Note: Before I get started, I want you to know that Isabella is in Africa this morning. She is leading a group of 10 people from our church, Victory Christian Ministries International, to Mozambique. I will provide updates throughout the Missions trip. Please keep her and the team in prayer.
Today we start a new series, under the under the banner of the overall series for the year, “Supernatural Manifestation.” After teaching 70 messages in the series, “As Jesus Is”, I am led to finish out the year with a series entitled, “It’s already done!”
I spent 70 messages dealing with your identity. The “As Jesus Is” series was all about you knowing who you are. God has called you to live as a continuation of Jesus’ ministry in the earth. All Jesus is, is who you are. But once you know who you are, you must then get to DOING what you are called to do. In this series I will teach you about doing. But not doing to earn. Not doing to perform. Not doing to get God to move. We are called to DO, but only to DO, because God already did.
I have been walking with God for 22 years and I have learned that a great many believers are stuck in the prison of misunderstanding God’s sovereignty. When a preacher like me says, “It’s Already Done!”, they are confused about what they must do. In one sense it IS already done. In another sense, you are called to DO, because of what God already DID. My assignment is to demystify this process. I will teach you about God’s sovereignty, and what your part is in God’s provision.
I have been meditating on this, partly because I recently started reading “Soar”, by T.D. Jakes. Bishop Jakes said he wrote the book, which is primarily about entrepreneurship, because the vast majority of the people he is called to minister to are waiting on God to do things He is not going to do FOR them. As an example, Jakes said, “God does not give us tables and chairs. God gave us wood.” God gave us wood, He gave us an imagination, and He gave us the ability to make tables and chairs out of wood. Many believers are asking God for the finished product (tables and chairs), when He already gave them the resources, imagination and ability to make it happen. These people are going to be waiting a long time.
I am excited about this series. I pray you get equally excited. We are going to close out the year strong. I will take my time as we go through this series. For this morning, I will share just a few opening thoughts.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God does God-type of stuff. Many of us are waiting on God to do the stuff He already graced us to do.
2. We can’t make God bless something He did not already plan to do in our lives. Instead of doing something and then asking God to bless it, why not find out what God already planned and do that. At that point you don’t have to ask God to bless it. If God planned it, it’s already blessed.
3. Walking in God’s best requires us to stop asking God to put a “YES” on our plans and to start putting a “YES” on His!
4. God’s blessing is not performance based, but that does not mean you do NOTHING!
a) You don’t perform and then expect that God will move because you moved. You are called to discern what He already did, and then DO THAT!
b) You are called to move where God already moved, to DO because God already did, and to seek to experience what He already planned.
c) You have to perform, but you are not performing to get God to move. You are performing because He already moved. Your action is a response to His predestination.
d) When God reveals to you what He already planned, you have to discern both His desire and His timing. When the timing is right, you must launch out, in faith, to get what God has already given you. If you don’t launch out, if you don’t provide the faith, if you don’t do your part, you will miss out on God’s best and it won’t be God’s fault.
That’s enough for today. I trust you are getting excited about this series.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. Now that I know who I am, I am ready to do what You have called me to do. I don’t DO to get You to move. I don’t DO to attempt to force Your hand. I don’t command You, You command me! I move because You already moved. I DO, because it’s already done. I launch out in faith, because the grace is already there. This is how I lay hold of what You already planned. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
