Embracing Turning Points: Overcoming Resistance in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Divine Turning Points

In our lives, turning points often come unexpectedly and can significantly change our direction. These moments, whether influenced by people, decisions, or experiences, are opportunities for God to redirect our paths towards His divine purpose. Recognizing these moments and responding with faith can lead to profound spiritual growth. Turning points are not just random events; they are orchestrated by God to align us with His will. When we encounter these moments, it is crucial to pause, reflect, and seek God's guidance to understand the new direction He is leading us towards. [45:12]

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV): "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

Reflection: Think about a recent turning point in your life. How did you respond to it? Can you see how God might be using this moment to redirect your path towards His purpose?

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Day 2: The Challenge of Doing Good

Doing good is inherently challenging because of the pervasive presence of evil in the world. This resistance can manifest as external opposition or internal discouragement. Understanding that these challenges are part of the spiritual journey helps us to persevere and rely more on God's strength. The Israelites faced severe opposition and discouragement during the rebuilding of the temple, leading to a 17-year hiatus. This historical account serves as a powerful metaphor for our own spiritual journeys and the challenges we face when trying to do good. [50:29]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV): "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you are facing resistance in doing good. How can you rely more on God's strength to overcome this challenge?

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Day 3: The Role of Resistance in Spiritual Growth

Just as physical resistance training strengthens our bodies, spiritual resistance strengthens our faith and character. The obstacles we face when doing good are opportunities for growth, making us more resilient and capable of greater good in the future. These challenges serve as a form of resistance training, strengthening our faith and character as we rely more on God and less on ourselves. Embracing these challenges with a positive mindset can lead to significant spiritual growth. [01:21:10]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did it help you grow spiritually? What did you learn about relying on God during this time?

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Day 4: Realistic Expectations in God's Work

Success in doing God's work is guaranteed, but it will come with difficulties, delays, and discouragements. These challenges are meant to deepen our dependence on God and develop our character. Embracing this reality helps us to stay committed and not give up. The Israelites' experience of rebuilding the temple, despite the 17-year hiatus, teaches us the importance of perseverance and realistic expectations in our spiritual endeavors. [01:24:10]

2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

Reflection: Think about a project or goal you are working on for God's kingdom. Are you facing any delays or discouragements? How can you adjust your expectations and deepen your dependence on God?

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Day 5: The Dynamic Realities of Good and Evil

The presence of evil makes doing good difficult, but the dynamic reality of good is that it requires effort and perseverance. God's processes for doing good involve enduring hardships and developing resilience. This understanding helps us to see challenges as part of God's plan for our growth. The Israelites' journey of rebuilding the temple, despite opposition and discouragement, exemplifies the dynamic interplay between good and evil and the necessity of perseverance in doing good. [01:18:07]

Romans 12:21 (ESV): "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you are striving to do good but facing significant challenges. How can you persevere and see these challenges as part of God's plan for your growth?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the concept of turning points in our lives—moments when our life changes direction due to various influences such as new people, decisions, experiences, or external events. We delved into a significant turning point in the history of Israel, focusing on the rebuilding of the temple after the Babylonian captivity. Despite their initial enthusiasm, the Israelites faced severe opposition and discouragement, leading to a 17-year hiatus in their efforts. This historical account serves as a powerful metaphor for our own spiritual journeys and the challenges we face when trying to do good.

We examined why good things are often not easy to accomplish, even when they align with God's will. The pervasive presence of evil in the world creates resistance and obstacles that make doing good difficult. This resistance can come in the form of external pressures, legal challenges, or even internal discouragement and fear. However, these challenges are not without purpose. They serve as a form of resistance training, strengthening our faith and character as we rely more on God and less on ourselves.

The sermon also highlighted the importance of realistic expectations when doing God's work. Success in our endeavors is promised, but it will come with difficulties, delays, and discouragements. These challenges are designed to deepen our dependence on God, fostering daring and determination. Ultimately, this process of overcoming resistance helps us not only to do good but to become good, embodying the Christ-like character that God desires for us.

