Limiting GOD 2

Devotional

Day 1: Grapes on a Pole

The twelve spies returned from Canaan carrying a single cluster of grapes so large it required two men to carry it on a pole. Caleb tore his clothes, urging Israel to take the land: “We are well able!” But ten men saw walled cities and giants, declaring, “We are grasshoppers in their sight.” Their slave-mindset from Egypt blinded them to God’s power. Fear magnified obstacles; faith magnified God’s promise. [09:10]

God had already proven His power through plagues, parted seas, and pillars of fire. Yet Israel chose to see through the lens of human limitation rather than divine partnership. Caleb understood: giants shrink when God enters the equation. The land wasn’t about their strength, but His covenant.

You face giants too—health crises, fractured relationships, financial walls. But your history of defeat holds no power over God’s present promise. What “grasshopper narrative” have you believed about your situation?

“We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great… And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”
(Numbers 13:27-28, 30, KJV)

Prayer: Ask God to replace your “grasshopper lens” with Caleb’s faith to see His power over your giants.
Challenge: Write down one situation where you’ve felt inadequate. Circle it and write “God is able” across the page.

Day 2: Scarlet Threads in the Family Tree

Rahab’s scarlet cord dangled from a Jericho wall as soldiers searched for spies. Ruth gleaned barley in a field, a Moabite widow clinging to Naomi. Both women carried shame: one a prostitute, the other from incestuous lineage. Yet God wove their stories into David’s ancestry—and Christ’s. [22:10]

God specializes in redeeming broken histories. Rahab’s courage and Ruth’s loyalty outweighed their past. He didn’t hide their stories but highlighted His grace. Your family line or personal failures don’t disqualify you—they showcase His power to rewrite narratives.

Many bury shameful chapters, believing God only uses “clean” lives. But He seeks available hearts, not spotless résumés. What chapter of your story do you need to surrender for His redemptive pen?

“Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king…”
(Matthew 1:5-6, KJV)

Prayer: Confess one area of shame or insecurity, asking God to repurpose it for His glory.
Challenge: Text or call someone today and share how God has redeemed a past mistake in your life.

Day 3: The Least in Manasseh’s House

Gideon threshed wheat in a winepress, hiding from Midianite raiders. An angel called him “mighty man of valor.” Gideon protested: “My clan is the weakest… I’m the least in my father’s house.” Yet God turned this fearful farmer into a deliverer who routed armies with torches and trumpets. [27:19]

God sees who you’re becoming, not just who you’ve been. Gideon’s insecurity mirrored Israel’s slavery mentality, but God reframed his identity. Your perceived weaknesses—lack of education, social status, or past failures—are launchpads for His strength.

You’ve likely discounted opportunities because you felt unqualified. What assignment have you avoided due to feeling “the least”?

“The Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might… have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
(Judges 6:14-15, KJV)

Prayer: Thank God for three strengths He’s given you, even if they feel small.
Challenge: Perform one act of courage today that pushes beyond your perceived limitations.

Day 4: Unlearned Men at the Beautiful Gate

Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin—fishermen facing theologians. The council marveled at their boldness, noting they were “unlearned and ignorant men.” But hours earlier, these “ignorant” ones had healed a lame man at the temple gate, declaring, “Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, I give.” [35:40]

Formal training didn’t empower Peter—the Holy Spirit did. Your perceived inadequacies (education, eloquence, experience) mean nothing to God. He bypasses human credentials to showcase divine power through surrendered vessels.

You’ve likely compared yourself to others’ gifts or training. What Kingdom work have you avoided because you felt “unqualified”?

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
(Acts 4:13, KJV)

Prayer: Ask God to replace self-doubt with boldness born from time spent “with Jesus.”
Challenge: Share a Scripture or encouragement with someone today, trusting the Spirit’s prompting over your preparation.

Day 5: Apprehending the Apprehender

Paul raced toward Christ, calling his Pharisee past “dung.” The man who once supervised Stephen’s stoning now wrote, “Forgetting those things which are behind…” He didn’t deny his history but refused to let it chain his future. Chains in Roman prisons couldn’t stop his letters shaping the Church. [47:40]

God’s call isn’t based on your résumé but His resurrection power. Paul’s transformation proves no past is beyond redemption. Your failures aren’t ceilings—they’re foundations for His grace.

What chapter of your past still haunts your potential?

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 3:13-14, KJV)

Prayer: Name one regret or shame from your past. Ask God to repurpose it for His kingdom.
Challenge: Destroy a physical item (note, photo, etc.) that symbolizes a past failure, replacing it with a Scripture verse about God’s renewal.

Sermon Summary

We believe nothing is too hard for God, and we must not shrink back from that truth by excluding God from our problems. We see that when we bring God into the equation, situations that felt impossible become open to God’s power; his Spirit lives inside us and works through our weakness. We recognize that unbelief and self-judgment frequently place restrictions on divine action, and we resolve to stop letting past failures, family history, education, or low self-esteem disqualify what God can do. We examine Israel’s spies, Caleb, Rahab, Ruth, Gideon, Jacob, Saul, David, Peter, and Paul as illustrations that God elevates unlikely people and rewrites destinies when we yield rather than disqualify ourselves. We admit that our background often skews our self-image and shrinks our vision, but we choose to view ourselves by God’s promise, not by former mistakes.

We commit to practical trust: we will include God intentionally in our decisions, expect God to exceed our requests, and press forward instead of withdrawing when obstacles loom. We will reject the habit of magnifying small faults into final verdicts and instead present our availability to God, believing he supplies what we lack. We hold that calling flows from God’s purpose and grace, not from our resume or moral perfection; therefore we will step into tasks obediently, even when we feel unready. We live as new creations who forget former things and press toward the prize, allowing God to make rivers in deserts and bring flourishing where we saw only wilderness.

