Living for God: The Path to True Fulfillment

Devotional

Day 1: Living for God's Approval Transforms Our Lives

When we choose to live for an audience of one, God, our lives undergo a profound transformation. The story of Bartimaeus, the blind man who cried out to Jesus despite being told to be quiet, exemplifies the power of seeking fulfillment from God rather than from people. Bartimaeus' determination to reach out to Jesus, regardless of the crowd's disapproval, highlights the importance of prioritizing God's approval over human opinion. Similarly, the story of the twelve spies sent to scout the Promised Land illustrates this truth. While ten spies were swayed by fear and popular opinion, Joshua and Caleb stood firm in their faith, ultimately entering the Promised Land. Their unwavering commitment to God's will teaches us that aligning ourselves with God leads us to our true destiny. [28:05]

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking approval from others instead of God? How can you begin to shift your focus to living for God's approval today?

Day 2: The Power of Declaring God's Promises

Our words hold immense power to shape our reality. By declaring God's promises over our lives, we invite His intervention and experience His transformative power. Bartimaeus boldly declared Jesus as the Son of David, despite opposition, and this declaration led to his healing. This story reminds us that our words can either align us with God's truth or hinder our spiritual growth. When we speak life and God's truth over our circumstances, we trust that God watches over His word to perform it. Our declarations of faith can open the door to God's miraculous work in our lives. [30:19]

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." (Proverbs 18:21, ESV)

Reflection: What negative words or declarations have you spoken over your life recently? How can you replace them with God's promises today?

Day 3: Gratitude Positions Us for Miracles

Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for experiencing God's miraculous power. The story of Bartimaeus teaches us to focus on what we have rather than what we lack. Despite his blindness, Bartimaeus used his ability to hear and speak to reach out to Jesus. This perspective shift is crucial for receiving God's blessings. When we cultivate gratitude for our current blessings, we open our hearts to see God's provision and experience His miraculous power. Gratitude shifts our focus from our limitations to God's limitless possibilities. [39:03]

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)

Reflection: What are three things you are grateful for today, and how can this gratitude shift your perspective on your current challenges?

Day 4: Asking with Expectation

Asking with expectation is crucial for receiving from God. Bartimaeus demonstrated this by casting aside his beggar's robe, symbolizing his expectation of a changed life when he came to Jesus. This act of faith shows us the importance of casting aside anything that hinders our faith and approaching God with a heart full of expectation. When we ask God for His intervention, we must trust in His ability to change our circumstances. Our faith-filled expectation invites God's transformative power into our lives. [46:00]

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need to ask God for help with expectation? How can you demonstrate your faith in His ability to change your circumstances today?

Day 5: Trusting God with the "How"

Trusting God with the "how" of our miracles allows us to remain steadfast in faith. Our role is to believe in God's promises, not to dictate the method. This trust ensures that our faith remains anchored in Him, even when circumstances seem contrary to our expectations. By relinquishing control over the "how," we allow God to work in ways beyond our understanding. This trust in God's sovereignty enables us to remain steadfast and hopeful, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill His promises. [50:25]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God with the "how"? How can you surrender this area to Him and trust in His perfect plan today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound truth that living to please people can often hinder our spiritual journey. We began by examining the story of Bartimaeus, the blind man who cried out to Jesus despite being warned to be quiet. His story illustrates the importance of seeking fulfillment from God rather than from people. When we live for an audience of one, God, everything in our lives begins to change. This is exemplified by the story of the twelve spies sent to scout the Promised Land. While ten were swayed by fear and popular opinion, Joshua and Caleb stood firm in their faith, ultimately entering the Promised Land. Their story teaches us that when we align ourselves with God's will, we step into our destiny.

We also discussed the power of our words and the importance of declaring God's promises over our lives. Our words have the power to shape our reality, as illustrated by the story of the blind man who boldly declared Jesus as the Son of David. This declaration, despite opposition, led to his healing. Similarly, we must speak life and God's truth over our circumstances, trusting that God watches over His word to perform it.

Furthermore, we explored the concept of gratitude and how it positions us for miracles. The blind man focused on what he had—his ability to hear and speak—rather than what he lacked. This perspective shift is crucial for receiving God's blessings. We must also ask with expectation, casting aside anything that hinders our faith. The story of Bartimaeus throwing aside his beggar's robe symbolizes the expectation of a changed life when we come to Jesus.

Finally, we emphasized the importance of trusting God with the "how" of our miracles. Our role is to have faith in God's ability to fulfill His promises, not to dictate the method. This trust allows us to remain steadfast even when circumstances seem contrary to our expectations.

