We can learn a lot about our future from our past because we’re emotional creatures, and thus we respond to the environment we’re in. This has its impact on the believer obviously, the environment we create or place ourself in greatly affects whether we influence others or life influences us.

Jehu, anointed by Elijah’s servant to be king of Israel (Ch 10), slaughter’s Ahab’s sons “70” destroys the prophets of Baal… but the next 70 yrs. his life is defined by this lost opportunity - (2 Kgs 10:29-32a).

As a believer of Jesus, we are not responsible for the wellbeing of others, but rather for the

of what the Lord has given us. Man is never responsible for the results of another… just the opportunity in our own faith to be the Lord’s instrument. (Jesus/Judas & Paul/Demas)

I want to speak concerning the “

” that’s before us! And yes, we all have opportunity in any circumstance we find ourselves in… and that opportunity is for our good! Consider the Cross: no greater example of opportunity that has been provided to each of us in Jesus! Yet, beyond the Cross we’re given the opportunity of corporate worship, convergence in spiritual unity in Jesus. While this is a commandment of our faith, it’s equally purposeful concerning the opportunity to minister to each other.

A church can be more focused on what they have on stage rather than the environment produced from the stage. Church is either an Evangelistic/Discipleship environment or an activity/entertainment environment – One creates the opportunity for people to be influenced in Christ – the other by man. While this is true, this morning I want to focus on us as individual believers and the opportunity before us as believers! Again, Jehu was in the will of the Father, and yet never moved beyond that one purpose the Father got out of him. We can see the opposite concerning Opportunity in Abraham/Sarah & Issac. (Heb 11:15) This is referring to Chaldea the land Abraham/Sara had left… meaning if they had looked back with affection/desire they could’ve returned… here was their opportunity to act…

… they might have had opportunity to have returned.”

They weren’t that far removed from their old circumstances… it would’ve been just as easy to go back as it was to journey on – so much so that Abraham sent a servant to go into the land to find a wife for his son Isaac. Notice Abraham choose not to go or let Isaac go… the opportunity Abraham sought after was in the environment God created not in what he wanted. - Abraham didn’t want to miss his opportunity for God to work in and through his life.

(OPPORTUNITY is missed by most believers because it’s wrapped in faith and looks like

.)

If we allow circumstances to overpower our faith in God’s Word, then we’re eliminating the opportunity for the Word of God to produce

and

Reveal Answer

in our lives.

Question: are we opportunistic in our faith to obtain Godly results in our life?
Every trial in life is an opportunity to see God’s faithfulness, power, goodness, love to work in our lives. Here’s where believers really miss their opportunities in seeing God’s faithfulness, goodness come about.

God “provides” opportunity (meaning):
• When we pray for courage, God doesn’t give us courage, He give us opportunities to be courageous! Consider

• When we pray for patience, God doesn’t give us patience, He gives us opportunities to be patient! Consider

Reveal Answer

• Pray for families to be closer, God gives the opportunity to love those unlovable at times. Consider

Reveal Answer

• When we pray for more faith, be ready – God’s going to give you an opportunity to be exercised/act in your faith!

(Gal 6:9-10) - Paul challenged the Galatians, and he challenges us to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, we will reap a harvest of blessing.

Question… If Jesus is our source, purpose, meaning (and He is), how or do we exhaust that opportunity in our life?

Paul cautions the Galatians, and us, in (vss 11-16) – but specifically notice (vs 15) We don’t make ourselves a new creation; the Lord does it in us. At root, Christianity is something the Lord does in us, not anything we do for God. This defines the opportunity in grace we’re afforded through Jesus. Our greatest opportunities will come from within our greatest struggles. Meaning, God never wastes a hurt. God uses our struggles to point us back to Him, to strengthen us, to grow us – and the opportunity to comfort others. Too often, as believers, we squander the Lord’s opportunities in our life… during the Exodus the Lord gave His children favor in the eyes of the Egyptians (Exo 3; 12) only to result in (Ch. 32) the making of an idol calf. Eph 5:16 - G/W exagorazō (ex-ag-or-ad’-zo) meaning to improve an opportunity.

Paul was communicating his sense of urgency because of evil’s pervasiveness. We have the same sense of urgency. But opportunity only provides the ability for us to taste and see that the Lord in good in all circumstances (Psa 34:8) This is the clashing of the Objective mind and the Narrative mind – meaning what?

Narrative perspective is when one’s past personal circumstances determine their bases of belief or suspected outcome.
Objective perspective is when one’s past personal circumstances confirm their beliefs to be true.

This is the struggle in our faith, “the opportunity won’t work out for me.” And yet the Father’s promises, thus provided opportunities for those who walk in them, were foretold and established before creation!

The challenge is our faith in the

. What if the believer would objectively walk in the opportunity of God’s promises, not based on their past but the testimony of others who God’s provided for? One must acknowledge, the Gospel is a historical narrative of truth, confirmation, & fulfilled promises in all our lives.

As believers, we are to live in the overflow of the Father’s

in our own lives and use them as an opportunity to create environments for influence in others and a promised hope for ourselves. In the end, it comes back to the Gospel and what Christ has already done for us. Our opportunities lie in two areas, in the Moment and in the Master… don’t miss either one… don’t be Jehu!

It’s not what’s happening to you, but what’s already been done for you in Jesus that gives us opportunity for hope!