Key Takeaways

1. Include God in every problem When we consciously add God to our calculations, impossibilities lose their finality and our fear begins to dissolve. We stop trying to manufacture solutions alone and start expecting divine creativity. This shifts our posture from panic to purposeful dependence, opening doors that our effort could never force. [01:36]
2. Do not limit God by background Our origin story should not set the boundaries for God’s future work through us; history can inform but must not determine destiny. When we reframe identity around God’s promise instead of family records or failures, we disarm shame and open space for new trajectories. This reorientation asks us to refuse self-disqualification and step toward God-sized assignments. [14:17]
3. God uses flawed people faithfully God repeatedly chooses those with messy pasts to accomplish his purposes, proving that defect does not equal disqualification. When we embrace our availability over our credentials, grace begins to rewrite capability. This truth frees us to serve without pretending to be more than we are. [43:01]
4. Calling comes by grace not works God calls according to his original purpose and mercy, not our accomplishments or spotless record. We must yield our plans and let God order gifts and opportunities for his ends. Availability matters far more than pedigree; obedience unlocks formation. [39:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:20] - Foundation: Nothing Is Impossible
[01:36] - Include God In The Equation
[03:00] - God Exceeds Our Asking
[06:11] - How Unbelief Limits God
[08:13] - Spies Report: Fear And Choice
[14:17] - Do Not Be Defined By Origin
[21:34] - Rahab And Ruth: Redeemed Lineage
[27:19] - Gideon, Jacob, Saul: Unlikely Callings
[35:20] - Boldness Despite Weakness
[39:31] - Called By Grace, Not Works
[48:26] - New Creation: Leave Past Behind
[50:16] - Final Exhortation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Numbers 13:26-33 (ESV)
26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

2 Timothy 1:9 (ESV)
[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.

Observation Questions

What two contrasting perspectives did the spies and Caleb have about the Promised Land in Numbers 13:26-33? How did their self-perception shape their conclusions?
Rahab (a prostitute) and Ruth (a Moabite) are included in Jesus’ lineage (Matthew 1:5). What does this reveal about God’s criteria for choosing people to fulfill His purposes?
According to 2 Timothy 1:9, what is the basis for God’s calling in our lives? How does this contrast with human expectations of qualification?

Interpretation Questions

Why did the spies in Numbers 13 focus on their own inadequacies (“we seemed like grasshoppers”) rather than God’s promise? How does this mirror the way people today disqualify themselves?
The sermon mentions that “our origin story should not set boundaries for God’s future work” ([14:17]). How might family history, past failures, or cultural expectations distort someone’s view of their potential in God?
Paul writes that God’s calling is rooted in His purpose and grace, not human achievement (2 Timothy 1:9). Why is this truth liberating for those who feel unqualified or burdened by their past?

Application Questions

What current situation or decision are you facing where you’ve unintentionally excluded God from the “equation”? What practical step can you take this week to invite Him into it? ([01:36])
Identify one area where you’ve disqualified yourself due to your background, education, or past mistakes. How would it change your approach to that area if you believed God’s grace overrides those limitations?
The sermon emphasizes “practical trust” by expecting God to exceed our requests ([03:00]). Share a specific prayer request where you struggle to believe God can do “exceedingly abundantly” more than you imagine. How can your group support you in holding onto this truth?
Reflect on a time when you magnified a personal flaw or failure into a “final verdict” about your worth ([18:23]). What daily habit could help you replace self-judgment with God’s perspective?
Gideon initially saw himself as the “least” in his family (Judges 6:15). What “small” step of obedience is God asking you to take right now, even if you feel unready or ill-equipped?
How can you intentionally “forget former things” (Isaiah 43:18-19) this month to embrace God’s new work in your life? What tangible reminder (e.g., Scripture, worship) will help you focus on His promises over your past?

Sermon Clips

41s

#GodUsesTheBroken

“And now that you have God in your life like I have God in my life, let me tell you, do not limit what god wants to do to and through you by where you came from. God has never had anybody qualified work for him yet. There's not one. You're not gonna go through the you go through the book, you're not gonna find anybody qualified. All a bunch of failures. All a bunch of misfits many times. But he's able to take them and get involved in their life and do wonders with and through their lives.”

35s

#CalledByGrace

“God can put wisdom and knowledge and boldness and and do signs and wonders through you and all sorts of stuff. And it has nothing got to do with the the the skeletons in the closet or or the family history or what you have or don't have and where you came from. When you give your life to Christ, it is to fulfill the purpose for which God give you life. So it says here, he saved us and called us with a holy call, not according to our works, but according to his own original purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began.”

41s

#DontDisqualifyYourself

“We disqualify ourselves too quickly. We we throw in the towel so easily. We back off and back down when really there's no need. We feel inadequate and we feel ill equipped and and we remember where we came from and and what we know and what we don't know. We we we we we have the the the insecurities and the lacks of confidence in certain areas. And you know what? We we wanna stop there, but you've gotta trust that God can do more than than where you are at or where you came from if you'll just not limit him.”

38s

#GodsPlanIsBigger

“I disqualified myself a million times, but I learned to lean into and trust that God's plan for me was bigger than my plan for me. And this is what you gotta learn. In first Corinthians 15, this is Paul the apostle. At last of all, he was seen of me also, Paul said, as one born out of due time. Now here's his impression of himself. But I'm the least of of the apostles, and I'm not meet. I'm not worthy. I'm not qualified to be called an apostle.”

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