SERMON: Well, Things Didn’t Work Out? SO WHAT! GOD HAS A BETTER PLAN!
Jennifer Mears (12/18/2006)
Dominion Harvest Fellowship Church
• We must look to God to lead and guide us in ALL that we do, say, think, feel, and in all our decisions. We all need help making choices. The best help I know of is found in God. God gave you the power to choose...but we MUST stop putting Him in a box! And we must stop hiding our gifts He has given us ----START USING THEM and TRUSTING THE GIVER OF ALL GOOD AND PERFECT GIFTS TO TAKE THE WHEEL! Let’s stop being ruled by fear! Learn how to endure to the end!
HEBREWS 10: 36
TEXT: 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
REMEMBER:
God HOLDS
• Past
• Present
• Future
God sees ALL things!
God sees ALL things ALL at one time!
God sees and knows ALL things, past-present-future!
• We can’t find real help unless we look to God. We need to cry out to Him and look to Him for our help…”He is a Mighty, Valiant Helper”… Jesus – The Author of Salvation! Son of David!”….But, after Salvation…we slowly start putting Him in a box…
(prop is a med/large cardboard box)
I am sure some of you have wondered what this is…that is right…it’s a box. But, it is NOT just any box…this is a special box…this is the creation of my daughter, Kristen’s imagination. She likes to play with boxes, papers, and she can imagine they are anything…a fort, a castle, a house…a school house she is teaching in…she has no concern about the gift that came in the box, how expensive it was…who it may belong to…she just likes the box…
When we experience doubt – it is often because we forget that God gives us many gifts (like what came in this box) but we forget how BIG God is and we try putting HIM in the same boxes that our GIFTS came in…limiting Him and those gifts…or we start staring at the box that we put our circumstance in---we also put our faith in there…not standing on it, not keeping our eyes on Him – the author and finisher of that faith…all contained—suffocated—getting stagnant—held up—tied up—useless—not able to freely move…
GOD IS SAYING, “STOP PUTTING ME IN THE BOX ! STOP LIMITING ME AND STOP LIMITING THE GIFTS I PLACED WITHIN YOU…STOP PUTTING YOUR FAITH IN THE BOX…AND IF YOU PUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE BOX---JUST KICK THE BOX AWAY AND STAND ON YOUR FAITH…FOCUS ON ME AND BEGIN USING THE GIFT I PLACED IN YOU…AND LET THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVE!
Stop boxing me up! Don’t you KNOW that “with God, ALL things are possible”
God can do anything…ALL THINGS!
• His power is not at all limited. (our lack of faith will keep Him from moving on our behalf)
• He is able to save…LET HIM
• He is able to heal…RECEIVE IT!
• He is able to deliver…but you gotta want it!
• He is able to take care of your situation…TURN IT OVER COMPLETELY TO HIM!
• He is all knowing, all powerful, and more than able to do ALL things!
BUT, you MUST get rid of that box! Stand on your MOST HOLY FAITH!
Hebrews 11:6 -“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God MUST believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
By Faith We Understand
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
You gotta hang in there with Him…HOLD ON to your faith and His Promises…no matter how hard the winds of change and evil may blow…
I John 5:14 says –“This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His Will, he hears us.”
Ya gotta trust, and walk the walk that you talk, talk, talk about ALL the time…
1 Peter 1:15,16 says– “But as He which has called you ---He is Holy—so be holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY!”
“live a life that is pleasing to Him and acceptable in His Sight” NO COMPROMISE! REMEMBER-----HE IS WATCHING!
I want to HONOR HIM IN ALL I DO….WHY? First off – I love Him and He tells me to live like that…no one is perfect but we are to strive to be like Christ
Paul said “imitate me as I imitate Christ” He deserves my praise….my honor…fellowship…I owe Him EVERYTHING! Because….
God has done many great things in my life…
1. He saved me from hell.
2. He delivered me from destruction.
3. He heals my sicknesses and diseases.
4. He has spared me from death….many times (many I do not know of)
5. He gives me life – I breathe; and have health and strength.
6. He gave me a wonderful husband and daughter.
7. A mode of transportation
8. Food on my table
9. Clothes on my back
10. Shoes upon my feet
11. A roof over my head
12. A wonderful church family
13. He supplies all I need!
14. He (many times) has given me the desires of my heart
ALL According to His riches in Glory!
AND…He has vindicated me when I was wrongly accused, calms my fears, wipes away my tears, and via Holy Spirit – gives me power for living! AND He has called me, anointed me and is using me for His Glory…and there are more things to come! What a MIGHTY GOD we serve!
BUT…look at this-----II CHRONICLES 25:9 “THE LORD IS ABLE TO GIVE ME MUCH MORE THAN THIS”
God is able to give us more than we need. GOD IS MORE THAN ABLE!
(everyone SHOUT) HE IS ABLE
But there is a BIG Problem:
MANY PEOPLE FEEL THEY DO NOT DESERVE HIM TO DO ANYTHING FOR THEM…
He is a God of many chances ---1, 5, 10, 25. 100. 1,000…on and on
• He was always there waiting on you to come back –with open arms each and every time you turned your back on Him…gave up…did your own thing…
• He is THE ONE AND ONLY GOD that has
o Delivered you from alcoholism
o Delivered you from drug addiction and usage (Rx or not)
o Restored your marriage
o Saved your children…and is still in the saving business
o Saved you from things that SHOULD have killed you
o Provided the money you needed for that utility bill
o Made a way for you to get that job
o Opened your eyes and made you see!
o Saved your soul and SET YOU FREE!
