Robert Jeffress Sermons _ Choosing the Extraordinary Life - Secret #1 Discover Your Unique Purpose

now listen to me you don't have to be in full-time Christian service which means it's your check from the church or a mission organization you don't have to do that to tell a unique story from the new campus of First Baptist Church in downtown Dallas this is pathway to victory with best-selling author Bible teacher and pastor dr. Robert Jeffress hi I'm Robert Jefferson welcome again to pathway to victory the Bible represents a collection of amazing stories but did you know that God is still riding stories and he's writing those stories through you today we'll continue our brand new series called choosing the extraordinary life God's seven secrets for success and significance and during the next half hour we'll see how these seven secrets emerge from the story of Elijah and how they apply to you discover your unique purpose on today's edition of pathway to victory too many of us settle for a listless life of mundane routine we longed to discover a greater purpose for our lives but we don't know how dr. Robert Jeffress has an encouraging message for people looking for something more God not only wants you to enjoy an extraordinary life he has provided a road map for doing so in my brand new hardcover book choosing the extraordinary life I reveal God's seven secrets for a life marked by significance satisfaction and success request your copy of choosing the extraordinary life today when you give a generous gift to pathway to victory in the pages of this book you'll learn how to discover your unique purpose wait on God's timing influence your culture and more for anyone who wonders if there's more to life God's Word reveals 7 secrets for experiencing a truly extraordinary life contact pathway to victory today to request your copy of choosing the extraordinary life right to peel box 223 6:09 Dallas Texas 7 5 2 2 2 [Music] yesterday I came across a great definition of country music three chords and the truth that summarized most country music songs dozen at three chords and the truth it reminds me of Carl Sandburg the poet's definition of life he defines life not in three chords but in three words born troubled died according to Sandburg that's the whole of human existence born troubled died one Chicago sewer worker expanded that definition of a little bit as he described his life he said I dig the ditch turn the money to buy the food to get the strength to dig the ditch unfortunately that's the cycle most people are trapped in in their daily lives but God means more for us than simply that kind of meaningless existence jesus said in John 10:10 I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly and today we have come to that first and foundational secret for living a truly extraordinary life and that is discovering your unique purpose in life you know the fact is your specific purpose in life can be described as the story God created you to tell the world that's what your unique purpose is it is that special story God is uniquely created for you to tell the world but your specific story is connected to a bigger story that God is telling throughout the universe so let's talk about that bigger story that you and I are a part of God's general purpose for everybody who lives if you have your Bibles turn to Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 God has a general purpose for everyone but he has a specific purpose for your life that is a part of that larger purpose let's talk about God's general purpose for every person Genesis 1:27 God created man in his own image in the image of God he created him male and female he created them God created you and me to be image bearers of Almighty God and that is through our lives we are reflecting to the world that true enjoyment and satisfaction and lies can only come from knowing and serving God that is the general purpose that we have all been created for to turn people toward God to be a living demonstration of the satisfaction and joy that comes from knowing and obeying God theologians have summarized that purpose like this man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever that's the reason we were created to glorify God and enjoy him forever when we talk about glorifying God what we're talking about is making God look heavy substantial to an unbelieving world we were created to point people toward God Elijah understood that truth he understood that his whole existence revolved around demonstrating to an unbelieving world that the God of Israel was the only true God we have been created to glorify God but secondly we've been created to enjoy God enjoying God is also a part of the reason for our existence and that in itself gives glory to God John Piper said once God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him it is when we are happy in God joyful I don't mean Diddy all the time but I mean there is a joy in our life that is when we glorify Him Psalm 16:11 says you will make known to me the path of life in your presence is fullness of joy in your right hand there are pleasures forever and when you look at Elijah he's a case study and somebody who glorified God and also enjoyed God remember Elijah was not a spiritual Superman he was a spiritual every man James 5:17 says he was a man with a light nature as ours he struggled with the same things you and I struggle with nevertheless God used him in an extraordinary way let's look at Elijah's beginning turn to first Kings chapter 17 verse 1 now Elijah the Tishbite who was of the Settlers of Gilead said to King Ahab as the Lord the God of