INTRODUCTION
Two weeks ago we began a series entitled, “Discovering the Champion in You”. As we looked at Philippians chapter 4, we found four practices every champion must exercise in order to maintain a winning attitude. Just as a review we must practice the “praise principle”, right praying, right thinking and right living.
When we think of anyone who has achieved great success at any sport, especially those who are considered champions, we have a mental image of what they should look like. We picture in our minds eye an image of a muscular, physically fit and well rounded individual.
However, we must realize that champions are not born, they’re made. It’s not in their DNA, or gene pool that makes them achieve – but it’s through discipline, training, practice and devotion.
But I would challenge today to say that in order to become a champion of the faith, we need to be FAT. Now I’m not talking about weight or obesity. I am not talking about outward appearances, but three inward attributes of a Christian’s character that will lead to spiritual success.
READ ACTS 8:26-40
First of all we need to note a few things before we move on. Philip in this passage is not Philip the Apostle. This is Philip who was appointed Deacon in Acts chapter 6. But also note that Philip was a man who was lead by the Holy Spirit. We will look more closely at the Holy Spirit’s power in the life of the believer next week.
I. FAITHFUL
How many of you would agree that we serve a faithful God? “Great is Thy Faithfulness” is a heart’s cry to a God that will never leave us or forsake us. He will never turn His back on me and abandon me. Even when I fall short, He is always there. Can somebody say, “Amen!”?
But what is faithfulness exactly? We often think it means showing up for church on time, teaching a kid’s class, showing up for ministry, reading your Bible or saying a prayer.
But what does it really mean? The word “Faithful” comes from the Greek word “pistos” which means consistent, reliable, trustworthy.
ILLUS: Now most people know that there are two sports that I love, football and NASCAR racing. And I believe that if the Apostle Paul were alive today, he’d be a race fan. But to win a championship in racing you have to accumulate the most points over the course of the season. Winning the big race is great, but the real prize is the championship. In NASCAR, it’s totally possible to win a championship without ever winning a race. How? By being consistent. Consistency, or faithfulness wins championships.
Spiritually it’s no different. Faithfulness leads to spiritual success.
Faithfulness is one of the nine seeds of the fruit of the Spirit. Notice I said “fruit”, singular, not “fruits” plural. It’s a package deal. But for some reason there are blood bought, Spirit filled Christians who for the life of them cannot display outwardly what they claim inwardly. They claim to be faithful, dependable and reliable, but there nowhere to be found.
Church we’ve got to be faithful.
Faithfulness is required. “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” – 1 Corinthians 4:2
God rewards faithfulness. It’s a key to opening Heaven’s floodgates. (Hebrews 11:6) This isn’t a new concept, it’s a timeless principle. But we often times want to immediately receive the reward, but we forget about being faithful.
Because if we are not found faithful with this world’s goods, how then can we be trusted with God’s goods?
One be found faithful – an inspection is coming (Matthew 25)
Nobody ever said that the reward you would receive would come through favorable circumstances. In our passage Philip was asked by God to go south through the desert. The desert is barren, desolate, and depressing.
In order for you to be faithful in the palace, you’ve got to be faithful in the prison (Joseph).
Faithfulness is proven in the little, not in the lot
It isn’t dependant upon what you’ve got – it’s what you do with it.
II. AVAILABLE
Every athlete has some special skill that separates them from the general populace. But the “A” in FAT doesn’t stand for “ability” but “available”.
Notice that I said “available” not “able”. I think the most common misconception about serving God is that we can’t because we lack the ability.
Moses is a prime example.
• Here’s a man that God’s hand was upon even as an infant
• The first martyr, Stephen, tells us that he was eloquent in speech
• He knew the ways of the Egyptians
• When God called him to go to Egypt, the first thing Moses tries to do is disqualify himself because he felt he wasn’t able to do the task.
It doesn’t matter how many degrees you’ve got signed by the hands of men, or how many awards hang on your wall. Men’s credentials are great for doing men’s work. But only the Holy Spirit can enable you to do Kingdom work.
God isn’t interested in your ability. You can’t impress Him. He wants you to be available. You’ve got to step up and step out
All Philip did was open his mouth
God is looking – Isaiah said, “here am I Lord, send me”
God is speaking – Samuel said, “speak Lord, Your servant is listening”
God is moving – Ruth said, “I will go wherever you go”
You’ve got to ask yourself, “What if?”
Availability – Isaiah, Samuel, David, Philip, Peter, Nehemiah
What if…
• …Noah would have said, “no”?
• …Moses would have insisted, “I’m not qualified”
• …David wouldn’t have fought Goliath?
• …Nehemiah wouldn’t have rebuilt the wall?
• …Peter wouldn’t have been in the upper room at Pentecost?
• …Jesus wouldn’t have gone to the cross?
• …The person who told you about God’s saving grace would have remained silent?
Make yourself available, someone’s eternal destiny may depend on it. – Esther – if not you, who? It may be for such a time as this.
It may be in an uncomfortable circumstance, but God isn’t concerned with your personal comfort. It wasn’t comfortable on the cross. But God wants you to be conformable, or teachable.
III. TEACHABLE
Paul says if we think we have it all together, and know all there is about everything – we don’t really know anything at all.
We must have a teachable spirit.
To be taught means more than pass on information. To be taught is to be empowered with the knowledge and wisdom you need to succeed.
When Jesus taught, people by the masses would gather around Him, even to the point once He had to get in a boat and push out from the shore. People wanted to hear about the Kingdom of God, they wanted to learn from the Master Teacher.
Today churches and Bible studies are growing barren by the hour. Have we become so busy with the affairs of this life that we no longer desire to sit at the feet of Jesus and be taught?
Christ’s teachings were empowering, but also challenging for many to hear and receive.
There are things in life that we value as important. We will invest ourselves into a belief structure or hold to some sort of value system. But then God will open our eyes to see things through His eyes.
Why do I need to be teachable? Because this world has taught us a lot. And once you’ve learned one pattern of behavior, it’s easy to maintain that pattern.
We, like the eunuch in our passage this morning, need to be hungry to hear from Heaven
Lord teach us…
• …to pray
• …to love as You love
• …to see others the way You see them
• …to administer hope
• …to be compassionate
• …to give of ourselves they way You gave You all
We need to allow the Lord to teach us by His Spirit the way He wants us to be. In fact, Jesus says that in order for us to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, we are to become as little children – we have a lot to learn and a lot to unlearn.
CONCLUSION
These three characteristics are dependant upon the other. There are three elements that are necessary for a fire to start; fuel, oxygen and heat. If you take one of them out of the picture, a fire simply won’t start.
In the same way these three characteristics are necessary for a fire to start in you.
Looking at this passage of Scripture, it’s amazing to see all God orchestrated to touch one person
We don’t know how many people’s lives this one man touched, or the impact he had on his nation
But as a result of Philip’s faithfulness, obedience, availability, and teachability, he was whisked away supernaturally to continue the Lord’s work elsewhere
The supernatural hand of God moves through a faithful, available and teachable believer.
We also see this in the second chapter of Acts just after Pentecost
They faithfully devoted themselves to the teaching of the Word, and made themselves available for prayer and fellowship. Then the Bible says that signs and wonders followed.
Signs and wonders should follow believers, but today believers are following signs and wonders. Why – not being faithful, available, and teachable.
The eunuch rejoiced even though he didn’t see Philip from that point forward
• We are to rejoice in the Lord always
• Rejoice that our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life
• Rejoice in the Lord, not in man
• People may come and people may go, but the work of the Kingdom will continue
