LESSON 3: ENLARGING YOUR VISION

ENLARGING YOUR VISION

LESSON 3

BEYOND ORDINARY

 II Kings 5:1-3, 8-14

 

A man was visiting a small town one day, and talking with the mayor. He asked the mayor, "Have any great or famous men or women ever been born in this city?" The mayor responded, "No, in this city only ordinary babies are born. But there have been a few who have gone on to greatness."

Within the heart of each man and woman that God has created lays a limitless world of possibilities. When God creates things, He does it right. When God created you, He created you right and with great potential. Experts have said that most individuals use about 5% of their brain. 95% goes unused during the lifetime of the average individual. Great potential, little or no results! Ordinary people live ordinary lives, doing ordinary things, and die ordinary deaths, unaltered and unchanged. That kind of sounds boring!

One reason why God doesn't want us to be just ordinary is because no one is interested in following ordinary people. People don't pay much attention to the ordinary. The press doesn't write about the ordinary. Books are not written about the ordinary. Movies are not made about the ordinary. Jesus said that we are to be the salt of the earth. In other words, we must add flavor and be different and go beyond just ordinary. The ordinary, as Jesus would say, are like salt that has lost its flavor.

One of the worst things in life would be to be on your death bed and realize that you have made no difference in the life of anyone. God desires to take you beyond ordinary. Not too long ago, someone asked me, "Brother, you've been through so much over the years, have you ever considered being satisfied with what God has done through you in your 50 years of ministry, and walking away and just being an ordinary person?"

 

GOD WANTS TO TAKE YOU BEYOND ORDINARY TO EXCEPTIONAL:

 

In Biblical days, a deadly disease of leprosy was a major problem. And the rule of thumb was that anyone who contracted leprosy died. Naaman was an exception to the rule. Naaman was a commander of the army (leader), and served under the king of Aram (under leadership). He was in leadership and under leadership. Kind of like you and I. There will always be areas in our life when we need to be a leader, and other areas in your life where we must be under leadership. One of the first things that will take us beyond ordinary to exceptional is the combination of our ability to both lead and follow. When Jesus was ready to teach on leadership, he got a towel and began to wash the feet of the disciples. Even though He had all power in heaven and on earth to move mountains and perform miracles, He began by serving.

The opposite of being a servant is being lazy. One thing that we often fail to realize is that none of the disciples were lazy. They were fishermen, a tax collector, etc. I've heard people say, "I'm waiting on God to open the doors for me so I can do something for Him.” I tell them, "Well, are you ready to get busy and to start serving in the little things?" "Oh, no, I'm waiting on God." What I have found is that God doesn't call the lazy. He waits until you are in the middle of serving Him in the little things. He interrupts us, He disrupts us, He calls busy people and He takes you here and takes you there. He called people of action. Those in leadership over you are the ones who can truly say whether you are faithful or not. Naaman had the respect of those over him. When the people over you regard you highly, that speaks a whole lot. Your testimony means more than your money. Many people in today's work place will do anything for money, anything for a raise, anything for a promotion even if it means giving up their testimony. But all the money in the world will not buy you integrity. Naaman was a courageous man. He stood tall and valiant when fighting for what is right.

 

GOD WANTS TO TAKE YOU BEYOND ORDINARY TO EXTRA ORDINARY:

 

If you are going to be extra ordinary, then you must hang around extra ordinary people. You've got to walk with someone who challenges you. We need a hunger check. Are you hungry to do more for God, or are you satisfied? We need a passion check. Is your heart really in the things of God?

Before you can become extra ordinary, you must overcome major obstacles. Naaman was an awesome man. The whole nation had been delivered because of Naaman. He was a mighty man of valor. He was strong. He was great. He was impressive. He was a man of war. He was the captain of the host. The people admired him. He knew how to win, he had integrity, he had stature, he had ability, he had administrative skills, and he knew how to lead, but he had leprosy. Underneath that impressive looking armor was a disease-stricken man.

Somewhere between ordinary and extra ordinary will be a major obstacle. You cannot cross the bridge of ordinary to extra ordinary until you conquer a major obstacle. Trouble is the usher that takes you to higher levels of faith in God. You cannot show me anyone who has accomplished extra ordinary feats in life, who had not gone through major adversity.

Job lost all he had, and was deserted by the ones who were closest to him. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his promised son. Joseph was sold into slavery and discarded by his family. Daniel was thrown in a den of lions. Shardrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace. Without trials, you are ordinary, trials shape you and reconfigures you and sets you apart from other people!

Naaman was great and powerful, but he had leprosy. People may see you as a person of great potential, but then they put the qualifier. He's a great man, but he's insecure. She's a great woman, but she talks too much. He's a great leader, but he's a poor follower. She's a tremendous believer, but she can't get along with people.

We don't like people talking about our obstacles. So we put helmets on and breastplates to hide our obstacle. Naaman had a major obstacle. Up to that point, no one had ever been healed of leprosy. God wants to make you extra ordinary. So sometimes, He will put you in a situation that no one before has ever got out of.

 

GOD WANTS TO TAKE YOU BEYOND ORDINARY TO BEING ANOINTED: (II Kings 5:10-14)

 

1. Naaman was a great man, a great leader, but now, God wanted to make Naaman an anointed leader.

2. The anointing flows from the head down. You are not great until God places His anointing on you.

3. The Vision is not our vision; it's God's vision for us. God wants to do great things through us. God wants to take us beyond success to significance. God wants to take us beyond provision to possession. God wants to take us beyond ordinary to anointed.

4. It is amazing the plans God has for his Church, and for each of us. It is amazing the way God orchestrates everything into place, using individuals with different gifts and abilities to fit into the larger puzzle.

UNITY BRINGS ANOINTING: (Psalm 133:1, 2)

 

When we look at the story of Naaman, I see teamwork. First, God used Naaman's wife servant to suggest that Naaman go to the prophet in Samaria. And then, (v.13) Naaman's servants went to him and told him to do what the prophet said. Sometimes, we just need a little word of encouragement to do something that we are supposed to do. That's what Naaman's servants did for Naaman. I call this teamwork and teamwork brings anointing.

Some of you may feel that your spiritual gift is the gift of helps, doing something behind the scenes. You may feel that role is of little importance, that is not so. Your role in enlarging the vision is vitally important.

I have learned that if you want God to use you greatly, you must surround yourself with men and women of great faith, just waiting to go to a higher level, people who love you, people who believe in you despite your obstacle. Naaman's wife maid servant saw the flaw in Naaman, and still believed in him. She saw his leprosy and still believed that God was going to use him. You are not going to go very far if you are working with people who see trouble and run.  Anointing requires humility!