Dedication
Totheyouthofthepresentgenerationandtheirchildren.
Tothereadersofmyfirsttwovolumesonpotential,withthehopethatyou
will go on to complete the process you began—to discover, release, and
maximizeyourtrueability.
Tothehumanspirit,destinedtogreatnessinitsdesiretoexposethegloryof
therichnessofthetreasureofGod’sgrace.
TothemillionsofuntappedThirdWorldpeoplesthroughouttheworld,for
whommypassionistoseethemrealizetheirfullpotential.
To the Source and Sustainer of all potential, the Omnipotent One, and my
personalSavior,theLordJesusChrist.
Acknowledgments
Allthatweknowisasumtotalofwhatwehavelearnedfromallwhohave
taught us, both directly and indirectly. I am forever indebted to the countless
outstanding men and women who, by their commitment and dedication to
becomingthebesttheycouldbe,haveinspiredmetodothesame.
Iamevermindfuloftheunparalleledlove,prayer,support,andpatienceof
mypreciouswife,Ruth,andourchildren,CharisaandChairo (Myles Jr.), and
am deeply thankful for their understanding, inspiration, and faithfulness in
remindingmethattheyaremynumberonesupportteam.
ToKathyMiller,mygiftedanddiligenteditorandadvisor,whoco-labored
withme inthe deliveryof this book. Thanksfor your patience, tolerance, and
persistenceinseeingthatImaximizethepotentialofthisbook.
To my partners, who with me are committed to reaching the Third World
nationswiththeuncompromisedWordandprinciplesofthe KingdomofGod:
TurnelNelson,BertrilBaird,PeterMorgan,JohnSmith,FuchsiaPickett,Ezekiel
Guti,JerryHorner,VictorMartinez,andKingsleyFletcher.
Tomyhardworkingteamofpartnersindestiny:RichardandShennaPinder,
Dave Burrows, Henry Francis, Debbie Bartlett, Jay Mullings, Wesley Smith,
AllenMunroe,GloriaSeymour,AngieAchara,CharlesNottage,PatRolle,and
Sheila Francis, my beloved sister—all of whom demand the maximum of my
potential.
Contents
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter1WhyMaximize?
Chapter2HowtoBecomeYourPotential
Chapter3TheEnemiesofPotential
Chapter4GuardandProtectYourPotential
Chapter5CultivateandFeedYourPotential
Chapter6ShareYourPotential
Chapter7YourPotentialandtheNextGeneration
Chapter8UnderstandandObeytheLawsofLimitation
Chapter9RecoveringYourPotential
Chapter10PotentialandGod’sPurpose
Foreword
All...thatyouseeIwillgivetoyou...(Genesis13:15).
As we find ourselves in the midst of personal, social, and global change,
people experience more fear, anxiety, and hopelessness than ever before.
Astronomical job layoffs, family breakups, teen violence, crime, absence of
spiritualvalues,lackofjobsecurity,andsoaringsuicidestatisticshavecreateda
senseofurgencywithinpeopletosearchforthepathtoabetterlife.
Inmyhumbleopinion,MaximizingYourPotentialbyDr.MylesMunroe—
recognized internationally as a religious leader, philosopher, and motivational
speaker—providesmuchneededanswers.
Not only does he base his principles on the Bible, which is the greatest
resource for pursuing one’s greatness, but he also lives the message that he
writesabout.
BorninaThirdWorldcountry,surroundedbypovertyandhopelessness,at
theageof16MylesMunroemadeadecisiontobeallthatGodintendedhimto
be.Notonlyisheabest-sellingauthorandaspeakeringreatdemand,healso
travelsaroundtheglobeteachingfromhislifeexperiencesandconsultingwith
headsofnationsandmajorcorporations.Heisatalentedsinger,songwriter,and
composer, and plays several instruments. He is a gifted painter, pastor of the
largestgrowingcongregationintheBahamas,andadevotedhusbandandfather.
Heisspiritualcounselortocelebritiesandhighprofilepeoplefromallwalksof
life,includingmeandmywife,GladysKnight-Brown.
MaximizingYourPotentialgivesyouthekeystohavingthe“authority”and
dominiongiventoyoubyGodovereveryareaofyourlife.
Itwill giveyou the methodsto discoveryour life’spurpose and developa
closerrelationshipwithGod.
MaximizingYourPotentialleadsyouto“seekfirstthekingdomofGodand
His righteousness” and, whatever your goals are—whether they’re to get your
lifeoutofarut,saveyourmarriage,restartyourcareer,redirectthelivesofour
youth, and find peace of mind, good health, and financial success—“all these
things”andmuch,muchmore“shallbeaddedtoyou”(Mt.6:33NKJV).
Aswerapidlyclosethiscentury,MaximizingYourPotentialwillbeusedfor
years to come as a torch to lead us out of the tunnelsof mediocrity, fear, and
despair.
...AllthatIhaveisyours(Luke15:31NKJV).
“ThishasbeenMrs.MamieBrown’sbabyboy”
—LesBrown
Preface
Thegreatestthreattobeingallyoucouldbeissatisfactionwithwhoyouare.
What you could do is always endangered by what you have done. There are
millionsofindividualswhohaveburiedtheirlatenttalents,gifts,andabilitiesin
thecemeteryoftheirlastaccomplishment.Theyhavesettledforlessthantheir
best. I believe that the enemy of best is good, and the strength of good is the
norm.Thepowerofthenormisthecurseofoursociety.Itseemsliketheworld
is designed to make “the norm” comfortable and “the average” respectable.
Whatatragedy!
A quick glance at history reveals that the individuals who impacted their
generations and affected the world most dramatically were individuals who,
because of a circumstance, pressure, or decision, challenged the tide of
convention,stretchedtheboundariesof tradition,andviolatedtheexpectations
ofthe norm. Few great things have ever been done within the confines of the
acceptednorm.
Inessence,historyisalwaysmadebyindividualswhodaretochallengeand
exceedtheacceptednorm.Whyfollowapathwhenyoucanmakeatrail?Itis
incumbentupon each ofus to askourselves the followingquestions: Havewe
become all we are capable of? Have we extendedourselves to the maximum?
Havewedonethebestwecando?Haveweusedourgifts,talents,andabilities
totheirlimit?
Pleasenotethatthemaximizationoftheabilities,talents,gifts,anduntapped
potential that lay dormant in the lives of individuals who have impacted their
generations was occasioned by the pressure created by circumstances and
situations beyond their control. Unfortunately, the majority of the people on
planetEarthwillnevergobeyond“thenorm”unlessthe“abnormal”develops.
It’sasthoughabilityneedsresponsibilitytorevealandexposeitself.
I believe it is our Creator’s will and desire that we decide to commit and
dedicate ourselves to, and determine within ourselves, to achieve the full
maximization of our potential. Once again the questions are echoed: Have we
fullyutilizedourabilities,talents,andgifts?Havewesettledforthenorm?Have
wedoneourbest?Haveweallowedotherstoplacelimitationsonourpotential,
orhavewecreatedself-imposedlimitations?
Itisessentialthatyoucometo gripswiththesequestionsbecausetheyare
relatedtoyourpersonalfulfillmentandyourcontributiontothehumanfamily,
and to the pleasure of your Creator. You have been endowed by your Creator
with immeasurable treasures of ability specifically designed and tailored to
accomplisheverythingyourGod-givenpurposedemands.Youareequippedwith
allyouneedinordertodoallyouwerecreatedtodo.However,thereleasingof
yourpotentialisnotuptoGod,butyou.Youdeterminethedegreetowhichyour
destiny is accomplished. You determine the measure of your own success,
successthatisestablishedbytheCreator’sassignmentforyourlife.
Let me illustrate this with a personal experience. A few years ago I was
privilegedtopurchaseaname-brandvideoplayer/recorderformyfamily.AsI
arrived home with my purchase, I eagerly anticipated the exciting process of
installingthiswonderoftechnology.MychildrenjoinedmeasIsatonthefloor
of our living room to open this new treasure for our home. With unrestricted
haste, I ripped open the carton and dislodged the machine from its Styrofoam
packing,ignoringthemanualbookletthatfelltothefloorbesideme.Then,using
thebasicknowledgeIhadobtainedfromotherswhomIhadobservedinstalling
similarmachines,Iproceededtoshowmyskillandwisdom.Afterconnectinga
fewwiresandturningafewswitches,Iwasreadytotestmyexpertise.Itooka
videocassette, placed it in the machine, turned on the television, and bingo—
play.Asthepictureappearedonthescreen,Ifeltasenseofprideandpersonal
accomplishment.Turningtomysonanddaughter,Isaid,“Thereitis;we’rein
business.”
Wesatandwatchedforawhile;thensomethingoccurredthatchangedmy
lifeforever.Theinquisitivenatureofmysonbegantowork.Hedrewcloserto
thevideomachine,pointedtotherowof12buttons,andasked,“Whatarethey
for, Dad?”In my attemptto showmy fatherlywisdom and adultadvantage in
knowledge,Ileanedforwardandexaminedthebuttons.IquicklyrealizedthatI
wasunabletoexplainanyofthefunctionsindicatedbythebuttonsexceptthose
ofpause,rewind,stop,andplay,andIfoundmyselfexposingmyignoranceto
myyoungchildren.
