I DID IT MY WAY!
Pastor Larry Gatlin, So Oregon
This article is taken from a sermon that I preached a
few years ago. It will deal with a subject that is really needed in the Body of
Christ today.
It is important that we begin to see that God is in
charge and doesn't need our advise or direction in how things should be
accomplished in His Church.
Several years ago two entertainers sang and recorded
the same song. One was a very popular pop singer and the other a very popular
Rock singer. They both sang the song as if it was there own personal theme in
life, and may well have been. The song, "MY Way", the entertainers,
Old Blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra and the other was the so called "King
of Rock and Roll" Elvis Presley.
Isn't it interesting that they sang this song yet both
of their lives ended in such pain and tragedy?
All too often in the Body of Christ we too make this
phrase, "My Way", our guide rather than the Word of God. This phrase
was a result of the counter cultures of the sixties. It's like saying,
"I'm just doing my own thing." When the truth is if we aren't doing
Gods thing and doing it His way, we're actually doing the enemies thing. Samuel
was very direct:
1 Sam 15:23
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word
of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. (KJV)
It must have
been a real shock to Saul to hear the prophet make such a proclamation. It is
true today though just as it was way back then. Now, so that you don't think
that I am headed towards blasting you all with condemnation let me say that
this article is going to have a very positive ending. Just hang with me a while
and we'll get there.
Regardless of what we may think or what circumstances
might appear to be, God always has a plan.
1. For Nations
2. For
Individuals
3. Especially
for His Church
He will always give direction on how to carry out His
plan and then He will enable us to accomplish the plan.
Let's take a bit of a detour here. He was just days old
and already he was in danger of being murdered. After all he was a Jew and who
needed any more of them. Especially the one who might lead the people out of
the bondage of Egypt. Pharaoh had a plan to destroy all of the Israelite babies
and get rid of any threat of a future deliverer for Israel. But God had a
better plan. Gods plan was not only to raise up a deliverer for Israel, but to
use Pharaoh's own household to do it.
Who ever said God doesn't have a sense of humor? Well
we all know the story how Pharaoh's hand maid, Moses sister found the baby
Moses in a basket in the river and brought it to her mistress. It's not exactly
the same but it's kind of like when our children find a stray puppy of kitten
and bring it home and ask, can we keep it? Pharaoh must have thought what just
happened? Well the truth is, it was Gods plan being initiated. So, God had a
plan. And that plan was to use Pharaoh's own house to raise up Israel's deliverer.
Moses made mistakes; he spent time in the wilderness
but eventually God allowed him to return to Egypt and to lead the Israelites
out of bondage. But it all had to be done Gods way. God had a plan for Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. He had a plan for Joshua and Caleb too. Isn't it interesting
that for every great victory that Israel won it never happened until Israel was
willing to do it Gods way and not their way. The same is true today, we can
make all kinds of plans for our lives. But until we are willing to check in
with God and find out how He wants it to develop we will never be successful.
There is one thing that I know for certain, Gods way
doesn't always seem…
1. Logical
2. Attainable
3. Or
Practical
But if it did, it wouldn't be God. If Gods plan was
measured by these three principles, God would look just like us. And then He
would no longer be the God of the impossible, but the god of the comfortable.
Oh boy I'm in trouble now. Let's see if I can get out of the Dog House with
some of you.
WHAT DOES GOD’S WAY LOOK LIKE?
#1. IT REQUIRES US TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT
ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OF OUR FLESHLY DESIRES.
A. OUR HUMANE
NATURE DENIES THE SUPER NATURAL
WHEN IT ISN'T SUBMITTED TO THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
B. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
WILL ALWAYS MAKE WAY FOR US TO LIVE BY FAITH. WHICH WITH OUT WE COULD NEVER
PLEASE GOD. (HEB. 11:6)
C. THERE ARE
SOME THINGS THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED
WITH OUT FAITH OR DOING THINGS GODS WAY. BUT THEY ARE DESTINED TO EVENTUALLY FAIL.
#2. ANYTHING THAT WE ACCOMPLISH FOR GOD REQUIRES THAT
WE BECOME TOTALLY COMMITTED TO IT AND DOING IT HIS WAY.
A. GOD MUST
GIVE US THE DIRECTION
B. WE MUST RECEIVE GODS DIRECTION. THIS IS WHERE THE BODY OF CHRIST GETS INTO TROUBLE. BECAUSE
GOD HARDLY EVER PACKAGES HIS DIRECTION
IN THE WAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT PACKAGED.
C. COMMITMENT
IS THE ABILITY TO SEE GODS DIRECTION AND
CARRY OUT
HIS WAY.
#3. WE MUST WHOLE HEARTEDLY GIVE OURSELVES TO GODS
DIRECTION.
A. THIS IS THE
ABILITY TO FOLLOW GOD AND NOT
ALLOW OURSELVES TO GET SIDE TRACKED.
B. IT IS BELIEVING THAT
WHEN GOD GIVES A DIRECTION, HE'LL ALSO MAKE
THE WAY.
#4. DOING THINGS GODS WAY REQUIRES PERSEVERANCE.
A.WHEN
DISCOURAGEMENT COMES, We PERSEVERE.
B. WHEN
SCOFFERS COME ALONG, WE PERSEVERE.
C. WHEN THE
ENEMY ATTACKS, WE PERSEVERE.
D.
PERSEVERANCE WILL INSURE US THAT;
1.
OUR FAITH WILL REMAIN STRONG
2.
OUR LABORS WILL PRODUCE RESULTS
3. PERSEVERANCE WILL
ENABLE US TO CONTINUE ON WHEN OTHERS HAVE GIVEN UP AND GONE THEIR OWN WAY.
CONCLUSION:
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE. WHEN THE DUST SETTLES AND
THE SMOKE CLEARS OUT. IT WILL BE THOSE WHO HAVE, "DONE IT GODS WAY"
THAT WILL STILL BE STANDING. THEY WILL BE THE ONES WHO CARRY THE FIRE OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN THE KINGDOM. OH IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT
MAN WOULD THINK OF AS SUCCESSFUL, BUT IT WILL IN THE EYES OF OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER.
AND WHOM ARE WE TRYING TO PLEASE, GOD OR MAN?
I TRUST THAT YOU WILL ANSWER, GOD!!!!
IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE SO GO OUT AND LIVE YOUR LIFE GOD’S-
WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
…
