This is the sermon notes from my pastor--Most excellent sermon!
I like success don’t you? Our Lord wants us to be successful in this life.
Joshua 1: 7-8…that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt
meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all
that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then
thou shalt have good success.
God rebels against unhappiness, sickness and hurt.
Most of it could be AVOIDED through simple understanding the LAWS OF GOD. {Much
could be turned to a stepping stone to greater success if we knew how to react
to situations}.
Obstacle one: An Unteachable Spirit
An unteachable spirit is an unwillingness to change
Millions refuse to implement new and vital information, as it becomes available.
Imagine a lawyer who refused to read new laws and update his understanding.
Would choose a surgeon who was unfamiliar with the latest discoveries?
The most successful businesses are those who adapt to new policies, produce new
product and keep INFORMED.
They analyze their own procedures. GROWING MEANS CHANGE. It’s part of
prospering. To attain or be attaining a desired end:
• succeed
• arrive
• flourish
• go
• make out (colloquial)
• score
• thrive
• get ahead
• make it (colloquial)
• make the grade (colloquial)
• do well
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” {Hos. 4:6}.
“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning” {Prov. 1:5}.
The Bible says, “; if thou criest after knowledge… if thou seekest her as
silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand
the fear of the Lord, and fine knowledge of God” {Prov. 2:3-5}.
There are two types of knowledge:
1. Wisdom - learning from the mistakes of others, and
2. Experience - learning from your own mistakes.
Knowledge is exploding all around us.
MIGHTY MEN OF GOD are sharing with us their expertise:
1. Faith
2. Financial blessing
3. The power of God
4. Purity
Books are crammed with information from years of research.
Cassette Tapes are made available for the price of a simple meal.
Magazines are mailed free of charge. Acts 17:11
God placed seeds of greatness within us at birth. You and I are RESPONSIBLE FOR
GROWING THOSE SEEDS.
WE ARE WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO BE!
If we are unhappy with ourselves, DARE TO REACH for:
1. New information
2. New teaching
3. New truths
THAT WILL ELEVATE US AND BUILD OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOD!
1. If there is a sin in our life - repent and rededicate your life to Jesus.
2. Allow His precious blood to cleanse us and He will restore that fellowship we
need with Him.
3. Invest in literature and teaching tapes.
4. Read God Word
Don’t bankrupt your mind!
Don’t starve your heart - feed it what it desperately needs
Dare to accept change.
Dare to listen to new ideas and concepts
Jn:14:26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
Eph. 4; 11-14 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so.
There are reasons for failure. It is crucial that we locate the “bottleneck” in
our lives and activate the success and happiness that belongs to us
INTOLERANCE OF THE PRESENT CREATES A FUTURE.
Obstacle Two Unpaid Vows
“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure
in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.”
“Better is that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay”
{Eccl. 5:4,5}.
Unpaid vows are the source of failure for many people.
God holds a man responsible for what he promises.
Example: Sometimes during a sickness we promise God that we will be faithful to:
1. attend church,
2. or pay the tithe of our income,
3. or to clear an offense with someone
Then afterwards, we regain our health and forget that vow.
THIS IS DEADLY.
Acts 5:FF Ananias & Sapphira his wife. Vow - Covenant - pledge- promise
It is important that we honor God and each other through honesty and the
integrity of our words.
1. We can give offerings
2. Attend church
3. Do many beautiful works, but if WE ALLOW A VOW TO GO UNPAID, IT WILL DESTROY
THE OPERATION OF FAITH AND THE MIRACLES GOD WANTS TO PERFORM IN OUR LIVES.
Dare to step out and take the responsibility for the vows you have made.
God will honor you
You will sleep better
And future miracles will become a reality.
Obstacle Three:
Unforgiven Offenses
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your
Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not
forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses"
{Mark 11:25-26}.
Forgiveness is not a suggestion - it is a requirement.
It is releasing to God the right to judge and PENALIZE another for personal
wrong.
Sometimes we feel we have a right to “pay back” a slight or injustice.
This is DENYING GOD THE RIGHT TO GIVE MERCY OR PENALTY.
