TWO YEAR REVIEW
SUCCESS STORIES
gtcotr/ws031203
Continued from Feb 19, 2003
Turn to: 2 Samuel 23
That evening I preached from a passage in 2 Samuel 23, concerning the “Attitudes Of Mighty Men”. This is the story of those who served their King, David, in such an honorable and courageous way so as to be elevated to position and responsibility in the legion of honor. These men cared for their King’s well being and led the armies of Israel into battle.
We looked at what it took to be a Mighty Man or Woman of God.
* Successful - Great - An Overcomer and more than an overcomer:
> Romans 8:37 We are more than conquerors!
* It became evident that these type of people had something in common: Something made them succeed where others failed.
1st: They were consistent in their every day life.
* Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
2nd: They were prepared for their great days.
* Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
We also must be great in our ordinary every day in order to be qualified and prepared for the extraordinary opportunities that come our way.
The Bible puts it this way: Quoting Jesus:
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust in much.
In review let’s go over some of the messages God has given us to prepare us for success in both our ordinary everyday life and in the extra ordinary opportunities which may come our way.
On Wednesday night, Feb 21st, we began with:
I. 2 Samuel 23
8 ¶ These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
These guys were Great! Mighty! Achievers! Successes! They all were Success Stories - They came to David when he had nothing and was hiding from Saul in the cave of Adullam. They became ‘Success Stories’.
* 2 Samuel 23:13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam
* 2 Samuel 22:1 ¶ David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
These men came to David, their King, and offered him their service when they were in the worst shape of their whole lives!
They wrote their own Success Stories, one day, one decision, one victory at a time!
Point # 136. The story of your life will be written by the choices you make in your future and not by the choices you have made in your past.
What does it take for you to become a Success Story?
A. The Mindset Of A Success Story
1. The Three Mighty Men Of David
a. Adino the Ezenite, Chief among the captains
* He fought against ‘INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS’
b. Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite
* He fought in the face of ‘INDEFINABLE FATIGUE’
c. Shammah son of Agee the Harahite
* He fought in spite of ‘INSIGNIFICANT REWARD’
Note: Spear - Long Distance Enemies - Prayer
Sword - Close Quarters Enemies - The Word (Confession)
Stand - Enemies Within - Meditation (Cast/Captive)
This is the mindset of a mighty warrior of the King! … now ‘attitude’
2 Samuel 23:13-17
13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
B. The Attitude Of A Success Story
1. vs. 13-15 close enough to know the longings of their King
2. v. 16 strong and courageous enough to brake through the enemy’s lines for their King
3. vs. 16-17 committed enough to not let the pouring out of their life affect their continued service to their King
* Service was their goal, not outcome, not achievement, not recognition, but service to their King!
Note: You won’t serve Jesus in this world without serving someone else
C. The Tests Of Success Stories
1. The Mountain Test
2. The Valley Test
3. The Patience Test
4. The Completion Test
D. The Friends & Followers Of A Success Story
Note: It matters who you partner with & run with:
* 1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
* Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
* Proverbs 22:24 ¶ Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
* 2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
* The Friends & Followers Of A Mighty Man or Woman of God
1. The Let’s Go Over Crowd
2. The Let’s Take Over Crowd
3. The I’ve Been Over Crowd & Don’t Have The Energy To Go Now
4. The It’s Over Crowd
Point #13. Who you allow in your inner circle can limit you.
E. The Realities of Success Stories
People who are successful are most often in touch with some realities
1. The Circle of Life (you live and die)
2. The Cycle of Life (good things & bad things will happen)
3. The Secret of Life (Giving ... Sowing & Reaping)
note: While People are waiting on a move of God ... God is waiting on a move of people!
note: A move of God is not a great church service or prayer meeting ... it’s a great life and we will have to wait to see if we are actually having a real move of God.
F. The Choices Of A Success Story
1. Obedience: To do what someone else tells you to do.
a. we obey people we trust
b. we obey those we agree with
c. we often obey those we fear
d. we also find it easy to obey those we like
f. basically we often obey those we want to and those we have to
2. Submission: To yield your strength and/or decision to another
a. submission is an act beyond obedience
b. while we may obey those we agree with and trust, submission demands that we obey those we disagree with, do not fully trust, like or are weaker than us so that we do not even fear disobeying them.
c. submission does not even begin until we are asked to do something we do not want to do.
3. Loyalty: Demonstrated commitment to something outside yourself.
a. how you act in private & public when you must submit
b. while we obey a leader we agree with, it takes submission to obey a leader we disagree with however, it takes loyalty not to complain about it!
c. Loyalty is how you act about doing something you don’t want to do
I trust we are rubbing the oil of God’s Word & Spirit into our wine skins. Let us get our families ready for God’s greatest.
