Reaching your full potential

This past week as I was praying God reached deep down into my spirit and revealed something that has plagued me for sometime. God wanted to correct in me a lie that had taken hold of my life, as a matter of fact I know that it is a lie that takes hold of many believers all over, including right here in this church. You have probably heard this said to you or have said it yourself; I'm not good enough, I'm not worthy, there is no way that I can be considered for that, we will never..." There are two things that will kill a believer and ministry really fast; 1) low self esteem, and 2) the opinion of man. If we're not beating ourselves up, someone else is doing it for us.

But, I am here this morning to tell you this, that it is a lying devil from the pit of hell and as a child of the most high God you have within you unlimited power and potential. It doesn't matter what man tells you or what the devil whispers in your ear, God is on your side and if He is for you who can possibly stand against you.

Let's look at these 2 killers a little closer and realize what God has to say.

1)Low self-esteem: As a child of God we need to realize that while we may not think too highly of ourselves, there is a God in heaven who has shaped you, formed you, and called you by name. In His eyes you are someone special. Once again it's time for us to remember just who we are and what God has done for us.

Blessed
Deut 28:3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Deut 28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy beasts, the increase of thy cattle, and the young of thy flock.

Deut 28:5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough.

Deut 28:6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in,and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. .

The head and not the tail
Deut 28:13a (KJS) And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; Above only and not beneath

Deut 28:13b. . . and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that
thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do [them]:

Elect
Colo 3:12 (KJS) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Rom 8:3 (KJS) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {for sin: or, by a sacrifice for sin}

Established to the end
1Cor 1:8 (KJS) Who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

More than a conqueror
Roma 8:37 (KJS) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Joint heirs with Christ
Roma 8:17 (KJS) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.

Accepted in the Beloved
Ephe 1:6 (KJS) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Complete in Him
Colo 2:10 (KJS) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

The light of the world
Matt 5:14 (KJS) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

The salt of the earth
Matt 5:13 (KJS) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Called of God
2Tim 1:9 (KJS) Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

The first fruits among His creation
Jame 1:18 (KJS) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works
Ephe 2:10 (KJS) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The apple of my Father's eye
Deut 32:10 (KJS) He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

Psal 17:8 (KJS) Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

Beloved of God
Colo 3:12 (KJS) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Roma 1:7 (KJS) To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called [to be] saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1The 1:4 (KJS) Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
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Let me exhort you this morning to stop listening to the lies of the enemy, stop beating yourself up, stop belittling yourself, and remember who you are!

2)The opinions of man: For to long Christians and ministers have relied on what others think of them and gaining some kind of approval. Let me tell you that it's one thing to seek Godly counsel, and another to seek the approval of man. You need to realize today that the only approval you need is God's. In the end it is His opinion of you that matters, and we have already read some of His opinions of us. There other scriptures on this matter though that we need to look at.

1 Thess 2:4-5
4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.


2 Tim 2:15
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Matt 6:2-4
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Gal 1:10
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Eph 6:5-8
Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as Bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

Col 3:22-24
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

1 Peter 5:6
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time

Matt 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matt 25:23
His lord said to him,'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

While we all would like to please men and make people happy, ultimately it needs to be about pleasing God first and foremost.
So then one last question remains, how do we reach our full potential? We can reach our potential when we realize that it's not in our ability but in God's. It's not in what you and I can do, but what God can do through you and I.

Paul realized this when he said: Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Joseph knew the answer could only come from God when interpreting the dream: Gen 41:16
So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying,"It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."

When Moses was uncertain about speaking God told him: Ex 4:11-12 So the LORD said to him,"Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

When David faced the giant, he realized who would fight for him : 1 Sam 17:47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

When God called Jeremiah, He told him: Jer 1:6-8 Then said I: "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." 7 But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.

When there seems to be no where to go God says: Isa 43:19 I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Paul Talking about the end and death says: 1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Don't limit yourself or allow yourself to be limited by others but realize your potential and what God can do through you. In other words, let God out of the box, let Him tear down the walls and barriers. Allow Him to take you to that place that you thought you could never reach. It's not within your ability, but it is within His.