(Final) Calling & Stalling: Running the Race to Win

The Call - On Your Mark

Show Video, ask if anyone was a track and field athlete, make a joke

Introduce and link the race to our walk with God

We find comfort, we have idea of how it should go.

Ask someone to define calling to bring out that it makes an impact.

Introduction

Something about being at the starting line and having an idea of how you want to get to the finish line and how you should get motivates you.

Our identity links us to our purpose and we find comfort in that.

We can asking God about our purpose/call

​Jeremiah 29:11 NKJVFor I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

​Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

We’

Psalm 37:4 NKJV

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

It gives us Identity

​John 1:35–42 NKJVAgain, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Talk about my experience

Now if that isn’t a calling to give you drive I dont know what is. Jesus called him and gave him direction, gave him new vision, gave him a new name. Again, using my expeerience as an example when I got that word, I saw things differently, not that I had attained or I was floating on air but I had an idea how I could impact other, impact the kingdom of God and when God said to You shall be called, Peter was given direction on how to impact the world. He was stamped and shown a glimpse of what his destiny is to be.How many of you have experienced that? How many of you want to experience that??? Come on there is nothing wrong with Holy desire

Link Bible characters

​Hebrews 11:6 NKJVBut without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Then transition into there could be a stall

Hebrews says that he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder for those who diligently seek Him. Thats why Jesus said if you knock He’ll answer.

Show video

Link Joseph, Peter, Moses, Bolt, Samuel, David

​Psalm 37:4 NKJVDelight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Talk about stalling and reference Collosians 2

Talk about People with enticing words

A scripture that really carries that is Psalms 37 which says to delight yourself in God and He shall grant you the desires of your heart, those Holy desires that He wishes to put in your heart that He wants you to align with, that call. AmenBut just like Peter, Just like me, Just like Bolt when we hear that call, we receive the word, we hear that gun go off sometimes our drive phase isnt as smooth as we would want it to be. Something like this happens.See something the drive phase in our journey in not as smooth as it should they are some stumblings and some stalling. Let talk about what can possibly lead to stalling.

Colossians 2:1–4 NKJV

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

Talk about

​Colossians 2:1–4 NKJVFor I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

Very often in our drive phase, after we’ve heard the call, someone comes with a word through their own understading to have to go according to their own standards. And to be fair not all persons have bad intentions but then they are some that are intentionally deceitful.We can be lured away from our call and caused to stall by enticing words. How many musicians do you know, that started in the church and you cant see them now. Becuase someone one came and messed with where there head is at. We can be lured away by promises of wealth and popularity and especially if we arent rooted in God and in knowlege of Christ, the world can seem really attractive. I know so many musicians that are really talented and struggle with the scenario of playing or singing in church vs playing what persons generally refer to as secular. Doing the same in the world. And its tough, they all start out by saying, its giving them exposure, its a possibilty to get paid. And I am not going to tell someone that if you play keyboard outside of church that God will strip your talent, cause that would be lie. God can strip away his annointing but he does take away your gift. Explain parable of the talents.But the issue is, you can stumble so easily when you arent connected to the vine that is Jesus, and that is what the devil is really looking for, is you to come from under that umbrella of protection. We come from under God’s umbrella when we choose to live in sin, live in disobedience. People can also contrinute to your call being stalled by their lack of vision. And its not because they have something against you, but for some if they have achieved on level. It is hard for them to see someone coming after them to go to another level.I’m sure akeem has met persons that when he shared his goal with them, they began to just spew out limitations. Persons often try to put you in a box so you can resemble them, so they can relate to you. Share my experience about prophet/prophetic being linked to just preaching the word of God.The second trap you should heed and I dont think I’ll do more than two tonight but I encourage you to read Col 2, but the second one trap is you. I’m betting for most of the trip up Goliaths forehead, that one smooth stone was still feeling like just a pebble instead of the lethan weapon it was destined to be. Sometimes God will launch you before you feel like you’re good and ready or like you deserve to be on a certain trajectory. In fact half the time, you’ll disqualify yourself long before He’s ready to disqualify you. Just make sure that by the time you reach the target you’ve aligned your vision with His, that way instead of an aimless missile you’ll be a weapon of mass destruction. So often we disqualify ourselves. Opportunity to mentor and i hear how young men really beat up on themselves after messing up and i would never condone sin so for sure the message is to repent but in a course I did wholistic counselling we learnt to do no harm before we seek to do good so one thing I always say to those young men is don’t disqualify yourself because that’s exactly what the devil wanted. for you to come off tract, not just stumble like Bolt did but give up all together. I have to remind them of the prodigal son story, how the father was so eager to welcome him back even though by his and the worlds standard he needed to be disqualified and some of you may thing like that but I declare that you will be free from that mentality. and so often to we disqualify ourselves in our walk because we think we aren’t good enough. Bolt’s coach went up to him after this race and asked him why is he allowing discouragement to prevent him from winning his own race, you see Bolt was injured leading up to that event, he had run just before it and struggled, didnt look good, his start was shaky and so even the great Usain bolt for a moment stalled he allowed his perception of himself to be lower than it ought to be and thats the trap so many of us fall into because we think the person next to us is better equiped or we just think we arent deserving of this, why would dwayne ask me to speak when I’m not a big speaker, why would they ask me to sing when they are better singers, why would they call me to write this article when I didnt do literature at UWI, why would they ask me to be on this panel since I didnt go to any of the “big” schools SO where God desires that we push through the drive phase of our race, we’ve already set stumbling blocks Distractions come to offset that drive phase. The devil doesnt want you to fufil your purpose, actually he’s afraid of it. How many of you were track and field athletes at school? Sprinters? That was me

Talk about being lured away, set on the wrong path

Give experience with musicians

Give experience with the prophetic

Colossians 2:8–10 NKJV

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Talk about persons trying to lead you out of church

Trying to hvae you fufilled outside of God

Use example and limiting you to themselves

Second trap that will cheat you out of your calling and make you stall

Yourself

I’m betting for most of the trip up Goliaths forehead, that one smooth stone was still feeling like just a pebble instead of the lethan weapon it was destined to be.

Read Tao messages

How do we disqulify ourselves

we think we have to be perfect

we think messing up disqualifies us

its not too late to return to God

Show video again

What being rooted in Christ means to win the race

Run your own race

You can win in Jesus becuase you are complete in Jesus rooted and build up in Him

Encoragment at the end

Run your own race

You can win in Jesus becuase you are complete in Jesus rooted and build up in Him