Ilearnedalessonthatdaythatwouldbecomeamajorpillarinmylife.Since
I had ignored the manufacturer’s manual and refused to read and follow the
instructions contained therein, I was unable to utilize, maximize, and fully
appreciate the full potential of the product. I was settling for less than full
capacity.Iwasavictimoflivingaccordingtothestandardsandobservationsof
others. In essence, the performance of the product was restricted by the
limitation my ignorance had placed on its functions. This limitation of
performancecanalsobeextendedtothosewhoreadthemanufacturer’smanual
but refuse to use the functions inherent in the construction of the product.
Therefore, they never experience the full potential of the machine. They only
desiretoexperiencetheminimum.
Inreality,thisexperienceperfectlydescribesthelivesofmostofthenearly
sixbillionpeopleonplanetEarth.Manyliveononlyfourfunctions:play,stop,
pause,andrewind.Dayafterdaytheygotojobstheyhate,stoptorestinhomes
they despise, pause long enough to vent their frustration, and then play the
gamespeopleplaypretendingtobehappy.
Whatatragedy!Theyneverexperiencethejoyoftheotherfunctionsoftheir
lives, such as developing and refining their skills, fulfilling their God-given
destiny, capturing their purpose for life, making long-range plans, expanding
theirknowledgebase,increasingtheirexposurethroughtravel,andexploringthe
limitsoftheirgifts,talents,andabilities.Theyhavechosentoacceptthefateof
the millions who have resigned themselves to a normal life, with normal
activities, in the company of normal people, striving for normal goals, at a
normalpace,withnormalmotivation,withanormaleducation,taughtbynormal
teachers, who give normal grades, and live in normal homes, with normal
families,leavinganormalheritage,fortheirnormalchildren,whoburythemin
anormalgrave.Whatanormaltragedy.
IamconvincedthatourCreatorneverintendedforustobenormal—thatis,
togetlostinthecrowdof“thenorm.”Thisisevidencedbythefactthatamong
the 5.8 billion people on this planet, no two individuals are alike; their
fingerprints, genetic code, and chromosome combinations are all distinct and
unique. In reality, God created all people to be originals, but we continue to
becomecopiesofothers.Toooftenwearesopreoccupiedwithtryingtofitin,
thatweneverstandout.
You were designed to be distinctive, special, irreplaceable, and unique, so
refusetobe“normal”!Gobeyondaverage!Donotstrivetobeaccepted,rather
strivetobeyourself.Shuntheminimum;pursuethemaximum.Utilizeallyour
functions—maximizeyourself!UseyourselfupforthegloryofyourCreator.I
admonishyou:Dieempty.Diefulfilledbydyingunfilled.
Thisbookiswrittenforthe“normal”personwhowishestoexceedthenorm.
Itisforthe“ordinary”individualwhohasdeterminedtobe“extra-ordinary.”It
isfortheindividualjustlikeyouwhoknowsthatsomewheredeepinside,there
isstillsomuchyouhavenotreleased:somuchyettodo,somuchlefttoexpose,
somuchtomaximize.
Livelifewithallyourmight;giveitallyouhave.Doituntilthereisnothing
lefttodobecauseyouhavebecomeallyouwerecreatedtobe,doneallyouwere
designedto do, and givenall you weresent to give.Be satisfied withnothing
lessthanyourbest.
Whateveryourhandsfindtodo,doitwithallyourmightuntotheLord.
Introduction
One of the greatest tragedies in life is to watch potential die untapped. A
greatertragedyistowatchpotentialliveunreleased.Howsadtoknowthatthe
majority of the people on this planet will never discover who they really are,
whileotherswillsettleforonlyaportionoftheirtrueself.Onlyaselectfewwill
makethequalitydecisiontomaximizeeveryfiberoftheirlivesbyfullyusing
theirgifts,talents,abilities,andcapabilities.Thiswecallmaximumliving.Each
oneofushastheopportunitytopursuemaximumliving.Thequestionis,Will
wechoosetoexercisethatoption?
Livingtothemaximumchallengesusallbecausemuchofourenvironment
is not conducive to this pursuit. In every society there are traditions, norms,
social expectations, customs, and value systems that impact, shape, mold,
suppress, control, and in some cases, oppress the natural gifts, talents,
capabilities, and potential of its members. This process starts even from the
beginningoflife.Evenanewborninfantreceivessubtlemessagesofcommunity
expectations from parents, siblings, and other family members that in many
casesstifleandlimitthechild’sawesomepotential.
Potential screams for release inthe soul of every human being who enters
thisplanet.Everyindividualisalivingtreasurechest.Eachpersonarriveslikea
brand-newproductfromamanufacturer,equippedtoperformandfulfillallthe
demands placed on him by the Creator. This is the reason why the natural
instincttodreamissopervasiveinchildren.
Dreamsarevisualmanifestationsoftheseedsofdestinyplantedinthespirit
and soul of each human by his Creator. This preoccupation with ideas and
imaginationinyouthisevidencethatwearecreatedwiththecapacityandability
to conceive visions and aspirations that extend beyond our present reality.
Perhapsit isthis inherentabilityto explorethe impossiblefor thepossibilities
thatJesusChrist,themostmaximizedmanwhoeverlived,referredtowhenHe
stated,“...unlessyouchangeandbecomelikelittlechildren,youwillneverenter
thekingdomofheaven”(Matthew18:3).
This simple yet profound command embodies a principle that captures the
spirit of maximizing one’s self. It implies that the average adult, through the
process of growth and development, has lost the free-spirited, open-minded,
inquisitive, explorative, daring, believing, and uninhibited nature of a child. It
indicates that the ability to dream and explore possibilities diminishes in the
courseofgrowthtoadulthood.ItalsocommunicatestheheartanddesireofGod
our Creator that the ability to dream big and dare to attempt the seemingly
impossible would be restored in all men and maintained throughout their
lifetime.
Asstatedearlier,mostofoursocialandculturalenvironmentworksagainst
ourdreamsandminimizesthemagnitudeandscopeofthevisioninourhearts.
Wearetrainedmentallyandspirituallytofearourdreamsanddoubtourdestiny.
Wearediscouragedintobelievingthatourpassionforgreatnessisabnormaland
our aspirations are suspect. The result of this human “counter-development”
process is that the majority of the earth’s population lives under the spell and
debilitatingpowerofthespectercalled“fear.”
Fear is the source of ninety percent of the lack of progress and personal
development in the lives of millions of gifted, talented, and resourceful
individuals. Many experts in the field of human behavior have stated that the
fear of failure and the fear of success are the two most powerful and most
prevalent fears experienced by the human family. The great politician, King
Solomon,statesitthisway:
Fearofmanwillprovetobeasnare[trapofrestriction],butwhoevertrusts
intheLord[intheassessmentofhisCreator]iskeptsafe(Proverbs29:25).
Inotherwords,whenwebelievetheopinionsofmenandtheirassessmentof
ourability,theseperceptionsandopinionsimprisonusandeventuallybecomea
trapthatimpedesandlimitsthemaximizationofourtruepotential.
It is reported that the newspaper counselor, Ann Landers, receives an
average of 10,000 letters each month. Nearly all these letters are from people
who are burdened with problems. When Landers was asked if one type of
problemispredominantintheseletters,sherepliedthatfearistheoneproblem
above all others. People fear losing their health and their loved ones. Many
potentially great men and women are afraid of life itself. They never attempt
theirdreamsbecausetheyfearfailure.Othersfailtostrivefortheiraspirations
because they fear success and the responsibilityand accountability that comes
withanymeasureofsuccess.
Therefore,thepotentialthatistrappedwithinmanyhumantreasurehousesis
suffocated, buried, suppressed, and lost to the world. Most people live at
minimum performance, willing to do only what is necessary to survive. They
livetogetby,nottogetaheadinlife.Theymaintainthestatusquoinsteadof
raisingthestandardinlife.Theydoonlywhatisrequiredandexpected.
Whatasadanddepressingwaytolive.Ichallengeyoutostepawayfromthe
crowdofthosewhomaintain,andjointhefewwhoarecommittedtoattaining
theirfullpotentialbyendeavoringtomaximizetheirabilities.Afterall,whoelse
canliveyourlifebutyou?Whocanfullyrepresentyouexceptyou?Iadmonish
youtounearthyourselfandshareyourtreasurewiththeworld.
AfewyearsagoIwasinvitedtothebeautifulnationofBraziltoaddressa
leadership conference. During my stay there, my host took me to visit a little
town made famous by a sculptor who had lost both hands to the disease of
leprosy. As a young man stricken with this horrible disease, he would sit for
manyhoursand watchhisfatherwork inhiswoodcarving shop.Onedaythe
youngmandecidedtotrainhimselftocarveandsculptwoodwithhisfeetand
thepartsofhisarmshehadnotlosttotheleprosy.
Theresilientspiritofthisyoungmanreleasedhisuntappedpotential,andhis
work gave evidence that trapped within this cripple was one of the greatest
artiststheworldhaseverknown.IstoodinamazementanddisbeliefasIviewed
someofhismagnificentworksofwood,installedinthemostbeautifulchurches
inthatcity.WealsovisitedhisrenditionofthemajorOldTestamentprophets,12
life-sized carvings that are displayed as one of Brazil’s most admired national
treasures.
