From Valley to Victory (Part 20)

I don't know if you are following this news this news of this rash of suicide among the very rich and famous. Justin on the last few weeks. Millionaires millionaire celebrities.

But before I go any further.

I am also aware of the fact that there are times, particularly among the average person who doesn't know brain chemicals get all out of balance and therefore they would do things that are not balance, including taking their own life. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church we don't believe it's the unforgivable sin. If a person is redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter where they send in his life or at the end of his life in the beginning of his life. Jesus blood washes all our sins away.

So I just want to make sure that you understand this before I get into further but the one thing that so many people agree on, especially in that the suicide among the very wealthy, the rich and the famous, the successful people is that they have experienced a loss of hope they have experienced a loss of purpose and have experienced a loss of vision for the life all of these can be very powerful factor in ending of life unfulfilled expectations and misdirected pursuit of fulfillment in life. All of these are powerful factors unfolded between 45,000 to 50,000 a year in the United States of America, people take on life.

It is now the 10th leading cause for death, blood would listen to me has a problem. The pursuit of fulfillment in life coupled with going about it the wrong way pursuing the wrong things. All of that makeup for a cause for all of us to sit up and take notice in every culture in many parts of the world, and as many of you know I have traveled extensively through the years, every culture, every suicide they are looking for fulfillment, but many as I said seek that fulfillment in the wrong places their purse. You wrongly they chase after as if they're chasing after Mirage is not there and that is why they'll never feel fulfilled even if there millionaires exactly placental Justin who said that our hearts are restless until they find a rest and where in you back in the days when I used to travel to Asia. A great deal in. I think by grandma's office or the great great deal. I found people particular in India all over the other Asia.

They are pursuing happiness to pursuing fulfillment. They looking for it in Eastern mysticism. They looking for in finding someone who which is going to help them find themselves, and I found also that there were people bearing Asia so-called gurus who are really happy to release them from their money. Well, all of these breathless endeavors. All of these useless endeavors. Gunner reminded me of the story of the old-timer who went to the hardware store looking for a new soul member is an old-timer and so the salesman pulls up one of those electric chain saws off the shelf.

Is this is one of our newest models.

It can cut 10 cords of wood in a day or the next day the old-timer returned to the hardware store, looking absolutely frazzled, exhausted and sweating and initiative, the salesman said something must be wrong with the saw. I worked as hard as I've ever worked and I couldn't cut even three cords of wood when I normally cut for a firebomb.

Also the salesman, looked puzzled and he said you know what I don't understand this. Come with me list on the back and around the backyard is a part of wood and is a let's try it and he pulled the cord in the chainsaw when an old-timer jumped back as it was that noise is been trying to use a chainsaw the way he used his old sore frustrated helpless.

Today I want to show you from the life of the apostle Paul that when we purchase you your God given dream and let me assure you, God has a dream for everyone of you. God has a vision for everyone of you but when you pursue that God given dream in your life you gonna overcome obstacles you gonna defeat any enemy you gonna meet every challenge and you gotta be victorious even in the worst of your circumstances. Romans 1514 to 33.

He shows us in those few words, the power of vision for life.

He show us how to have joy in fulfilling God's purpose for your life. He shows us the motivation which can only help us not just persevere, but thrive in life, regardless of the circumstances.

First of all, Paul shows us here that it is the pursuit of the dream. It is a pursuit of the division. It is the pursuit of God's purpose for your life is going to be first of all, self-sacrificing. Secondly is going to be God glorifying certainly is going to be forever dreaming you never stop dreaming and finally, constantly kneeling in verses 15 and 16. You can see that for true fulfillment of life, you gonna have to have self sacrificing.

Secondly, versus 17 to 19.

It has to be God glorifying, versus 2221 forever dreaming and finally versus 32, 33, constantly kneeling is looking in the details now.

Okay, self-sacrificing is a true true true secret for fulfillment.

Some of you already said what he talking about. I mean everything I learned in school everything out here in the media. Everything I see in the movies. Everything in our culture says that fulfillment is that it all and grab it all and keep it all. That's exactly the problems the reason we have problems in our culture is are we going right against the word of God in the New Testament. Every believer in Jesus Christ as a priest you don't need to go to a priest for confession because every man and woman boredom girl who surrendered the life to Jesus Christ. The New Testament said you are a priest and I get an amen?

