Spirit of Excellence # 4

     We’re going to continue on the “Spirit and Ministry of Excellence.” We’ve been on this subject for a few weeks.

     I. God is calling us to a greater walk with Him. Along with that greater walk means greater success, greater victory, it’s means that we’ll see more of God working in our lives.

              A. But that doesn’t just happen automatically. If we want more of God in our lives, if we want a greater move of the HS, if we want more of God’s blessings, then we have to do something.

                        1. God wants us to walk in excellence.

                                  a. Turn with me to JOHN 14:15

                                           i. In this V Jesus said that if you love me you will keep my commandments.

                                           ii. Jesus went on to say a little more about keeping His commandments.

                                  b. Look at JOHN 14:21

                                           i. If we want Jesus to manifest Himself to us, and if we want His power in our live to give us victory. We have to keep His commandments.

                                           ii. Jesus said in (Matthew 5:48) “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” KJV

                                           iii. Meaning that God wants us to walk in excellence.

              B. So far in this series we’ve looked at, Dedication, which is making a quality decision to do something, and not turning back.

                        1. The 2nd step to having a spirit of excellence is to have SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE.

                                  a. James said in (JAMES 1:7) that the double minded man will not receive anything from the Lord.

                                  b. If you’re wavering, doubting, and divided in interest, you’re not walking in excellence.

                                           i. Don’t hesitate to step out in faith.

                                  c. Fear is 1 of the biggest areas that will cause a person to be double minded.

                                           i. You need to resist the fear and step out in faith.

              C. The 3rd thing that that we need, to have a Spirit of Excellence is to “Follow the Leadership of the HS.”

                        1. Jesus said in (JOHN 16:13) That the spirit of Truth will guide you into all truth.

                                  a. For you to walk in the Spirit of Excellence you have to hear from the HS.

                                  b. In order for you to walk in the very best that God has for you, you have to hear from the HS.

     II. The 4th step in having a spirit of Excellence is to “STRIP AWAY THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.”

              A. Look with me to JOHN 17:16-17

                        1. In this prayer that Jesus prayed for the disciples, Jesus made the statement, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

                                  a. We need to be separate from the world.

                                           i. I’m not saying that we are to shut ourselves up in some commune like many cults do.

                                           ii. But Jesus said, we are not of this world.

                                           iii. Paul quoting the OT said in (2 Corinthians 6:17) “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” KJV

                                  b. We are to be separate from the worlds ways.

              B. In order for us to have that Excellence that God wants us to have is to Strip away the things of the World.

                        1. Of course 1 of the main things that we need to do is to put away sin.

                                  a. You can’t walk in excellence and still walk in sin, not in the Christian walk.

                                           i. The world may not have any problem with that, but we’re not of this world.

                                           ii. If we want God’s best, we have to give God our best.

                        2. Something that goes hand in hand with this, is that we need to put off the SIN CONSCIOUSNESS.

                                  a. You are not just some old sinner, saved by grace.

                                           i. You can’t have the confidence to come before God’s throne and to receive from Him and get His direction and wisdom if you feel that you’re just some old sinner, saved by grace.

                                           ii. You can’t operate in faith if you’re holding on to that sin consciousness.

                                  b. 2COR 5:21, 17

                                           i. In the past, we were sinners, but now that your have been saved, we are a brand new person.

                                           ii. The old life is dead, and now we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

              C. Another thing that we need to strip off or get rid of in our life is the NEGATIVE CONFESSIONS.

                        1. Don’t confess that you are sinful, a failure, needy, weak or sickly.

                                  a. Stop confessing a lie. Find out what the Word of God says about you and start confessing the Truth.

                        2. Turn with to GAL 3:13-14

                                  a. We have been redeemed from the curse of the Law, so the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles.

                                           i. What is the blessing of Abraham?

                                           ii. Health, prosperity, success, wisdom, righteousness. Start confessing these things.

                                  b. Look at GAL 3:14 again.

                                           i. There’s the key, “That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through FAITH.”

                                           ii. If we really believed what God said about us, we would confess it.

                                           iii. Jesus said in (Matthew 12:34) “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” KJV

                                           iv. If it’s in your heart your mouth will speak it.

                        3. Another area that we have to do away with is the “JUNK FOOD.”

                                  a. I’m not talking about a natural food, but spiritual food.

                                           i. You need to be careful on what you’re feeding on.

                                           ii. If what you’re feeding on is soap operas, they’re just like junk food. You can feed on it, but it’s something that’s no good for you.

                                  b. You can’t have a junk food diet and expect your body to stay healthy. It’s the same spiritually.

                        4. The NEWS is also a spiritual junk food.

                                  a. It’s not good for a steady diet.

                                           i. All you hear about is what’s going on in the world. Wars, accidents, death, conflicts, problems.

                                  b. Turn to MARK 4:19

                                           i. Notice what Jesus said that the cares of this world can choke the Word.

                                           ii. To walk in excellence according to God’s standards, we have to strip off the things of this world.

     III. That brings me to the 5th and last step to the Spirit of Excellence. And that is “GIVE THE WORD 1st PLACE.”

              A. Go back with me to JOHN 17:17

                        1. 1st of all we see that God’s word is Truth.

                                  a. There is no other truth.

                        2. The word “Sanctify” in this V means “To separate unto.”

                                  a. In other words, “We are to be separated unto the Word of God.

                        3. But this word “Sanctify” also means, “To cleanse and to purify.”

              B. We are to be Separated unto the Word of God and the Word will bring a cleansing to our soul, but look at what Paul said to TIMOTHY.

                        1. 1TIM 4:6

                                  a. We are all to be “Good Ministers” of the Lord Jesus Christ.

                                           i. We’re all ministers of reconciliation.

                                  b. 1 of the qualities of a good minister is that they had to be nourished on the Word of God. (present tense)

                                           i. Continuously feed yourself on the Word of God.

     IV. If we want to have God’s best in our lives we need to walk in excellence.

              A. That means “Dedication, and not turning back,” “SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE, Refusing to doubt,” “Follow the Leadership of the HS,” “STRIP AWAY THE THINGS OF THE WORLD,” and “GIVE THE WORD 1st PLACE.”

WOLCC SUN AM 5/12/96