Cultivating a Spirit of adventure.
Anyone here tonight who wants to live a boring life?
How about a meaningless life?
Jn.10:10 – “I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.”
Fear paralyzes us and prevents us from experiencing the abundant life.
Fear impacts every area of our life.
Fear of failure
Fear of death
Fear of rejection
Anxiety
1 Jn.4:18 – “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…”
Comfort zones imprison us and prevent us from experiencing the abundant life.
Our feelings will stop us from the uncomfortable.
Living room vs. outdoors.
Video games vs. real adventure.
Virtual life vs. real life.
Climate controlled life.
No risk, no rocking the boat, no danger, no life.
“I don’t watch movies, my life is a movie.” – Pastor Shaller (GGWO)
Walking by faith frees us from fear, comfort zones and meaninglessness.
Walking by faith is scary.
Each step sets you up for a bigger future step.
Walking by faith requires taking risks!
“Step out on a limb.”
Paul’s example:
Acts 19:29-30 – “Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia and rushed as one man into the theater. Paul wanted to appear before the crowd but the disciples would not let him.”
Our call: 2 Cor.5:7 – “We live by faith, not by sight.”
Faith is doing your part expecting God to do His part!
No risk No anything!
Business example.
Marriage example.
House example.
College example.
Wise risk vs. foolish risk
Wise risk in context of God’s Word and will.
Stepping out in areas God has called us to. Ex. Outreach.
Foolish risk: Doing things without using wisdom.
Areas of risk:
Physical body and health
Reputation: God’s will vs. peer pressure.
Possessions: Tithing, giving, spending wisely.
Relationships: Meeting people, Being vulnerable, honest and real.
Grades and GPA: Following Christ may hurt your GPA.
Future: Your ideas might go out the window, You’ll experience far more however.
Etc, Etc, Etc.
d. Good stress vs. bad stress.
Taking wise calculated risks will strengthen you.
You’re in a fight.
Satan – His purpose is to steal, kill and destroy you (Jn.10:10a).
World – The world constantly drags you down.
Flesh – Your flesh is fighting you and God in you (Rom. 7).
If you choose not to fight, you loose.
Put your armor on
Eph.6:10-11a – Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand.
The armor:
Belt of truth: Getting in the Word.
Breastplate of righteousness: God’s righteousness is given to us.
Feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace: Sharing your faith protects you!
Shield of faith - Faith protects you from lies: From Satan, From the World, From yourself.
Helmet of salvation.
Develop a lifestyle of taking risk.
Learn a new sport.
Do something spontaneous.
Practice sharing your faith.
Overcoming challenges.
Encounter your challenges head on, take a risk.
Don’t let the challenges rule you. “Die trying”
Be prepared for action.
1 Peter 1:13 – “…Prepare your minds for action…”
Making decisions.
No decision is often worse than a wrong decision.
Taking initiative.
If God puts is on your heart go for it.
Intrinsic motivation of love.
Jn. 14:15 – “If you love me you will obey what I command.”
Phil.2:21 – “Everyone looks after their own interests and not the interests of Jesus Christ.”
Eternal perspective.
Is what you are doing going to count for eternity?
How will people remember you?
Will they even remember you?
Start taking some risks.
What does it take to get you going?
What does it take to stop you?
Taking risks in Obedience and basic disciplines of Christian life
Schedule a Qt: Daily Word and prayer
Outreach/evangelism (huge risk but so valuable).
Taking risks and overcoming challenges results in freedom!
Gal.5:1 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Not constrained by social roles.
Integrity true to convictions: Doing what we know is right.
You win. Your fears don’t win.Your comfort zones don’t win. Satan doesn’t win. You win.
Modern examples
Modern Martyrs:
School girls in Indonesia (October 2005).
Chinese Christians:
Quoting from The heavenly man (by Brother Yun), “In just one city in China, Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, 49 pastors were sent to prison labor camps near the Russian border in 1950. Many were given sentences of up to 20 years for their crimes of preaching the gospel. Of those 49 pastors, just one returned home. 48 died in prison. In my home area of Nanyang, believers were crucified on the walls of their churches for not denying Christ. Others were chained to vehicles and horses and dragged to their death. One pastor was bound and attached to a long rope. The authorities, enraged that the man would not deny his faith, used a makeshift crane to lift him high into the air… The pastor was asked one last time by his persecutors if he would recant. He shouted back, “no, I will never deny the Lord who saved me!” The rope was released and the pastor crashed to the ground below. Upon inspection the tormentors discovered the pastor was not fully dead, so they raised him up into the air for a second time, dropping the rope to finish him off for good. In this life the pastor was dead, but he lives on in heaven with the reward of one who was faithful to the end.”
Rachel Scott of Columbine.
It is time for us to be radically obedient risk takers.
I’ve heard it asked: “I often wander if I’d die for Him but the more important question is if I will live for him.”
Bill Bright (fulfill GC on entire planet)
Billy Graham (greatest evangelist in history)
Biblical examples
Jonathan and his armor bearer took on a death defying challenge and defeated 20 Philistines.
1 Sam.14:6 – “Jonathan said to his youngarmor bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving whether by many or by few.”
What challenges do you need to face head on?
Esther risked her life but saved her fellow Israelites.
Esther 4:16 – “…I will go to the king even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
What risks are you willing to take?
Gideon gave God control of his fear and he and 300 of his men defeated the entire army of the Midianites.
Judges 6:14-16 – “The Lord turned to Him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you.’ ‘But Lord,’ Gideon asked, ‘How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.’”
What fears will you let God have control of?
Moses trusted God with his insecurities and led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt.
Gen. 3:11-12a - “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you.’”
What insecurities will you surrender to God?
Paul didn’t let any obstacles stand in his way and through God’s power spread the gospel to the ends of the known world.
2 Cor. 11:23b-27 – “…been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”
What will you let stop you?
Jeremiah was willing to face rejection from the entire nation to obey God.
Jeremiah 1:17-19 – “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land – against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord.”
Are you willing to face rejection in order to stand for God?
Abraham was willing to give up his biggest dream and life passion for God.
Gen.22:2-3a – “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.’ Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey…”
Will you surrender your life dreams to God?
My story!
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego obeyed God rather than men, and God protected them.
Daniel 3:17 – “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.”
Will you serve God even when others, society or even your own self tell you not to?
Daniel trusted his very life and protection to God.
Daniel 6:10 – “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to God, just as he had done before.”
Will you trust your very life into God’s hands?
God’s followers give up everything to follow Him and be world changers!
Heb.11:33-38 – “Who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated – The whole world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground.”
Will you risk everything to be a world changer?
As you remain in Him, he will empower you to take risks and conquer challenges for Him.
Jn.15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
God made you to do something huge with your life.
Will you do it?
