A few years ago a friend of our’s Banning Liebscher coined the phrase, “People who do something, do something.”  Profound isn’t it?  You and I both know that common sense is not always common practice. Each of you have a divine destiny and purpose.  The church has been proclaiming this message for years and years.  People know they were born for a purpose.  Most know that it was not “circumstance” that brought them into this world.  So the fact is, people live with an awareness that a higher purpose exists for them.  If anything, the popularity of “Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren and “Your Best Life Now” by Joel Osteen prove our ideas to be true. So with that being our foundation I want to share a few thoughts concerning the process of going from glory to glory.

1. There is no higher promotion than “sonship.” Recently, while I was in New Orleans I knew I had gotten in over my head.  We were attempting ministry in such a way, that if God did not show up, it would have been an abysmal failure.  I kept repeating to myself, “Holy Spirit, if you wanted me in over my head, then you have gotten what you wanted.  I am so deep in over my head that I am not sure which way is up.” I did not hear him laugh, but I think that’s what God did...I think he laughed in approval.  While sitting in a sea of ministry, way over my head, God also spoke to me concerning my identity.  He said, “Lance, you came to New Orleans as a good son and you will leave as a good son. Regardless of what happens here, you are a good son.” Can I be honest?  That made me very happy.  It helped me relax.  It motivated me to be at rest in the spirit.  So as we progressed through the weekend, we as a team, received some powerful prophetic words. Again God began to speak to me.  He whispered quietly to my spirit, “Lance, sometimes people prophesy great and grand things that are true, but they do it with a ‘spirit of promotion.’  Lance, remember, there is no higher promotion than living as a son.  If I send you to nations, it’s not a promotion, but an opportunity.  Regardless of the size garden I give you to grow and cultivate, there is no higher promotion than sonship.” Can I be honest?  That made me very happy as well.  The reason I share these encounters with you is because I want to encourage you to talk to the Holy Spirit about your identity.  I want you to realize that while the world uses promotions, God does not.  He uses growth in the area of our identity.  Graham Cooke will talk about upgrades in our identity.  I am talking about upgrades in your understanding of who you are RIGHT NOW!  People who do something, do something,  & that something I am encouraging you to do, is get locked into the revelation of who God says you are and live it out with confidence, joy and power.  If you don’t know who you are, then you will constantly look to things, society, behaviors, etc. to tell you who you are.  God calls you his beloved.  Do not dull your spirit on the cutting stone of temporary things, rather get sharp in your spirit by honing who you are through listening to his voice.
2. Desirability, Capability, Responsibility. I was alone the other day and thinking about the difference between “I Can” and “I Will.”  Having been married for 18 years and a father for 17 years I have been asked 1000’s of times if I could do [you fill in the blank.]  If I have said it to my wife once or my kids once, I have said it dozens of times, “I can, but I won’t.”  I can recall specifically a time when my 4 year old asked me to take  him to a local pizza place that has cartoons and games to play.  He asked me if I could.  I said yes.  He asked me if I would.  I said no.  People who do something realize that there are hidden barriers between the “I want and the I can and the I will.”  Many of us want to do great things for God.  However there are constraints in our lives keeping us from transitioning from desirability to capability.  If you want a new car, but can’t afford the payment then your lack of capability outweighs your desirability (I HOPE!)  If desirability is greater then it could cause debt, put your credit at risk or potentially cause you greater stress and anxiety.  I know this is a simple point, but I remind you common sense is not always common practice.  What do you want to do for God?  What do you want to do to serve others?  How low do you want to go so that others are impacted by your humility and service?  How far do you want to go in the Love of God?  We want things don’t we?  But what is keeping you from it?  What are the constraints?  Do you see the progression?  If you can’t overcome the barriers keeping you from bridging desirability to capability then all you have is fantasy.  Your life is one big video game.  It is hollow and being wasted.

I love the TV show Seinfeld.  I watch it at least 3-4 times  a week.  I think I have seen every episode more than once.  There is one episode where the characters, George Constanza and Jerry Seinfeld, go back to the neighborhood where they grew up.  George notices that the Frogger video game [popular in the 80’s], still has his high score after 20 years.  George conceives a grand plan to keep the game plugged in, so as to maintain his record, while at the same time move the game into a storage truck and take it to his home.  To keep from repeating the entire episode, let’s just say the game got flattened as George tried to cross the busy traffic street.  I point this out because George’s life was a fantasy being lived out in a video game.  That was going to be his legacy.  If I may be honest, you and I will not produce anything of relational, emotional, spiritual or financial wealth to those behind if we don’t move from desirability to capability.   Here are a few steps I would recommend for you:

1. Identify your strengths and lean into them.  There are many helpful books out there.  I am not talking about the strengths found in your personality, but other strengths you will carry as well.  I enjoyed Marcus Buckingham’s book, Now Discover Your Strengths. It actually comes with a test you can take on line and identify some of your strengths.
2. Identify your constraints. I found helpful the book The Flip Side by Flip Flippen.  Yes, that’s his real name.  In it you will identity certain characteristics that can be inhibitors to your development as a leader.  This book is not so you spend all your time fixing weakness, but just so that you can firm them up so that you are not “bleeding” all the time.
3. Pursue healing and freedom prayer. Whether we want to admit it or not stones from our past can get put in the well of our passions and decrease our capacity for courage, confident, joy, etc.  It is imperative that others speak prophetically into your life and help you discover a new realm of freedom.
4. Attend a local church that has ministries for you to grow in your identity in Jesus.   Maybe you have already don that, but  I’m just suggesting you ask the Holy Spirit if you should do it again.  A pastor friend of mine did a similar ministry 5 times.
5. Create a list of 50 affirmations about yourself.  Ask those closest to you to help you identify those traits.
6. Find scriptures that speak of your value. Write them on a card and read them until you believe them. Change the way you think and ask God to forgive you for believing lies about yourself.

These are just a few suggestions.  There are many more things you could do to overcome the barriers keeping you from bridging desirability to capability.  The process you engage in will be a similar process you engage to get from capability to responsibility.  All of us, if we call ourselves leader, are saying yes to responsibility.  I want to see your character, growth and development mirror the increased responsibility God will give you.  He wants fruitfulness more than he wants larger gardens.  He will give this to you, little by little.  We desire to do something.  Right?  I know you do.  Then let’s grow so that we move from a leader who has fantastic desires to a leader who takes responsibility for loving God with everything, every time, for loving the saints and for loving, our “yet to be” believing friends.  People who do something, do something...so DO SOMETHING!