2011 YOUR ELEVATOR YEAR

The Bible teaches two very important truths about your destiny. THE FIRST ONE IS GOD’S DESTINY FOR MY LIFE IS GOOD. A lot of times people think their destiny is bad, it’s negative, it’s bitter. But the Bible says in JEREMIAH 29:11 “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, DECLARES THE LORD. PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT HARM YOU. PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE.” He says my plan, my destiny for your life is a good plan.

Secondly God says YOUR DESTINY IS YOUR CHOICE. Look at this verse, DEUTERONOMY 30:15-19 “I SET BEFORE YOU TODAY LIFE AND PROSPERITY, OR DEATH AND DESTRUCTION… IF YOU LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD AND YOU WALK IN HIS WAYS, AND YOU KEEP HIS COMMANDS, THEN YOU'LL LIVE AND YOU'LL INCREASE, AND THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BLESS YOU IN THE LAND THAT YOU ARE ENTERING TO POSSESS.”

If you want to possess your destiny you’re going to have to do THREE THINGS. They’re all in this very important chapter called Joshua chapter 1.

1. PREPARE A PLAN

That’s it. He said you’ve got to prepare a plan. The future belongs to the person who plans for it and who prepares for it. First, YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO POSSESS YOUR FUTURE IF YOU’RE STUCK IN THE PAST. You’re never going to prepare and possess your destiny if you’re always looking backwards. The first thing God has to say to Joshua is MOSES IS DEAD. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BURY IN YOUR LIFE? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LET GO OF? PSALM 20:4 “MAY HE [GOD] GIVE YOU THE DESIRE OF YOUR HEART AND MAKE ALL YOUR PLANS SUCCEED.”

God says I want to give you the desire of your heart. I want to make your plans succeed. Here’s the problem: God can’t make your plans succeed if you’ve never made any.

2. I MUST BUILD MY LIFE COMPLETELY ON GOD’S WORD

This is the second promise of success. God says if you’re going to be successful in the destiny I’ve planned for you, you’ve got to get into the Word and not just study it. Notice what he says here in JOSHUA 1:7-8 “BUT BE CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL THE LAW MY SERVANT MOSES GAVE YOU; DO NOT TURN FROM IT TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, THAT YOU MAY BE SUCCESSFUL WHEREVER YOU GO. STUDY THIS BOOK OF THE LAW CONTINUALLY; MEDITATE ON IT DAY AND NIGHT, SO THAT YOU MAY BE CAREFUL TO DO EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. THEN YOU WILL BE PROSPEROUS AND SUCCESSFUL.” THE SCRIPTURE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS. It’s all right here. God’s will is in God’s Word. You want to know God’s will for your life? God’s will is in God’s Word.

3. TO POSSESS MY DESTINY I MUST COURAGEOUSLY STEP OUT IN FAITH

It’s interesting that three times in this chapter, Joshua 1, they’re getting ready to go in the Promised Land. They’re going to cross the Jordan River. Three times God says this phrase “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS…BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS… BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS…” God says it to him in verse 6 and in verse 7 and in verse 9.

JOSHUA 1:9 “JOSHUA, HAVE I NOT COMMANDED YOU TO DO THIS? SO BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.”

NOTICE THE WORDS “AFRAID,” AND “DISCOURAGED,” YOU NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THOSE ARE THE TWO ENEMIES THAT ARE GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY. They’re the two things that will cause you to miss your destiny – fear and discouragement. Why? Because fear keeps you from starting and discouragement keeps you from finishing. THE FIRST STEP IS ALWAYS THE SCARIEST.

Let me ask you a very personal question. WHAT’S YOUR JORDAN RIVER? WHAT’S THE BIG THING YOU’VE GOT TO CROSS, THAT BIG BARRIER, THAT BIG HURDLE, THAT YOU’VE GOT TO GET TO IN ORDER TO REACH YOUR DESTINY?

Nobody remembers the guys who said it can’t be done! Only Joshua and Caleb came back and said God is with us, God’s promised, he’s told us to do it. Let’s go after our destiny.

APPLY THESE THREE PRINCIPLES IN YOUR LIFE AND 2011 WILL BE YOUR ELEVATOR YEAR WHERE YOU GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN FULFILLING YOUR PURPOSE AND DESTINY!