If you're ever going to do anything great in life there will be setbacks, oppositions, delays, critics. But that will happen when you are taking new ground and making a difference.
- Psalm 107:23-24 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
- When you're in the deep waters you aren't praying "God please don't let me face anything big" because you realize that big dreams come with big challenges.
- When you're in deep waters, you aren't trying to convince everyone to like you; your coworkers may get jealous, you relatives may find fault, your friends may not celebrate you but you can't go to the shallow waters to deal with pettiness.
- You can't please every person and please God at the same time; if you please God he will take care of the dissenters.
- You only have so much emotional energy for a day so you have to be selective of who you spend your time with and what you spend your time thinking about. You have to stay in the deep waters.
- You have to learn to love some family members from a distance because you can't spend the whole week with certain people because they will pull you into the shallow water. Some people will NEVER be for you but you don't have to have anyone's approval to fulfill your destiny.
- Here is what Paul said when he faced opposition:
- ROMANS 3:3-4 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”
- Billy Graham went to England early in his evangelistic career and was getting a lot of negative reaction from the media about him coming over to share the Gospel. A critical reporter said to him, "So you came over here on a great big luxury ocean liner, huh? How can you justify that when Jesus rode around on a lowly donkey everywhere he went?" Billy's response was, "If you can find me a donkey that walks on water, I'll buy it in a minute"
- Don't fight battles with small-minded people. People who belittle you are being little.
- In 1 Samuel 10:17-27 Samuel anointed Saul as the next king. Most people celebrated him but there were those who said bad things about him. In verse 27 it says that "some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace."
- You don't need to try to prove yourself.
- Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
- God has a hedge of protection around me that the enemy cannot penetrate.
- Deuteronomy 28:7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
- The size of your problem is an indication of the size of your destiny.
- Without Goliath, David would still be known as a Shepherd. (1 Samuel 17)
- Our difficulties come to promote us.
- Exodus 1:12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites
- Psalm 23:5 [God] prepare(s) a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
- God will make sure that your enemies see you promoted.
- Haman tried to discredit Mordecai. Mordecai didn't try to get even.
- Esther 6: 10-11 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.” So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
- Don't be discouraged by the opposition; be encouraged knowing that on the other side of that opposition is a new level of my destiny.
- When a gazelle or wildebeest is close to giving birth, a lion will stalk that animal waiting for her to go into labor because the lion knows that she is an easy target.
- When you are close to giving birth to your dreams you will face the most opposition, so don't be surprised.
- Zechariah 9:12 Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
- I have been prepared by my past.
- 1 Samuel 4:19-22 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. 20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention. 21 She named the boy Ichabod,[c] saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
- She named her future based on what had happened in the past.
- She could have easily named him, "The Glory will return"
- Never name your future based on a negative past:
- i.e… I didn't get any breaks last year, it's going to be the same this year
- This is a NEW DAY and God is doing NEW THINGS.
- You attitude in a difficult situation should be, "this is only temporary"
- God's face is shining down on me. He's opening new doors of opportunity.
- When you look at your future, there should be an expectancy.
- David faced many obstacles but this was his attitude.
- Psalm 27:13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for.
- Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