Israel lives before whom I stand surely there will be neither do nor rain these years except by my word now in the single verse I want you to notice three things about Elijah first of all his name his name literally his name means Jehovah is my god Jehovah is my god now that's the name his parents gave him Jehovah is my god I want you to imagine for a moment what it would have been like to grow up having that be your name Jehovah is my god can you imagine his friends coming over and knocking on the door and saying to Elijah's mother can Jehovah is my God come out and play today I mean he grew up his whole life hearing a little of Jehovah is my God Jehovah is my god no wonder when he burst on the scene in verse 1 he says as the Lord the God of Israel lives before whom I stand he grew up with a God awareness a God consciousness isn't it interesting how the characters in the Bible had significant names that mirrored their future Elijah did that he had an important name secondly notice his home it said that he was the tishbite he came from the town of b-but you know what was significant was not the geographical location of his home it was the spiritual temperature in his home because what we know about Elijah's house is his parents taught him the Word of God we don't know anything about his parents but we know they taught him the Word of God you say how do you know that pastor well because of what he said to Ahab in this opening verse he says I say to you it shall neither do those ravine either do nor rain these years except by my word how did Elijah come up with that prophecy he didn't just make it up on his own did you know he was quoting from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy when he said that see we think well Elijah lived in the Old Testament the Old Testament had not been yet written or some of it had already been written the Pentateuch Moses writings had been written and in Deuteronomy 11 verse 17 God had said to the Israelites what would happen to them if they begin to worship other gods in Deuteronomy 11 17 God said I would shut up the heavens so that there will be neither rain and the ground will not yield its fruit and you will perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is given you Elisha knew the word of God it was the foundation of his life parents the most important thing you can do is to instill in your children a knowledge of God's Word you know we only have our kids for 18 or so years and they are gone so quickly look your primary responsibility this isn't popular to say but it's for your primary responsibility is not for their scholastic development or their athletic development or their social development your primary responsibility is their spiritual development teaching them that the most important thing in life is knowing and obeying God thirdly his manner his manner how Hydra was not a man to mince words I can only imagine what it was like for Elijah to stand in front of a hostile King an unbelieving King and delivered this condemning and politically incorrect word you've had it a hab until you shape up it is not gonna rain in this land forever that took courage but that was Elijah he knew his purpose in life that was Elijah God had given him the general purpose that we all have of glorifying God but his specific assignment was to deliver this hard message to a wicked and wayward nation now before we discover how you can discover your story your unique purpose in life I want to talk for just a moment about the three benefits of discovering God's unique purpose for your life turn over hold your place here in turn to Ephesians chapter five Ephesians five verses 15 to 17 and I want to read this from the Phillips paraphrase this is Paul writing notice what he says here live life with a do sense of responsibility not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do make the best use of your time despite all the difficulties of these days don't be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God knowing your purpose the specific story you were created to tell clarifies three challenges we all face in life first of all knowing your purpose clarifies your priorities in life when you understand the specific story God created you to tell it helps you arrange your priorities in life when Paul says make the best use of your time literally he's saying buy up the time that is purchase the very best things you can with your time he's not talking about choosing between good and evil we all know we're supposed to run from evil but he's saying when you know your purpose it gives you the ability to choose between the good things in life and the best things in life when you understand what that purpose is that God has created you it helps you to learn to say no to other good things but things that don't contribute to your purpose so knowing your purpose clarifies priorities in life secondly knowing your priorities clarifies uncertainties in life Paul said we ought to be wise when it comes to understanding God's will for our life and when you face a difficult decision in your life knowing your unique purpose is like a beacon that gives you direction in the darkness and even in the fog but knowing what your purpose is can help clarify uncertainties and decisions that you make in your life thirdly and this is so important knowing your purpose clarifies difficulties in your life when you understand your specific story you were created to tell that gives you a prism through which to view even hard things that come into your life how do you discover what the unique story is God wants to tell through you well I want