TearsfilledmyeyesasIwastoldthestoryofthisgreathandlesssculptor.I
could not butthink of the millions of people whohave bothhands, arms, and
feet in perfect working condition, but who fail to leave anything to their
generation.Thissculptorisevidenceandtestimonythatburiedwithineachofus
ispotentialthatcanbemaximizedifwearewillingtogobeyondourfears,to
overcomethenormsandopinionsofsociety,tohurdlethefabricatedbarriersof
prejudice, and to defy the naysayers. There is no handicap except that of our
minds.Thereisnolimittoourpotentialexceptthatwhichisself-imposed.
JesusChrist,thespecimenofhumanitywhobestdemonstratedtheunlimited
nature of the potential in mankind, said, “Everything is possible for him who
believes” (Mark 9:23b). What daring spirit this statement ignites. It makes us
questionourownlimitationsanddisagreewithourfears.
It is a known fact that every manufacturer designs his product to fulfill a
specific purpose and equips it with the necessary components and ability to
function according to that purpose. Therefore, the potential of a product is
determinedandestablishedbythepurposeforwhichthemanufacturermadeit.
Thisverysameprincipleisinherentthroughoutcreation.TheMasterCreatorand
Designer establishedHis purpose for each itemin creation and builtinto each
the ability or potential to perform and fulfill that purpose or assignment. For
example, the purpose for seeds is to produce plants; therefore, by design, all
seeds possess the ability and potential to produce plants. This ability to
reproducedoesnot,however,guaranteethattheseedwillproduceaplant.This
isthetragedyofnature.Thedestructionofaseedisinessencetheterminationof
aforest.
ThisprinciplecanbeappliedtoallGod’screatedbeings.Forexample,your
lifeisaresultofapurposeinthemindofGodthatrequiresyourexistence.You
were created because there is something God wants done that demands your
presence on this planet. You were designed and dispatched for destiny. This
destiny and purpose is also the key to your ability. You were created with the
inherentabilities,talents,gifts,andinclinationstofulfillthispurpose.Justasa
birdisdesignedtofly,afishtoswim,andanappletreetobearfruit,evensoyou
possessthepotentialtobeallyouwereborntobe.Yourlifehasthepotentialto
fulfillyourpurpose.
You,andeveryotherindividual,possesstheresponsibilityforthisawesome
treasure buried within, because this treasure within you can be fully released
onlyifyouarewillingtobelieveandacceptGod’sdreamforyourlife.Ifyouare
willingtosubmittoHiswillandpurposeforyourdestinyandtocooperatewith
Hisspecifications,nothingwillbeimpossibleforyou.
Determinenottobesatisfiedwithanythinglessthanthefullaccomplishment
ofyour dream. Surrenderto the demandsthat maximizeyour potential sothat
none of your assignment is left undone when you leave this planet. The
responsibilitytousewhatGodhasstoredwithinyouisyoursalone.
Many individuals are aware of their ability and potential, but they have
becomefrustratedanddisillusionedbyeithertheirpastfailuresorthenegative
influenceofothers.Theyhavechosentolimitorwithholdthewonderfulgiftthe
Creatorhasinvestedinthem.Therefore,Istronglyurgeyoutoriseupfromyour
temporaryfears,shakeyourself,andstepoutonceagainontheroadtobeingand
becomingyourtrueself.
Manislikeanonion.
Hispotentialisexposedonelayeratatimeuntilallheis,isknownby
all.
ChapterOne
WhyMaximize?
Nothing is more irritating, guilt-producing, and incriminating than an
unfinishedbook;livetoyourlastchapter.
Itwasfouro’clockonacold,wet,wintermorning.Thesnowhadturnedto
mush,thewindblewwithavengeance,andtheentiredayseemeddestinedtobe
a source of depression. The small town appeared to be drugged as farmers,
storekeepers,andstreetsweepersdraggedthemselvestotheirplacesofbusiness.
Suddenly,ayoungboyabout12yearsofageappearedonthetime-weathered,
cobble-stoned sidewalk, skipping along as he clutched an old cello case. The
smile and quick stride revealed his anxiety and anticipation of reaching his
intendeddestination.
Thelittleboy’snamewasPabloCasals.Hisinterestinandcommitmentto
musicatsuchanearlyageinspiredevenhisteacherandprovedtobetheseedof
destiny for one of the world’s greatest cellists. Through the years, his work,
accomplishments, and achieve -ments have been testimonies of greatness that
standworthyofemulation.Millionshaveenjoyedhisliveperformances;history
willalwaysholdaplaceforhisineffablework.
Yet,afteralifetimeofdistinguishedachievements,PabloCasals,atage85,
continuedtoriseearlyandspendmostofthedaypracticinghiscello.Whenhe
was asked during an interview why he continued to practice five hours a day,
Casalsreplied,“BecauseIthinkI’mgettingbetter.”
Greatmindsandsouls,knowingalwaysthatwhattheyhavedonemustnever
beconfusedwithwhattheycanyetdo,neversettleforgreatwork.Asamatter
offact,theconceptofretirementisagreatmyththattrapstheuntappedpotential
buried in millions of talented, gifted, and valuable individuals. This Western
concepthascausedmanygreatmenandwomentosettlefortheaverageandto
succumbtothemediocrityofthesociallyacceptedstandardsofsuccess.Please
note, however, that all individuals throughout history who have left their
footprintsinthesandsofdestinyweredrivenbyapassiongreaterthanthedesire
forpersonalcomfort.
Pablo Casals reminds us of the monumental character of men and women
such as Abraham, the biblical patriarch who at 70 years of age, childless and
frustrated, married to a barren woman, and being, with his wife, beyond the
biologicalage ofconceivinga child,accepted thevisionof ababy destinedto
changetheworldandbelieveditwouldcometopass.Abrahamsawthefruitof
hisfaithwhenhewas100yearsold.
Moses, at midlife, changed careers from a sheep-herding fugitive to a
deliverer and national leader of over three million people; by age 120 he had
guidedthemsafelytothebrinkoftheirdestiny.David,thegreatkingofIsrael,
workedinthetwilightofhismanyyearsofexcellentleadershiptomakeplans
for the construction of a magnificent temple for worship, a temple that was
eventuallybuiltbyhissonSolomon.Paul,theunrivaledapostleoftheChurch,
after many years of tremendous hardship, wrote a brief description of his
challengesinalettertothechurchatCorinth.Hestated:
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged
moreseverely,andbeenexposedtodeathagainandagain.FivetimesIreceived
from the Jews the forty lashes minusone. Three timesI wasbeaten withrods,
onceIwasstoned,threetimesIwasshipwrecked,Ispentanightandadayin
theopensea,Ihavebeen constantlyonthe move.Ihave been indanger from
rivers,in dangerfrom bandits, indanger from myown countrymen,in danger
fromGentiles;indangerinthecity,indangerinthecountry,indangeratsea;
andindangerfromfalsebrothers.Ihavelaboredandtoiledandhaveoftengone
withoutsleep;Ihaveknownhungerandthirstandhaveoftengonewithoutfood;
Ihavebeencoldandnaked(2Corinthians11:23b-27).
Thenthisgreatleaderexclaims:“Whoisweak,andIdonotfeelweak?”(2
Corinthians11:29a)
Retirementwasneveraconceptinthemindsoftheseworldchangers.Asa
matter of fact, the apostle Paul, while spending his final days in prison under
housearrestbyorderofthegovernmentofRome,refusedtoretireorsuccumbto
the environmental restrictions of age, imprisonment, and threats. Instead, he
spenttherestofhis dayswritingbeautiful,life-changing,historicaldocuments
thatconstitutethree-quartersoftheNewTestamentandformthebasisofmostof
thedoctrineoftheChristianChurchtoday.
Retirementisneveraconceptinthemindsofworldchangers.
Like Pablo Casals, the apostle Paul believed that no matter what he had
done,accomplished, achieved,or experiencedin thepast, therewas alwaysso
muchmoreleftwithintodevelop,release,andexpress.Theybothbelievedthat
theenemyofbetterisbest,andthetomboftheextra-ordinaryistheordinary.
LifEIsButaCupofDRiNk
Paul’sperceptionoflife,andtheresponsibilityofeachofustomaximizelife
toitsfullestpotential,isexpressedinhisfinallettertoTimothy.Tothisfavorite
youngstudent,hewrote:
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has
comeformydeparture.Ihavefoughtthegoodfight,Ihavefinishedtherace,I
havekeptthefaith(2Timothy4:6-7).
Paul likened his life to the ceremonial drink offering administered by the
priestintheOldTestamentritualsofthetemple,inwhichthepriestfilledacup
withwineandceremoniallypoureditoutatintervalsintheserviceuntilthecup
was completely empty. Using this example, Paul gives a very effective
illustrationofhowourlivesshouldbelived.
YourlifeislikeacupofdrinkservedtotheworldbyourgreatCreator.The
drink is the awesome, untapped, valuable, destiny-filled treasure, gifts, and
talentsofpotentialburiedwithinyou.Everyminute,day,month,andyearisan
intervalofopportunityprovidedbyGodforthepouringoutofanotherportionof
yourselfuntilyouhaveexposedallHisprecioustreasurethatmakesyouunique.
Thisiscalledmaximumliving.
