does the things He does.
Jesus was still reeling from a victorious ride into Jerusalem when His identity was called into question (Matthew 21). Firstly by a situation that can best be represented by a “state of being” and second by people.
First: (Matthew 21 vs. 18)
"Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered."
What a master we have in Jesus, He placed an embargo on the production capacity of the fig tree that failed to give him food.
To me, what Jesus said did not sound like prayer…. (Well not the kind I know anyway) but when His disciples marvelled, He told them
“if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
Basically, when Jesus said “May you never bear fruit again”, He was praying and the result of the prayer was instant and He said we can do the same….. Oooops.... and whaoooo
I’ve heard people tell me whenever I speak to something not human that it couldn’t hear me… well, I know who I am and as long as I am in Christ, faith filled and prayer"FULL"…
I will speak a thing and it will be established.
So as believers we need to start speaking to those seemingly inanimate things…. Cos they really do hear…. That is who you are.
Second: (Matthew 21 vs 23)
"Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"
After the fig tree did its part, it was human’s turn to challenge Jesus. Jesus’ response was intriguing; He also asked them a question that got them confused:
Vs. 27
So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
In a chain of events after his victorious entry into Jerusalem, Jesus stamped his authority in sustaining His victory.
Not just has Jesus shown us who we are in him…..now we can go about speaking to those things and people that are challenging us or will challenge us.
Next time you are thrown in the spotlight, handle the microphone, need to give a talk, , or faced with a problem or difficulty, remember to let the light of who you are in God shine through.
With your fighting ability, success will come, but can you stand the questions of identity?
Errrm….errrrm….errrrm….errrrm….. is not good enough…. You can simply say…
I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5 vs. 21).
Many people might not understand that….. But you do….. And that’s what matters......
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
WARFARE 4 (Sustenance)
The common saying goes thus "Getting to the top is hard, staying at the top is even harder"
Sustenance is a significant part of every warfare. At first sight, we may take this as provisions or edibles or materials that are needed to wage a good war, but rather I’m talking about maintaining or sustaining the gained victory.
In the last three post, I've talked about self-discipline, purpose and integrity as things we need to wage a good war and to come out victorious.
Using these three things, we can start fighting our way to victory, but also, we should not be involved with or do things that will bring defeat.
Fighting to win is as important as fighting not to loose.
Too many times, victors have slumped into defeat just moments after being victorious, and we should also note that the looser does not necessarily give up trying again. Staying on guard is definitely needed as the story might not be finished yet.
A common saying in my high school when you're trying to intimidate someone you want to fight is "I will so beat you, there will be no part 2"
We need to do that more in our daily life... i.e winning outrightly.
There are quite a number of things we can do to let victory slip away from us, but I'll discuss one which God opened my understanding to and I pray that by the end of this post you'll be more enlightened and equipped in holding on to your victories.
Exodus 20 vs. 15 “Thou shall not steal”
As isolated as that verse might look... its significance must not be overlooked... We only need to look at a few books in the bible to realise that “stealing” is one of the many ways we can revoke our victory.
The definition of stealing might be subjective... I’m sure taking something behind someone’s back is not too far from the real thing.
Stealing is one of the fastest ways to experience defeat... Comfortable victorious living can be brought to a premature end when caught out by stealing.
You may not have thought about it yet, but do you know that as much as we categorise it as disobedience.... what Eve did in the Garden of Eden was disobedience acted out through stealing?
She stole from God and Adam accepted that which was stolen too. So his excuse that it was the woman who caused him to sin was not valid enough to stop the punishment ... why? ....Because he knew too well that the apple was a stolen product.
Man fell because he stole.
Joshua 7 vs. 1-26 tells the story of how the children of Israel were defeated by the people of a small town called Ai. It is something that shouldn’t have happened but it did because Achan (of the children of Israel) stole from the previous battle.
The Israelites were coming off the back of a scintillating victory; they have just defeated the most fortified city of their time, namely Jericho. The Israelites were the toast of the region, their God is doing wonders and there army is formidable. In fact, they didn’t have to lift a finger against the wall before it came crashing down.
