THREE INDISPENSABLE QUALITIES
Enthusiasm - Determination - Vision
By
Jerry Falwell
I. INTRODUCTION:
God, by His mighty power and work within us, is able to do far more than we would dare to ask or even dream of - initially beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes (Ephesians 3:20 Living Bible)
A. ENTHUSIASM - WHAT EXCITES US?
“Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23).
1. Three essential questions to ask everyone.
a. What does it take to stop you?
b. What does it take to get up and get going again?
c. What excites you?
These three questions are inter-related; to answer one is to answer the other two. But I can always measure how far a person will go in life by measuring his “Enthusiasm level.” I want to know “What starts your engine?”
2. Are you an enthusiastic person? The size of your God determines the size of your goals in life, and the size of your goals in life determines how excited you get.
Someone who didn’t agree with my position I had taken on a talk show once asked me, “Who do you think you are?” That is not the question to ask me, “Rather ask, “Who do you think you serve?” I am excited to serve the eternal God of the ages.
3. The difference between winners and losers, is their enthusiasm. Don’t look at a job and say it can’t be done. Look at a job and say, “If this problem were out of the way, what could I do for God?”
4. Don’t look at a job and say, “We don’t have any money to get it done.” Rather, say, “If we had ten thousand dollars . . . what could we do for God?”
5. Things to take away enthusiasm:
a. Past sins. Satan reminds you of your sinful past. A bad memory is like a pair of handcuffs, they keep us in bondage. You should remind Satan of his dreadful future.
b. Circumstances. Many times circumstances drain our joy. Remember, there are many things that you have no choice over, but you do have a choice over how much you will believe God.
I don’t always have a choice what happens to me, but I do have a choice how I will respond.
c. People. Many people drain us of our enthusiasm. Rather than letting them drain you, you try to fill them up with Jesus Christ. Take the initiative and go to them with your enthusiasm. Let it spill.
d. Criticism. When you are criticized, don’t let it stop you. Would you rather be criticized for failure or exuberance? Would you rather be criticized for being a sourpuss, or an optimist?
e. Past failure. Everyone has failed at something. Little boys know what it is like to strikeout in baseball, to miss the basket or to drop a pass. Little girls know what it is to not get their way, to not get everything they want, to not get asked out on a date.
Remember, “failure is never final.”
Many Liberty students think they only learn when they get a passing grade on a test. I’d like to remind them they also learn something from failure. “Failure is a great teacher.” The question is, “Are you a good learner?”
B. DETERMINATION - HARD-HEADED STICK-TO- IT-NESS.
“No one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:22 NAS).
“Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after awhile we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up (Galatians 6:9 Living Bible).
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief” (Proverbs 24:16).
1. Determination is a mind-set, it is not something we do once, or once in awhile. Let determination be an attitude of life.
2. Remember that the oak tree is nothing but a little acorn that refused to give up.
3. Successful people are not always extraordinary people, they are just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination.
4. “You do not determine a man’s greatness by his wealth or education, but by his ability to keep on doing right.”
5. We all fail, that does not mean we are failures. A failure is someone who failed and refused to get up. As long as you are getting up and trying again - you are not a failure.
6. Determination is an attitude of life. When God says, “Go” are you willing to take the first steps or do you want to analyze the original Greek construction, or organize someone else to do it, or agonize in prayer? God uses the man who is obedient to His commands.
7. Determination is not the absence of fear. Many times I have been determined to do a job for God, but in my heart I was scared to death. Determination is when you see a goal, have a plan and move ahead in spite of your fear; knowing that God will help you reach your objective.
8. When Jesus gave the parable of the talents, the man with five talents used them, and was rewarded with five more talents. The man with three talents used them, and was given three more. The unfaithful servant was afraid to move ahead. He gave up. He was afraid of the risk. His one talent was taken from him.
Rick Warren says there are three types of people in church:
1. Risk takers - they march ahead.
2. Care takers - they maintain the flock.
3. Under takers - they kill momentum.
9. I have heard it said that if you are pastoring a declining church, and I might add that this applies to business, if you are leading a work that is dying . . . your job gets easier every year.
10. I have always been a New York Yankee fan, and Mickey Mantle was one of my heroes. I like the fact that he was never afraid to take a swing. He went to bat determined to get a hit, not determined to look good, nor determined to get a walk, nor determined to play it safe. He was never afraid to take a swing. As a result, he struck out many times. But he also was one of the greatest players to play baseball because of his determination.
C. VISION - THE ABILITY TO SEE.
“Where there is no vision, the people parish (Proverbs 29:18).
1. The common denominator in great leaders is their ability to see where they are going, to see what they want to accomplish, to see how to get there, and to see how to overcome obstacles.
2. The prophet of God
a. Sees first.
b. Sees most.
c. Sees farthest into the future.
One of the greatest sermons preached in this century was by a man that I disagree with in theology and disagree with in his lifestyle. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached the “dream” sermon. It inspired the entire African-American population to march, and it inspired the political bureaucracy in Washington to vote “in” civil rights. Like it or not, a great dream produces great results.
First Law of Leadership: The Law of Dreams
When people buy into the dreams of a leader, they buy into his leadership.
3. Nothing happens until you start dreaming because nothing happens until you see the future. Your business will never be greater than your vision, and the vision will never be greater than the founder/leader. The same can be said of your family. Your family will never be greater than the vision for the family, and the vision for the family will never be greater than the vision of the parents.
What do you see that God wants to do with your family?
I say to you leaders--you can delegate details, administration, organization and purchasing; but you can’t delegate vision. Vision is something the leader must have.
D. CONCLUSION
1. Every new day has these three elements: excitement, determination and vision. Before the day comes, everything is black. First you need to see and that comes with the sun. Next, you begin to get excited about the day, and that comes with opportunities. Then, you become determined to do all the things that are in the coming day.
2. Your prayer for a new day, “God, you are going to do some exciting things today, let me get in on what you are doing.” When God lets you know what He is doing, your response is:
a. Excitement, you’re going to be on God’s team.
b. Determination, you can’t give up.
c. Vision, you see what God sees and you want to accomplish it in your life.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God.
