Get Mad at Mediocrity: Mountain-Moving Faith and Divine Encounters
Dr RJ Sing, 28 min
Originally preached as “Faith to Move Mountains: Unlock Your Power!”
Sermon outline
You already have enough faith to move mountains, so lift your expectancy, get mad at mediocrity and position yourself for the divine encounter God has for you in the new year.
Main text
- Luke 17:6
- Ecclesiastes 9:11
Opening
The edit joins the message partway through. He tells the church that some of them are not yet mad enough with the devil, and shares two secrets, starting with the need to lose their reasoning head.
Lose your reasoning head and pick up your expectancy level
Faith lives in the heart, not the reasoning mind, so let the Word enlarge your heart until you dream bigger dreams. Spend time with people bigger than you who make you uncomfortable, and walk away from those who don't believe in you. Speaking your faith is not arrogance but boldness, and the righteous are bold as a lion.
Illustration: A mother of seven daughters, asked why she seemed so timid, answered that if anyone attacked one of her daughters they would see the lion come out.
“There's a difference between arrogance and boldness.”
- Proverbs 28:1
Get mad enough with the devil
Crossing from 2013 into 2014, mediocrity and the same old things have to go. Some people must break relationships that keep them down, and some must be willing to travel for good spiritual food rather than settling for the church down the road. Racism and poverty are spirits, and believers must break out of them and out of limitation.
Illustration: A preacher refused to fly in a small plane whose door handle came off, then watched a rap singer arrive in a Learjet to cheering fans. He got mad, trusted God for a jet, and a year later bought one for cash. The principle is not the jet but that he got mad.
“Mediocrity has got to go.”
Success principle number four: Your faith is powerful
Faith as small as a mustard seed can uproot a tree or a mountain, so you already have enough faith to move mountains. Don't enter the new year believing the devil's lie that you can't do it. David kept his eyes on the prize, not on the size of Goliath.
Illustration: David before Goliath was thinking about the king's daughter and the reward that came with defeating him.
“You have enough faith to move mountains.”
- Luke 17:6
- Philippians 4:13
- 1 Samuel 17:25
- Romans 8:31
Success principle number five: Live on purpose
God knows the thoughts and plans He has for you, plans for welfare and peace and a hopeful outcome. Messing up does not cancel them, because God is for you and will lift you out of where you are. The devil cannot abort your destiny.
Illustration: He says he was a mess when he was young, yet God took him and began to use him.
“The devil can't take you out until God says your time's up.”
- Jeremiah 29:11
Success principle number six: You are being transformed
Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. He declares a new attitude of gratitude and confidence that everything will work out, even for those carrying problems into the new year. These are not motivational words but words full of spirit and life.
Illustration: Problems hanging over people like the sword of Damocles.
“Tonight you have a new attitude. An attitude of gratitude.”
- Romans 12:2
- John 6:63
Success principle number seven: You are an agent of change
Transformation will break the strongholds in your mind. Instead of New Year resolutions, make covenant promises to God and let Him help you keep them. Whoever believes in Jesus will do the works He did and even greater works.
Illustration: Kenneth Copeland vowed at communion to watch what he ate and lost so much weight that his tailor told him to stop bringing his trousers for alterations and buy new ones.
“The world make resolutions. We make promises to God.”
- John 14:12
A word for 2014: the divine encounter
The fastest runner doesn't always win and the skilful are not always wealthy; it comes down to being in the right place at the right time. 'Luck' is not a kingdom word, but the Hebrew behind 'chance' means an encounter: divine positioning for success. It is not your education, contacts or money, but one God-given encounter that can change everything.
Illustration: Justin Bieber was discovered after his family posted a clip on YouTube, and Joseph, after his brothers tried to cut short his success, stood before Pharaoh once and was made second ruler.
“Just one encounter can change your life.”
- Ecclesiastes 9:11
- Genesis 41:14-40
Putting it into practice
- Raise your expectancy level and refuse unbelief in the new year.
- Spend time with people who stretch you, and walk away from those who hold you down.
- Choose a church where you are well fed, even if it is further away.
- Make covenant promises to God instead of New Year resolutions.
- Expect God to position you for a divine encounter.
Closing
The edit ends while he is still on his word for 2014, urging the people to fix this Hebrew word for a divine encounter in their minds; the transcript then breaks down into a repeated line.
Declarations he led
- I'm going to pick up my expectancy level. No more unbelief for me. 2014, no unbelief. I'll believe God.
- Don't waste another year.
- I'm going to do it.
- Your faith is powerful.
In his words
- “Some of you need to lose your reasoning head.”
- “There's a difference between arrogance and boldness.”
- “You have enough faith to move mountains.”
- “Now these are not just words of motivation, these are words full of spirit and life.”
- “Just one encounter can change your life.”
Every scripture in this message
- Proverbs 28:1
- Luke 17:6
- Philippians 4:13
- 1 Samuel 17:25
- Romans 8:31
- Jeremiah 29:11
- Romans 12:2
- John 6:63
- John 14:12
- Ecclesiastes 9:11
- Genesis 41:14-40