I Quit

** -- Scripture

** -- Ques For Me

** -- Notes/Fill-ins for the App

** -- Additional Scripture Referenced

[See Bottom of Notes]

** — Illustration

Big idea:

If you don’t quit, you win…

Not quitting IS NOT ENOUGH!

You must learn how to also work what is in front of you while trusting in what’s not.

The dream will only work when you work the word that brought the dream forth in the first place.

Don’t quit & give it special attention(WORK IT)

Make room for the growth that you’re believing for.

“Special Attention” is making “seen” room for something that you can’t yet “see”.

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We’re on Week #3 of Meant To Be?

Wk. #1 - “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To”

The goodness of God is NEVER determined by an outcome. It is ALWAYS determined by HIS WORD.

He is Good; He is Faithful; He is True; He is Right.

Wk. #2 - “We Need Space”

Identifying the effects of disappointment and learning to deal with it in a healthy way.

Today:

I want to preach a message called, ”I Quit”

**PRAY**

Luke 13:6-8

6) Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came, again and again, to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7) Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ 8) “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll (3)give it [special attention] and (4)plenty of fertilizer. 9) If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

[Enter Luke: beginning setup to ‘Make Room’]

I know that we’ve mentioned this during this series already...But, have you ever just felt like quitting?!

Like it’s the only option?

Maybe the only thing you want?

Well...DON’T QUIT!

→ Give it one more chance!

I know, I know -- for any of us who’ve ever really felt like quitting whether now or in the past.

→ We try to avoid the, “Give It One More Chance” Guy.

I know it isn’t just “ONE MORE” chance.

It’s already been a long road...and to think about ONE MORE chance can feel overwhelming.

→ Especially when thinking about this 3 years already invested...to think of ANOTHER YEAR...oh boy!

I used to think like this…

Then I had a mentor who told me, “If you don’t quit, you win.”

Which was a BIG DEAL for me…

I come from a long line of quitters...So I adopted this mantra for my life….

“If you don’t quit, you win.

In fact, if you ask any of ouf kids they would tell you that “Erikson’s Never Quit”.

For years we have driven this idea into the hearts and minds of anyone who would listen. I we still will…

However, we realized Not quitting wasn’t only about just showing up. That was part of it.

I mean you can’t win if you aren’t present

In your marriage

At work

With your dreams

It’s more than just showing up one more time

doing the same ole thing

giving the same attention

or same effort that you’ve been giving.

Verse 8 Says,

→ You ALSO have to give it some ‘special’ attention.

Some people might call it...work…

Special attention specifically means...To DIG around making room

Work requires vulnerability...in the sense that what you’re believing for will become visible through your actions.

This is where your faith grows feet and you begin to walk out what you say you believe.

This makes some people nervous…

However, if we’re doing this based on a word from God that we can be sure that failure is not an option. Even when we “Fail” we learn which isn’t a failure.

God is Good ALL THE TIME --

Inspite of any outcome you’ve ever experienced. In fact, the bible tells us that He’ll use the things the enemy has meant for harm and use them for His glory!

John 1 →

1) In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jesus IS THE Word

Jesus is THE Gardener

-- Special Attention In 3 Simple Steps --

1. Let The Word Work --

*Luke is prepping/working alone...Making the first cut/drilling holes with no help.

I say this like it’s a choice of ours...It’s not!

Whether we like it or not, know it or not, whether we believe it or not.

JESUS is ALWAYS at work behind the scenes in our lives.

The more we go back to the place of our dreams without quitting on them the more our faith will be inspired to continue on.

Moving us toward steps of action.

The more we GO...the more sense we’ll get in the spirit that maybe just maybe something is going on that we’re not even aware of right now!

2. Work With The Word --

*I will join Luke during this point and begin to put my hands on some of the things he is doing...maybe shows me what he is doing let s me use the drill

If we’re ever going to actually give “special attention” to the dreams that God has planted in our lives...The WORD that He has spoken to us...if we’re going to make room for them…

VULNERABILITY will be the key

Steps of faith don’t make you look good.

They make you look crazy...until it comes to pass.

They will require you TO DO something about a WORD that you can’t yet see.

we’re going to have to see into a realm that seems otherworldly and put our hands out for something that we don’t know it there

3. Work The Word --

*This is where we will finish the box and put it into place transplanting the fig tree from its current place to the place with more room.

The place that God leads you

Commit to and make the most of the room there

It will make more room for the next step.

Walk Away:

The word is JESUS! Make Room -- for Jesus to work, to work with Jesus, To work His word.

It’s NOT enough to not only NOT QUIT…

If you don’t quit and work with Jesus, THEN you win!

*Receive Jesus

*Make Room for Him