Moving in a New Direction”
“Press On”
Act 8:1-3; 9:1-2, 20-22
Philippians 3:13-14
Direction: Guidance or supervision of action or conduct. The act of pointing out a course, an order, regulation, or instructions. They are used to reach a specific destination.
Destination: The predetermined end of a journey. The purpose for which anything is intended. (Destiny: A predetermined fate)
Press: To bear down upon; weigh heavily upon. Compress or to squeeze out. Push; thrust aside.
• What destination are you trying to reach? What directions are headed in? Are pressing to reach that destination?
• There has to be a destination in order for there to be directions. God already have a predetermined destination for our lives, but in order to reach that destination we have to follow some directions.
It is very important to follow directions. You have some people that follow directions to the letter and then there are some who don’t. What happens is we want to get there too quick, so we try to do it our own way and in our own timing. There are some things you have to go thru to get where God wants you to be. We try to go around the bend so we don’t have to go thru certain things. He tells us when to turn left, or right or when to keep straight. When we do it our way we get stuck in the mud. Now you have to go thru more than you needed to go thru to get back on track. But God has a way to get our attention.
Proverb 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thin heart and lean not unto thin own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path. When you are following after God he won’t lead you down the wrong path. Understand that God wants to be involved in even the smallest details of our lives. To acknowledge God is to care what he thinks and to ask him his opinion of you.
Proverb 3:7 Be not wise in thin own eyes fear the Lord and depart from evil. In other words don’t think that you can run your life and do a good job with out God’s help and directions. What are his directions? The word.
• It’s very important to follow directions. For example, to bake a cake.
• The second time around I followed directions and it came out better than before. Aren’t you glad God is a God of many chances. When we mess up God is just enough to send a detour sign and take this route.
Vs 1, 2
Saul was a man that persecuted the disciples and those who proclaimed the word of the Lord. He was the one that vex the church and cause all kinds of havoc for the people of God.
There is always someone that causes havoc in your life.
But God had to get Saul to a place where he could make himself known unto him.
Some of you said you can’t wait to get grown so I don’t have to go to church. So of you at one point in your life couldn’t even imagine yourself being saved. You wanted to keep doing your own thing. But God had to make himself known unto you.
Vs. 3 On this journey that Saul had asked to go on. As he got near Damascus something happened
Damascus represents a place of:
1. Surrender: He fell to his knees
2. Blindness: He shut his eyes
3. Salvation: He excepted Christ
4. Life: Began his walk with Christ
In the midst of him going for one purpose God turned it around because what Saul didn’t know was that he had destiny wrapped up inside of him. You may start out one way but when God has a plan for you, he has a plan.
It’s hard to kick against the prick. You wonder why your life is tore up right now and you don’t know how make ends meet, no food in the refrigerator, no job, no peace, no joy. It’s because the devil wants to kill out your destiny. Your destiny is locked up inside of you. You are impregnated with destiny and it’s time to push and give birth to it.
• Walking in the right direction will cause you to be different. Holy
o The adversary knows your potential so he will always try to hook you up with someone with negativity so he can contaminate your holiness.
o There are some places you can’t go and some people you can’t hang out with.
• You have to move when He say move.
o You may have to leave some people behind. They don’t speak your language. Keep on moving. As long as you are moving you are keeping him under your feet.
• We get comfortable because we knocked the devil out once. Not realizing that he will throw a sucker punch and knock you out. (But Don’t count me out) Fight! (illistration Boxing Match)
• Press thru the pain, hurt, past, press when it’s good, bad, some timing.
• Don’t dwell on the past, use it to say God did that then he can do this.
• Yes you might have to cry, (weeping may endure for a night but joy)
• Press towards you joy, your peace, your serenity, greatness.
• Yes I lost some stuff, but I will gain more in the end. Walking in my wealth place.
• When you press on it lets the devil know that you have the Victory.
