Pastor Aaron Cordeiro
July 27, 2014 - W1430

You can be victorious.  The Bible promises every one of us a life of victory in Christ Jesus, but many have never experienced it.  Sometimes our lives are like oceans we have to cross.  There are problems in our marriage, work, or finances.  How do we cross these chasms?  God will give us do-overs because of his grace and mercy, but I don’t know if we have enough energy or time to continuously revisit the consequences of life.  I want to speak today about a life of intentionality that is victorious so that when you stand before God, you will hear him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

 Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 21:28-31, “What do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said “Son, go work today in the vineyard.”  And he answered, “I will not” but afterward he regretted it and went.  The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, “I will, sir,” but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?  They said, “The first.”  Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.”

 How many have good intentions but never do them or are intentional about those great intentions?  These verses are about living an intentional life, moving beyond good intentions to intentionality.  Jesus uses pretty strong language in the context of this story.  He is talking to church leaders (Pharisees) about intentionality.  When the first son was asked to work in the vineyard, he said, “No, I don’t want to,” but thought about it and later went.  The second son said, “Yes, I will go” (saying the right thing) but never actually going to work.

 Jesus shifts gears and rebukes the church leaders (Pharisees) who have great influence and authority over the people and says, “ The same is true with you.  You say the right things and have great intentions but you never cross the chasm of intentionality.  Unless you cross that chasm of great intentions, you will never be blessed and step into God’s best.”

 When God gives a promise about your life, what will you do with it?  If you obey, God promises you will cross this chasm of great intentions into the Kingdom of God.  Home should be the kingdom of God for you.  God is saying my kingdom is magnificent; it will transform everything about you—not only in this life but also in the next.  What things are you continuously wrestling with?  Maybe it’s issues with your character—anger, temper, or patience.   Jesus is saying there is hope.

 GOD’S BEST WILL NEVER HAPPEN EXCEPT THROUGH GREAT INTENTIONALITY!

 The Greek word for intent or intention is a word picture of a job or occupation—something you do; it is more than great intention.  Intentionality is when you actually occupy and work, when much effort, thought, and energy are exerted.   God is saying through this story that nothing will happen except through intentionality.

 We all have dreams, but how are our dreams realized?  Let’s read Ecclesiastes 5:3, “For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.”

 Can you think of a time when there was a plethora of words rather than action—great intentions, such as, “One day I’m going to…” many words that never came to fruition—a dream that is yet to be realized.  God’s best will never be realized until you move from great intentions to great intentionality, even in the smallest ways.  God may be saying, “It’s time to start building a bridge over the chasm so your life will not remain with good intentions, but you would live a victorious life of intentionality.” 

 How do we do that?  Let’s read I John 2:6, “… the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”   God gave us an example of how to live an intentional victorious life by walking in the same manner Jesus did, even when you don’t feel like it.  You might write this down:  “Will I change what I believe to the way that I want to live my life, or will I change the way I live to what I believe with all my heart?” 

 Sometimes we rationalize what God is saying to anything we want.  The Bible gives building materials to bridge this gap in our lives, but it is our responsibility to walk over that bridge.  God will give us the tools (promises and faith), but it is up to us to use them to move from being people with great intentions to a people who live victoriously with great intentionality.

1.   Put Boundaries in Place and Respect Them!  It is one thing to put boundaries such as spiritual discipline in your life and yet not respect them.  A boundary will warn you that you will fall off a cliff, but you may not respect it. 

 Jeremiah 31:21, “Set up for yourself road marks, place for yourself guideposts, direct your mind to the highway…”  

 Jeremiah is speaking to Ephraim who once followed God with all their hearts but slowly began to drift.  He is saying, “Ephraim return to the place you have fallen and repent, set up road marks”—boundaries that remind you constantly that you are drifting or of that dangerous chasm.  He says, “Remember and do whatever it takes to set up these boundaries and limits and respect them with all our heart.”

 Boundary is something you must set for yourself; nobody can do that for you.  The word “highway” in Hebrew is righteousness or that which is right or good that is pleasing to God.  Boundaries/procedures will keep us on the right path and remind us of our tendency to drift; otherwise, our relationships will teeter on the edge and we will blame others.

 Sometimes we think boundaries and disciplines are too constricting, but it’s actually liberating.  If there are no dependable boundaries and road marks, such as a map, to show you the way, what do you trust?  Watch your anxiety and fear level go through the roof.  However, having dependable boundaries (roadmap) will take you where you want to go and eliminate anxiety and fear, increasing your trust level. You will become a supportive pillar of God’s truth in every circle of your relationship.

 Scriptures tell us that a victorious life is one that is intentional with boundaries, and respecting them will keep you from drifting—your life and family are too precious for you to drift.  Life without boundaries and limits is like rivers without boundaries—called a flood; a fire without boundaries is an inferno; a mind without boundaries is called insanity.  If you want a victorious life make sure that you live with intentionality. 

 Turn to Proverbs 23:19, “Listen my sons and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.”  We must direct our hearts. 

 When God speaks to you, WRITE THEM DOWN.  Habakkuk 2:2 says, “And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets so he may run who reads it.’” 

 Let’s read what the Revelator says in Revelation 1:19, “Therefore, write the things which you have seen and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.” WhenGod reveals something to you about your life, write it down.  When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness he quoted what God said, “It is written.”  We also need to be reminded of what God has said. 

2. Begin To Practice What You Know Is God’s Best! 

 Not only are we to put up boundaries and write them down, we are to practice them.  Hebrews 5:13-14,“For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” 

 It is interesting that practice trains our senses to discern what is good and evil—so practice what is good and Godly.  The Bible says if we don’t practice, our lives will never mature to holiness or wholeness that God intends for us.  If we want to be people of intentionality, we must practice what God tells us to do.

3. Look For The Proof Of Your Faith As Measurements. 

 Good intention is one thing, but to live a life of intentionality (when you take the things that God has spoken to you, add faith to it, and begin to set boundaries in your life) will build a bridge to span the chasm.  It takes faith to walk across the chasm.  Write down what God told you and practice His instructions so that what is lacking in your life becomes real.  

 Look for the proof of your faith as a measurement.  What does that mean?  Are you better because of your faith?  Is your marriage better because you applied God’s word?  Is anything better about your thoughts or parenting?  That is a proof of your faith. 

 If we take the things of God and actually practice them, and there is actual proof, here is what will happen.  Let’s read I Peter 1:7, “So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

 This is a promise God gives His people because we are victorious and blessed and are walking in the Kingdom of God.  The proof of faith will give you so much confidence.  For instance when the devil lies to you and says, “You’re such a horrible husband” or “You’re the worst wife in the world,” you say, “No, devil, I have proof that things are getting better.  I’m actually taking the things the pastors are saying in church and actually writing them down and doing something with it.  When they said forgive, I forgave and asked for forgiveness, and God’s grace and mercy covers my marriage and God is healing it.   Look at the proof devil, you don’t have any foothold on my marriage.”

 The proof of your faith will develop a God-confidence that you’re in rightness with your Creator and with one another—that is proof.   

 STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss what it means to live life with intentionality.

2. Why are boundaries/limits important? What happens when they are missing?

3. Explain what happens when practicing what God’s Word says.

4. What will “proof of faith” give you?