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Key Takeaways

1. Turning Points and Divine Purpose: Turning points in our lives often come unexpectedly and can change our direction significantly. These moments, whether influenced by people, decisions, or experiences, are opportunities for God to redirect our paths towards His divine purpose. Recognizing these moments and responding with faith can lead to profound spiritual growth. [45:12]
2. The Challenge of Doing Good: Doing good is inherently challenging because of the pervasive presence of evil in the world. This resistance can manifest as external opposition or internal discouragement. Understanding that these challenges are part of the spiritual journey helps us to persevere and rely more on God's strength. [50:29]
3. The Role of Resistance in Spiritual Growth: Just as physical resistance training strengthens our bodies, spiritual resistance strengthens our faith and character. The obstacles we face when doing good are opportunities for growth, making us more resilient and capable of greater good in the future. [81:10]
4. Realistic Expectations in God's Work: Success in doing God's work is guaranteed, but it will come with difficulties, delays, and discouragements. These challenges are meant to deepen our dependence on God and develop our character. Embracing this reality helps us to stay committed and not give up. [84:10]
5. The Dynamic Realities of Good and Evil: The presence of evil makes doing good difficult, but the dynamic reality of good is that it requires effort and perseverance. God's processes for doing good involve enduring hardships and developing resilience. This understanding helps us to see challenges as part of God's plan for our growth. [01:18:07]
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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[45:12] - Introduction to Turning Points
[45:51] - Historical Context of Israel
[47:03] - The Challenge of Doing Good
[48:55] - Israel's Return and Rebuilding Efforts
[50:29] - Opposition and Discouragement
[52:08] - The Impact of Legal Challenges
[54:11] - The 17-Year Hiatus
[56:12] - Haggai and Zechariah's Encouragement
[57:13] - Misconceptions About God's Will
[58:26] - The Role of Evil in Resistance
[60:19] - The Influence of Evil
[64:12] - Human Nature and Evil
[67:01] - Inner Agitation and Guilt
[68:17] - Self-Preservation and Gratification
[70:50] - The Smell of Accountability
[75:07] - The Process of Doing Good
[78:07] - Enduring Hardship as Discipline
[81:10] - Resistance Training
[84:10] - Realistic Expectations for Doing Good
[87:05] - Call to Action and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the external pressures faced by the Israelites when they attempted to rebuild the temple? ([50:29])
According to Haggai, what was the Israelites' excuse for not rebuilding the temple? ([56:41])
How does Paul describe his experience of pressure and reliance on God in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9?
What metaphor does the sermon use to describe the role of resistance in spiritual growth? ([01:21:10])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the Israelites faced such strong opposition when they tried to rebuild the temple? ([50:29])
How does the concept of "resistance training" apply to our spiritual lives according to the sermon? ([01:21:10])
What does Haggai 1:2-4 reveal about the Israelites' priorities and how might this apply to modern believers? ([56:41])
How does Paul’s experience in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 illustrate the importance of relying on God during difficult times?

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you faced significant opposition while trying to do something good. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? ([50:29])
The Israelites were discouraged for 17 years before they resumed building the temple. Is there a project or calling in your life that you have put on hold due to discouragement? What steps can you take to restart it? ([54:59])
How can you identify and overcome internal discouragements that prevent you from doing good? ([50:29])
In what ways can you adjust your expectations to better handle difficulties, delays, and discouragements in your spiritual journey? ([01:24:10])
How can you incorporate the concept of "resistance training" into your daily spiritual practices to strengthen your faith and character? ([01:21:10])
Think of a specific area in your life where you need to rely more on God and less on yourself. What practical steps can you take to deepen your dependence on Him? ([01:22:41])
How can you encourage others in your small group or community who are facing resistance and discouragement in their efforts to do good? ([01:27:05])

Sermon Clips

1. "Turning points are those times in our life where something is occurring. We may not be aware of it at the time, but our life is going to change directions. It's going to change courses. And sometimes it's a new person that comes into our life, and their influence is profound on us in a positive way. It might be in a not-so-positive way. Sometimes it's a decision. More than often, it's a decision we make, and all of a sudden the course of our life starts to trail in a different direction, good or bad." [45:12] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If God is good and he wants good to occur, then this, why aren't good things easier? I mean, why do the weeds just grow? You don't have to do anything. You know, why does the house just get messy? You don't have to do much of anything. You know, why does getting out of shape occur so easily? Why aren't good things easier?" [47:55] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You started something. You knew it was a good idea. You really threw yourself into it at the beginning. You were enthusiastic, man. You were fired up. And then something happened, and you got interrupted. And then every time you thought about it or every time you had to walk by it or every time you had to walk by it, you got interrupted. Every time you had to talk about it with someone, it just kind of made you feel awkward, and you wanted to change the subject or get away from it." [52:44] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Maybe you have been discouraged for something that you once knew was God's will, you once knew God wanted you to pour yourself into, but it got hard, it got painful, it got difficult, and you've just kind of shut down, shut out, quit, and maybe God's trying to stir you up like He stirred them up. It's time to get back to work to something." [58:26] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Realistic expectations for doing good. Okay, so I want to have each of you, each of us to have realistic expectations about doing good, because if we don't have realistic expectations, when we set out to do good, what is God's will, and we start incurring some difficulties, we'll get discouraged or confused, and we'll give up like these Israelites did." [24:10] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "The Lord is absolutely saying to you, just like he said to those Jews then through Zechariah and Haggai, it is time to rise up and to build the temple. Do the good work that God once energized you, once inspired you, once encouraged you to do, because it can still be, it can still be done." [01:27:05] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Some of you, something that was good, was the intention of God, but it got hard. It got painful. You got discouraged. You've given up. And this morning, I'm not Haggai, and I'm not Zechariah. I'm just Randy Dandy. But I think God's trying to encourage some of you, oh, man, roll up your sleeves. Roll up your sleeves. The good that you originally set out for, it's still within reach. It's still within reach." [01:25:30] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "We are under great pressure far beyond our ability to what? This was Paul being honest about an experience he had in Ephesus, so that we despaired even on life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, but this happened that we might not rely on who? Ourselves, but on who? God who raises the dead." [01:22:41] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Evil works to put pressure on the outside so that it can completely cave us in on the inside. If evil can take our courage, discourage us, we don't have the energy to do the good that God calls us and wants us to do. We have to have that interior strength." [51:33] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "The Bible is a book that is written in history. Archeology supports it again and again. It shows that these are real people, real events, actually happened as opposed to just some ethereal writings that, you know, people want to give a sense of value to that really it doesn't deserve." [47:03] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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