us to take that word story sto ry use it as an acrostic that will help you remember five ways to discover your unique purpose in life the s in story stands for start with scripture Scripture God's Word is the beginning place not the ending place but the beginning place for discovering your unique story second Timothy 3:16 and 17 says all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequately equipped for every good work now let's be honest you can read the Bible from cover to the maps and not find your specific profession in Scripture unless you're into tax collecting shepherding or fishing but if it's not those three your I have a hard I'm finding your profession in Scripture but reading the scripture saturating your mind with the stories of men and women whom God is used in a powerful way can be a great foundation for listening to God's voice when he speaks to you start with Scripture the T stands for talk to others if you want to know your unique purpose get wise counsel from other people proverbs 13 verses 10 and 20 says wisdom is with those who receive counsel he who walks with wise men will be wise when it comes to understanding your unique purpose God has placed around you people in very different roles who can be a great help in uncovering that purpose for you you know theologians and pastors often refer to a person's unique purpose as their calling have you heard that before they're calling one theologian describes calling as an inner desire given by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and confirmed by the community of Christ when God calls people and by the way he doesn't just call pastors and missionaries every person is called by God for a unique purpose and that purpose begins with an inner voice the Holy Spirit of God but it's confirmed by other people God places around you when God calls you to do something there's going to be confirming signs people that God places in your life who will tell you this is what you ought to be doing the third component for discovering your purpose though oh is okay your passions if you want to know how you ought to spend your life what's your unique way to tell God's story ask yourself the question what would I like to do that money and education were no limit and I could do whatever I wanted to do what would it be you say pastor ask yourself see what's in your heart pastor don't you know what the scripture says the heart is wicked and deceitful and who can possibly you can't trust your desires can you well that's your heart before you become a Christian but once you're saved your heart gets transformed and the closer you walk with God the more your desires reflect God's desires for your life isn't that what we read just a few moments ago and Psalm 37 verses four and five delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart commit your way to the Lord Trust also in him and he will do it you know another word for desire is the word passion if you want to know what your specific purpose and story is ask yourself what is the passion the fire God has put in my heart Frederick Buechner has written the place God calls you is - the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet in that great that's where God's calling you for your passion and the world's need meat for thei R stands for recognized your gifts and your abilities if you want to know your purpose in life look at the areas in which you're gifted Philippians 2:13 again in the Phillips says it is God who is at work within you giving you the will that means passion and the power that means gifts and abilities to achieve his purpose you hear what Paul saying God has given you not only a desire but he's given you the gifts and the abilities to fulfill that desire you know we say to people all the time oh you can we tell our children this you can be whatever you want to be no they can't no they can't neither can you or neither can i we can't be whatever we want to be but we have the power to be whatever God wants us today if God has called you to something he's given you the gifts to go along with that calling yes I know there are a few examples in the Bible where God has called somebody to do something outside of his area of giftedness but that's the exception not the rule usually our gifting reveals our calling finally the why in this acrostic story the Y stands for yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit you can start with Scripture talk to others obey your passions recognize your gifts but there comes that moment when you have to say yes Lord to his leading and calling in your life Romans 12:1 - 2 says I urge you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and Holy Sacrifice acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship and don't be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is that which is good acceptable and perfect you have to yield to God's calling once you've identified it now I know God gave me the interest that were needed at this time in the church's life to accomplish his purpose and he's done the same for you as well now listen to me you don't have to be in full-time Christian service to tell a unique story for God but whatever your day job is your real job is to glorify God and the specific way you're going to do that is through that passion and through the gifts God has given to you Max Lucado the writer and pastor says it's so well a formula for discovering your purpose in life he said use your uniqueness what you do to make a big deal out of God by you do it every day of your life that's where you do it at the convergence of all three you'll find your sweet