In Joshua 6 vs. 27 the bible says “So the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all the country”
But then, when it came to fighting a town of much smaller proportion, they experienced defeat, because someone STOLE.
What are the consequences of stealing?
In vs. 11-12 we learn the following ... that
· Stealing contaminates us
· Stealing makes defeat a must.
· Stealing Forces God to withdraw His hands
· Stealing sets us up for destruction
Stealing in this age maybe regarded as common place, but every reasonable person knows that the consequences of being caught can be severe.
Punishments include being smacked (at home), expulsion (academia), getting the sack (corporate), or even being jailed (society)
As a believer, the devil turning you into a laughing stock and God being unable to help you out tops the list of consequences.
How then do we get back to winning ways?
· By confessing our sins
· Removing the accursed thing from our midst.
Joshua 8 finished the story with a “Back to Winning Ways” account...
Folks, we need to understand that winning is not the end.... we need to start staying as winners. DON'T STEAL
Eph 4 vs. 28 tells us what is required
"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
... and in Titus 2:8, the bible explains “Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say evil of you”
NEXT WEEK: "KNOW YOURSELF"
Sustenance is a significant part of every warfare. At first sight, we may take this as provisions or edibles or materials that are needed to wage a good war, but rather I’m talking about maintaining or sustaining the gained victory.
In the last three post, I've talked about self-discipline, purpose and integrity as things we need to wage a good war and to come out victorious.
Using these three things, we can start fighting our way to victory, but also, we should not be involved with or do things that will bring defeat.
Fighting to win is as important as fighting not to loose.
Too many times, victors have slumped into defeat just moments after being victorious, and we should also note that the looser does not necessarily give up trying again. Staying on guard is definitely needed as the story might not be finished yet.
A common saying in my high school when you're trying to intimidate someone you want to fight is "I will so beat you, there will be no part 2"
We need to do that more in our daily life... i.e winning outrightly.
There are quite a number of things we can do to let victory slip away from us, but I'll discuss one which God opened my understanding to and I pray that by the end of this post you'll be more enlightened and equipped in holding on to your victories.
Exodus 20 vs. 15 “Thou shall not steal”
As isolated as that verse might look... its significance must not be overlooked... We only need to look at a few books in the bible to realise that “stealing” is one of the many ways we can revoke our victory.
The definition of stealing might be subjective... I’m sure taking something behind someone’s back is not too far from the real thing.
Stealing is one of the fastest ways to experience defeat... Comfortable victorious living can be brought to a premature end when caught out by stealing.
You may not have thought about it yet, but do you know that as much as we categorise it as disobedience.... what Eve did in the Garden of Eden was disobedience acted out through stealing?
She stole from God and Adam accepted that which was stolen too. So his excuse that it was the woman who caused him to sin was not valid enough to stop the punishment ... why? ....Because he knew too well that the apple was a stolen product.
Man fell because he stole.
Joshua 7 vs. 1-26 tells the story of how the children of Israel were defeated by the people of a small town called Ai. It is something that shouldn’t have happened but it did because Achan (of the children of Israel) stole from the previous battle.
The Israelites were coming off the back of a scintillating victory; they have just defeated the most fortified city of their time, namely Jericho. The Israelites were the toast of the region, their God is doing wonders and there army is formidable. In fact, they didn’t have to lift a finger against the wall before it came crashing down.
In Joshua 6 vs. 27 the bible says “So the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all the country”
But then, when it came to fighting a town of much smaller proportion, they experienced defeat, because someone STOLE.
What are the consequences of stealing?
In vs. 11-12 we learn the following ... that
· Stealing contaminates us
· Stealing makes defeat a must.
· Stealing Forces God to withdraw His hands
· Stealing sets us up for destruction
Stealing in this age maybe regarded as common place, but every reasonable person knows that the consequences of being caught can be severe.