What was the greatest joy in the fulfillment of a life in Old Testament priest offering sacrifices to God right today. We don't offer lambs or grains or stuff like that now. No no no in the New Testament we all, the priests are offering themselves to God and men, and because every believer is a priest in the New Testament. Therefore, every believer in Jesus Christ has a sacred call on his life and whether you're a shopkeeper or a doctor or a preacher. Whatever your vocation might be. You have a sacred call can I get an amen. Whatever your vocation is God is calling you to offer sacrifices to him on the daily basis not just once a year on certain occasions every day Heraclius. Scientists tell us that the way we perceive ourselves is going to impact and determine the way we live. When I perceive myself as a member of the royal family.

I'm going to behave like it if you perceive yourself as a child of the living God who gonna inherit the entire universe were Jesus, you gonna live like it when you perceive yourself as a man of God than a woman of God that the devil has no right to come into your life and harass you and he might when he does you can kick him out in Jesus name. When you perceive yourself as a priest who will delight himself in living up to the calling of constantly offering oneself as a sacrifice to the Lord. You will constantly offer your time and your talent your treasure up to the Lord as a sacrifice.

When you perceive yourself as a falling diplomat representing your home country which is heaven, you're gonna be very anxious to represent your country home country well know whether you know it or not. This is how God perceives you see this is how he perceives you know more about how people perceive you. This is how God perceives you he perceives you as a priest as a man or woman, boy or girl with a holy calling on your life and therefore it is time for the Army of the living God perceive themselves as God sees them, not as they see themselves verses 15 and 16. Paul Priestley beauty was to offer God as a sacrifice, with thanksgiving, all of the Gentiles, whom God used Paul to bring to the kingdom of God, who moved from hell to heaven, from darkness to light, and you will Priestley beauty. I don't know what it is your Priestley beauty may be that you gonna sacrifice some comfort zone things in your places in your life and witnessing for Christ and the hostile community. Your Priestley beauty may be to give sacrificially to the work of God, your Priestley beauty might be to give a word of encouragement to everyone you meet your Priestley beauty might be serving your family, your Priestley beauty may be helping others. Whatever your Priestley beauty may be, it is your offering of a sacrifice to the Lord.

That's the first thing fulfilled life is self-sacrifice. Life. Secondly, a fulfilled life.

Look at versus 17, 18 and 19 is God glorifying, Paul said. Therefore, once Obama priest offering sacrifices to God serving you with all my heart, bringing the offering to the Lord, which is the souls of those who have been saved.

Secondly, he said. Therefore I glory in my financial net worth know I glory in my real estate holdings.

No I glory in my degrees in my accomplishments now I glory in Christ Jesus. Beloved Paul accomplish so much side of the New Testament has his name at least two thirds not more, but he doesn't glory in any of this. Instead he said God then it all.

Although he used me and for which I'm very grateful but he did it all beloved, listen to me. God must always get all of the glory. It is okay to brag about Jesus. It's okay to boast of the Lord will miss Ron gonna tell you when you do that you gonna be helped over the pitfalls of life number tell you I know those pitfalls and I'm talking about is going to help you over being constantly complaining and murmuring and seeing every little problem is a huge thing in the Moving from is gonna help you stop playing the martyr mentality is going to help you from constantly falling into self-pity all me for me.

Why is this happening to me had all learned not to brag on the Lord, he would've said the following. Now don't find it in your Bible.

I'm making it up. Okay, he would've said the following are not human nature is on one of all let me tell you about my experience in our premium. I was told an acronym man, because I stood firm. I got stoned. The truth is everywhere I go I got stoned for Jesus not stoned in the way you think about it, young people, this is stone. The stone you know what I mean stoned.

You know dear all, Barnabas. He always managed to save his pretty face. There's trouble Barnabas is gone, but not may. I stood firm. I when you flinch. In fact, one stone knocked me down completely.

It would kill the average man, but not me. I'm Paul. When I got up from being beaten by these stones. I found it her all of my companions the cutting room and I stood alone but that's not helpful.

So right is not how you select. That's not how perceive in his life. He gave God all, how many of the glory to give God all, how many all of the credit in Galatians chapter 6 verse 14 he said may I never boast except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and here in Romans who said to be sure to be sure God accomplished a great deal through me but only through his power that he gave me in order for signs and wonders and miracles take place. To be sure, is the Holy Spirit who accomplished this purpose in my life but is only his power that enabled me to do this beloved, listen to me.

I know today's many a preacher. They brag about all sorts of things. Some brag about the part of the positive thinking. God bless.

Some brag about their communication skills are some brag about the fact that their power in the tongue whenever they say it happens. We need to get back on the mourners bench and cry to God is still bragging about all of our abilities, thinking about the bragging, and I have met many friends through the years who just grabbed brag about ships. I really do. I remember a friend of my 35 years ago told me the story.