True success is not a project but a journey. The spirit of achievement is
guidedbythenotionthatsuccessisaninstallmentplanonwhichwemakedaily
paymentsuntilwemaximizeourselves.Thissuccessbeginswhenweunderstand
andacceptthatlifeisaprocessofgrowinganddeveloping.Thus,lifeismeantto
be a never-ending education, a journey of discovery and adventure, an
explorationintoourGod-givenpotentialforHisglory.
>TheMaximumofMEdiocritY
What does it mean to maximize? What is maximum? The word maximum
maybedefinedas“supreme,greatest,highest,andultimate.”Itissynonymous
with such concepts as pinnacle, preeminence, culmination, apex, peak, and
summit.Itimpliesthehighestdegreepossible.Justabrieflookattheseconcepts
immediatelyconvictsusofthemanyopportunitieswehaveabusedandforfeited
becausewehavefailedorhaverefusedtogiveourall.
This failure to do our best, to go beyond the expectations of others, to
expressourselvesfully,toliveuptoourtruepotential,toextendourselvestothe
limit of our abilities, to give it all we have, to satisfy our own convictions, is
called mediocrity. Simply put, mediocrity is living below our known, true
potential.Itis acceptingthenorm,pleasing thestatusquo,and doingwhatwe
cangetby with.Therefore,to maximizeis toexpress, expose, experience,and
executeallthe hidden,God-given abilities,talents,gifts,and potentialthrough
God’svisionbreathedinoursoulstofulfillHispurposeforourlivesonearth.
Mediocrityislivingbelowourknown,truepotential.
Howtragicthatmostofthenearlysixbillionpeopleonthisplanetwillsettle
foranaveragelifelimitedonlyby theirunwillingnesstoextendthemselvesto
thesummitoftheirownselves.Anythinglessthanmaximumismediocrity.In
otherwords,mediocritymay bedefined asthe regionof ourlives boundedon
the north by compromise, on the south by indecision, on the east by past
thinking, and on the west by a lack of vision. Mediocrity is the spirit of the
average,theanthemofthenorm,andtheheartbeatoftheordinary.Mediocrityis
so common and pervasive that those who are labeledas genius or exceptional
havetodoonlyalittleextra.
Remember, we were created to be above average, unnormal, and
extraordinary.Godneverintendedforsuccessinourlivestobemeasuredbythe
opinionofothersorthestandardssetbythesocietyinwhichwelive.Infact,the
Scriptures instruct us not to “conform any longer to the pattern [standards] of
this world, but [to] be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind” (Romans
12:2a).Tomaximizeourselves,wewillfinditnecessarytodeclareindependence
fromtheworldofthenormandtoresistthegravityoftheaverageinorderto
enjoytheouterlimitsofthenewfrontiersofourabilities.Whydosomanyofus
settle for mediocrity? The answer is found in what I call the curse of
comparison.
>TheCurseofComparison
AfewyearsagoIwasinvitedtospeakataseriesofseminarsinGermanyfor
aperiodofthreemonths.Ilivedwithawonderfulfamily,whohostedmywife
andme.DuringthattimeIwasabletoexperiencetherichheritageandcultureof
Deutschland. Among the many wonderful memories I still carry is a lesson I
learnedabouttheprincipleofmaximization.Itoccurredduringmyfirstpersonal
experiencewithGermany’sworld-famousautobahn(expressway).
The autobahn is a network of roads, without speed restrictions, that
crisscrossGermanyandmanyotherneighboringcountries.Onedayaswewere
travelingfromacityinnorthernGermanytothesouth,myhostaskedifIwould
liketoexperiencedrivingwithoutaspeedlimitation.Thisfeltlikeadreamcome
true, so after filling up with petrol, I took the driver’s seat and entered the
autobahn.
AtfirstIwasexcited,thrilled,andanxiousasIfeltadrenalinerushthrough
my entire body. The feeling of having the responsibility for power without
externally imposed limits also brought other mixed emotions, including
temporary confusion.All I had learned from my past concerningspeed limits,
fear of violation, and restrictions imposed by the law as I knew it began to
wrestle with my newly found freedom. In essence, the possibility of using
maximumpowerwaschallengedbymylearnedknowledgeoflimitation.Iwas
trappedbytheconditioningofmypastandhandicappedbythefearofunlimited
possibilities.
As the pressure of my foot accelerated the engine, I glanced down at the
speedometer and noted that it was registering 80 mph. Being an experienced
driverformorethan25years,ImustconfessthatIhadpreviouslydrivenover
80mphandhadevenflirtedwith90mphonoccasion.Now,hereIwaswithan
openinvitationtomaximizetheabilityofthecar.Asothercarsracedpassedme
with the ease of a low flying jet, I watched as my speed gauge tilted past 80
mph.Myhostsmiledandasked,“Whatareyouafraidof?We’restillstanding
still.”
Notwantingtofeelintimidatedby thisopportunity,Ifurtherdepressedthe
pedalandfeltthethrillofacartravelingat115mph.Wordscannotdescribethe
awesome power and pride I felt controlling the speed and direction of such
ability. I was beginning to feel proud of myself as we raced through the
mountainsandlushgreenfoliageoftheBlackForest.Iwasontopoftheworld.
Whocouldcatchmenow?Ihadarrived.Iwasthekingoftheroad,masterofthe
highway.
ThisfeelingofsupremacywasfurtherenhancedeverytimeIpassedanother
vehicle.Infact,Iheardmyselfsayingeverytimewepassedanothercar,“Why
don’t they pull over, park, and let a real driver through?” There I was. I had
achievedtheultimate.Ihadsetarecordformyself.Ihadpassedeveryoneelse.I
wasthebest.
Suddenly, after approximately 20 minutes of driving, a Mercedes Benz
cruisedpastmeat150mph,seeminglycomingoutofnowhere.Instantly,Ifelt
likeIwasstandingstill.Myhostturnedtomeandsaidwithachuckle,“Soyou
see,youarenottravelingasfastasyoucan,butonlyasfastasyouwill.”
Ashiswordslodgedinmymind,Iquicklybegantounderstandthecurseof
comparison and the limitations of self-pride. From this experience, I learned
three lessons that have become the foundations of my thinking concerning
successandeffectiveliving.
1.Theprincipleofcapacity
The true capacity of a product is determined not by the user but the
manufacturer.Theautomobilewasbuiltwiththecapacitytotravelat180mph;
therefore its full potential was determined by the manufacturer. The true
potential of the car was not affected by my opinion of its ability or by my
previousexperiencewithdriving.WhetherornotIusedthefullcapacityofthe
car’senginedidnotreduceitspotentialcapacity.
The same principle applies to your life. God created you like He did
everything else, with the capacityto fulfill your purpose. Therefore, your true
capacity is not limited, reduced, or altered by the opinion of others or your
previousexperience.Youarecapableofattainingthetotalaptitudegiventoyou
by your Creator to fulfill His purpose for your life. Therefore, the key to
maximizingyourfullpotentialistodiscoverthepurposeorreasonforyourlife
andcommittoitsfulfillmentatallcost.
Yourtruecapacityis notlimited,reduced,oralteredbythe opinion of
othersoryourpreviousexperience.
The apostle Paul, in a letter to the church at Corinth, spoke of the hidden
secretwisdomofourdestinythatisinvestedineachofusbyourCreatorGod.
No, wespeak of God’s secret wisdom, awisdom that has beenhidden and
thatGoddestinedforourglorybeforetimebegan.Noneoftherulersofthisage
understoodit,for iftheyhad,they wouldnothavecrucified the Lord ofglory.
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has
conceivedwhatGodhaspreparedforthosewholoveHim"(1Corinthians2:7-
9).
The implication in verse 9 is that no human has the right or the ability to
fullydetermineormeasurethecapacityofthepotentialyoupossess.
2.Theprincipleofcomparison.
One of the most significant mistakes humans make is comparison— the
measuring of oneself against the standards, work, or accomplishments of
another. This exercise is fruitless, demeaning, and personally tragic because it
places our true potential at the mercy of others, giving them the right to
determineanddefineoursuccess.
WhenIwasdrivingontheautobahn,Iwasinapositionofgreatsuccessand
achievementifIcomparedmyselftothedriversIovertook.Yet,eventhoughI
wasleadingalltheothers,Iwasstillnotoperatingatmycar’sfullpotential.The
car’s true capacity was 180 mph, and I was traveling at 115 mph. When I
comparedmycar’sperformancetoalltheothers,Iwasleadingthepack;Icould
havebeenconsideredasuccessintheireyesbecauseIwastravelingfasterthan
all of them. When I compared my car’s performance to its true capacity,
however,IwasnottrulysuccessfulbecauseIwastravelingbelowthemaximum
speedbuiltintothecarbythemanufacturer.
Thelessonhereisthattruesuccessisnotmeasuredbyhowmuchyouhave
doneoraccomplishedcomparedtowhatothershavedoneoraccomplished;true
successiswhatyouhavedonecomparedtowhatyoucouldhavedone.Inother
words,livingtothemaximumiscompetingwithyourself.It’slivinguptoyour
own true standards and capabilities. Success is satisfying your own personal
passionandpurposeinpursuitofpersonalexcellence.Infact,youmustalways
remembertoperformforanaudienceofone,theLordyourCreator.
Truesuccess is what you havedone comparedto whatyou could have
done.