Punishments include being smacked (at home), expulsion (academia), getting the sack (corporate), or even being jailed (society)
As a believer, the devil turning you into a laughing stock and God being unable to help you out tops the list of consequences.
How then do we get back to winning ways?
· By confessing our sins
· Removing the accursed thing from our midst.
Joshua 8 finished the story with a “Back to Winning Ways” account...
Folks, we need to understand that winning is not the end.... we need to start staying as winners. DON'T STEAL
Eph 4 vs. 28 tells us what is required
"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
... and in Titus 2:8, the bible explains “Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say evil of you”
NEXT WEEK: "KNOW YOURSELF"
Thursday, April 10, 2008
WARFARE 3 (INTEGRITY)
Proverbs 11 vs. 3 – “The integrity of the upright will guide them...”
In this series, we are concerned with everyday living difficulties. The battles we have to fight on a daily basis, bringing up our kids in a godly way, the issues of being good employees and employers, ultimately the difficulties we have to endure in living every part of our lives for God.
The enemy is happy to watch you loose control of your kids as a parent, mismanage your finances, become unproductive at work, or live a shameful life.
The usefulness of integrity in winning these battles is the focus of this article.
The word integrity simply means to Integrate i.e. to male whole. It requires being consistent in your values, thoughts, and actions. – Bob Gass
Integrity requires the whole of you to pull it off. All your senses, organs and thinking, behaviour and character must be in sync to be able to achieve integrity. If any part of your body or yourself decides to go on its own, your integrity will be lost.
“Impressions are like shadows, they disappear when a strong enough light shines on them but integrity is different, the more light you shine on it, more of its details you can see. – Bob Gass
If you proclaim yourself as a good Samaritan, and you see someone lying down on the street asking for help which you can render. If your legs decide not to take you there, then your integrity is flawed. Integrity requires your mind body and soul to be one.
In Genesis 17, God made a covenant with Abraham and it detailed what God would do and what Abraham will do. Abraham responded immediately by doing what is required of him
Vs. 23 “.... and Abraham circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on the same day”
On the same day he carried out the painful exercise of cutting the foreskins of both kids and adults. He did no let procrastination tarnish his integrity.
Integrity brings constancy to your life which allows people to form better relationships with you.
Gen 18 vs. 17 – God asked himself “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? And in verse 19 God explained why Abraham has now become his friend... because of INTEGRITY.
Vs. 19 – “ Yes, I've settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God's way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him” (The Message)
Abrahams Integrity also spun him into action once he knew the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. He pleaded with God to save the city; some people will say it is because his nephew lives there, but certainly his nephew is not 10 righteous people.
Integrity has a mutating gene that makes it spread. Lot had lived with Abraham for most of his life, and surely the life of integrity that Abraham lived had rubbed off on him. It’s not surprising that he did almost as exactly as his uncle in showing hospitality to strangers. ------ Integrity. Little did I wonder that God called Abraham His FRIEND.
Matthew 21 vs. 12 gave an account of Jesus cleansing the temple of the people that have turned it into what it is not. In the face of public humiliation and revolt, Jesus’ integrity stood out.
I would have loved to end this writing with the following:
“Let what you think be what you feel, let what you feel be what you say, let what you say be what you do.”
But, I would be making an unimaginable claim that what you are thinking is very much seated on the moral part of doing good.
The bible says “the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17 vs. 9)
The Hebrew word for heart used in this passage is “Leb” and it is widely used for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.
So, among all things, our intellect and feelings are not the best to go by when talking of integrity.
Pick a depressed person walking on the street, he/she is thinking about committing suicide, and the person’s feeling it... as in talking it... and then doing it... I’m sure the last thing we want to hear about such is that he/she is a person of “Integrity”
Rather than “Let what you think be what you feel, let what you feel be what you say, let what you say be what you do.”.... Take the following as your meaning of integrity
“True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me (God) in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. (Malachi 2 vs. 6)...
Notice, he didn’t just stop himself from iniquity, he also helped others from doing the wrong things.
