How to get use by God
From: Pastor Rick Warren
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You must be usable
Romans 6:13 NKJV
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
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1. PURIFY MY HEART ❤
2 Timothy 2:21 NKJV
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
Joshua 3:5 NKJV
5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Augustine: The confession of bad works is the beginning of good works
1 John 1:9 NKJV
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
📇 Actions Steps
Take a yellow pad and ask God to show you what’s between you and God.
– Who have I hurt = guilt
– Who has hurt me = resentment
– What am I Worry about = lack of faith
– Who have I been jealous of?
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2. SANCTIFY MY BODY 💪🏻
To dedicate something for God’s purpose. E.g.:
– I sanctify this car for and dedicated for your purpose
– I sanctify this home, I dedicate this for your purpose
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
#Get in shape 🏋🏻
Psalm 119:73 NKJV
73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
There is a balance of eating, sleeping and exercising.
3 John 1:2 NKJV
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
#Rest
Psalm 127:2 NKJV
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.
#Food
1 Corinthians 6:13 NKJV
13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
#Exercise
– Wrong attitude to the body – neglecting, rejecting, perfecting.
– Right attitude to the body – respect and protect
God created your body, Jesus paid for it and Holy Spirit lives in it
1 Corinthians 9:24 NKJV
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
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3. SIMPLIFY MY LIFE ⚙
Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Note: If the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy.
Barriers that hold you back
#Distractions
Luke 9:62 NKJV
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
– Expectations of others
– Pleasing people
– Opinion of others
– Trying to be like other people
– TV
– Addictions
– Friends
– Hobbies
– Past
Note: To finish the race, you got to let go and focus
###Serious runner focus
2 Timothy 2:4 NKJV
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
1 Corinthians 10:23 NKJV
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Use the word “No”
Matthew 16:24 NKJV
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
#Debt
They buy the things they don’t need, spend the money they don’t have, to impress the people they don’t like.
Life is not about things
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Proverbs 21:20 NKJV
20 There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.
You need to learn to live on less, if not you are well over extended. God says the wise person, put some money away in savings.
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4. FORTIFY MY FAITH ✝
Jude 20-25
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost
1 Peter 4:2
strengthen yourself so that you will live on earth doing what God wants
1 Timothy 4:7
Don’t waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths and legends. Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit
4 Habits that will fortify your faith
– Study the bible
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
– Read Christian books
Proverbs 19:8
8 He who loves wisdom loves his own best interest and will be a success.
– Write out your testimony
1 Peter 3:15
15 Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.
4 simple parts of a testimony
– My life before I came to Christ
– how I realize I needed Christ
– How I committed my life to Christ
– What’s my life like now
– Be faithful and support your small group
1 Thessalonians 5:11
So encourage each other to build each other up, just as you are already doing.
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5. Apply What You Already Know!‼
Titus 3:14
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
1 Peter 2:24
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
Note: Start living for the right thing and applying what you already know. Fulfilling the mission in life, God’s vision, God’s mission, its not about crossing the sea but seeing the Cross.
1 Timothy 4:16
Fix your attention on yourself and on your teaching. Continue in them, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Keep a close watch on all you do and think. Stay true to what is right and God will bless you and use you to help others