Preperation for Promotion
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Passion for Preparation
Passion for Preparation
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law.
Jerry Lucas:
Basketball hall of fame
12,942 rebounds for an average of 15.6 per game, the fourth-best career mark in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Bob Pettit.
Youngest player at that time to be selected for the Olympic national team and earned his way into a starting roll
One season he averaged 20 points and 20 rebounds a game
Inducted into the basketball hall of fame
“Vision is the quality that elevates the mundane into higher realms of achievement. Vision excites passion, bestows meaning on otherwise routine or dreary days, gives direction to goal, provides guidance for daily decisions. Without vision, organizations wither, and people lose interest” -Jerry Lucas
Vision excites passion, bestows meaning on otherwise routine or dreary days
Everything we do today prepares us for tomorrow
We cannot go take on the next season God has for us with last seasons Habits
We have to prepare
We have to raise the the quality of our habits
1 Samuel 17:14-47
(David facing the bear)
14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
Youngest
16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.
A problem arises
17 Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18 And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.”
He’s doing his duties as a food runner being obedience
Obedience always turns into opportunities
23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.
Everyone else was afraid of Goliath
They could only see one way of defeating him and that was hand to hand combat
They only had one way of fixing the problem
David already had a different solution
So David asks what he’ll get if he takes Goliath out?
28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
Even when people are too afraid to take care of a problem, sometimes they will still be mad at you for taking control
When leaders are nonexistent, it still doesn’t mean they’ll appreciate you for stepping up (people will envy your courage) or stupidity
Also a side note, if your not leading like your supposed to in your household
Someone else will step up to the plate: your wife, your kids, your in-laws
32 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
You’re not old enough
You might not be qualified
You might not hold the title
This giant/this problem is too big for you
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
Just because we’re not qualified, doesn’t mean we can’t be prepared!
42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”
Running his mouth
45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 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.”
We know what happens
54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
Eventually your preparation will create a platform
A lot of times we watch successful while they’re slaying a giant or sitting on a throne
We often don’t see what it took to get there
Passion for Preparation:
If we’re not over prepared we’re under prepared
A huge factor that separates a leader from a follower is being prepared
Leaders know the answers before the questions are asked
It comes at a price- What are you willing to give up to be prepared
Preparing in baseball
We can be a player or a pretender
Playing defensive end in High school
We can’t lead people where we’ve never been
We can’t lead people when we’re not in front of them
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
2. Fall in Love with the Process
Don’t just tolerate the punishment
Fall in love with the process
A lot of us want to run from obstacles when the difficulty is what takes us to the next level
Working out
Fall in love with the Word of God
The process will no longer feel like work when you have a passion for it
3. Leaders prepare so others can succeed
Today’s preparation is the answers to tomorrows problems
Are you constantly surprised by things?
Preparation is the keep you from being overwhelmed
When you prepare yourself you gain skills:
When God prepares you you gain wisdom
When life prepares you, you gain pain
Which one would you rather have?
School of hard knocks (a road of a lot of pain)
Why is preparation so important
Preparation creates durability
Prep creates adaptability
When people see you handle pressure situations correctly it creates credibility
I’ve never seen a great leader be late to things
Jesus walking the streets:
Often went away in prayer
Often met with the Father
Often interrupted with other peoples problems
He could handle himself when he was tired
He was prepared and filled up and able to help others
Keys to Prep
We have to prepare ourselves
You don’t reproduce what you say you reproduce what are
A bad me doesn’t produce a good team
This starts spiritually
Spiritual preparation creates passion
I might not the most dynamic
The best dressed
The best looking
But I have a passion for God’s word and a passion for His purpose
2. Starts with our Attitude
Attitude creates possibility
The first step to greatness is knowing you can do it
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
Very few things we can control in this life:
Attitude and our actions
We don’t control actions
We can plan for scenarios
3. Prepare everyday
We don’t get better be accident
Take advantage of today or you will become a victim
4. Plan what you need to do everyday
Be strategic
A lot of people plan their vacations a lot better than their everyday lives
What gives you the greatest return
5. Ask the right questions
Be prepared with questions for life
Strive to no know everything
If you know everything you’re not growing
6. Learn from those who are better than you
Find people who you want to be like
Find people who are going where you’re goin and learn
Hang around people who challenge you