Preview
I don't get to watch a ton of movies. I don't go to the movies so I am usually way behind on what I do get to watch. It is after I have heard about a movie and watched the build up of excitement that I finally go and rent the video. However, when I get the video more often than not my favorite part of the entire video is not the actual movie, but rather the previews that are at the beginning of the movie. Small glimpses what can be expected or what is on the the way before it is actually seen in full. A small taste. A small sample. An example that causes you to want to see the whole thing!
What that experience sitting in front of the DVD player is is basically a very good and basic definition of faith. To see a glimpse of something before it is actually seen in full. That is how Hebrews defines faith.
TEXT: Hebrews 11:1
11 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
There is power in a preview. Walt Disney understood previews. He had one.
When Disney World first opened, Mrs. Walt Disney was asked to speak at the grand opening, since Walt had already passed away. She was introduced by a man who said, "Mrs Disney, I just wish Walt could have seen this." She stood up and said, "He did," and then sat back down.
Preview! Walt Disney saw Disney World in his heart before it ever actually existed. That is faith!
It is extremely important and God commanded for us to have enough faith to see things the way they will be before they actually happen! Without faith it is impossible to please God! Faith is essential. So I am for faith! I am for having a preview of what is to be. However, this morning I want to challenge you that we need to understand another aspect of Preview and I want to tell you that I believe it is absolutely essential, necessary and perhaps one of the greatest neglected keys to our and your breakthrough! I believe that as important as it is for you to have a preview it is also crucial and key to flip the tables on God. I want us to learn to give God a preview!
I can traipse you through Scripture and show you faith. Moments when people had vision to see things before they ever saw the fulfillment of that vision. We like to spend time studying their faith. However, I can also show you some guys who actually gave God a preview. They gave God a glimpse of what He could expect before anything ever changed in their circumstance! Give God a preview!
Let me throw some of them out there that we can learn from!
Abraham (Heb. 11:8, 17) - Abraham feels directed to leave his home, his family, his inheritance and his comfort zone. He steps out in faith headed to a land he did not know! Then Abraham, after receiving the son of promise, is directed to take the life of the very promise that he has waited years to see come into existence. Abraham was a man who understood faith. But he understood the power of giving God a preview. Before Abraham ever catches a glimpse of the ram in the thicket. . . see we like to paint the picture that as he is raising the knife the whole time out of the corner of his eye he spies a ram. No . . . he is plunging the knife towards the chest of his beloved and the angel has to stop him. Abraham shows God I will respond in obedience and trust even if it hurts! He gives a glimpse of complete and total trust even before he knows there is a provision.
Job - He loses everything. House, health, wealth, and worse yet his kids. All destroyed. All dead. All lost. But Job knew the power of a preview. He declares "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him!". His house hadn't been restored yet. He was still covered with sores and boils. He still sees the cemetery with gravestones. It would have been one thing if he had made that declaration when everything has been given back double. No, he makes this statement at the low of lows. He shows God that he will remain faithful regardless. His preview screams, "You can trust me to trust you!"
3 Hebrew Children - These 3 young men make a preview packed statement. "Our God is able to deliver us but even if He chooses not to we will not bow down!" They show God that they would be faithful before the fourth man shows up. It is one thing to be rubbing shoulders with the fourth man and to grow real bold and real sure, but what is the preview you are giving before He shows up? It is easy to show no fear when Jesus is walking in the fire with you, but what are you showing before He gets there and the flames are getting hot?
Blind Bartimaeus - You know the story. He was an outcast. Blind. Reject. Begger. Jesus hears him calling and tells the followers to bring this blind man to Him. Then Jesus heals this blind man's eyes. Then the man throws down his beggar's robe. His mark of legitimacy. His badge of authenticity. The very thing that identifies him as a blind man. No, before Jesus ever gets near him. Before the first sliver of sight is restored. Before Jesus ever even spoke to him personally he casts off his blind clothing! He gives God a preview that he believed that before I am even healed you can heal!
Paul and Silas - Beaten. Chained. Sore. Alone. Mistreated. But apparently they knew the power of midnight previews. Before a chain ever slipped off. Before a lock ever came undone. Before any indication of breakthrough they preview for God that He is worthy of praise!
So here it is . . . what kind of preview are you giving God?
I believe that some of us are giving God a preview that keeps our miracle, our provision, our healing, our freedom, our restoration at bay.
We say and conduct ourselves so that the preview we give God is "God if you will heal me, then I will declare your goodness!" But we can't get you to talk about God, declare His ability to heal, or talk about Him at all prior to your healing. The only thing we can get you declare is your sickness. You are giving God a preview!
We say God if you will break the financial bondage in my life, then I will be generous, I will tithe, and I will give away. Let me win the lottery and man I will build your kingdom. But your preview doesn't line up! You are so stingy right now . . . you won't tithe $1 on the $10 you have right now so the preview says if that $10 was $10,000 you won't give $1000. You won't sow now. We are instructed to give out of our need not our abundance because the truth is if we won't give our of our need, then we won't give out of our abundance.
We say God if you will do ______ I will worship You! Really? Are you worshipping now? Is this a preview of your worship? Can't get you to shout now. Can't get you to spin now. Can't get you lift a hand now! Is this how you would worship if He did come through? What is your preview saying to God?
God if You will intervene I will serve. Your preview tells Him something else because you don't have the time or the gift to serve now! How are you suddenly going to serve if you felt better or you were more blessed?
I want you to have faith, but maybe the key to your breakthrough is to restore God's faith in us by showing Him a glimpse of what it will be like before it is ever like it will be!!
Praise before power. Generosity before dreams granted. Worship before freedom!
It is our willingness to give God a preview that shows God that we will not forget what He will do because we refuse to overlook what He has already done! It is our preview that shows God that we won't take the miracle we are asking for for granted because we haven't taken what He has already done for granted!
I want you to remember 3 important lessons regarding giving God the correct preview!
a. God's worthiness never changes!
In other words . . . God is worthy of our biggest, best, deepest praise now. Regardless of whether or not He does what we want or need Him to do or not! Regardless if you see your healing on the horizon or your deliverance in the distance or not! His worthiness never changes and so our reaction and response to Him should never be based on what He does or doesn't do but rather on who He is! Our response should be as consistent as His worthiness. That would change our preview!
b. Faith has to trump feelings and facts!
We are called to faith not feelings or even to facts. We are called to praise not pout. We are called to bless not bargain or blackmail. The preview that we give God on how we will react and respond should be based on what we believe even if our feelings or our facts don't line up with what we see with our natural eyes. We need to close our eyes and then open our eyes to see what He sees!
c. Guard your preview!
Job 15:6 - Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you!
Proverbs 11:11 - By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
David declared that praise should continually be on his mouth. That takes no account or regard for the situation, the sickness, the pain it is about putting a guard on your lips. In other words, what you say is important and powerful. We contribute to the outcome by the preview that is coming out of our mouth! Our communication has to line up with up with our revelation rather than with our situation! Listen to yourself. What are your words previewing for God? I will worship when . . . I will serve when . . . I will give when . . . I will believe when!
Would you send a gift to someone who showed you in advance that they would react negatively or respond with no thankfulness? What preview are you giving God?
