TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING HOW GOD LEADS PART 2A

The word destiny means a pre-determined destination. It is taken from the word destination. Jeremiah 17:12. The predetermined destiny for believers is a glorious high throne. Every believer of God has been ordained for enthronement Revelation 5:10. You are here to reign. You have a destiny of enthronement, a destiny of greatness. Jesus emphasized it in Matthew 5:14-16; Your destiny is not to be hidden. Genesis 12:2-3. Every believer who is a seed of Abraham has an inheritance of greatness.

Greatness is not a function of the lofty position you occupy or the material possession you have. True greatness is in your ability to meet great needs. The bigger the needs of people you meet, the higher your level of greatness. A millionaire is not someone that has a million in his account but someone that has touched a million lives. Greatness is getting to a point where your life begins to make impact. Greatness is not in great words but in great acts. Greatness is in acts and not in talks. Matthew 5:16. You have talked enough, start doing the talk.

Our covenant fathers were men that met great needs. Job 1:1-3. Job had just 10 children but he catered for a great household; the wealth was serving the needs of many people. Genesis 12:5, Genesis 14:14. Abraham was biologically barren but physically productive. David, a teenager, was responsible for 400 adults, he was a great boy. 1Samuel 22:2-4, 30:1. It is not in age, but in acts.

An encounter with destiny is having a revelation from God’s word that accelerates your destiny. Psalm 105:19-22. Just by an encounter with the word, Joseph’s destiny changed overnight. God’s word is the principal instrument for encounters with destiny. Let the word ignite a change on the inside which influences the outside. Every change in a man’s life begins from within. When the word of God really enters a man, the effect is change of levels. Galatians 2:2. Every encounter with the word takes you to your next phase. When revelation comes, people change levels. Nehemiah 8:5. Every time the Book is opened, people’s destinies change. In Revelations 12:1-5, every time the book is opened, the tears of men cease, it comes to an end.

LAWS TO OBSERVE TO BE ON THE PATH TO GREATNESS

We shall focus on the life of Jephthah. Hebrews 11:32, Judges 11:1-40, 12:1-3.

Psalm 36:9. Mathew 5:13-16. The bible is the fountain of light. Isaiah 60:1-8. Every time you enjoy light, there is a flight!

1. The law of identity. The journey into greatness begins with the discovery of your true identity. Psalm 40:7. The scripture is the true mirror of your identity. James 1:23. Judges 11:1-5. We learn from this story that your background is not strong enough to keep you on the ground. Those that project background will remain at the back and will be on the ground. Despite this incidence of Jephthah’s life, he still ended up great. God does not choose the qualified, he qualifies the chosen. 1Corinthians 1:26-29. The Almighty does not raise mighty people, he raises weak people. We serve a God that is in the business of choosing nonentities and turning them into celebrities. If you want to be great in life, forget your background, focus on your “frontup”. You can’t change your background but you can construct your “frontup”.

2. The law of discovery. Jephthah relocated to the land of Tob and he gathered to himself people that are tired of life, and just wanted a changed. So he organized them, trained them into an army. He had a private army. So the private army provide security to communities – they do not steal, but they protect. Jephthah, though lost his inheritance, discovered his giftings. Your gifting is superior to inheritance. Discover yourself. What is that ability you have that can project you? Proverbs 18:16. Your gifting is superior to your education. Jephthah discovered he had a gift of being a warrior, and the people that drove him out came to beg him. You succeed when people suck your seed. To go up, you need to look inwards. What took Daniel to the throne was his gift. Daniel 1:17.

3. The law of timing. The wise take advantage of time while the foolish squander time. Jephthah, instead of sitting down and mourning how life has treated him unfairly, developed himself and built up his talent. Judges 11:6. The best way to cancel insults is to get results! The difference between HERE and THERE is T which is Time. Work on yourself, and in a matter of time, you will overtake them. Jephthah took advantage of time and it worked for him.

4. Law of Negotiation. To advance in life you must place value on what you have and must be a good trader. Matthew 25:16. If you want to be great in life, you must learn to be a good negotiator. Negotiation simply means using what you have to your advantage to secure what you lack. The essence of education is to groom your mind to see opportunities and take advantage of them. Judges 11:7-11. Jephthah knew what he had and what he lacked, so he negotiated, and even before the battle. In Ecclesiastes 9:14, is the story of a similar person, but he did not use his wisdom to negotiate, he died a poor wise man.

5. The law of dependency on God. Jephthah was a man of courage, a man of valour. Judges 11:1. But Jephthah did not depend on that to win his battle. Judges 11:30. He depended on the grace of God to win the battle. Those that depend on skills without God’s help will be killed. Psalm 44:6. If you want to advance in life, depend on God, not on your strength. You need to always depend on grace if you do not want to experience dis-grace. Disgrace is disconnection from grace. Proverbs 21:31. You can prepare, but it is God that gives victory.

6. The law of responsibility. Jephthah never blamed anybody for his predicament. He took responsibility and that was what made him standout. Judges 12:2-3. When he took responsibility, God gave him victory. It is the responsible that gets victory in life. Excuses do not exist, we manufacture them. Luke 14:18. Those that always blame others will end up lame. Responsibility is responding to your God–given ability.

7. The law of integrity. Judges 11:30,35. Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and he fulfilled it. Judges 11:35. Ecclesiastes 5:1-6, do not make foolish vows to the Lord. Make sure you pay the vows you made to the Lord.