Missed Blessings
Notes
Transcript
Good morning, my beautiful family! It’s so wonderful to see us gathered here this glorious Sunday morning. My heart is overflowing with gratitude as I share what the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart—a message about missed blessings. Let’s journey together as one body, open to what God is speaking to us.
LET’s Pray...
### **Opening Prayer: Key Points**
- **Gratitude:** Praise God for His faithful love, grace, and blessings, including those we’ve experienced and those we may have missed.
- **Invitation to the Holy Spirit:** Ask for His fire, boldness, and discernment to recognize and respond to divine opportunities.
- **Victory Declaration:** Declare freedom from fear, hesitation, distraction, and complacency that lead to missed blessings.
- **Alignment with God’s Will:** Pray for clarity and courage to walk in obedience and align with His purposes.
- **Restoration of Missed Moments:** Seek restoration of opportunities and blessings lost due to hesitation or disobedience.
- **Spiritual Warfare:** Declare victory over every scheme of the enemy that hinders faithfulness or obedience.
- **Unity in the Body of Christ:** Pray for shared vision and courage to co-labor for Kingdom purposes.
- **Surrender:** Offer hearts and lives to God, committing to seize the moments He provides.---
### **1. God’s Will Is Unstoppable, but Blessings Can Be Missed**
God’s plans are unshakable; His will is sovereign and always comes to pass (Isaiah 46:10). We know that He declares the end from the beginning, and His purpose always prevails. However, we can sometimes find ourselves standing on the sidelines, watching His plans unfold without experiencing the blessings that were meant for us. Picture the Israelites at the edge of the Promised Land—God’s promise stood firm, but their fear of the giants made them draw back (Numbers 14:1-4). Their lack of faith didn’t alter God’s plans, but it did cost them the blessing of entering the Promised Land themselves.
What about us? How often do we stand at the edge of our own promises and fail to step into them because of fear or pride? Fear whispers doubts—"What if I fail? What if I’m not enough?" Pride insists on controlling the outcome, making us hesitate to surrender to God’s voice. Each delay in obedience creates a ripple effect, holding us back from receiving the fullness of His blessings. Let’s ask ourselves today: **What blessings are we missing because we’re too afraid to trust Him completely?**
WE miss the blessings, to be a blessing, and be blessed
---
### **2. Missing Appointments**
When the Holy Spirit speaks to us, His voice can often be soft—like a gentle nudge or a whisper in our spirit. In Luke 10:38-42, we see Martha bustling about, consumed by preparations, while her sister Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen. Mary recognized her divine moment to commune with the Savior, while Martha’s distractions caused her to miss the fullness of that encounter. How many times have we been too busy or preoccupied to notice when God is calling us to pause or act?
Every missed appointment carries a weight—it’s an opportunity for a deeper relationship, a moment of transformation, or a chance to be His vessel for others. Have there been times when the Holy Spirit invited us to step out in faith, but we chose to focus on lesser things? These moments don’t always come with grand announcements. They may be as simple as a prompting to reach out to someone, spend time in prayer, or surrender our schedule for Him. Let’s reflect: **Are we creating space in our lives to recognize and respond to those divine moments?**
Testimony - Side of road family -
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### **3. The Impact on Others**
Our obedience is never just about us; it carries an impact on those around us. In John 6:8-9, a young boy offers his five loaves and two fish. It was a humble offering, yet through his obedience, thousands were fed. Imagine if he had decided his gift was too small or insignificant—how many people would have missed their provision? When we hesitate to obey, we often rob others of the breakthrough God intended to bring through us.
Think of Peter stepping out onto the water in Matthew 14:22-33. His act of faith didn’t just demonstrate his trust in Jesus; it inspired those who witnessed it. Our choices—whether to obey or hold back—are not made in isolation. They have ripple effects that touch lives beyond our own. Is there someone in our life who needs to see our obedience today? Have we considered that our faith might be the catalyst for someone else’s deliverance, healing, or salvation?
Prison Testimony
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### **4. The Holy Spirit’s Protective Warnings**
The Holy Spirit doesn’t only guide us into blessings; He also shields us from harm. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all our ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct our paths.” Sometimes His nudges are warnings—urging us to avoid certain places, relationships, or decisions. Other times, He prompts us to act, intervening in ways that protect others. Jonah’s initial disobedience to God’s command endangered not only himself but also the sailors on the ship (Jonah 1:1-17). It wasn’t until Jonah repented that peace was restored.
