Ezek 24:24
24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. KJV
A sign: something material or external that stands for or signifies (points toward) something spiritual.
God stated in the text, (Ezekiel 24:2) Ezekiel would be unto them ?a sign?, someone spiritual that they should emulate. I said that Ezekiel would serve as a blueprint for us, an example of how God will and can move in our lives. Ezekiel is the personification or the embodiment of one who allowed God?s Designed Purpose for His Life, to become the very essence of his existence.
I believe and affirm that Ezekiel can be a sign for us, an external sign pointing us toward developing a deep and intimate relationship with God. Ezekiel I believe found fulfillment because He Lived Life to the Glory of God!
Several weeks ago, we began this series by examing the life of the prophet Ezekiel. Remember, Ezekiel had one plan for his life, which was to become a priest, but God had another plan, another purpose for Ezekiel, which was to be a prophet unto the people, to prophesy to the ?dry bones? which represented the people of God, that they would be Coming Alive, which is our motto for 2005. Under this banner have begun our first quarter with a series entitled ?Coming Up Out of the Valley?!
(pray)
Main Series Point: ?There is no ?valley? situation that God can?t bring you up out of?.
? The intended purpose is to reveal that there is always hope for the hopeless, joy for the joyless, and most of all life for the lifeless!
? There are and will be times when we all have a ?valley? experience in our lives; whether they are emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual. Everybody is going to have a ?valley? experience.
? Times when you lose hope, joy, and a sense of fulfillment in life. Even if you haven?t experienced these things, I am certain you have come in contact with someone who has and by virtue of who we are in Christ, we are to use our experiences, our spiritual knowledge, to help others as they lay in their ?valley of dry bones?!
? What do you do when you are going through your ?valley? or you are in the ?valley of dry bones?? How can you help someone else who is going through their ?valley of dry bones??
We must come to the realization that there is no problem, no condition, no valley to low, no situation that is beyond the powerful ?hand of God?!
In addition, we must realize that we are here for and by God?s Designed Purpose, no one is an accident, maybe an accident according to their perspective, but not according to God?s!
God before he laid the foundation of the world, God designed us and designated us for his purpose according to his own good pleasure!
Last time I mentioned that before God releases you for your purpose, He has to transform you for your purpose. There are times he will allow to go in the valley, so that he can bring you out, so you may know that He is God!
? Before you can come ?up? out of a situation, you have to go ?down? on your knees. God will allow us to die, decay, become dry, and then He will breathe life into you again! It?s all according to His designed purpose for you life!
Lesson one continued: God?s designed purpose for His people.
One of God?s Designed Purpose for His People is for us to have a fulfilling life.
? The world is full of people who are lying in the ?valley of unfulfillment?.
? The unfulfillment, dissatisfaction, and emptiness stems from not realizing or understanding God?s designed purpose for their lives.
? Most times people become too consumed with getting ?stuff? or ?things? in hope of finding fulfillment or satisfaction.
? They are or we can be focused on ?getting? the wrong thing;
Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. KJV
Psalms 14:2
2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. KJV
The NLT reads this way, ?The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he is looking to see if there is even one with a real understanding, one who seeks for (or seeks after) God.
When people find themselves feeling ?unfulfilled?, it is because they lack the understanding of God?s designed purpose for their life.
I would like to reiterate, God wants us to have a fulfilling life, and the beginning of a fulfilling life, begins with understanding that you need to be seeking God!
When our ultimate purpose in life succumbs to seeking ?stuff? opposed to seeking the ?Savior?, we experience ?unfulfillment?.
Unfulfillment or the lack of ?fulfillment? leads to ?frustration?:
Frustration in the following areas:
? Job
? School
? Marriage
? Parenting
? Dating
? Church
Yes, I did say church, because if you don?t know what your purpose is within the body of Christ, you will lack fulfillment, which will lead to frustration, which evolves into fuming, feuding, or flight.
? When there is a lack of fulfillment and you become frustrated with every aspect of your life, you have now entered into the ?valley of dry bones?.
? The danger resulting from the lack of Fulfillment, is it leads to Frustration, which leads to Follies.
? A folly is a foolish act or idea, a lack of good sense, prudence, or good judgment. In other words we start seeking things to give us fulfillment:
1. Drugs / Alcohol (Ephesians 5:18)
2. Material things; cars, houses, clothes and etc?
3. Relationships; inside and outside the bonds of marriage
4. Money/ wealth; some of the most miserable people, are those with a great deal of money.
5. Gangs; seeking love, a sense of worth and belonging.
You can have all that this world has to offer, become entangled with every folly and still be in the ?valley of unfulfillment?.
Reference point: turn to Ecclesiastes 2: 3-11, 17-26
Other reference: Proverbs 15:21
21 Folly delights(temporarily) a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course. NIV
In other words anyone who understands God?s Designed Purpose for Their Life, will seek the Lord, will stay on course, and ?come up out of the valley?!
Our first is to ?Live Life for the Glory of God and We Will have a Fulfilling Life?;
Uzziah lived life for the glory of God and found fulfillment;
2 Chron 26:1-5
26:1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 2 He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his fathers. 3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success. NIV
(Encourage the members to read the rest of the chapter to see how the Lord allowed Uzziah to find fulfillment in God?s purpose).
Hezekiah lived life for the glory of God, and found fulfillment;
2 Chron 31:20-21
20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. 21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. NIV
Life Application:
When you are experiencing or going through your ?valley of unfulfillment?; remember these principles:
1. Coming up out of the valley can only occur when you ?understand? God?s Designed Purpose For Your Life!
2. Coming up out of the valley can only occur when you ?seek? God first!
3. Coming up out of the valley can only occur when you ?Live life for the glory of God, and you will have a fulfilling life?!
In summary; we are fulfilling God?s purpose and will find fulfillment when we desire God and seek God;
Ps 27:4-6
4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble (unfulfillment) He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
NKJV
Ps 27:6
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies(unfulfillment,emptiness) all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. NKJV
[Invitation] God wants to fill you up, filling you with Him spirit, which brings you joy, deep down in your soul?.sweet, beautiful joy!
Will you allow God to bring you fulfillment, will you say ?yes? to God?s designed purpose for your life, will you say ?yes? to a satisfying Savior!
