Preparing for Greater Purpose

The RESISTANCE you have been feeling is because the ENEMY has been trying to use DISCOURAGEMENT, DISTRACTION, AND DELAY to hinder and stop us from walking fully in that purpose.

The enemy’s three-fold arsenal is:

Discouragement – to deprive of courage or confidence; to hinder by disfavoring; to dissuade one from doing something.

• Example: Joshua 1:7 – ⁷Only be strong and very courageous

“We smile but we fight discouragement.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

Distraction – to turn aside; to draw attention to a different object; to stir up or confuse with conflicting emotions or motives.

• Example: 19:26 – Lot’s wife was longing for what she was supposed to leave

Delay – to postpone; to hinder for a time; to cause to be slower than normal.

• Example: Abraham
• God allowed the promise to be delayed so that ABRAHAM could get to a place where he EXHAUSTED HIS OWN EFFORTS and finally BELIEVED GOD.

Delay will cause you to wonder what is going on.

“God said I’m going to take it to miracle level.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

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What Must We Do To Prepare For Walking In This Greater Level Of Purpose?

Hebrews 10:35–38 (ESV)

³⁵Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

³⁷For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;

³⁸but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

 

DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE

Hebrews 10:35 (NKJV)

³⁵Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

 “Quit trying to tame the lion.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

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Hold on to Your Confidence
Hebrews 3:6 (ESV)
⁶but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

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Draw Near With Confidence
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
16Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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Jesus’ Blood Gives You Confidence
Hebrews 10:19 (ESV)

¹⁹Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

DON’T THROW YOUR CONFIDENCE AWAY!

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CONTINUE TO ENDURE

Hebrews 10:36 (NKJV)

³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

 Endurance is the capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances cheerfully.

“I’m built for this.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

 

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DO THE WILL OF GOD

That which God desires

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV)

³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

The measure of real endurance is accomplishing the will of God.

“The will of God is already blessed.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

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LIVE BY FAITH

Hebrews 10:37-38 (ESV)

³⁷For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;

³⁸but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

“Faith will get you to a place where God will carry you.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

The Word for You Today devotional said, “Now it is going to be more important that we do less.”  Prepare to structure your life in this coming year in such a way that you are fully engaged with God as he prepares you to walk in a greater level of His purpose.