If that is you, then you are a person of INTEGRITY.... so says God.
INDICATORS OF INTEGRITY:
· The golden rule: “Do unto others as you would like them to do to you” (Luke 6 vs. 31). Integrity requires you to understand the need for consistency in warfare (daily living). As written by an author, knowledge and imagination are required to work this rule. Firstly, you must know the effects of your actions, and secondly you must be able to put yourself in the position of the recipient and ask yourself “can I take what I have just given”
· Size does not matter: Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16 vs. 10). Are your actions in small matters, or small environments the same as those in bigger ones?. When you are alone and no one is watching do you still do the things you proclaim as good? or you are like a chameleon that changes to the colour of the environment.
· YES = YES: Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5 vs. 37). A confused soldier is on his/her way to defeat. Likewise, if you as a soldier is giving false information or confusing the people around you, then you are just whiskers away from defeat because very soon no one will believe whatever you have to say.
Living a life of integrity is a must for us believers, albeit it may be hard, but the battle is always on and more importantly, God’s grace is sufficient.
Jesus said in Matthew 5 vs:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.
He said it because He knows it can be done... another translation presents it thus:
“In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." (The Message)
NEXT WEEK: SUSTENANCE
In this series, we are concerned with everyday living difficulties. The battles we have to fight on a daily basis, bringing up our kids in a godly way, the issues of being good employees and employers, ultimately the difficulties we have to endure in living every part of our lives for God.
The enemy is happy to watch you loose control of your kids as a parent, mismanage your finances, become unproductive at work, or live a shameful life.
The usefulness of integrity in winning these battles is the focus of this article.
The word integrity simply means to Integrate i.e. to male whole. It requires being consistent in your values, thoughts, and actions. – Bob Gass
Integrity requires the whole of you to pull it off. All your senses, organs and thinking, behaviour and character must be in sync to be able to achieve integrity. If any part of your body or yourself decides to go on its own, your integrity will be lost.
“Impressions are like shadows, they disappear when a strong enough light shines on them but integrity is different, the more light you shine on it, more of its details you can see. – Bob Gass
If you proclaim yourself as a good Samaritan, and you see someone lying down on the street asking for help which you can render. If your legs decide not to take you there, then your integrity is flawed. Integrity requires your mind body and soul to be one.
In Genesis 17, God made a covenant with Abraham and it detailed what God would do and what Abraham will do. Abraham responded immediately by doing what is required of him
Vs. 23 “.... and Abraham circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on the same day”
On the same day he carried out the painful exercise of cutting the foreskins of both kids and adults. He did no let procrastination tarnish his integrity.
Integrity brings constancy to your life which allows people to form better relationships with you.
Gen 18 vs. 17 – God asked himself “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? And in verse 19 God explained why Abraham has now become his friend... because of INTEGRITY.
Vs. 19 – “ Yes, I've settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God's way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him” (The Message)
Abrahams Integrity also spun him into action once he knew the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. He pleaded with God to save the city; some people will say it is because his nephew lives there, but certainly his nephew is not 10 righteous people.
Integrity has a mutating gene that makes it spread. Lot had lived with Abraham for most of his life, and surely the life of integrity that Abraham lived had rubbed off on him. It’s not surprising that he did almost as exactly as his uncle in showing hospitality to strangers. ------ Integrity. Little did I wonder that God called Abraham His FRIEND.
Matthew 21 vs. 12 gave an account of Jesus cleansing the temple of the people that have turned it into what it is not. In the face of public humiliation and revolt, Jesus’ integrity stood out.
I would have loved to end this writing with the following:
“Let what you think be what you feel, let what you feel be what you say, let what you say be what you do.”
But, I would be making an unimaginable claim that what you are thinking is very much seated on the moral part of doing good.
The bible says “the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17 vs. 9)
The Hebrew word for heart used in this passage is “Leb” and it is widely used for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.
So, among all things, our intellect and feelings are not the best to go by when talking of integrity.
