God’s Plan For My Life.

Intro.

We all have plans. Everyone of us since we were young traced ideas of what the future would be. Many people that come to Christ, ask what is God’s will for my life? or maybe What is God’s plan for my life or current situation?

Many times we come to God to ask for protection and we trust him. But, Do we trust his direction?

“If I can trust God for protection, then I can trust God for His direction.”

New Living Translation Chapter 50

7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,

determined to do his will.

And I know that I will not be put to shame

(Picture of stones in Machu Pichu)

Jesus was resolute in wanting to fulfill the will of the father. (ref. Luke 9:51)

In John 18 we find Jesus in his last few days. He has prayed an incredible prayer for his disciples and for you and me. Judas has now set to betrayed Jesus by leading an army of soldiers to where Jesus was.

They want to identify him.

John 18:4–11 NKJV

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

Seeing the example of Jesus as he is living the ups and down of life. We can learn many things from it. How we can set our face towards the will of God and follow it.

Respond to God’s authority.

Many believers live their christian life as if they are the maximum authority. Unless we recognize that God is the ultimate authority, we are living below the plan of God for us.

Here, Jesus is being identified by the soldiers, and before they ask any more questions, he says, “I am”

John 18:5–6 NKJV

5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

To get the idea of this power we have to understand every Jewish person understood this expression because in Exodus we see God give this name to Moses as His identity.

Yusef Dikec. Olympic shooter that became famous because he won the silver in shooting for the country of Turkey with just his gun and simple glasses. No equipment to help him aim.

Young people today have this expression “he is him” meaning, he is the best in his field. In essence God said. “I’m him”. I am should cover your entire life.

I am the way, truth and the life.

I am the bread of life.

I am water of life.

I am the door.

I am the Good Shepard.

I am the resurrection and the life.

I am the Alfa and the Omega,

I am the same yesterday, today and forever.

It is that authority that should determine the direction in my life.

Should I buy a car, a house, should I marry this person. Is this the right business for me? etc.

Recognized God’s plan for my life.

Many times, we have a sense of what God is doing in us and through us. He might use the pain you have been through so that you can help others. Or, it may be as clear as it was in Jesus.

When they came to get him, he protected the disciples. But he gives us a clear reason.

John 18:7–9 NKJV

7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”

Jesus was so trusting of the plan of God for his life that he did not care for his safety but he cared to keep the promise of God, that none were lost under his care.

“If I can trust God for protection, then I can trust God for His direction.”

Imagine, if Jesus in the last few days and hours of his life was looking after the disciples.

Would he not care for you today? Because It is not the sparing of difficulties but it is strength in difficult times.

Are you dealing with an addiction in your life. Keep obeying, he is not done with you.

You have a dream from God about a business, keep working, he is not done with you yet.

Praying for the restoration of a relationship. Keep trusting, he is not done with you yet.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Trust his Plan.

Trust is where many of us falter. To deposit total confidence in the direction that God has set for our lives. It is the ultimate act of surrender to following Jesus.

Here, we enter the climax of the capture. Jesus is about to be apprehended, and Peter decides to stop them by attacking one of the soldiers with the sword.

John 18:10–11 NKJV

10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

This lesson is so intense. Let me say it to you the way Jesus says it to Peter: You can do life your way (the sword) or my way (the cup).

Every day when I wake up, those two options are presented before me.

•     A disrespectful person attacks me. I have the option of the sword or the cup.

•     My child is not acting right. I have the option of the sword or the cup.

•     My way or God’s way in my daily life is what this message is about.

•     That if I can trust God for protection, I should be able to trust him for direction.

Because in the end, this is the plan of God revealed through Jesus for you and me.

2 Timothy 1:9 (NLT)

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.