spot discovering your sweet spot your unique purpose in life is the foundation for living at a truly extraordinary hi I'm Robert Jefferson welcome again to pathway to victory let me begin with a personal question in your quiet private moments do you ever find yourself thinking there must be more to life than this oh sure you're keeping busy but deep in your spirit perhaps you feel a longing for something more today we're beginning a brand new series based on the life of Elijah and which will discover God's seven secrets for success and significance my message is titled choosing the extraordinary life on today's edition of pathway to victory far too many of us settled for a life of mundane routine do you find yourself longing for something more in his new book dr. Jeffers says you don't have to be a spiritual Superman to break free of the daily grind God is in the business of using ordinary people just like you and I to do his extraordinary work in my new book choosing the extraordinary life I reveal seven secrets that result in a life marked by significance satisfaction and success in this book you'll discover how to find your specific purpose in life how to shorten your list of regrets and you'll learn why waiting time is not wasted time and more a copy is yours when you give a generous gift to pathway to victory isn't it time to start living the story god wants to tell through you one person empowered by the Word of God and the Spirit of God can truly change the world contact pathway to victory right now to request your copy of choosing the extraordinary life [Music] my friend dr. James Dobson has written about the ordinary existence that most men experience but you could take his words and certainly apply them to most women as well he caused the ordinary life the straight life listen to his description he said the straight life for a working man is pulling our tired frame out of bed five days a week 50 weeks out of the year it's earning a two-week vacation in August and choosing a trip that will please the kids the straight life is spending your money wisely when you'd rather indulge in a new whatever it is taking your son bike riding on Saturday when you want so badly to watch the baseball game it's cleaning out the garage on your day off after working 60 hours the prior week the straight life is coping with head colds and engine tune-ups and crabgrass and income tax forms that's a pretty good description of the straight life the ordinary existence of most men and women perhaps deep down you want a life that is truly extraordinary one that is making an eternal difference in the lives of people but deep down you say an extraordinary life for me pastor you don't understand I'm retired or I'm an accountant or I'm a homemaker or I'm a student what eternal difference can an ordinary person like me make don't ever underestimate the power of an ordinary person to make an extraordinary impact he did that with a man who lived 3,000 years ago his name was Elijah and he is the subject of our new study choosing the extraordinary life over these next week's we're going to discover Elijah's seven secrets for living a spiritually successful and significant life if you have your Bibles I want you to turn to first Kings chapter 11 first Kings chapter 11 to understand the world in which elisha lived we have to understand what was going on morally and spiritually in the country you know it's easy to say it's easy to think well you know back in biblical times it was a lot easier to live for God than it is today today is filled with such sin and secularism it's just too hard to live for God things were not as bad back then as they are today and that's true things are not as bad today as they were back then things back then were worse than they are today and if you don't believe that just look at the spiritual debauchery the idolatry that characterized the world of Elijah now the book of first kings begins with a funeral and it ends with a funeral it begins with the funeral of King David remember David was the ultimate king of Israel when David died the downward slide of Israel began and it began with his son named Solomon the Solomon started out strong for God he prayed for wisdom as a young 19 year old King his heart was wholly devoted to God but then he disregarded the commands of God and that began the downward spiral of Solomon look at first Kings 11 verses 1 to 4 now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh Moabite ammonites Adomian and Hittite women from the nation's concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel you shall not associate with them neither shall they associate with you or they will surely turn your heart away after other gods but Solomon held fast to these in love let me say as strongly as I can don't marry don't date a non-christian because more often than not they will turn your heart away from God you know my dad married my mom when she wasn't a Christian he didn't know better he was just untaught new in the faith himself and God overrode that decision and occasionally God will do that but the majority of time I've seen after 40 years in the ministry it works just the opposite you don't turn the heart of the non Christian toward God that non Christian will turn your heart against God it happens over and over and that's what happened to King Solomon because of the women not because they were four and it was because they worship foreign God's look at what happened in verse four for it came about when Solomon was old that his wives turned his heart away after other gods and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God