Consciouslyapplyingthisprincipletoourlivescandomuchtofreeusfrom
theimmobilizingcultureandenvironmentofoursociety,whichstrivestocontrol
usthroughcomparison.Fromtheearlyyearsofchildhood,wearecomparedto
our sisters and brothers, the neighbor’s children, or some other person. This
comparativespiritcontinuesonintoourteenandadultyears,developingintoa
sophisticated dehumanizing state of competition. The result is traumatizing
because we spend most of our lives trying to competewith others, comparing
our achievements with those of our peers, and attempting to live up to their
standards of acceptance. Instead of being ourselves, we become preoccupied
withbeingwhoothersdictateweshouldbe.
If we succumb to this temptation, we will be reminded, just like the
MercedesBenzremindedmeofmymediocrity,thattherewillalwaysbesome
people whom we exceed and others who outpace us. If we compete with
ourselvesandnotwithothers,thenitdoesnotmatterwhoisbehindusorahead
ofus;ourgoalistobecomeandachieveallwearecapableofbeinganddoing,
andthisbecomesthemeasureofoursatisfaction.
TheapostlePaul,thegreatleaderoftheChurch,commentedonthiscritical
issue:
We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend
themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare
themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast
beyondproperlimits,butwillconfineourboastingtothefieldGodhasassigned
tous...(2Corinthians10:12-13).
TohisfriendsinGalatiaPaulfurtherreiteratesthisprinciplebydeclaring,
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Eachoneshouldtesthisownactions.Thenhecantakeprideinhimself,without
comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load
[responsibility](Galatians6:3-5).
These statements strongly admonish us not to compete with others or to
compare our talents with their abilities or potential, since we are responsible
onlyforourpotential,nottheirs.Thestoryoftheservantswiththetalentsclearly
confirms this personal responsibility (see Matthew 25:14-30). Therefore, our
principalgoalinlifeshouldbetodiscoverGod’swillandpurposeforourlives
andtocompleteourassignmentwithexcellence.
3.Theprincipleofexperience.
Experience may be defined as “the observation of facts as a source of
knowledgeandskillgainedbycontactwithfactsandevents.”Byitsverynature,
experienceisaproductofthepastandis,therefore,limitedtoandcontrolledby
previous exposure. In spite of the fact that experience may be valuable for
makingdecisionsandjudgmentsconcerningthefuture,itisimportanttoknow
that any significant measurement of growth, development, expansion, or
advancementwillrequireexperiencetosubmittothesubstanceoftheunknown
throughfaith.
Unfortunately,experiencehascompelledmanypromisingpeopletocowerin
theshadowsoffearandfailurebecausetheywerenotwillingtoventureoutinto
theunchartedfrontiersofnewpossibilities.Experienceisgivennottodetermine
thelimitsofourlives,buttocreateabetterlifeforus.Experienceisatooltobe
used!
Myexperiencewithdrivingovertheyearshadconditionedmetodriveacar
monitoredbythespeedlimitsestablishedbythesociety.Therefore,mydriving
capacityhadbecomesubjecttotheacceptednormsof45-60mph.ThefactthatI
have driven my cars at 45-60 mph for over 25 years does not cancel the
automobile’scapacitytotravelat100-180mph.Inessence,experiencedoesnot
cancelcapacity.
Therefore,mycar’scapacityisdeterminednotbymyuseofthatcapacitybut
bythecapacitybuiltintothecarbythemanufacturer.
Experiencedoesnotcancelcapacity.
Thisisalsotrueofourlives.Atanypointinourlives,wearethesumtotal
of all the decisions we have made, the people we have met, the exposure we
havehad,andthefactswehavelearned.Inessence,everyhumanisawalking
history book. Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that our personal history is
being made and recorded every day, and our past experience was once our
future. Therefore, we must be careful not to allow our past to determine the
qualityofourfuture.Instead,wemustuseourexperiencetohelpusmakebetter
decisions,alwaysguardingagainstthepossibilitythatitmaylimitourdecisions.
Remember,yourabilityisneverlimitedtoyourexperience.
Thisworldisfilledwithmillionsofindividualswhoarecapableoftraveling
atamaximumcapacityof180mph,buttheyhavesettledfor55mph.Because
they have overtaken some folks or have exceeded the expectations of a few
others, they have compared their lives to these persons and have accepted
mediocrityasexcellence.
Determinenottoletyourpastexperiencelimityourcapacity.Begratefulfor
thelessonsofthepast,thenacceleratewithconfidenceontotheautobahnoflife,
being careful to obey only those signs that have been established by your
Creator,whoadmonishesyou,“Allthingsarepossibleifyouonlybelieve”(see
Mark9:23).
>DissatisfactionWithaFraction
Oneoflife’sgreattragediesisthatthemajorityoftheworld’spopulationis
composed of individuals who have negotiated an agreement with mediocrity,
signedacontractwiththeaverage,andpledgedallegiancetotheordinary.They
haveresolvednevertobemorethansocietyhasmadethemordomorethanis
expected.Whatatragedyofdestiny.Godexpectsmore!
Inside of every human being is a deep call of destiny to do something
worthwhile with our lives. The urge to accomplish great things and engage in
significantendeavorsisthegermofpurposeplantedbyGodintheheartofman.
Whythendowesettleforsolittle?Whydoweabandonourdreamsanddeny
our purpose? Why do we live below our privilege, buried in the cemetery of
wishfulthinkingandemptyregrets?
Aswehaveseen,onereasonwefailtoprogressinfulfillingourpurposeis
satisfactionwithourpresentmeasureofsuccess.Thebeliefthatwehavearrived
isthedeterrentthatkeepsusfromgettingtoourdestination.Asecondpartofthe
answerliesinthefactthatwehaveacceptedthepresentstateofourlivesasthe
bestwecandounderthecircumstances.
This concept, “under the circumstances,” serves to imprison us and to
immobilizeourGod-givenambitionbecausetoomanyofushavesurrenderedto
thestatusquoandhavebecomeprisoners ofthewarforourminds.Weforget
that“circumstances”aresimplytemporaryarrangementsoflifetowhichweare
all exposed. We overlook or disregard the fact that these circumstances are
designed to identify, expose, develop, refine, and maximize our true potential.
It’s not what happens to us that matters, but what we do with what happens.
Much of the time we are not responsible for our circumstances, but we are
always responsible for our response to those circumstances. One key to
maximizingyourpotentialistobecomedissatisfiedwiththecircumstancesthat
restrict,limit,andstifleyourpotential.
Many people know that they possess great potential, that they have a
significantpurposeinlife,buttheystillfailtomovebeyondgoodintentionsto
experiencethefullness oftheirlives.Why? Theircomfortis greaterthantheir
passion.Theyaremoreconcernedwithfittinginthanwithstandingout.
Remember,youwillneverchangeanythingthatyouarewillingtotolerate.
Your Creator wants you to consciously choose to fulfill your purpose and
maximizeyourpotentialbecauseinsodoingyouwillbringglorytoHisname.
Unfortunately,historygivesevidenceofonlyafewrareindividualswho,driven
by a passion to achieve a cherished vision in their hearts, initiated their own
deliverance,roseabovethetideofthenorm,andimpactedtheirgenerationand
ours.
Asecondsignificantkeytomaximizingpotentialistheunassumingbenefits
of“crisis.”Crises,asdefinedbyauthorDickLeider,arelife’s“wake-up”calls.
Thesealarmsareoftenthecatalyststhatimpelustobecomefullyconsciousof
ourmediocrelives.
Crisesarelife’swake-upcalls.
Howmanystorieshaveyouheardaboutindividualswho,afteraclosecall
withdeathordisease,suddenlychangetheirlifestylesandtheirattitudetoward
life?Oftentheirpriorities,andsometimestheirentirevaluesystem,change.The
biblical record bears witness to the efficacy of a crisis to get people back on
track. Beginning with Abraham, and continuing on to Joseph, Moses, David,
Jonah,Peter,andmostsignificantlytheapostlePaul,Godusedtheinterjectionof
amajorcrisistoleadtheseheroesoffaithtomovebeyondmediocritytolifeat
themaximum.
Remember,wecannotbecomewhatwewereborntobebyremainingwhat
weare. Just as the mother eagle removes the comforts of her feathery nest to
“disturb” the young eaglets into flying, so our Creator moves us beyond our
comfort zones so that we are forced to fly. Without this stirring, most of us
wouldneverfly.
Aneaglethatdoesn’tflycannotfulfillitspurpose.Likewise,yourlifewill
lack purpose and focus until you discover your wings. This discovery will
requirebothwisdomandcouragebecausethethrillofflyingalwaysbeginswith
thefear offalling. Yetyou arenot leftalone tofind yourwings becauseGod,
throughtheprophetMoses,promisestoundertakeforyou.
Likeaneaglethatstirsupitsnestandhoversoveritsyoung,thatspreadsits
wingstocatchthemandcarriesthemonitpinions.TheLordalone[leadsyou]
(Deuteronomy32:11-12a).
Hewillgivedefinitiontothecrisesofyourlifeandinspireyoutomoveon
intoallHehasplannedforyou.Indeed,thegreatestgiftGodcanofferyouisto
push you into a crisis of temporary discomfort that requires you to try your
wings. This pushing into crisis is His supreme act of love, akin to that of a
mothereaglethatpushesheryoungfromthenesttoforcethemtofly.
Don’tbeapigeonifyouwereborntobeaneagle.
ExperienceGod’saltitudeforyourlife.
