SERIES OVERVIEW
Pastor Greg shares four resolutions that Moses made – recounted in Hebrews 11 – that profoundly changed his life for the better. If you will make these four resolutions and depend on God to help you, your life will radically improve.
This is week 1: REFUSED
MESSAGE NOTES
I am a big believer in resolutions. I just don’t think we have to wait until the first of the year or the first of the month or the first of the week to make a resolution. The best time to make a positive change is right now. A year from now you will wish you had started today. Of course, keeping all resolutions requires resolve on our part. The word resolve means to decide. It means to settle, to determine, to have to purpose. To be resolute is to make a firm determination to do something. Moses made four big resolutions – recounted in Hebrews 11.
If you make and keep these same four resolutions, the REST of your life will become the BEST of your life.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as though seeing Him who is unseen. ~ Hebrews 11:23-27
In this passage, Moses made four choices, four resolutions. Moses, by faith, refused, Moses chose, Moses considered, and Moses persevered.
Let’s make these resolutions ourselves as well!
Resolution #1) I refuse to be defined by others.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter … ~ Hebrews 11:24
All of us, as we grow older, we are constantly reevaluating that same question yeah, who am I really? Unlike Moses, many people I know are living lies today. They’re trying to be people they’re not. Making a change is not easy but it always starts with a resolution. The resolution to refuse to keep settling for something other than your destiny.
Who are you letting determine your identity?
God wants something better for you. He wants to remold your mind, your life, from within.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2
… we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not intending to please people, but to please God, who examines our hearts. ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:4
And Jesus said in John 17:16, as His disciples, we are no more defined by the world than He is defined by the world!” Can you say that about you or have you allowed yourself to be defined by other people al your life?
When you finally know who you really are, it sets you free from the fear of disapproval.
Envy says I must BE LIKE YOU to be happy; and people-pleasing says I must BE LIKED BY YOU to be happy. Both of them are wrong and both of them will keep you from fulfilling the life God intends for you to live.
You have to resolve I refuse to be defined by other people. I’m not going to let other people’s approval or disapproval shape my life. I’m going to live for an audience of one, my God. This is what Moses resolved to do. I resolve that no more will I let other people press me into their mold. I’m going to be what God wants me to be. I’m going to do what God wants me to do and I’m going to fulfill the plan that God has for my life, not somebody else’s plan for my life.
… I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree…. ~ Jeremiah 29:11-14 (The Message)
God is promising true contentment. True success. Not phony, fake, artificial success. Real success in life is being exactly who you were created to be by God and nothing more and nothing less than that. As your pastor, your friend, your brother in Christ, my prayer, my hope, my desire for you, is that you will succeed in this way for the rest of your life. The only way you’re going to do that is be who God made you to be, not what other people are pressuring you to be. Not what they want you to be. Being who God wants you to be. I refuse to be defined by others.