Sunday January 16th, 2005
Series: Raising the level of Expectation part 4
Sermon: Deeper Thinking
Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8
The grace of God is the favor of God. It is the supernatural power of God coming through our faith to do what we cannot do on our own.
Once you believe God for supernatural favor, it relieves the stress that builds up in you. Rather than try to keep doing everything for yourself, you just do your best and leave the results to God.
Keep doing your best. Pray that it’s blessed and God will take care of the rest when you let go.
We aren’t called to spend our time and energy trying to earn the favor of God or with others, rather we should spend that valuable and very short time and energy walking in His supernatural favor through the Holy Spirit and doing His will, whether it is popular or not.
Luke 2:52
From childhood Jesus walked in the supernatural favor of God and men, before and after His ministry—all the way to the cross—John 7:46 and Luke 23:47-48.
You need to come to the place where you see yourself as the favored of the Lord. Why?
Because He doesn’t see you weak and helpless or some sinful creature not deserving of His love. He sees you and I robed in righteousness, wearing shoes of peace, wearing the full armor He has provided, wielding the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God—not defeated, but more than conquerors! And that my friends is how we should see ourselves!
No matter how you MAY appear to yourself or others, never forget that God can cause the light of His favor to shine upon you—He did it for Jesus and He will do it for you. God will not hold back any good thing from His children so that we too will increase in wisdom and stature.
It’s time to stop looking at your life in the natural, with carnality, that kind of thinking doesn’t give the Lord and credit or praise for what He can do for you and through you..
So what if—well I say why not give God the opportunity—you have nothing to lose and the whole world to gain.
Acts 2:25
’I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I can give you this guarantee—your difficult situation will never change or improve as long as you stay in a negative mind set. Develop an attitude of faith and expect events to change positively and at the right time, they will.
True, good things don’t always happen over night, but they will happen as long is you don’t start slouching downward into negative expectations. Keep on saying, maybe it didn’t today, but there is tomorrow and my attitude of faith is I’m trusting God, no matter what it looks like.
Start believing things are going to change for better, not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much.
Psalm 5:12
Stop focusing on past mistakes and failures. Don’t focus on yesterdays pit falls, rather dwell on the goodness of God and He will fill you with thoughts of hope, faith and victory that will help you to develop a fresh vision and that will cause you to start expecting things to change for the better.
Too many people sabotage their expectations with negative comments.
Proverbs 18:21
Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
Avoid the negative statements at all cost. Why?
Because your actions will follow them. Low expectations trap us in a life of mediocrity. The positive produces victory, abundance, favor, hope, things that are pure and most excellent.
Philippians 4:6-8
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Remember Elisha? He wasn’t rebuked whatsoever for wanting a double portion, in fact, Elijah said if you see me when I go up, it shall be done unto you.
If you can visualize it, if God allows you to see it, then it can happen.
Seven times in Scripture God asks: “What do you see?”
Jeremiah 1:11 / 1:13 / 24:3 , Amos 7:8 / 8:2 , Zech. 4:2 / 5:2
What is the desire of your heart? Psalm 37:4
Keep company with God, get in on the best.
What do you see? What do you see when you look into your future? Do you need to change some things to get in line with God?
Do you see victory? If you do, you can rise above the rest, rise above to a new level. But keep your head down instead of looking at the possibilities, you’ll will end up like a chicken always pecking at the dirt. You will run the risk of running into the wrong direction and miss out on what God wants for you.
It is a spiritual and psychological fact: We move toward what we see in our minds. If you can’t see it, most likely it isn’t going to happen in your life.
Find a place to dream. To be quiet a place to quit worrying and avoid feeling sorry for yourself. Find that place where you can dream big dreams, the kind that just have to have God involved.
Stay in church where you can be challenged and encouraged to become the best you can possibly be. Where people build you up rather than tear you down. Here at ROL is a place where we have people who will inspire you to reach for new heights.
Proverbs 13:10
Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel. —Proverbs 13:20
Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
Friends, you have to envision good things happening to you before they ever will. Let me encourage you to raise your expectations; start seeing yourself receiving good things. Expect the favor of God. Expect His blessings. Expect to increase. Expect promotion. Get up each day with enthusiasm, knowing God has great things in store for you.
Everyday say, this could be the day I see my miracle and thank you Lord for leading to it. What if it doesn’t work? Whose kidding who. What is there to lose in keeping your hopes up?
I know this, it won’t change if you don’t try.
Keep your mind set in the right direction. Do your part by thinking—Philip. 4:6-7
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life
Even if the circumstance isn’t going your way, keep your mind set in the right direction.—Ship/car/storm—contemplate the goodness of God, live by faith with expectancy and before you know it, God will have taken you to beyond your dreams.
