Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to feel so uncertain about our future? Many of us thought that clarity would come with age, but here we are, still unsure of our next move. What if what we needed wasn’t for God to give us a clear direction all the time, but instead for us to have practical steps when life catches us off balance? In this video, we’ll explore how to find God’s direction when life seems unclear, how challenging moments can spark growth when we step out of our comfort zones, and how to build resilience and trust in God, regardless of what we’re facing.

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MESSAGE NOTES

Unstoppable: God’s Plan For Multiplication

Following God’s Plan When It’s Hard

Paul’s Divine Compulsion

[Acts 19:21] “Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. ‘And after that,’ he said, ‘I must go on to Rome!'”

Paul’s journey:

  • Macedonia, Greece, Troas, and back to Ephesus

[Acts 20:22-27] “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus–the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

[Acts 21:1, 4, 11-14] “After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos… We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem… He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, ‘The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, ‘Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.’ When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.'”

Key Points:

  • Apparent contradiction in Holy Spirit’s guidance
  • Paul’s understanding of his mission from Jesus (Acts 9:15-16)

God Only Reveals the Next Step in His Plan

“I think we want God to show us where everything is going and then we’ll decide whether or not we’ll be obedient.”

Biblical examples:

  • Abraham’s call
  • [Proverbs 3:5-6] “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
  • [Matthew 6:33] “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
  • [2 Corinthians 5:7] “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

Paul’s Trials in Jerusalem

  • Meeting with James and the elders
  • Participation in purification ritual
  • Arrest and speech to the crowd
  • [Acts 22:1-4] Paul’s defense before the crowd

God Uses the Valley to Prepare His Kids

[James 1:2-4] “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

[2 Timothy 2:3] “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

Quotes on overcoming challenges:

  • Nietzsche: “That which doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger.”
  • Michael Jordan: “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
  • Marcus Aurelius: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

[Acts 23:11] “That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, ‘Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.'”

“Now that Paul has repeatedly taken obedient steps, God lets him know where this is going.”

Application

  1. Identify the next step of obedience God is asking you to take
  2. Evaluate your willingness to endure hardship for God’s will
  3. Reframe your perspective on current challenges
  4. Focus on the act of obedience rather than the outcome

“We don’t seek out the valley of the shadow of Death, we seek obedience. If that leads us through the valley, then so be it.”

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Application Questions

  1. What stood out to you from this message and why?
  2. What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?
  3. What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?
  4. How will this message change how you act at home, at work, and in your relationships?