Principles
1.Whatyouhavedonedoesnotequalthesumofwhatyoucando.
2.Successisajourneyofdiscoveryandadventureasyouexploreyour
God-givenpotential.
3. Mediocrity acceptsthe norm,pleasesthe crowd, anddoeswhat it
cangetbywith.Maximumlivingpushesthenorm,pleasesGod,andsetsthe
standardofexcellence.
4.Thecapacityofyourpotentialisnotdeterminedbywhatyouhave
doneorwhatothersthinkaboutwhatyouhavedone.
5.Theperformanceoropinionsofotherscannotmeasureyoursuccess.
6.Yourpastexperiencecannotmeasureyourfuturesuccess.
7. Circumstances and crises are God’s tools to move you into your
purposeandthemaximizingofyourpotential.
ChapterTwo
HowToBecomeYourPotential
Whatyouhavedoneisonlyamerefractionofwhoyouare.
Slowlytheyoungmanworkedhiswaythroughthebrushandtheyoungtrees
that had grown up through the cracked foundation of the dilapidated house.
Cobwebsfilledopeningswherewindowshadoncebeenandhornets’nestsclung
to the scorched beams of the floor above. A partially burned-out staircase
hoveredinthecornerandabrokenoillamplaydashedonthefirststep.Yearsof
dirt and debris littered the floor, with an occasional wildflower providing a
discordantnoteofcharmandwarmth.
Atthebaseofthestaircase,theyoungmanhalted.Daredhetrytoclimbthe
stairstothemainfloorabove?Hedoubtedtherottedwoodwouldholdhim,yet
thedesiretogohigherimpelledhimcautiouslyon.Foryearshehadwantedto
explore this shellof a house, but his mother had strictlyforbade it, reminding
himthatthe forlorngatetothe fencethatsurroundedthe propertycontaineda
faded“NoTrespassing”signandwarninghimthatitwasnotsafe.
How long the house had stood this way, he didn’t know, for within his
memoryithadalwaysbeenso.Todaynoonecouldstophim,however,foronly
afewhoursbeforehehadboughtthelandonwhichthehousestood.
Moving carefully from one step to another, testing each before putting his
fullweightuponit,theyoungmangingerlymountedthestairs.Hereandthere
heskippedastepthatthreatenedtogivewaybeneathhim.Atthetop,hepaused
tosurveythecharredremainsthatsurroundedhim.
He stood at the end of a long room that appeared to have once been a
kitchen. Broken pottery and twisted metal littered the floor. A warped
candlesticklayontheedgeofwhatmusthavebeenthefamilytable.Hereand
there scraps of material waved in the breeze that blew through the paneless
windows.Nearlyonewholewalloftheroomwasmissing,gapingintoaroom
beyond. Though he wondered what that room might reveal, a step in that
direction quickly changed the explorer’s mind, for his foot went through the
floor. Light streaming from the room beyond suggested that little remained of
thatpartofthehouse.
Turning to his left, the young man discovered a long hallway with an
opening on either side. Here the floor creaked beneath his step, but it did not
giveway.Theopeningtotheleftrevealedaroomdominatedbyamassivestone
fireplace.Partsofthechimneyhadtumbledontotherusted,sootygrate,andthe
filth on the hearth warned that many birds had built their nests within the
chimney’sshelter.Theonlyfurnitureintheroomwasthecrumblingremainsofa
smalltable.
Theopeningtotheright,fartherdownthehall,revealedasmallsittingroom
withthehulksofrottingfurnitureleaningagainsttwowalls.Stripsofblackened
wallpaperhungfromtheceiling,butthewallscontainednogapingholesashad
theothertworooms.Backingquicklyfromtheroomwhenaratscurriedacross
the floor through the carpet of leaves that had blown through the broken
windows,theyoungmanturnedtoretreat.Suddenlyafaintstreakoflightatthe
endofthehallcaughthisattention.
Moving cautiously around the broken boards on the floor, the explorer
movedtowardthehintoflight.Ashenearedtheblackenedwall,herealizedthat
acloseddoorlayattheendofthehallway.Thedoorknobturned,buttherusted
hinges prevented him from opening the door. Though he pushed with all his
strength, the door would not yield. Disappointed, the young man retraced his
steps through the kitchen, down the rickety stairs, and through the cluttered
basement.Ashestartedtoclimbintohiscar,thethoughtcametohim:Thathint
oflightmustmeananopenwindoworaholeinthewall.PerhapsIcouldsee
intotheroomfromthebackofthehouse.
Aftermucheffort,theexplorerstoodatthebackofthehouse,havingworked
hiswayunderthelowbranchesofoldtreesandthroughtheovergrownbushes
andwaist-highweedsthathamperedhisprogress.Asinglewindowadornedthe
backwall.Althoughdirectaccesstothewindowwasdeniedbyhighbushes,a
largetreespreaditslimbswithininchesofthecracked,butnearlywhole,panes.
Inching his way up the tree and out the limb, the explorer gasped with
astonishmentashepeeredthroughthedirtyglass.
This room appeared to have been largely untouched by the fire that had
ravagedtherest ofthehouse.Candlesticks stoodonthe mantleoverthesmall
fireplace,thewaxfromthecandleshaving rundownthestoneontothehearth
below. Books lay open on the desk to the right and curtains hung at a high
windowtotheleft.Althoughthewallswereyellowedwithageandspottedwith
water,theywerenotblacklikethoseoftheroomshehadentered.Whowould
havethoughtsucharoomcouldexistintheotherwiseruinedhouse?
Excitementcoursed through the young man’s veins. Why, thisroom might
revealwhattherestofthehousemusthavelookedlikebeforethefire.Itmight
alsoprovidethecluesheneededtodeterminewhohadlivedhereandwhythe
house had been left to rot instead of being rebuilt. perhaps other treasures
awaitedhiminthepartsoftheroomhecouldnotsee,untappedresourcesthat
wouldhelphimtosolvethemysterythathadalwayssurroundedthehouseinhis
young mind. Wildly his imagination soared as he looked into the unexpected
chamberthatlaybeforehim.
Intimetheyoungmanwithdrewfromhisvantagepointinthetree.Hismind
wasfilledwithwonder,fortheroomheldpossibilitiesbeyondhisgreatesthopes.
perhaps it would afford him the opportunity to fulfill his boyhood dream of
restoringthehousetoitsformergrandeur.Alreadyhewasbusycalculatinghow
he would force open the door at the end of the dark hallway. Then he would
knowmorecertainlythewealthofhisfind.
Potential. The unexposed, untapped, hidden, dormant revelations that lay
beneaththeaccumulateddustandgrimeofmanyyears.Potential.Strengthand
beautythatlayunmarredbytheravagesoffire,wind,andwater.Potential.The
possibilitiesforrebuildingafteryearsofdestruction,decay,andneglect.
Ourlivesare verymuchlike thisdecayinghouse.The strengthandbeauty
GodgavetomenandwomenwhenHecreatedtheminHisimageandlikeness
toooftenarenotevidentinus.Ourmindsareclutteredwithimpurethoughtsand
mixedmotives,ourbodiesareweakenedby theeffectsofbad habitsandpoor
decisions,andourheartsarewarpedbymisplacedtrustandtheabsenceoflove.
Inmanyways,weareemptypeopleworkingourwaythroughtheproblemsand
detoursoflifewithlittlehopethatthingswilleverchange.Thisdiscouragement
anddissatisfactionwithlifeistheresultofourseparationfromGod,aseparation
thatcamewhenAdamandEvesinnedbychoosingtoputtheirownthoughtsand
desires above God’s commandments and promises. (See Genesis 3.) Every
personsharesthistendencytoestablishhiswantsandwilloverGod’s.Therein
liesthesourceofourdiscouragementanddissatisfaction.
Our discouragement anddissatisfaction with life are the results of our
separationfromGod.
God’sintentformenandwomenhasnotchanged,norhasHetakenfromus
the strength and beauty He gave us at birth. These gifts are buried within us,
covered over by the attitudes and assumptions that prevent us from living the
abundant life God planned for us. In effect, many have placed a “No
Trespassing”signovertheirpower,strength,abilities,talents,andcapabilities.
Becausewehaveobeyedthatsign,manyofthepossibilitieswithwhichwewere
bornstillexistwithinus—hiddenanddormant,unusedanduntried.
TreasureinClayPots
ThegreatwriterPaulreferstothishiddenwealthwithinas“treasureinjars
ofclay” (2 Corinthians4:7). The jarmay not look likemuch, but thetreasure
inside it is valuable and priceless. In other words, what people see when they
lookatyouisnotwhoyoutrulyare.Youcanbecomemuchmorethanyounow
are.
WhowouldhavethoughtthatSaulofTarsus,aferventJewwhovigorously
opposed the followers of Jesus, would become Paul the apostle, the greatest
missionary the Church has ever known? Certainly not the Christians he
persecuted—theydidnotexpectanythinggoodfromhim(seeActs9:20—21)—
norSaulhimself.Notinhiswildestimaginingswouldhehaveseenhimselfasa
servantoftheonehedespised.Yet,liketheoldhouse,Saulcontainedadormant
wealththatwasnotevidentundertheoutertrappingsofhismisguidedreligious
fervor.
