Ps Darin Browne - Reset 5

I’ve been sharing a series on resetting your life in this Corona virus period. We’ve looked at resetting faith and Holiness, priorities and love, and today I want to round it out by looking ahead. How can you reset your destiny?

 

People talk about destiny like it is an external force that moves onto your life, but that is simply not true. Destiny can be influenced by circumstances, but it is not determined by them. Destiny is determined by choices.

 

God has a destiny for every one of us, but the truth is that in the hustle and bustle of life, through the changes and decisions we face, most of us lose this destiny to a large degree. This unusual time in history is the perfect moment to reset your destiny.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV Strong's)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 

So rather than trusting circumstances, or swallowing whatever life hands you, let’s pause right now and choose to trust the Lord who said He has plans fit you, to prosper you and give you hope…

 

Prayer… Lord, I choose to take my eyes off circumstances, off my past, my upbringing, my failures, my pain and what everyone says I should be, and I place my eyes on You, my Creator, my my Sustainer and my Lord! Lord I seek Your destiny for my life.

 

YOU HAVE A DESTINY

 

You are not an accident. You are not a mistake. God has a destiny for you, with all your hang ups, screw ups, handicaps, challenges and fears. God has a plan, and you’re it! God told Jeremiah,

 

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV Strong's)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

 

You may look at yourself and see failure. You might see a rough start in life, a disability, fears, lack of self esteem or lack of opportunity, but I’m telling God has a plan and a destiny for you. It’s been established from before you were born, and this destiny involves you conforming to the image of His Son.

 

Romans 8:29 (ESV Strong's)

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

 

So what does discovering your destiny depend on? Here’s 7 things…

 

1.      DESTINY DEPENDS ON IDENTITY

 

A key step in discovering your God ordained destiny is to know who you are, your identity.

 

Prince Harry caused such controversy because he married an actress, moved away from England and has forsaken his duties and his destiny as a prince. It was just assumed that he would act a certain way and follow a certain destiny because he was who he was, but he decided no. His identity dictated his destiny, until his choices changed it.

 

So, who are you really? What’s your identity, and hence your destiny?

 

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV Strong's)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

 

We are a royal priesthood, and we need to live like it, and move towards our royal destiny, and maybe avoid marrying an actress.

 

2.      DESTINY TAKES FAITH

 

God has a plan and a destiny for you, but you play a huge part in it. To follow your destiny takes courage and faith.

 

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV Strong's)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

 

It takes faith to move towards a destiny you cannot see, but if you keep reading Hebrews 11 you will read about the many Bible heroes who moved into their destinies, by faith.

 

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV Strong's)

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

 

Discovering your destiny takes faith, because God generally doesn’t reveal your full destiny, he asks you to trust Him for each step. Destiny requires faith for every step.

 

3.      DESTINY COSTS YOU

 

And destiny costs you. Moving into your destiny isn't a cruise through a comfortable life, it’s you stepping out in faith and it costs you. Every decision costs something, time, effort, money or lost opportunity.

 

Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV Strong's)

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

 

Anything worthwhile costs you. The question is, are you willing to pay the price? Whatever you decide, you will reap what you sow, more than you sow and later than you sow. God has a destiny, but will you pay the cost even up to your very life?

 

4.      DESTINY IS DETERMINED BY GOD

 

You cannot pick what you want, you need to trust God to do what He wants.

 

Ephesians 1:11 (ESV Strong's)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

 

I’m sick of people telling God what He needs to do for them. What right do we have to order the God who created the universe around? Surely we should trust Him that His will for us is best, because He created us, knows us and…

 

Romans 8:28 (ESV Strong's)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

 

God arranges and works all things to bring about our destiny and His good purpose.

 

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV Strong's)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

 

5.      YOUR DESTINY IS NOT FOR YOU ALONE

 

Your destiny is not for you alone, because others around you bear the consequences too, good or bad. When God called Abram he said,

 

Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV Strong's)

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

 

Your choices, good or bad, affect others around you, and generations to come. So decide now to choose God’s way, not just for your sake, but for the people you love and your children, and their children and their children!

 

6.      DESTINY CAN BE LOST OR FOUND

 

Destiny is not set, written in stone, it is not immutable. Fulfilling your destiny depends on you and your obedience.

 

Sadly the Bible has many stories of people with great destinies, great potential, which they lost because of their disobedience.

 

King Saul was Israel’s first king. He was tall, handsome and initially successful. At first he was obedient, but then he repeatedly disobeyed, culminating in his not waiting for God, and disobeying God’s direct order. God had had enough.

 

1 Samuel 15:22-23 (ESV Strong's)

And Samuel said,

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to listen than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

he has also rejected you from being king.”

 

Samson in Judges 13-16, was full of strength, anointed of God, powerful, strong, but continually made bad decisions regarding women. Eventually he went too far with a chick called Delilah, and when his hair was cut, he was weakened, captured and enslaved. He lost his destiny.

 

King Uzziah, King  Hezekiah,

 

Solomon, the wisest man ever lost his destiny towards the end of his life when his foreign wives turned his head…

 

1 Kings 11:4 (ESV Strong's)

For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

 

So many people of faith lose their destiny. I bet many of you have lost your destiny too. You once had such potential, you once stepped out in faith for God, you had a dream of serving Jesus and making a difference, and knew He had a great destiny for you but somewhere along the way you’ve lost it.

 

This reset is your opportunity to get it back.

 

7.      YOUR DESTINY DEPENDS ON YOUR CHOICES

 

You see, ultimately your destiny depends not on circumstances but on your choices. I meet people all the time who blame God for their lot in life, when they have never been obedient to His Word. Your choices carry destiny within them, and not just for you but for generations to come…

 

Deuteronomy 30:19 (ESV Strong's)

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,

 

I see it all the time, people who turn away from God and their kids follow suit. If you truly love your kids, make God honouring choices and lead them to Him.

 

If you refuse to obey God, why should He bother leading you into the awesome destiny He has planned for you.

 

NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO RESET YOUR DESTINY

 

Sometimes it takes a seismic event to shake your life  to help you see the truth. Sometimes it takes a catastrophic event to make you consider things bigger than or beyond what’s right in front of you.

 

This can happen in your life with a death, a divorce, a financial loss or church split, all of which are painful, but they get your attention.

 

The world wide corona virus pandemic is such a seismic event, so this is one of the greatest opportunities you have to discover, or discover again your destiny.

 

You’re never too old or too young. Whatever you’ve done in the past, this can be your moment to regain the destiny, the potential that was once there. God has a destiny for you, and it’s time to get back on track.

 

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV Strong's)

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 

This is your moment. Ignite can help you regain your destiny, because we believe everybody has a unique and wonderful destiny. But we are just servants, God holds your destiny, and if you turn and repent right now you can and will rediscover your destiny.

 

Psalms 138:8 (ESV Strong's)

The LORD will fulfil his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

 

REACH OUT TO HIM NOW

 

God hasn’t forsaken you and He has plans for your life, as we saw at the beginning of this message,

 

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV Strong's)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 

Those words were written to a generations of exiles, torn from their homes, loved ones killed or separated from them. They were slaves, without freedom, without money or wealth and without hope. But God said He had plans to prosper them, and give them a future.

 

He says the same to you right now!

 

Pray for your destiny

Ask Him to reveal the next step

Pledge to be obedient