God abhors the human urge to USURP His authority.
Let God judge and schedule punishment.
Visualize your offender as a hurt, damaged, wounded friend lashing out against
you as a form of protection.
He or She may be afraid - they have a hurt in their heart.
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED YOU:
1. Find a way to communicate a personal care and interest (Pray for them)
2. Is it hard to do?
3. Oh, very much so
But the personal PEACE it sets in motion is beyond description;
1. YOU HAVE RECEIVED MERCY …PASS IT ON.
2. YOU HAVE RECEIVED LOVE…PASS IT ON.
3. YOU HAVE RECEIVED KINDNESS…PASS IT ON.
Obstacle Four:
Unwise Associations
Solomon said it: “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion
of fools shall be destroyed” {Prov. 13:20}
Paul phrased it: “…evil communications corrupt good manners” {1 Cor. 15:33}.
Unwise friendships and associations have destroyed the potential and the
abilities or multiplied thousands of COULD-BE winners.
WHOEVER CANNOT INCREASE YOU,
WILL EVENTUALLY DECREASE YOU.
The ability to disconnect from unqualified persons who abuse and misuse your
life is an invaluable one
How to Recognize You Enemies and Opposition:
1. Those who are more critical than they are complimentary and encouraging.
2. Those who belittle and laugh at your God-given dreams and goals.
3. Those who embarrass and humiliate you.
4. Those who siphon your energy and time through useless talk.
How to Recognize Wise Associations:
1. Those who speak words that build your faith and confidence.
2. Those who see the validity and beauty of your God-given dreams and goals.
3. Those who get excited about your potential.
4. Those who remind you of your special gifts and abilities.
It is up to you to choose the level of mentality you want to live on.
BECOME SELECTIVE. Remember: the same time you waste on losers is that which
could have been invested with WINNERS.
Obstacle Five:
An Unbridled Tongue
Death and life are I n the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat
the fruit thereof. (Prov. 18:21)
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost
parts of the belly {Prov. 18:6-8}
WORDS are forces.
Wrong or right, to build or destroy
They leave a trail of destruction or accomplishment
Words can build confidence or tear faith down
1. Words are tools that God gives to us to build up our own spirit and minds.
2. Our body responds to SOUNDS, and our spirit responds to WORDS.
Words give us mindpictures that our entire being reacts to:
1. We hear a story. We smile or cry. We feel.
2. What we hear, we think about.
3. What we think about, we feel.
4. What we feel, we do.
5. What we do, becomes a habit.
OUR HABITS DETERMINE OUR LIFE AND EVENTUAL DESTINY.
STOP talking about:
Shortages
Setbacks
defeat
disease
failure and problems
CONCENTRATE ON THE OPPORTUNITIES AT HAND.
TALK about the blessings you now possess.
Take time to taste your triumphs today.
TODAY IS THE TOMORROW YOU
TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY.
The now - Talk about your expectations. Not your experiences.
Talk about your future, not your failures.
CONTROL YOUR MOUTH. “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned” {Matt. 12:37}
Start saying God is my giver - Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one
that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he
give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall
your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?
Your success future is set in motion by your words.
I LIKE WHAT JOHN OSTEEN, SAY IT: “THERE IS A MIRACLE IN YOUR MOUTH.”
So begin talking in the direction you want your life to move.
YOUR WORDS ARE SIGNPOSTS TO OTHERS
POINTING IN HE DIRECTION
YOUR LIFE IS MOVING
Obstacle Six;
Undeveloped Gifts and Abilities
Winners are people who have discovered their special talents, abilities and
God-given gifts. They have taken the time and energy to grow those seeds into
great benefits and advantages.
Moses - Paul - Peter etc.
Obstacle Seven: An Uncommitted Heart
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” {James 1:8}.
1. A committed heart is a decided heart.
2. It is the results of a made-up mind.
Make a commitment to God. He made one to you in the Person of His son, Jesus
Christ. Calvary was COMMITMENT. The blood and cross of
Jesus was commitment. Gethsemane was commitment.
{Commitment: To put in trust or charge}