How many times have we ignored a warning, only to realize later that God was sparing us from unnecessary pain or struggle? Or perhaps we felt led to reach out to someone, but brushed it aside, missing the opportunity to be His instrument of protection. These promptings matter. Let’s pause and consider: **Are we attuned to the Holy Spirit’s voice, especially in moments of urgency?**
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### **5. The Pain of a Missed Prophecy or Calling**
Prophetic words are invitations—they require us to actively step into the promise. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us of God’s good plans for our lives, but His plans often require action on our part. Jonah nearly forfeited his role in Nineveh’s revival because of fear and disobedience (Jonah 3). God’s mercy redirected him, but what if Jonah had continued to run?
What prophecies have been spoken over our lives? Have we dismissed them as too daunting or impossible? The enemy often seeks to sow doubt, whispering that we’re inadequate or unworthy of God’s calling. But His word over us is always intentional, always purposeful. Today, we are being challenged to reflect: **Are we willing to step into alignment with the prophetic promises God has spoken over us?** God chooses anyone of his children to speak a prophetic word, when you are prompted and don’t turn up you miss that word -Bishop Patrick
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### **6. The Redemption of Missed Opportunities**
Here’s the beauty of our Lord—He is a restorer! Joel 2:25 assures us that He will restore the years the locusts have eaten. Even in moments where we’ve failed or faltered, His mercy remains steadfast, inviting us back into His plans. Peter denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus reinstated him with love and grace (John 21:15-19). Peter’s failure didn’t disqualify him; instead, it became part of his testimony.
If we’ve missed opportunities, it’s not the end of the story. Restoration doesn’t mean going backward—it means stepping forward into God’s redemptive work. it’s not to be used as a stumbling Block but as a stepping stone His grace makes room for second chances, for new beginnings, for blessings we thought were lost forever. Are we ready to surrender our missed moments to His mercy and trust Him to redeem them?
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7. we need to be Living in the Overflow of the Spirit**
missing out on the blessings God has prepared for us. Blessings come in many forms—spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational—and reflect His love, grace, and provision. John 15:5 reminds us, *“If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.”* By staying sensitive to the Spirit and walking in obedience, we ensure that we don’t miss the opportunities He graciously provides for us to experience His goodness.
God’s blessings are designed not only to enrich our lives but to glorify Him and flow through us to others. Whether tangible blessings like provision and healing or intangible ones like peace in trials, wisdom in decisions, or restored relationships, each serves as a reminder of His faithfulness and presence. Living in the overflow means abiding in Christ daily, allowing His Spirit to nourish and guide us, so that we are positioned to receive and share His blessings fully, avoiding hesitation and missed opportunities.
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### **8. Let’s Challenge each other f Now**
let’s not dwell on what we’ve lost, but focus on what God is asking of us today. Hebrews 3:15 exhorts us, “Today, if we hear His voice, do not harden our hearts.” What is the Holy Spirit speaking to us right now? Perhaps He’s calling us to reconcile a relationship, step into a ministry, or share our story with someone who needs encouragement. This is our moment to respond.
Isaiah 43:18-19 reminds us that God is always doing a new thing. He is making ways in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Today, we have an opportunity to partner with Him, to step boldly into the blessings He has prepared for us. Are we ready to rise to the challenge, to trust Him with our “yes”? This is our invitation to walk in faith and obedience.
If we’ve missed opportunities in the past, don’t lose heart. Let’s turn to Him in repentance, and He will redeem what was lost. Restoration doesn’t mean going back to the way things were; it means moving forward in His grace and power. Are we ready to embrace His redemptive work in our lives?
### **Closing Prayer: Key Points**
- **Thanksgiving:** Thank God for His faithfulness in blessing us, restoring us, and offering new opportunities.
- **Holy Spirit Empowerment:** Ask for strength, love, and boldness to seize future blessings and align with His Spirit.
- **Repentance:** Confess any hesitation, fear, or missed opportunities, seeking forgiveness and cleansing.
- **Restoration and Redemption:** Pray for renewal and restoration of missed blessings and new doors to align with His will.
- **Discernment:** Ask for sharp spiritual insight to recognize the Holy Spirit’s promptings in daily life.
- **Overflow of Blessings:** Pray to live in God’s overflow, bearing fruit that glorifies Him and enriches others.
- **Victory Declaration:** Proclaim triumph over all obstacles to obedience, trusting in His power and grace.
- **Commitment:** Dedicate hearts and actions to God, vowing to respond faithfully to His Spirit’s leading.
- **Unity and Impact:** Pray to be vessels of blessings to others, working together to fulfill God’s purposes.