That same wealth is present in you. You are capable of more than others
expect of you—even beyond your own most extravagant dreams. Unexposed,
dormantpotentialrestsbeneaththesurfaceofyourdailyexistence,waitingtobe
discoveredandreleased.Althoughaccesstothisgreattreasurehasbeenclogged
by sin, the strength and beauty of your potential can be reclaimed. The
destruction, decay, and neglect of years need not continue to hold captive the
realityofwhoGodcreatedyoutobe.
Youarecapableofmorethanothersexpectofyou—evenbeyondyour
ownmostextravagantdreams.
ThisuntoldwealthwithinyouisuniquelyyoursbecauseGodcreatesnotwo
peopleforthesamepurpose.Yourpersonality,abilities,andresourcesareGod’s
gifts,bestowedonyoubeforeHegaveyouthebreathoflife,andtheycontain
the possibility for bringing meaning and fulfillment into your life. They are
available,however,onlytothosewhoputforththeefforttorecoverthemandto
usethemaccordingtotheirGod-givenspecifications.Learningtotapthehidden
wealthofyourpotentialisthegreatesttaskandthemostpressingneedofyour
lifebecauseifyoudonotdiscoverhowtoexposeandusethistreasure,youwill
diewithit.Thiswealth,whichistheall-surpassingpowerofGodwithinyou,is
never given to be buried. God wants you to release all He gave you for the
benefitofothersandtheblessingofyourownlife.Letususethestoriesofthe
ruinedhouseandthelifeoftheapostlePaultoestablishsomekeysyoucanuse
totapintoyourpotential.
KeystoReleasingYourPotential
The explorer in the story of the old house was undoubtedly excited as he
backed away from his perch outside the unexpected room at the back of the
house.Hehadreceivedaglimpseofthehouse’sformergrandeur,apreludeto
understanding theoriginalowner’s dreams and plans whenhe built the house.
Thatglimpsesuggestedthepossibilityofestablishingthenecessarylinktothe
house’spast—beforefire,wind,andwaterhadcausedmajordestruction—that
wouldenablehimtorebuildthehouseaccordingtoitsoriginaldesign.
KnowYourSource
No one knows a product like the manufacturer. If you are going to move
fromwho younoware towhomGod createdyouto be,youtoo mustseekto
understandthenatureofGod’soriginaldesignforyou,beforesinravagedyour
life.Thatunderstandingisnotavailabletoyouunlessyoubecomereconnected
withGod,yourCreator.ApartfromHim,youcannotandwillnotreleaseyour
fullpotentialbecauseHegaveyouthispotentialandHedesignedyoutofulfill
it. You must know God, your Source, if you want to experience a satisfying,
abundantlife.
Saulof Tarsus methis Sourceon theroad to Damascuswhen JesusChrist
spoketohimfromabrightlightthatlefthimblind.Forthreedaysheremained
blindand did noteat ordrink. Hesimply waited beforeGod, wonderingwhat
wouldhappennext.ThenGodsentamannamedAnaniastoplacehishandson
SaultorestorehissightandtobringtheHolySpiritintohislife.Immediately,
somethinglikescalesfellfromSaul’seyesandhecouldseeagain.Itwasduring
this period that the purpose for Paul’s life was revealed to him by his
Creator/Source. After that, Saul spent several days with the disciples in
Damascus,preachingthatJesusistheSonofGodandprovingthatJesusisthe
Messiah.
Whatachange!Fewofuswillexperienceachangeasdramaticasthatwhich
occurredinthemanSaulwhobecamePaul,butachangejustasradical—from
beingself-centeredtoGod-centered—mustoccurinallwhowoulddiscoverand
use their full potential. This is true because the foundation key for releasing
potential is always a relationship with the source or maker of a product. You
musthavealife-changingencounterwiththeOnewhomadeyouifyouwantto
becomewhoyouwerecreatedtobe.
Liketheyoungmanwhocouldnotrestorethehousetoitsformergrandeur
without understanding the builder’s original design and intent, you cannot
exposethegifts,talents,andnaturalabilitiesthatGodputintoyouifyoudonot
becomereconnectedwithHim.AllyoudoandareapartfromGodwillalways
fallshortofthetruevalueandcapacityofyourpotential.Therefore,fulfillment
and value are impossible without Him. Only by returning to your
Source/Manufacturer/CreatorcanyouhopetounlockHispowerwithinyou.You
mustknowyourSourcetobecomeyourpotential.Thisisthefoundationkey.
UnderstandYourFunction
The mode of operation for maximum performance of any product is
determinedandestablishedbythemanufacturer/creator,andmustbeobeyedfor
maximumbenefit.Thus,thesecondkeytoreleasingyourpotentialisknowing
howGodcreatedyoutofunctionandapplyingthatknowledgetoyourlife.No
buildercansuccessfullyrestoreahouseunlesshefirstknowsthespecifications
determinedbythebuilderandthefeaturesprovidedbytheoriginalblueprints.A
shower,forexample,mayfulfillpartofthedesigner’sintentforthebathroom,
butitcannotmatchallthefunctionsofatub.Thus,installingashowerinplace
of a tub would change not only the room’s appearance but also its ability to
providetheintendedfunctionsthatwerebuiltintotheoriginaldesign.
Manwasdesignedtolivebyfaith.God’soriginaldesignformenandwomen
callsforthemtolivefromtheperspectiveoffaithwitheternityintheirhearts.
The Book of Hebrews defines faith as “being sure of what we hope for and
certainofwhatwedonotsee”(Hebrews11:1).ThisisGod’smodeofoperation.
Heisnot influencedbyoutward appearances;neitheris Hispowerdiminished
byseeminglyimpossibleobstacles.
God is not influenced by outward appearances; neither is His power
diminishedbyseeminglyimpossibleobstacles.
The apostle Paul learned the importance of looking beyond what is
immediatelyvisibleandevident.Althoughheencounteredmanysituationsthat
seemedtostandinthewayofhismissiontosharethegoodnewsofJesuswith
those outside the Jewish world, he persevered by focusing on His God-given
task and by relying on the Holy Spirit to guarantee the completion of God’s
plans.Thus,Paultestified,“[I]livebyfaith,notbysight”(2Corinthians5:7).
Your ability to unleash your potential is tied to your willingness to
consistentlylivefromGod’sperspective,whichsawPaultheapostleinSaulthe
murderer.HecreatedyoutoshareHisviewpoint.Ifyouallowtheobstaclesthat
clutteryour pathand the expectationsof othersto discourageyou and tosend
youontimeandenergyconsumingdetours,yourGod-giventalentsandabilities
will be wasted. Learning to function by looking beyond what you now see to
what is yet possible is an important key to releasing your potential. You must
resolvetolivebyfaith.
UnderstandYourPurpose
To fully release your potential, you must discover your corporate and
specificreasonforexistenceandtheaccompanyingassignment.Oneofthefirst
tasksofabuilderwhowantstorestoreanoldhouseistodeterminethepurpose
for each room. Although this purpose may not be immediately evident, the
rebuildingcannotaccuratelyandeffectivelyduplicatetheoriginalbuildingifthe
purposeforeachroomisnotestablished.
Inasimilarmanner,youcannoteffectivelyreleaseyourpotentialifyoudo
notdiscoverGod’spurposeforgivingyoulife.Yourpotentialandyourpurpose
areperfectlyrelatedbecauseGodneverrequiresyoutodoorbesomethingthat
isnotpartofHispurpose.Likewise,HeneverrequiressomethingofyouthatHe
didnot provide forwhen Hecreated you.Yourpotentialenables you tofulfill
yourpurpose,andyourpurposerevealsthepotentialhiddenwithinyou.
Your potential enables you to fulfill your purpose, and your purpose
revealsthepotentialhiddenwithinyou.
Fromhis encounter withChrist on theroad to Damascus tothe end ofhis
life, the apostle Paul knew that he had been called and saved by God for a
specific purpose: “...God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His
grace,waspleasedtorevealHisSoninmesothatImightpreachHimamong
theGentiles.” (Galatians 1:15-16). Similarly, the apostle Peter discovered his
purposewhenJesustoldhimthreetimes,“TakecareofMysheep”(John21:16;
see also John 21:15-18). Both remained faithful to God’s purpose, dedicating
theirlivestoitsaccomplishmentandconformingtheiractionstoitsfulfillment.
Youareliketheseapostles.YoutoohaveapurposesetforthbyGodandthe
skills, talents, abilities, and characteristics that enable you to fulfill His plan.
Your responsibility is to discover what God designed you to do and how He
plannedthatyouwouldaccomplishit.UntilyoudiscoverGod’sblueprint,you
willnothavethemotivationtouncoverthepotentialthatwillempoweryouto
accomplish it, nor will you be happy and fulfilled. Discovery of purpose is
discoveryofpotential.
Successwithoutanunderstandingofpurposeismeaningless.Knowingand
cooperatingwithyourGod-givenpurposeisthethird
keytoreleasingyourpotential.HealoneknowswhyHecreatedyouwiththe
specific combination of personality, abilities, and dreams that make you the
uniqueindividualyouare.YousharethepurposeofhumanitytoglorifyGodby
fulfilling your individual purpose and by releasing the power, beauty, and
possibilitieshiddenwithinyou.
Successwithoutanunderstandingofpurposeismeaningless.