Pick a depressed person walking on the street, he/she is thinking about committing suicide, and the person’s feeling it... as in talking it... and then doing it... I’m sure the last thing we want to hear about such is that he/she is a person of “Integrity”
Rather than “Let what you think be what you feel, let what you feel be what you say, let what you say be what you do.”.... Take the following as your meaning of integrity
“True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me (God) in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. (Malachi 2 vs. 6)...
Notice, he didn’t just stop himself from iniquity, he also helped others from doing the wrong things.
If that is you, then you are a person of INTEGRITY.... so says God.
INDICATORS OF INTEGRITY:
· The golden rule: “Do unto others as you would like them to do to you” (Luke 6 vs. 31). Integrity requires you to understand the need for consistency in warfare (daily living). As written by an author, knowledge and imagination are required to work this rule. Firstly, you must know the effects of your actions, and secondly you must be able to put yourself in the position of the recipient and ask yourself “can I take what I have just given”
· Size does not matter: Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16 vs. 10). Are your actions in small matters, or small environments the same as those in bigger ones?. When you are alone and no one is watching do you still do the things you proclaim as good? or you are like a chameleon that changes to the colour of the environment.
· YES = YES: Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5 vs. 37). A confused soldier is on his/her way to defeat. Likewise, if you as a soldier is giving false information or confusing the people around you, then you are just whiskers away from defeat because very soon no one will believe whatever you have to say.
Living a life of integrity is a must for us believers, albeit it may be hard, but the battle is always on and more importantly, God’s grace is sufficient.
Jesus said in Matthew 5 vs:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.
He said it because He knows it can be done... another translation presents it thus:
“In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." (The Message)
NEXT WEEK: SUSTENANCE
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
WAR 2 (PURPOSE)
Engaging in battles, winning battles and persevering in the face of oppositions requires the fighters to have a strong sense of purpose.
Purpose as highlighted by Pastor Eddie is needed to ignite your passion. And when you’re passionate about something, you tend to channel important resources towards its direction.
Rather than randomly fine tune our purpose by speculation, Bob Gass explains that the best way to get ahead in life is to return to our owner’s manual explaining why we are alive, how life works, what to avoid, and what to expect in the future.... i.e. Get a purpose by REVELATION.
“Every open door is not necessarily your door”. We as Christians get carried away that we see all opportunities as ours to take forgetting that the devil can provide opportunities too that makes us miss the God given one.
The devil Provided Jesus with alternatives when he tempted Him in the wilderness, but Jesus stood His ground ensuring His purpose stays intact. The bible explains the power of purpose in Hebrews 12 vs. 2
“.... Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”
Jesus was able to endure the cross because of the joy of getting you and I saved.
If we take a quick look at ourselves and the people around us, we’ll realise that consciously or unconsciously we operate with this principle:
“We give up when the cost of achieving our purpose is greater than the benefit”
For everything you do, if the above is true, then permit me to say...."stop".... “think twice”... is it worth pursuing?
But as long as the purpose is more significant, folks, keep pushing on.
The problem however is how do we measure cost against benefit?
By good planning: Jesus said "if a man wants to build a house does he not first count the cost?" Good planning gives you a rough idea of what will be required. Luke 14 vs. 28
Make it Plain: clearity of purpose can be the difference between failure and success. If your purpose is clear, help from others can be easily rendered.
Check your resources: Good knowledge of what you have gives you a factual assessment of where you stand in relation to your purpose. This coupled with the cost will enable you to either stop or know the additional resuorces required to fulfil your purpose.
However, there are other reasons why we don’t chase or why we give up on our dreams, aspirations and purpose.
Because we don’t have any: Surprisingly, vast majority of people don’t know what they want or what they’ll like to achieve be it in the short term (such as today) or long term (say 10 years).
Obstacles to be faced: Obstacles are part of everyday life. In fact the wind would have had an easy journey if you were not standing in its way. Likewise, there is really no straight road in life, be it the M25 or the M6 and no automation can take a car through the Spaghetti junction, the red lights, observe other cars and drive at the required speed limits and look out for pedestrians. Driving skills are required.