• Jehovah Jireh! Our provider!
• Jehovah Raphe! OUR HEALER!
• Jehovah Nissi! Our Banner
And HE IS ALL THINGS! HE IS THE ONE WHO TOUCHED MY MIND, HEALED MY BODY AND THEN HE TOLD ME TO RUN ON …
SPARED YOU, RAISED YOU UP FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS! Don’t waste valuable time!
Let’s look at:
Ephesians 3:20 – he is able to do exceedingly and abundantly ABOVE ALL that we ask or think…MORE THAN WE ASK FOR AND MORE THAN WE NEED!
-if we would only believe
He is Jehovah El Shaddai – the God that is MORE than enough
GOD IS ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WE ASK OR COULD EVEN IMAGINE---IMMEASURABLY! The Word says it plainly!
Jude 1:24 – Jesus is able keep me from stumbling…presenting me faultless before Our Father God’s throne!
Hebrews 7:25 -He is able to save everyone who comes to God through Him
Romans 16:25- He is able to make us strong
Romans 14:4 -He is able to make me succeed
Jeremiah 17:14- He is able to Heal me
Isaiah 53 – He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon his shoulders, and BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED…ALREADY HEALED---claim it—in Jesus Name!
GOD IS INTERESTED IN NEW CREATIONS IN HIM---NOT IN CHANGING WHAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE! Or changing the box----get out of the box!
I love how David said…
Psalm 25:15 - I am looking to the Lord for he alone is Able to RESCUE me from the traps of my enemies
His word is FULL of promises to those who believe and serve Him!
o He promises to heal us
o He promises to forgive us
o He promises he will never leave us
o He promises not to forsake us
o He promises us that He will go with us, even to the end
o He promises to give good gifts to his children.
o He promises to give power to those who accept him
o He promises that the best is yet ahead…he will do a NEW THING
o He promises to bless me in the city and country
o He promises that your latter will be greater than your former…
o He promises that you are the head and not the tail…above ALWAYS and not beneath
o He promises to give life and that I may live life abundantly
o He promises that He will pour out His Spirit upon All Flesh…
o He promises to bless me comings and goings from now and
o He promises protection – He is our strong tower, our refuge, our strength
o He is our perfect peace
o He promises that NO WEAPON formed against us will prosper…but he promises that we will prosper
o He promised us the comforter, teacher, and guide - The Holy Spirit.
o
ROMANS 4:21
I telling you right now that I am Fully/COMPLETELY CONVINCED that what God has promised…that HE IS ABLE TO PERFOM IT.
o That says it all for me! Grasp it and get a hold of this!
GOD IS MORE THAN ABLE!
HE IS ABLE! (touch your neighbor and say it)
Look at this!...
He saved Moses and The Israelites from the Egyptian Army…He even parted the waters to do it!
He saved David and The Israelite Army from Goliath and the Philistine Army…with just a slingshot and a small stone
He saved those Hebrew Boys from the fiery furnace…just by sending an angel to walk that path with them…
He has been saving His Children all through history…even sent His Own Son to save us!
AND He came to set the captive free!!!! Hallelujah!!!
THE I AM THAT I AM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hebrews 2:18-For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid (help) those who are tempted
Romans 16:25 (NLT)-God is able to make you strong, just as the Good News says. It is the message about Jesus Christ and his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.
Hebrews 7:25 (NLT)-Therefore (he) Jesus is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf.
Jude 1:24 (NKJV)-Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
2 Corinthians 9:8 (GN)-And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.
Romans 4:21 (NKJV) -and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Jeremiah 17:14 (NLT)-O LORD, you alone can heal me; you alone can save. My praises are for you alone!
Psalm 25:15 (NLT)-My eyes are always looking to the LORD for help, for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.
The God we serve is able - don’t limit Him – don’t put Him in a box!
God will be as big as you will let HIM BE in your life and in your circumstance!
Ephesians 3:20-Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…
(NLT)
Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
CLOSING:
2 Timothy 1:12-For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep (guard) what I have committed to Him until that Day.
We gotta start using the gifts that God has given us….stop putting them back in the perfect box He wrapped them in ----The Holy Spirit that gives, oversees, gives the increase, and teaches you how to use them effectively for God…don’t be afraid of the gifts use them! (use box to show this illustration)
Jesus is put away in the box with other Christmas decorations and not taken out until the next Christmas ---maybe He is taken out on a cross at Easter but never REALLY given ALL power to be all that He Is in our lives...
He is saying “Work with me here…”
But you have gotta have faith….
I BELIEVE THAT 2007 IS THE YEAR FOR MORE!
A YEAR OF SUPERNATURAL INCREASE AND MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR GOD’S PEOPLE!
But, we must get rid of the box!
Does anyone here desire to get out of the box? Let God out of the box? Are you willing to take that box and put all your circumstances, troubles, trials in that box and ship it off to Jesus! SAY “take it”! I SURRENDER TO YOUR DIVINE WILL, YOUR PLAN…
Well, things did not work out…SO WHAT! I am here to tell you that God has a bigger plan! A better plan! Step out of the box and Step into the overflow…into the blessings that come from your obedience to Him…
Step out of your “box” seat RIGHT NOW!
Come up here and step into the flow of The Holy Spirit…you will not be the same…step into the supernatural increase ---prepare yourself for 2007 RIGHT NOW!
(Note: The Holy Spirit said many things during this sermon that are noted in this outline. I tried to fill it in there but I was not able to recreate this message in written form. Pray that God ministers and reveals this WORD to you…)
