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Unstoppable: God’s Plan For Multiplication

Following God’s Plan When It’s Hard

Introduction: The Challenge of Uncertainty

• The desire for clarity about our future
• God’s overarching story of reconciliation in the Bible

“The Bible shows the GREAT LENGTH God will go through just to rescue us from our brokenness.”

Paul’s Final Visit

[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)

1. God Reveals His Plan One Step at a Time

“God often reveals His plan for our lives one step at a time, and what may feel like setbacks or challenges are often opportunities for growth and preparation for a greater purpose.”

[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.”

[2 Corinthians 5:7] “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

10 Ways God Might Reveal His Plan:

1. Through Scripture
2. Unexpected opportunities
3. Closed doors
4. Inner peace or conviction
5. Circumstances aligning
6. Relationships
7. Prayer responses
8. Small promptings
9. Incremental change
10. Challenging experiences

2. God Uses All Kinds of Circumstances to Prepare Us

Illustration: Navy SEAL training and “Hell Week”

[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.”

“We’re about to see that all of Paul’s suffering is actually leading him somewhere he could have never gotten in any other way.”

Paul’s Journey Through Trials

• Paul’s defense before the crowd in Jerusalem
• The conflict at the Sanhedrin
• God’s encouragement to Paul

[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.'”

Application

1. Identify the next step of obedience God is asking you to take
   • Are you willing to trust Him without knowing the entire plan?
2. Evaluate your willingness to endure hardship for God’s will
   • Are you seeking comfort at the expense of obedience?
3. Reframe your perspective on current challenges
   • How might God be using difficulties to redirect you toward obedience?
   • Are you mistaking hardship as a sign of being on the wrong path?
4. Focus on the act of obedience rather than the outcome
   • What can you do to surrender control and trust God’s plan?

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