Fulfill Your God-Given Destiny

Part 1  2Tim 2:1-26 & Selected

Congratulations to Marc & Susan Magnotta birth of twins… Anthony was 6 lbs, 3oz, 18.5 inches… Angelo was 5 lbs, 12.5 oz and 19 inches.  Cross Creek’s newest members – the A-TEAM

• Have you ever said to yourself, "I'd love to do great things with my life, but I'm just too busy, too untalented, too ordinary, too afraid, too anything but extraordinary"?  
• Do you ever have that small, nagging feeling that something was missing from your life.
• You may think of yourself as… "A Nobody named Ordinary who lived in the Land of Familiar"…

• Every person has a God given destiny, a unique assignment given to them by their Creator. Many people do not know that they have a purpose in life or they do not know what it is.
• Discovering and fulfilling your purpose in life is an exciting journey and will require diligence and work.
• You will not have any real joy or be truly fulfilled until you understand your God-given Destiny…

·         It’s time we ‘UNLEASH’ this generation to fulfill their God-given destiny. Far too often circumstance and attitudes such as abandonment, deep wounds, loneliness, loss, pain, feelings of being average, and boredom hinder us from living out their God-given destiny.

·         The nation of Israel turned away from God and the Lord sent them into Babylonian captivity for 70 years

·         As hard as it was for them, it allowed God to once again “get their attention” and fulfill His promises…

·         I believe God has a perfect plan for each of His children today…

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

·         Do you know what God’s plan for your life is?  You’ll never fulfill your destiny until you do.

·         God has individually drawn up plans for your life.  Plans that are good for you… gives us a hope & future

·         God lays out seven keys to a young man named Timothy… a young pastor called by God

·         I believe these keys are instructive to every Christian here this morning…

·         These “keys” will help us “clarify” and “fulfill” our personal God-Given destiny…

Seven Keys… Here’s some of my keys…  Keys unlocks, opens, changes, reveals, starts… new idea’s, thoughts, actions, lives, destinies…  Keys are important

KEY 1.  Be Strong in Christ

2 Timothy 2:1-2 ¹ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

• We are saved by God’s grace – God’s riches at Christ’s expense… something we don’t deserve
• It’s all about Christ in you, the hope of glory… not about me but Christ in me
• Our spiritual strength  comes from Christ… without me you can do NOTHING – John 15:5
• This may entail an attitudal adjustment… we are powerless without Christ… we need Him

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

• It’s all of GRACE – God giving us what we don’t deserve… He empowers us to truly live!
• Paul said he could do ALL things through Christ… All things are possible Mt 19:26
• You may be dreaming too small… begin dreaming Big… we serve a BIG GOD.
• The Lord has GOD-SIZED plans for you… GO and fulfill your destiny for Him.

KEY 2.  Be Single-Minded in Your Devotion

2 Timothy 2:3-4 ³ Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer.

• We must be PROACTIVE; we must be DETERMINED; we must have a CAN-DO attitude…
• God calls us to a deep focused devotion to Christ…
• Good soldier pleases his commanding officer… A good soldier demonstrates… loyalty…
• Rigorous training and discipline focused on the goal / priorities… painful, hard, tiresome…
• Unquestioned obedience even in the face of great harm / danger / death… engaged in warfare

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

• There is a specific race, plan, purpose, destiny God has marked out for us… get in the race!
• Is your heartbeat beating Jesus?  Are you running the race with perseverance?
• Are you single-minded in your devotion to Christ or caught up with the cares of the world?

KEY 3.  Be Strict in Your Diligence

2 Timothy 2:5-10 ⁵ Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this… ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

• The third key is being strict in your diligence… firm, unswerving in your attentiveness
• Being very careful giving your attention to all the details of your Christian life
• Showing discipline, self-control, endurance, toughness… lining up to God’s standards
• God compares the athlete – competing & obeying according to the rules… following the Bible?
• The farmer is hardworking sun up to sun down… sowing, tending, reaping… wins crop of fruit
• Success is achieved through discipline, hard work, single-mindedness… following Christ
• Paul says he endures everything… a price is paid to fulfill your God-given destiny…
• Are we willing to pay the price?  Content with status quo?  “Empty” spiritual coasting?
• Teddy Roosevelt said, “There has not yet been a person in history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering”… those words were true then and still apply today.

