Greater Than "Good Enough"

Intro

4 Examples of “Never Good Enough”

Basketball.

Missing game winning shots.

Telling my first children’s story.

Almost crying on stage.

Grades in High School

Being SO close to getting “High Honors”

Filling out my resume.

The Devil giving me doubts.

This is the self-image I have. I always feel insufficient, inadequate, and not “good enough”.

The Israelites felt like this when they were under the control of Babylon.

Body

TEXT:

Context

— Isaiah’s Judgment on Israel

Their disobedience against God had led to God’s Judgment.

Babylon then captured the city, and led took them through a season of exile.

— God’s message of comfort

After years of oppression, God reminds Israel of His comfort and hope.

BUT 40:27, Israel doubts the revelation God had given them because they had been so heavily oppressed by Babylon.

THEY HAD ACCEPTED THE NAME THEIR OPPRESSORS GAVE THEM.

During the exile, it is difficult to imagine the evil that Israel experienced. Separated their families, used them as slaves, brought confusion among them. So much so that they forgot WHO they were as a people and WHICH God they serve.

Even when God was sending words of comfort and hope, they felt inadequate, insufficient, and “not good enough”.

— God’s response.

Verse 14

In response to Israel’s acceptance.

Fear not, you WORM of Jacob.

This is the self-image of Israel in the face of their oppressors.

Worms are small. A worm cannot defend itself against my shoe.

Through their season of oppression, they had grown smaller and smaller and smaller..

There is a danger in continually accepting the negative names we give ourselves.

TESTIMONY — I approach challenges with caution because the devil reminds me that I’m not “good enough”.

BUT GOD.

I will help you.

When we feel small and insufficient, its never easy for us to get help.

Help is only available to those who accept it.

DROWNING ILLUSTRATION.

When we are so immersed in the lies of the devil, God’s sovereign hand reaches out to you TO HELP YOU.

How will He help us? BY TRANSFORMING US.

Verses 15 and 16

He will make us into a threshing sledge with sharp teeth.

Threshing Sledge

Beat

A wooden platform with sharp teeth under. It allows the farmer to separate the grain from the stalk. The weight of the farmer increases the effectiveness of the sledge.

The Mission of the Threshing Sledge

Thresh the mountains. Make the hills like chaff.

With my weight, could I use a threshing sledge and make the mountains small?

Only the God of the UNIVERSE could use us to do the impossible.

Worm (not good enough), Threshing Sledge (still not good enough), With God (ALL IS POSSIBLE)

WHEN YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, GOD IS GOOD ENOUGH.

GOD IS STRONG ENOUGH.

IN THE HANDS OF GOD, YOU CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.

GOD IS WANTS TO MAKE YOU A TOOL OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN THE KINGDOM OF THE DEVIL.

But it will only work if you are being used by Him.

REJOICING IN THE LORD.

Not in ourselves, but in God. It’s not us. But it is Him.

OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

We feel like worms!!

There is a danger in continually accepting the negative names we give ourselves.

TESTIMONY — I approach challenges with caution because the devil reminds me that I’m not “good enough”.

BUT GOD wants to help us!

When God called me to be SA pres, i felt like a worm

When God called me to be a pastor, i felt like a worm.

CHRIST CENTERED

Verse 16b

Christ also suffered from the mocking of the devil. Many had Him doubt His identity,

In — Christ identified Himself as a worm.

Christ understands the weight and oppression you’re experiencing.

— Christ committed Himself into His Father’s hands.

In His Father’s Hands, Christ was able to defeat death.

Christ lived His life giving glory to God.

Conclusion

There is somebody in here at does not feel good enough.

Maybe you feel insufficient to Preach

Maybe you have a project that’s too big.

Maybe there’s a vision that God has given you.

Maybe you just feel inadequate, insufficient, and not “good enough”

Accept that Help and Transformation that He has for you.

Spend time reflecting how God has been good to you. Write down ways God has worked in your life.

Take your first step into faith.

When you aren’t good enough, He is good enough.