That's from his mouth directly that he was kind of half-time motivational speaker half-time semi pro golfer.

I use the word summary in a very conifer advisory way here semi plug officer. He was speaking to a group of retirees in Florida and he was bragging about his golf scores Army and he was bragging in his bragging little story after story about his golf start will you know if wasn't for this or that.

The other thing out of being one of the top pros in the country at the end of his speech, a blind man walked up and said all right I heard what you said how about play game of golf with me and my friend literally his his jaw dropped him and looked at the man in Sedona that's okay.

And the men were letting go. He tried to change the subject matter. Let them change it to try to get away am I grabbing Nana play golf with me. Finally my friends and okay what time do you want to tee off. He said 12:05 tonight that Puritan he still bragging for a fulfilled life.

It has to be self-sacrificing for a fulfilled life. It has to be God glorifying fervently versus 2229 is forever dreaming.

Listen to me. God has a dream for you.

God has a vision for you and if you don't know what it is you better stay on your knees until he gives it. Because he does have one for you. For each one of you is out on a night gives us to the big preachers another and end up other phenomena. He has one for each one of you.

You are his child.

If you this child is a dream for you and the moment you start dreaming for God. You have died before dying.

I want you to imagine with me just a minute as a pilot flying up Alana from Atlanta Georgia to New York and this particular polyp when he gets up to 30,000 feet, he decides in his mind. I guess it is going to show the passage is a good time is going to show them some sites from the air. And so he takes a PA system and announces it will gonna see some magnificent sites instead of landing on top zero as well as another thick white really when you do when you run out of gas. Woodland where I don't know, nearest airport, or guess what will be a final destination. I don't know what it imagine the nightmare that that slightest. But, beloved, listen to me. The truth is there are so many people who live the life that way.

Just like that pilot they don't know where they're going. They don't care where they're going and they don't know when they get there they just glanced in life I prayed to God not a soul not listening to me with around the world are here in this place would be in that boat they got here there and everywhere but in reality they going nowhere fast. I wanted to contrast this with the apostle Paul. He had a clear vision get a dream he had a goal God given dream God-given vision God-given goal to accomplish in his life. What was to preach the gospel worse never been preached.

That's a big goal. Verse 24. His ultimate destination is Spain is a wise Spain because bagman Spain was thought of as the edge of the world.

That was it. In order to fulfill this vision, this dream of God gave him.

He said our first check the offerings from the Gentile churches to take it to the Jewish church and Jerusalem because they are in desperate need and it's a secular thinking the Jewish believers for giving us Jesus and redemption. So he said I'll take that offering from the Macedonians and the corrective all the other churches and I'm gonna take it to Jerusalem and then I'm going to buy a ticket at Southern your Bible, but I'm gonna go in the on the trip and go to Rome and we can fellowship together and then you give me some financial help, and help me along the way to Spain. That's the goal that's the dream that's the vision I want you to listen carefully because some of your organs overwhelming. What happened well from the book of acts you find out things did not work out that way. It was not exactly the way he anticipated for the dream to be fulfill but it doesn't matter. I know in my life at the age of 18 God literally audibly said that I'll be in the United States and from Vail take the gospel to the ends of the world I knew nothing I didn't know how to go about this, I thought.

First of all I thought maybe just a voice but I knew was God here on, but I didn't call me right away.

Two years later I found myself in Australia as far away from America's he can get.

There was a wonderful detour. It was a fantastic detour. I met my wife has three of our four children there.

God gave me a minister I went to seminary there. It was a not quite exactly what I thought what God has in mind that I was going to come here but 40 years ago I was God kept his promise brought me some things happen here with Paul. He knew that God was calling them to go to Rome and from Rome is going to go to Spain but it didn't happen that way instead of buying a ticket and going on a voyage.

He ended up being the guest of the government, a prisoner, because when he went to take the money to Jerusalem some rowdy bunch of nonbelievers turned against him and want to kill him and then renewal stood before the king. He said I appeal my case to Caesar and the king said to Caesar, you shall go, so he ends up in Rome as a present. Another passenger and even so, as a prisoner of the ship got wrecked when he was floating on the driftwood in the Mediterranean for days on end and then when they landed the header a snake that been in a venomous snake. The literally the people where the local people thought is that but got saved in strudel and to control it arrived in Rome? Did Paul make it to Spain. Did Paul fulfilled his dream God-given dream that he gave did Paul achieve his vision for life actual. Some people say yes he did go to Spain.

