0917 Towels & Titles - Potential > Position

Potential > Position

Acts 6:2-5

Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,

Potential > position = Ok! Gifting > character = Not Ok! A. Your value is not determined by visibility. Parts in the body that are not visible are valuable. “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.” Steve Jobs “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” Martin Luther King Jr. B. Title does not equal identity. Musician in palace. Prisoner in palace. Lamb on earth. What God says about you defines you, not what men see in you. Don’t be disappointed when God anoints you but men don’t appoint you. Men don’t appoint the same time God anoints. C. God trusts those He tests. (Family story) David shepherded sheep before leading a nation. David killed lions privately before facing giants publicly. David started a musical in the palace where God called him to be a king. David drove out demons before driving out Philistines. David was armor bearer to the king before being a king.

Psalms 105:17-19

He sent a man before them—

Joseph—who was sold as a slave.

They hurt his feet with fetters,

He was laid in irons.

Until the time that his word came to pass,

The word of the Lord tested him. Seek opportunity to serve, not a stage to shine on. You are a light, you don’t need spotlight to shine. Find a need and fill it, find a hurt and heal it, find a problem and solve it. God can’t trust you with title if He doesn’t test you with towel.

Position does not restrict anointing, ego + laziness does. A. Anointing does not need a title to operate, it needs a problem. Anointing is like river, it does not need an open door, a crack will do. Be solid as rock but flow freely as water. Water can crush with a force but also slip through or go around. Take any shape. Calm and quiet. Its not weak - creates tsunamis and floods. B. Pride will not let you succeed outside of your position. Ego will not let you succeed as a slave because you’re called to be a president; a musician when you’re anointed as king. Go back to the sheep when you are anointed. C. Don’t leave the church because you got famous on the streets. Anointing on the street should not be an excuse from serving in the house of God. Serving is not a Stepping Stone. A. We don’t promote a heart to become a mouth because it pumps blood good. Pressured into it. Be secure and comfortable with your calling. Don’t compare and compete. “run your race” Don’t view promotion in the kingdom from business but from body. B. We live to make Jesus famous, church does not exist to make us popular. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. John 17:4 Motives determine motivation Motives determine reward. STORY: kid praying out loud