Faith For The Next Level - 1 Series

THEME: “FAITH – VISION – FOCUS”

TEXT: HEBREWS 11:01 – 10; GENESIS 12:01 - 04

TOPIC: “HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL” PART 1

Introduction:

One of the most frustrating and confusing things we encounter in our earthly journey is those times when we seem to be moving…without making progress. You understand, those times in your life when you have motion but no momentum to propel you forward, to cause you to advance and move to the next level of the abundant life that God has for you.

The Bible although not directly but certainly indirectly indicates that God’s desire for His Kingdom People is for us to be growing, advancing, moving from one level of grace to the next level of grace; from one level of victory to the next level of victory and from one level of abundant living to the next level of abundant living. There is nothing static, stale or stationary about our God and thus there should be nothing static, stale or stationary about your Christian journey. We are to grow from glory to glory and from faith to faith.

However many believers and certainly all unbelievers are frustrated to some degree or another by the fact that as they look back over their lives as we enter the 21st century, they realize that they have made very little, if any progress. You may have been busy but made no progress. You may have been moving but there has been not advancement. You have given effort but there has been no improvement. You have been diligent but there is still no development.

In your marriage, you have been faithful but still there is no forward movement. In your relationship with that special some one you have been patient but there is no advancement. With your children…you have been gracious but there is no growth. On the job you have been precise but there is no promotion. Yes and even in the church you have been committed and concerned – but there is seems to be no calling on your life.

Let’s be real – this can be frustrating and this can tempt us and try us and influence us to give up, to walk away from our loved ones, our friends, our relationships, our jobs, our church and our futures. Many unfortunate men and women – unfortunate because they made themselves losers – have given up and quit because they did not understand what it takes to get to the next level.

Listen, it takes more than time on the job to get the promotion to the next level. It takes more than being married to make a happy home and take your relationship to the next level. It takes more than showing up at church every now and then…showing up at Bible Study periodically…when things are not going right for you – to advance in the Kingdom of God and grow from glory to glory and move to the next spiritual level of faith and abundance.

So what does it take to get to the next level? How can I…how you advance, go forward, improve, grow, and experience an entirely new level of miracles, signs, and wonders. How can we march toward our ultimate goal and achieve victory over nagging sins and see our families and loved ones win in life – over the challenges, trials and tribulations of this old world? What is it that you need to know, do or be – in order to get to the next level on your job; at school; in the church or in your relationships with others?

Well, there are three questions I believe that are significant, vital and urgent for you to answer if indeed you are going to advance to the next level of spiritual, supernatural Kingdom living.

1. Where are you?

2. What is the next level for my life?

3. How do I get there?

a) Faith

b) Vision

c) Focus

-2-

A. WHERE ARE YOU NOW? – GENESIS 12:01 “Your country, your family, your father’s

house…”

1. Will you overcome your past and current circumstances or will your circumstances overcome you? Listen to me – some of you are never going to be delivered from mess and move to the next level to a higher state of abundant living – because some of you are living in denial. Denial is not a river in Egypt – it is a dam that blocks the rivers of reality from flowing through your brain…so that you can face the circumstances of your life and get a vision for your future.

Denial is: D-don’t; E-even; N-know; I-I; A-am; L-lying (to myself). Watch this…accepting where you are has nothing to do with where you use to be (when times were better), where you wish you were, or where your friends and family members think you are. If you want to rise to the next level of your ordained destiny, you must overcome the demons of denial so that you can deal with life in spiritual, supernatural terms.