"Obstacles help identify purpose owners because it requires some form of mastery or expertise"
Benefits of having purpose
Criticism: Fighting against negative criticism is a battle that can be won with a strong sense of purpose.
Purpose takes you beyond opposition: Mark 2 vs. 1-4 talks about the friends that opened a hole in the roof to let their paralysed friend get an encounter with Jesus.
Purpose takes care of distractions and increases our commitment.
Ultimately, why you are fighting must be known, less you risk loosing the battle or giving up prematurely.
Finally, God's purpose for our lives even takes a different turn
God’s purpose is always bigger than us and we can't phantom what effects it will have on generations to come. Hence, a cost-benefit analysis is not possible......
but knows this "If it is God's, then it is worth fighting for.
If it is God's purpose, expect a big battle.... If it is God's purpose... Victory is yours to take.
Purpose as highlighted by Pastor Eddie is needed to ignite your passion. And when you’re passionate about something, you tend to channel important resources towards its direction.
Rather than randomly fine tune our purpose by speculation, Bob Gass explains that the best way to get ahead in life is to return to our owner’s manual explaining why we are alive, how life works, what to avoid, and what to expect in the future.... i.e. Get a purpose by REVELATION.
“Every open door is not necessarily your door”. We as Christians get carried away that we see all opportunities as ours to take forgetting that the devil can provide opportunities too that makes us miss the God given one.
The devil Provided Jesus with alternatives when he tempted Him in the wilderness, but Jesus stood His ground ensuring His purpose stays intact. The bible explains the power of purpose in Hebrews 12 vs. 2
“.... Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”
Jesus was able to endure the cross because of the joy of getting you and I saved.
If we take a quick look at ourselves and the people around us, we’ll realise that consciously or unconsciously we operate with this principle:
“We give up when the cost of achieving our purpose is greater than the benefit”
For everything you do, if the above is true, then permit me to say...."stop".... “think twice”... is it worth pursuing?
But as long as the purpose is more significant, folks, keep pushing on.
The problem however is how do we measure cost against benefit?
By good planning: Jesus said "if a man wants to build a house does he not first count the cost?" Good planning gives you a rough idea of what will be required. Luke 14 vs. 28
Make it Plain: clearity of purpose can be the difference between failure and success. If your purpose is clear, help from others can be easily rendered.
Check your resources: Good knowledge of what you have gives you a factual assessment of where you stand in relation to your purpose. This coupled with the cost will enable you to either stop or know the additional resuorces required to fulfil your purpose.
However, there are other reasons why we don’t chase or why we give up on our dreams, aspirations and purpose.
Because we don’t have any: Surprisingly, vast majority of people don’t know what they want or what they’ll like to achieve be it in the short term (such as today) or long term (say 10 years).
Obstacles to be faced: Obstacles are part of everyday life. In fact the wind would have had an easy journey if you were not standing in its way. Likewise, there is really no straight road in life, be it the M25 or the M6 and no automation can take a car through the Spaghetti junction, the red lights, observe other cars and drive at the required speed limits and look out for pedestrians. Driving skills are required.
"Obstacles help identify purpose owners because it requires some form of mastery or expertise"
Benefits of having purpose
Criticism: Fighting against negative criticism is a battle that can be won with a strong sense of purpose.
Purpose takes you beyond opposition: Mark 2 vs. 1-4 talks about the friends that opened a hole in the roof to let their paralysed friend get an encounter with Jesus.
Purpose takes care of distractions and increases our commitment.
Ultimately, why you are fighting must be known, less you risk loosing the battle or giving up prematurely.
Finally, God's purpose for our lives even takes a different turn
God’s purpose is always bigger than us and we can't phantom what effects it will have on generations to come. Hence, a cost-benefit analysis is not possible......
but knows this "If it is God's, then it is worth fighting for.
If it is God's purpose, expect a big battle.... If it is God's purpose... Victory is yours to take.
NEXT WEEK: INTEGRITY
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