as the heart of David his father had been after Solomon died Solomon's son Rehoboam became King and the downward slide continued there was a civil war that occurred in 922 BC now let me give you three minutes of Israelite history that will help you understand the Bible in 922 BC there was a civil war that split Israel into two parts there was the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom the northern kingdom consisted of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel and because it had the majority of the tribes it retained the name of Israel anytime you read in the Bible from first Kings twelve on the word Israel it's referring to the northern kingdom the southern kingdom had two tribes in it one of those tribes was Judah from which would come Jesus Christ the southern kingdom became known as Judah so yet Israel in the north yet Israel in the South Israel in the north had 19 kings and they were all rotten to the core every one of them they were all evil the southern kingdom Judah had 20 Kings during its brief history 12 of them were evil eight of them were good Elijah lived in northern Israel he was in the Kingdom of Israel that's where he ministered and the downward slide the northern kingdom that began with Solomon intensified under a king named a hab a hab was the king when elijah live and ministered I have it says did more to provoke the God with God to anger than any King before him why was he so ungodly part of it had to do with his heritage if you don't think parents make a difference in their children look at what happened to Ahab first Kings 1625 says Omri that is a Em's father did evil in the sight of the Lord and he acted more wickedly than all who were before him but then came a hab if you thought Omri was bad look at what a verb did he multiplied the sins of his father that's interesting Amory's reign was seen as unsuccessful the 60 plus years he was king the nation was filled with bloodshed the economy went to pot when they had became King things turned around because of trade deals with Phoenicia the economy picked up and the people were happy everybody if you asked the average Israelite thought things were going splendidly in the nation of Israel it could well be said in Israel there was a chicken in every pot and a chariot in every garage people were happy with what was happening in the country but you know what God does not judge the success of a nation by its GDP its gross domestic product God judges the nation by its GBP it's godly behavior product and by that measurement the nation was in a serious deficit position the nation was sliding downward spiritually that intensified in under Ahab first of all because of his ungodly father but also because of his ungodly wife the reason I had provoked the Lord to anger more than anyone before him was because of his wife now I know some of you ladies were thinking that's right pastor blamed it on the women blame it on the women no it wasn't because she was a and it was because she was a pagan she was a foreign wife who worshiped a foreign god and she brought the worship of that foreign God veil into Israel Jezebel made a sport of hunting down the prophets of Jehovah God as we'll see in the weeks of head but the thing that angered God most about Jezebel was the worship of bail and that downward slide of Israel that begin with Soloff Salomon intensified under Ahab it finally cultivated culminated in the worship of bale who was fatal it's interesting the worshipers of Vail did not deny the existence of Jehovah God they simply said Bale was greater than God in fact his name means Lord or owner they always thought to be the God of the Sun of rain of fertility and climate change but what was particularly odious in the nostrils of God was the way in which they worshiped Bale they worshipped him through sexual perversion through self-mutilation and through child sacrifice evil was running rampant and unchecked throughout the nation and at that particular time God raised up his representative a man named Elijah that's interesting when we look at Elijah he was no spiritual Superman James 5:17 says that he was a man with a like nature as iers he was an ordinary person he had the same battles you and I have he battled with depression despair temptation with doubts about God nevertheless God used him in an extraordinary way to make a difference in his nation why was that I want you to notice three qualities of Elijah first of all Elijah was a man of passion he burned hot he burned hot for God we find that in the opening words where he just appears out of nowhere on the scene look at first Kings 17 1 now Elijah the Tishbite who was of the settlers of Gilead said to Ahab as the Lord the God of Israel lives before whom I stand surely there shall be neither do nor rain these years except by my word now that took guts to come before a pagan King and a pagan queen who loved the kill Jehovah's prophets till I je heaven Jezebel words just like blades of grass that blow a little while and the wind and then die but Elijah he wasn't a servant of a have her Jezebel he was a servant of the eternal God he was consumed with that passion to make that God known to the entire world Elijah was extraordinary because he got out of the world's parade he wasn't go in the way every other person in the world was he wanted to be different he wanted to stand for God and it was that passion for God that caused God to use him in an extraordinary way Elijah was a man of passion secondly he was a man of purpose he was a man of purpose Elijah understood he had one reason for living and that was to make God known