Made for More

One of the great privileges I have enjoyed as a Pastor and a mentor is to share my passion for personal growth with others. Today, more than ever before we must create a growth atmosphere and learn how to sustain it. Our culture bombards us daily with its corrupt message and the only deterrent is for us to resist this terrible onslaught every day. We must become convinced that we have a destiny and that we were made for more. We must learn to grow into our purpose or we will be infected by the world and become powerless to change ourselves or those around us.

In light of the current culture, we can allow ourselves to become negative and refuse to speak blessings into the lives of those who look to us for influence and leadership. We can be in a bad mood and miss what God wants to do. It is our duty to allow the seed of God’s word to grow in us until we are able to bless even our enemies.

It is crucial for us to be careful that what we are asking for and speaking is what God has intended for us to live and to do. We must diligently search the scriptures to make sure that what we are asking for is God’s original plan and intention for our lives. I am fully persuaded that if it is not God’s design, I just don’t want it. I don’t want my will, but His.

It is my hope that I am able to provoke you to take inventory and to see the hand of God on your life, to recognize your anointing, to speak God’s blessing and to lift you to a higher level where God is able to fulfill His eternal purpose in and through you. You are anointed, you are blessed, and God is still working to bring you to a larger place in Him. God gave me a plan 5-6 years ago that changed the culture of our church. Although the process of change is nowhere near complete, it is definitely much improved and growing every day.

The culture of our churches will never change until our concepts change and those concepts must become convictions. I know that these concepts have been corrupted by people who have no intention of examining the scripture to make sure they are representing the true meaning of God’s intention. Yet, it cannot be denied that these concepts are biblical; they are tried, and they are true. The word has been placed in the crucible seven times, meaning, they have been proven to work in every kind of situation. There is no conflict, attack or problem where the word of the Lord has not been proven to work. This word picture refers to a completed process that leaves no doubt that God’s word works all the time in every situation. Psalm 12:6,7 (AV)  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Concepts for Transformation

Concept #1: Jesus wants every believer to flourish with abundance and to increase in favor. 

We are heirs to Abraham’s blessing and because we belong to Christ we are heirs to the promise. It belongs to us by divine decree.  Galatians 3:29, And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. The only force that would oppose this is the devil, who hates to see God’s will done in the earth. It is clear that God intends for us to have these blessings, and intends for His chosen people to be more, not just for themselves, but for the kingdom. To experience these blessings, we must grow. We lack the virtue to use it correctly; we lack the capacity to hold it in righteousness and we need further wisdom and guidance to leverage these concepts in a way that is Christ honoring and will advance the kingdom. Growth is not only necessary but is an essential part of God’s sovereign plan. So, the question is, “Do you dare to bring yourself into alignment and agreement with God’s will?” If you answer, “Yes,” then you can begin to unlock the treasure of a renewed hope and blessing that comes only from a God who takes great joy in seeing His children realize their purpose, grow through the process and in the end possess the promise.

Concept #2: You cannot grow someone else’s spiritual walk; you can only grow yourself.

Paul paints a perfect picture of the blessings we receive when we reach our full potential in Christ: Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours (CEV 2 Corinthians 6:4-10). God’s ORIGINAL intention for man as expressed in Genesis 1:28 is abundance, dominion, and multiplication. In order for us to receive these spiritual gifts, we have to change our ways, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).  It’s important to recognize that this intention only comes to fruition when we make the effort in our own lives. We must make the conscience decision to obtain His intention for our lives, and in doing so, we can be a light to others. However, this does not mean that we can force our own growth, or our own spiritual walk, on those around us. We must learn the difference between mentoring others and “growing” them. The only person we can grow is ourselves.

Concept #3: Develop an abundance mentality.

I believe that God is calling us all to a higher level in Him.  We, like Peter, are to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ  (2 Peter 3:18). This is a never-ending process.  As John F. Kennedy said, “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”  We should never feel that we have “attained” for that is the point in which we detour from our journey towards full potential in Christ. When we recognize the potential for intentional and continual spiritual growth, and in our relationship with Him, we can then begin to realize what abundance really means. The more we seek, the more we grow, and the more we grow, the more we can see that there is always more!

Jesus said in John 10:10, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  Jesus came to give us life, abundant life. When you begin walking towards your goal you will see that He has been walking right alongside of you.  

There are some things that you need to take for your journey: purpose, hope, encouragement, a positive attitude, and determination.  Even if you are not sure of your “final” purpose, we all have things that we know the Lord is calling us to.  Start heading in the right direction and you will find your “destination” will become clearer as you get closer.  He will bless you abundantly as you take the steps to better yourself. No one can do it for you. You have to walk this walk. 

Concept #4: Learn to take authority and have dominion.

Taking authority is a learned behavior. As you walk in life you will see that in almost every situation you will need to take dominion.  From the beginning of time God has given us dominion as we were made in His image. Genesis 1:26 tells us, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

Jesus again tells us in Luke 10:19, Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. We were created to have dominion, not to be dominated! Notice that Jesus goes beyond Genesis and its dominion over everything.  He lets us know that we have power over the enemy. Satan never had and never will have power over us unless we give it to him.  Paul tells us in Romans 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you… There is no one who can stop us from reaching the potential God has for our lives. The choice is ours. As William Jennings Bryan, an orator from the turn of the century said,” Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.”

Concept #5: Multiplication is the promised result of all growth.

Finally, I want you to reach for the high calling of Christ and experience the blessing of multiplication. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that it is His will for each servant to increase their talents. You find that you have even more to offer Him than you originally thought. Each of the servants had a PLAN to multiply their talents. We too must develop a plan and take the necessary steps to grow into God’s intention for multiplication. I have identified five steps to a successful execution of a plan: define your goal, set priorities, organize your time, determine the measurement, and remember the power of words.  Follow this plan, give of your time and ability to increase in His kingdom, and you will find that your talents will also be increased.

It’s a scriptural principle we can be sure of, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Luke 6:38). That multiplication in your life will spill over to every area of your life. You will increase in compassion, charity, and wisdom. In conclusion, we all as Christians need to become more than just conquerors; we need to learn to rule the possessions given to us by the promises of God well. This is what Paul meant when he said, …we are more than conquerors through him that loved us (Romans 8:37). 

We have a supernatural power through the Holy Ghost to grow and become more like Christ so we can be used in His kingdom. It is His will for us no matter what we look like or what others think. He saw the simple fisherman, Peter, preaching to the thousands on the day of Pentecost. He saw Paul, the Christian killer, as the writer of thirteen books in the New Testament that we are still reading for wisdom and guidance today!  It is undeniably God’s will for us to continue to grow. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers. You were Made For More – now start walking!