This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. For about a week now we have been working our way through the following passage where King Solomon said,
“Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NLT).
I wanted to move on to the last sentence in this passage, but I felt led to go back and address the statement “Accept your lot in life”, one more time. I will discuss two main reasons why people don’t accept their divine assignment.
So what does this mean to you today? Let’s get to it.
1. Selfish ambition. Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary of the English language defines ambition as: an inordinate desire for power, often accompanied with illegal means to obtain the object; desirous of power, honor, office, superiority or excellence; eager for fame. Wanting to do better in life is not bad. Wanting to make a difference in this world is actually a good thing. But when your desires trump God’s plan for your life, that’s when pride will lead to a fall.
a. Many allow pride to keep them on the path to selfish interests instead of the path to God’s plan for their lives.
b. Some Christians refuse to ask God what His plan for their life is, because they are too afraid of giving up the plan they already came up with.
c. True success is found when you die to self and you give up your selfish ambitions for God’s assignment for your life.
d. True success is attained by dying to self, by picking up your cross, and by following Jesus.
e. If you lose your life for Christ you will find it, and you will find true success. But if you keep your life and your plans, and place them above God and His plans for your life, you will never experience true/divine success.
f. Don’t ever be afraid of giving up anything for God. God will never be in debt to you. Whatever you give up for God becomes a seed and He (the Lord of the Harvest) will see to it that you reap a harvest for every seed sown.
2. The magnitude of the call. While some refuse to give up their plans because of selfish ambition, others have freely given up their lives for Jesus, only to find out that God has called them to do something that is exceedingly, abundantly, above anything they could have ever imagined. This then causes a different problem; the problem of fear, doubt and unbelief because of the magnitude of the call.
a. If you don’t feel like you could ever earn or deserve what God wants to do in the earth through you, then you have probably stumbled upon God’s plan for your life. His plan will always be bigger than what you have earned and it will most likely require more resources than what you have available to you at the moment. This is where grace and faith come in.
b. When God reveals to you the fulness of His assignment for your life, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and undeserving, because His plan comes by His grace.
c. What God has planned for your life is far greater than what you deserve. This is why you must understand and embrace the grace of God.
d. God has been, and will continue to be, far better to you than what you deserve. While you pursue Him by faith, He continues to bless you by grace, His unearned and unmerited favor.
e. If you come up with it, it will be too small for God. But since God came up with it, it will be too big for you. That is why you must accept and embrace His grace.
f. While the magnitude of God’s call on your life is great, all He is looking for from you is acceptance and agreement. God is not going to bless you because you are so good. God has already planned to bless you because He is so good.
g. Have faith in what God has already provided for you by His grace, no matter how big the blessing seems!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace. Some have failed to accept their lot in life, because they have selfishly and pridefully kept their will above Your will. I am not like them. I willfully die to self. I voluntarily give up the plans I came up with for my life, for the plans You made for me before the world began. I lose my life in You, and by doing so, I find the life You birthed me to have. I now live for You. As I do, You are revealing Your Kingdom plans and purposes to me. And honestly Father, I am sometimes overwhelmed. Your plans for me are far greater than anything I could have ever come up with. What You want to do IN, WITH and THROUGH me, humbles me. When I think of all the mistakes I have made, and I then think of What you are calling me to do, I don’t feel worthy of the task. But Your Word has taught me that Jesus made me worthy. Therefore, I accept Your assignment by faith and I embrace Your grace to do what You are calling me to do. I could never be good enough, but Jesus was good enough for me. I could never earn the right to be called Your child, but Jesus earned the right for me, and I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ. So I say YES. I think about the magnitude of Your calling on my life and all I can say is, “I believe, I receive, I accept, and I cooperate with You.” Without You I cannot. Without me You will not. Together, we will change the world. I accept my lot in life and I will never be the same. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