KEY 4.  Be Secure in Your Identification

2 Timothy 2:11-13 ¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; ¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; ¹³ if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

• Dead to self but alive in Christ… we shall live and reign with Him… God remains faithful
• We MUST fully understand, we are absolutely secure in Christ… My Identity in Jesus
• We are called “saint” over 60 times, not just a patched up sinner… but a new creation!

There are three groups of people: 

• Secure BUT unsure… Satan has a field day with you, yoyo, you just don’t get it 
• Sure BUT Unsecure… proud, religious, pious, holier than thou BUT lost (unsaved)  
• Secure AND Sure… the sweet spot of life – fulfilling your God-given destiny

John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

• You child of God you!  Get the depth of meaning people!  Your identity is in Christ Jesus!
• You are a heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ Rom 8:17…
• My heavenly Father created it all, saved my soul, I’m born again into His family, I’m a child of the King, I’m free from condemnation, I cannot be separated from Him, I’m more than a conqueror in Christ, I am complete in Him, I have been chosen and appointed to go bear fruit, I am God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Eph 2:10)…
• I can do ALL things through Christ because of my identity in Him… I am secure in Him…
• NOTHING is able to separate me from Him, I am sealed till the day of redemption!  Hallelujah!
• Because I am secure in Jesus, I can fulfill my God-given destiny that He has called me to do!

KEY 5.  Be Sound in Your Faith

2 Timothy 2:14-19 ¹⁴ Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth… ¹⁹ Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

• Be eager in your faith, be zealous, be passionate… be solid, fixed, genuine in your faith
• An approved workman – “straight cut” plowing a straight furrow… in Truth of God’s Word
• Make your BEST effort to be eager in seeking TRUTH from the Living Word of God…
• Not going down dead end rabbit trails, not hit and miss reading, not wishy-washy

• God’s Word is what keeps us on the straight and narrow – God speaks through His Word
• Have you ever read the complete Bible?  I challenge you to do in 2009… your destiny!
• Being sound in faith may require 15-20 minutes of reading your Bible Every Day…
• Sin will keep you from the God’s Word and God’s Word will keep you from sin.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

• Walking in the Light produces fellowship and purity… everyone who confesses the name of the Lord MUST turn away from wickedness… Be sound in your faith!

KEY 6.  Be Sanctified in Your Walk

2 Timothy 2:20-23 ²⁰ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. ²¹ If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. ²² Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

• Made holy, useful to the Master… fulfilling your God-given destiny…
• Sanctification means to be set apart, separated unto the Lord, away from sin, to make holy
• Positional Sanctification the moment we are saved, progressive-  through life, ultimate- in glory
• It’s the inward spiritual work of the Spirit of God conforming me to the image of Christ…
• Pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace out of a pure heart… what a KEY

John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

• Please notice this verse… we become more Christ-like as we get into God’s Word… TRUTH
• Be sure to get your yearly Bible reading sheet this morning and begin your new year right.

KEY 7.  Be Servant Serving Others

2 Timothy 2:24-26 ²⁴ And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵ Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

• Servant serving others!  God calls us to serve not be served… we serve Christ BY serving others
• The Lord’s servant (doulos – bond slave, a slave in love to his Master Jesus Christ)
• People have fallen into the trap of the devil… sinful lifestyle, impure thoughts, inactive involvement in ministry (someone else will do it)… we’ve become bloated, fat, lazy and self-satisfied , maybe even smug in our Christian duty to be a doulos

Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

What are the seven keys?  Strong in Christ, Single-minded in devotion, Strict in diligence, secure in identity, sound in faith, sanctified in walk and being a servant serving others…

Next Week:  Developing a plan for Spiritual Growth – some practical “how to” steps

(Also view our New Year animal slide presentation – you won’t want to miss)