to as many people as possible and thank you find that in his name Elijah the name Elijah that his parents bestowed upon him literally means Yahweh is God and because he knew what his purpose was it gave him great courage he didn't fear anyone not some wicked King or his wife he didn't fear anyone because he knew he served the Lord you know knowing your purpose can give you great purpose in your life jesus said in Matthew 10:28 don't fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Elijah lived his life for an audience of one he was a man of purpose thirdly Elijah was a man of Prayer that's one of the great secrets of his extraordinary life and James v the half-brother of Jesus said the effective air of a righteous man accomplishes much that's James 5:16 but then in the next verse to illustrate an effective man a righteous man who accomplishes much through prayer he uses Elijah as the example look at verses 17 and 18 of James v Elijah was a man with a nature like ours and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it didn't rain on earth for three years in six months and he prayed again in the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit the key phrases he prayed earnestly what does it mean to pray earnestly doesn't mean you squeeze your folded hands so tight but the blood drains out of them that's not what it means literally in greek it says he prayed with prayer in other words prayer was a regular part of Elijah's life the Bible says that's how we're to pray we're just to keep on praying you know just like breathing nobody has to tell you debris even do that that comes naturally that was Elijah praying was as natural for him as breathing was and that's one reason that God used him in such a powerful way passion purpose prayer those were the foundation stones of Elijah's life and ministry you know somebody has said that one person one courageous person with purpose makes a majority one courageous person with purpose makes a majority that was true of Elijah that's true in our day as well one courageous person with person would with purpose makes a majority tomorrow we're going to be acknowledging the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history September the 11th 2001 but on that day there was one person with courage and purpose who made a difference Peggy Noonan writes about his story this man was known as the man with the red bandana his name was Wells Crowther Wells Crowther when Wells was a little boy his dad bought him his first suit and he gave him a white handkerchief to put in the breast pocket of that suit he also gave him a red bandanna to keep in his back pants pocket he said son one of these is for show the other is for blow well Wells Crowther carried that red bandanna with him for years his a young man he became junior associate for Sandler O'Neal in New York City but officed on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center on the morning of September the 11th Wells Crowther felt that building shake he felt that terrible explosion that occurred floors below him earlier in his career whenever he would pull out that red bandanna his associates would kid him about that red bandanna he said don't laugh with this red bandanna I'm going to change the world that morning he changed the world with that red bandanna when he felt the impact of that jet that ripped out floors 78 through 86 in the South Tower of the World Trade Center Wells took that red bandanna from his back pocket and put it around his face he immediately went down the stairwell went down to the 76th floor where he found a group of people hunted huddled together some of them badly hurt and bleeding one woman was so injured she couldn't walk so Wells picked her up and he led the entire team down 18 more floors until they found clear air wells Crowder would that red bandana around his face then went back up for the seventieth the 76th floor and he led another group down and then another group down and then another group to safety nobody knows how rescue missions Wells Crowther went to that day but when his body was found six months later in the lobby of the South Tower of the World Trade Center his body was there with other firemen who had given their life to rescue people the only way they were able to identify his body was he was wearing that red bandanna he made a difference you know when that jet struck that World Trade Center Wells could have very easily said I'm getting out of here I'm gonna save my life for the sake of my family but he knew he couldn't do that he had a purpose and that purpose was to rescue as many people as possible God's given us the same mission you know we are living in a world that is deteriorating before our very eyes it's getting worse and worse and worse one day the Bible says this entire world is going to be consumed in fire and destroyed there is only one way of escape from this world and it is through faith in Jesus Christ for those of us who have found that way of escape in Jesus Christ we can't just hunker down try to protect ourselves and our family as we wait for the end to come but that's not what God's told us to do he said I want you to rescue as many people as possible before I come back God has given us a rescue mission and only when we understand that eternal purpose God has for us and builder locked our lives around that purpose only then will we transform an ordinary existence into an extraordinary life

Channel: Pastor Robert Jeffress

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Id: bFdjP1Rzscg

Length: 44min 26sec (2666 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 23 2018