Other people say no we don't have it in the Scripture, so we don't know. Historically, you can go either way? Does it really matter whether he went to Spain on the now does it really matter now. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter when God gives your vision for life, and he has a vision for every one of you. When God gives you a dream and a purpose for living. When God director and says this is the way I want you to go at accomplishing your dream is not the issue.

Are you with me is not the issue.

Moses has agreed to going to the promised land, but he never made it there and yet that was his dream never accomplished. David had a dream to build a great, wonderful, fantastic temple for God, for the worship of God on the hill in Jerusalem. Did you see it now. He gave his entire financial network for the building of it.

He drew the plans for it, but he never saw it.

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter whether you accomplish the dream will not you and I must understand things from God's perspective we get into trouble when we keep it from our perspective. I do this all the time. I'm a failed miserably. Trust me when I don't see things from God's perspective from the eternal perspective, and from God's perspective, it doesn't matter if you accomplish your God-given dream will not from God's perspective, the important issue is how faithfully have been in your work toward God-given vision, my beloved friend, please listen God is not interested in the destination as much as he is interested in your faithfulness along the journey.

Can I get an amen. How many people give up their God-given dreams God-given vision the moment they face opposition old guard my not being how many people live with memories of shattered dreams. Why because they give up halfway through the journey they give up the moment the first obstacle raises its head. How many people are spending their lives wondering what would've been like had they not given up the pursuit of their God-given vision dream in life. Paul understood the vital importance of pursuing God's dream for life. The vital importance of faithfully pursuing God's vision of the vital importance of pursuing your Spain and you're staying in my sprain all different. Listen to me, the pursuing of your God-given dream in your life may endure hardships in my head encounter obstacles it may have you at the cross, hard mountains, you have to walk through the flood. The important thing is that you continue the journey. I am absolutely convinced there's a desperate need in this 21st century Christianity among God's people today is having a vision for life is having God's dream for life is in endeavoring to accomplish great things for God. Beloved, listen to me, the faithful foot soldiers of the cross. They need to invade the world instead of allowing the world to invade the church. The faithful soldiers of the cross need to overcome Satan stronghold.

Instead of giving them the opportunity to create more strongholds, the faithful soldiers of the cross. They need to dream of turning the world upside down.

But instead we sit in our comfort zones and get lulled to sleep in. The devil loves.

He really does. You must understand that God is interested in your purpose in your heart. God is interested in the process God is interested in your faithfulness and the step that you take each day God is interested in your commitment that you make God is interested in the sacrifices that you offered to him. God is interested in your pursuit of his given dream and vision and purpose for your life fulfillment can be found in the life that is self-sacrificing. Secondly, God glorifying, thirdly, forever dreaming finally constantly kneeling look versus 3233 verse 30. Urge you, brothers, sisters, behind the Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Holy Spirit to join me in the struggle and praying to God for me. Notice how Paul's prayer request was so specific. If you go along. It says are basically two things. He said that he will be delivered from the unbelievers in Jerusalem and secondly that you make it to Rome regardless of both prayers because people were taking prayer seriously hovered sometimes when I hear people talk about prayer particular in the media maven so among Christians is… Like the good wishes of summarizing Nellie's prayer as an excuse. Also, sometimes I don't understand people talk about prayer. Sit jointly in the struggle of prayer.

Prayer, my beloved friends, real prayer is often agonizing real prayer is often groaning real prayer sometimes is like a childbirth of no-bid throat but not told is very painful. Real prayer God sisters. He collects standing in the gap. Have you ever stood in the gap. You know how painful that it's real prayer is spiritualist training. Real prayer is self-denying self-sacrifice. Someone modernize was how today that prayer would be the apostle Paul talks about a memory that you saw the mess it up.

It goes something like this or more, God we modern Christians can be so self absorbed. We look with condescension and sometimes even boredom on the mission enterprise that's even when we think about it at all. Forgiveness we worship your son in church on Sunday when we sing our choruses and our songs with euphoria and we think that's all we need to do to honor him. What do we know of honoring Christ, we remain contented to let all nations and peoples and tribes around the world live and die without even bowing to the one whose name is above every name, we have privatized our face, we have privatized our face, we have trivialized faith as a mere benefit, like a favorite television show or a hobby. We don't hear the gospel is a war cry anymore. We don't hear the gospel someone's to risk taking, or as a command to see the Lord Jesus Christ honored in our hearts, or as an exerted effort toward his being honored in our lives or Lord give fresh vision power for the gospel among us today or Lord help us. Amen.

Now, my beloved friends get serious. If you want to be truly fulfilled in life get serious about self-sacrificing get serious about God glorifying, get serious about forever dreaming and get serious about constantly straining, kneeling in prayer. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.Ward