Key Takeaways

1. Living for an audience of one, God, transforms our lives. When we prioritize pleasing God over people, we align ourselves with His will and step into our destiny, just as Joshua and Caleb did. [28:05]
2. Our words have the power to shape our reality. By declaring God's promises over our lives, we invite His intervention and experience His transformative power, as seen in the story of Bartimaeus. [30:19]
3. Gratitude for what we have positions us for miracles. Focusing on our blessings rather than our lacks allows us to see God's provision and experience His miraculous power. [39:03]
4. Asking with expectation is crucial for receiving from God. Casting aside anything that hinders our faith, like Bartimaeus throwing away his robe, demonstrates our trust in God's ability to change our circumstances. [46:00]
5. Trusting God with the "how" of our miracles allows us to remain steadfast in faith. Our role is to believe in God's promises, not to dictate the method, ensuring our faith remains anchored in Him. [50:25]
** [50:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:06] - Bartimaeus' Bold Cry
[25:46] - Living for an Audience of One
[26:42] - The Story of the Twelve Spies
[27:24] - Focus on Blessings, Not Obstacles
[28:35] - Declaring God's Word Boldly
[30:34] - The Power of Our Words
[31:30] - Gratitude and Miracles
[33:01] - The Big Plane Story
[36:50] - Persistence in Faith
[39:03] - The Catalyst for Miracles
[42:14] - Walking by Faith, Not Sight
[44:04] - Asking with Expectation
[46:00] - Casting Aside the Old
[50:25] - Trusting God with the "How"

Sermon Clips

"Stop looking to people to give you what you need. Stop looking to people to fill your cup. There's one person that when he fills your cup, it fills to overflowing. Stop caring. I'm not living for them anymore. I'm living for an audience of one." [00:25:54]

"When you please the Lord, the Holy Spirit rests upon you. When you please the Lord, he makes even your enemies to be at peace with you. The same people that warned him to be quiet are now excited that he was called and acting like it was their idea. When you please God, everything changes in your life." [00:26:17]

"There were two people that decided not to live for people and for popular opinion. There were two that decided to live for an audience of one. We don't know who the ten spies were, but we know who the two were: Caleb and Joshua. Why? Because when you live for God, when you live for an audience of one, guess what happens? You get to go into your destiny." [00:27:48]

"Your mouth is the rudder of your life. James says that the mouth is like the rudder of a ship. It sets the course for your life. People sometimes say, 'I don't understand why this stuff is happening to me.' Sometimes I just say like this: your answer is right underneath your nose." [00:30:30]

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Your words create fruit. Some of you may have heard this story before, but years ago when we were going to look at buildings to see how we wanted to build this church, we went to Northbend, Indiana." [00:31:23]

"Notice the blind man heard. Notice the blind man heard. Yeah, but Pastor, the blind man couldn't see. Yeah, but he could hear. Yeah, but he couldn't see. Yeah, but he wasn't deaf. The blind man heard. See, some of you still ain't getting it. Watch this, watch this, watch this." [00:38:59]

"Every miracle begins with a seed, and the seed is not what you don't have. The seed is what you do have. The problem that prevents a lot of people from receiving their miracle is they are so focused on what they do have that they never look in their hand with what they do have." [00:39:35]

"Faith comes by hearing, and faith is often lost by what you see. Too many people focus on circumstance, lose their faith, and never listen to the word of God. The devil thought he ambushed them, but God left him with his hearing. Come on, somebody, will you thank God for what you're left with?" [00:42:31]

"If you want to get a want and get what you want, you need to ask with expectation. Notice the text says he heard, he stopped living for people, he courageously declared the word of God, he was grateful for what he had, Jesus, and then it says this: and when Jesus called him, verse number 50, and throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus." [00:44:48]

"When you come to Jesus, you got to understand your life is about to change. Old things are being passed away; all things are becoming new. There's an expectation. What do you want? What do you want God to do for you? When you pray, believe that you receive, and you shall have it." [00:46:00]

"Don't worry about how God is going to do it. Your job is just to get a want. What do you want? Your job is to want what you want. Your job is to believe what you want. God's job is to how. God may shake your life. God may send a raven. God may use a whale." [00:50:19]

"Don't ever put your faith in how. Put your faith in who. How is the circumstances of the world. Who is the Lord of Glory? Who is the one who cannot lie? Who is the one who is watching over his word, waiting to perform it?" [00:51:07]

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