KnowYourResources
Provisions are given for the fulfillment of vision. Every builder, before he
startsaproject,bothestimateswhatmaterialshewillneedtocompletethejob
anddetermineswhatresourcesareavailabletohim.Godfunctionsinasimilar
manner.AsHeformsandfashionseachpersonforaspecificpurpose,Healso
providesthenecessaryresourcestoaccomplishHisplans.
TheapostlePaulknewthatGodhadgivenhimcertainresourcestohelphim
fulfill his purpose and release his potential. Varied in nature and use, these
resources included his tent-making skills, his Roman citizenship, his Jewish
educationandupbringing,and,mostimportantly,hisfaithinJesusChristandhis
confidencethatGod,throughtheSpirit,hadgivenhimamessagefortheworld.
(SeeRomans15:15-19.)
Paul was careful, however, to view these resources only as tools given by
GodtoaccomplishHisplans.Therefore,healwaystreatedhisresourcesasbeing
lessimportantthantheOnewhogavethem.Hiseducationandupbringingasa
Jew, for example, had to be refined and redirected before Paul could use, not
abuse,them.Thus,hecametoseethelaw,whichhadbeenall-importanttohim
asaPharisee,asGod’sgiftforshowingmentheirsinandtheirneedofaSavior.
(See Romans 3:20.) Resources cannot and should not be substituted for the
Source.
YoutoopossessGod-givenresources.Theproperuseoftheseresourceswill
release your potential, but their misuse will destroy you. Hence, you cannot
fulfill your limitless potential unless you learn what resources you have, how
Godintendedthemtofunction,andwhyHegavethemtoyou.Theeffectiveuse
ofyourresourcesisthefourthkeytoreleasingyourpotential.
MaintaintheRightEnvironment
Allpotentialdemandsconditionsconducive tothemaximumfulfillmentof
purpose.Consequently,alllifeformshaveidealconditionsinwhichtheygrow
andflourish.TheapostlePaulclearlyunderstoodthattheconditionsinwhichwe
live affect the nature of our living. Light that is continually surrounded by
darkness is in danger of losing its brilliance. Righteousness that repeatedly
associateswithwickednessmay,intime,betarnished.Thus,Paulwrites:
“I[theLord]willlivewiththemandwalkamongthem,andIwillbetheir
God,andtheywillbeMypeople.Thereforecomeoutfromthemandbeseparate,
saystheLord.Touchnouncleanthing,andIwillreceiveyou.IwillbeaFather
toyou,andyouwillbeMysonsanddaughters,saystheLordAlmighty."Since
wehavethesepromises,dearfriends,letuspurifyourselvesfromeverythingthat
contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2
Corinthians6:16b—7:1).
Paul’s observations are as applicable today as they were when he wrote
them. “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what
fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14b) You cannot
consistentlyspend timewith ungodly people,or besurrounded byunrighteous
behavior,andmaintainyourfellowshipwithGod.That’sseriousbusiness,since
fellowshipwithGodandobediencetoHislawsandcommandmentsareessential
ingredientsofyouridealenvironment.Lifeoutsidethatenvironmentwilldestroy
yourpotentialbecauseawrongenvironmentalwaysmeansdeath.
Lifeoutsideyouridealenvironmentwilldestroyyourpotentialbecause
awrongenvironmentalwaysmeansdeath.
All manufacturers establish the ideal conditions required for the maximum
performanceoftheirproducts.Inthesamemanner,youwerecreatedtofunction
under specific conditions established by your Creator. Any violation of the
Manufacturer’s specific conditions minimizesHis intended effect.The laws of
God are given not to restrict us but to protect us by maintaining the ideal
environment for maximum performance. Obedience protects performance.
Disobediencediminishespotential.
Asfishcannotliveinpollutedwatersandplantsdieinparchedground,so
youcannot live inconditions thatdo notacknowledge God asthe central,all-
important factor of daily life. Creating and sustaining a God-centered
environmentisasimportantforyourgrowthandsatisfactionasdesigninghouses
that fit their climates and settings is for the reputation and the success of an
architect.Maintainingyouridealenvironmentisthefifthkeytoreleasingyour
potential.
Work:TheMasterKey
Dreamswithoutworkaccomplishnothing.Theyoungmanpeeringintothe
unexpectedroomcoulddreamforeveraboutrestoringthehouse,buthisdream
would become reality only if he channeled his excitement and vision into
drawing blueprints and doing the work of rebuilding. In a similar manner, the
apostle Paul could not have reached the non-Jewish world with the gospel of
JesusChristifhehadonlyrejoicedinhisnewrelationshipwithGod,learnedto
livebyfaith,surveyedhisresources,andsoughtahealthyenvironmentinwhich
tolive.Paulhadtoworktoreleasehispotentialandtoachievehispurpose.
Dreamswithoutworkaccomplishnothing.
TheNewTestamentisfilledwithstoriesofPaul’seffortstoshareGod’sgift
ofsalvationwiththosewhohadnotheardthegospel.(SeeparticularlyActs13
—20.) When one door closed, he looked for another. When his traveling
companionsinterferedwithhisplans,hepartedcompanywiththemandlooked
for others who could share his vision. Not even riots, beatings, and
imprisonmentspreventedhimfromcontinuallyseekingwaystosharethegood
news of Jesus. Again and again, Paul worked hard—fighting discouragement,
misunderstandings,anddistrust—tofulfillhiscommissionfromGod.
Youalsoneedtowork.Theloveofworkisthesecrettopersonalprogress,
productivity, and fulfillment because work encourages the release of potential,
and potential is the abundance of talents, abilities, and capabilities given to
everyperson.When you refuse to work, you deny yourself the opportunity to
fulfill your potential and your purpose, and you forfeit the productivity that
couldhaveblessedyourselfandothers.Therefore,youstealfromtheworld.The
greatest safeguard against this theft is both to understand the purpose and the
natureofwork,andtolivefromthatknowledge.
ThePurposeofWork
Mostofusarenotinterestedindiscoveringwhatwecanaccomplishwhen
wegotoourjobs.Wegotoworkonlybecausewewantapaycheck.Thisview
of work is contrary to God’s purpose for giving work. He is more concerned
withouruse orabuseof theskillsand talentsHegave usthanHe iswithour
financial wealth or poverty. He wants us to be good workers, not good job
keepers.Thischangeinattituderequiresthatwebegintoseeworkasablessing,
notapunishment.
WorkasGodplanneditwasgiventomanbeforehesinned.ItisHistoolto
make us productive and fruitful. Because God’s assign -ments and activities
alwaysinvolvework,HedesignedmenandwomentoshareinHiscreativityby
givingthemtheopportunitytowork.EvenasGodworkedthroughHisspoken
word to make the unobservable visible, so too we must work to reveal the
invisiblepossibilitiesthatexistinus.Althoughtheconditionsofworkchanged
aftersin—becomingpainfulandrequiringgreateffort—thepurposeofworkdid
not.Workisnotaresultofsin.
Inessence,workisGod’sgifttohelppeoplediscovertheirpotential.Until
youstartworkingtodiscoverwhatyouyetcanbe,youwillmisstheblessings
inherentinwork.Thisistruebecauseworkprofitstheworkerby.
•providingforphysicalneeds,
•buildingself-esteem,
•teachingthatthediscoveryanduseoftalents,skills,andabilitiesisfar
moreimportantthantheacquisitionofmoney,
• developing an attitude that sees a challenge as a cause for rejoicing
becauseitholdsthepossibilityforsuccess,
•offeringtheopportunitytotransformdreamsintoreality,
•multiplyingresources,and,
• revealing the potential that is yet to be exposed, tapped, released, and
employed,
•Workalsoblessesothersaswegivegenerouslyofwhatwehaveandwho
weare.
WorkisGod’sgifttohelpyoudiscoveryourpotential.
TheNatureofWork
God’s work in creation was to deliver the stuff hidden inside Him. He
labored to birth the world. This concept of laboring to deliver is the central
factorinGod’sperceptionofwork.
Work releases potential and empowers success. It uses innate abilities and
naturaltalentstoshareexperienceandproficiency.Italsoenergizestheworld’s
productive ability and activates man’s creative power. In essence, workbrings
forthfromamanorawomanthepossibilitiesthatwilldiewiththatindividual
unlesstheyareactivated,performed,produced,andfulfilled.Intheabsenceof
work,strengthandenergywasteaway,dreamsandvisionswitheranddie,God-
givenskillsandtalentsdegenerate,andproductivitywanes.Inessence,laziness,
whichistheabsenceofwork,abortspotentialandsacrificespossibilities.
Workreleasespotentialandempowerssuccess.
Laziness, which is the absence of work, aborts potential and sacrifices
possibilities.
Therefore,God’spurposeforgivingyouworkistoblessyoubycallingforth
fromyouallthatHeseesinyou.Hedesignedyoutomeetyourneedsandthe
needs of others through your ability to work. When you see work from this
perspective,andyouacceptyouropportunitiesto workasthegiftsofaloving
Godwhowantstodrawfromyouthewealthofyourhiddenpotential,youwill
findthatworkbecomesananticipatedpleasuretobeembracedasanopportunity
to find happiness and fulfillment. Work is the master key to releasing your
potential.
Thesesixkeysareessentialforthereleaseofyourpotential.Ifyoudisregard
evenoneoftheseprinciples,youwilllimityourpotentialbecausetheviolation
ofalawalwaysincursapenalty,andhistoryhasproventhattheselawsaretrue.
Commit yourself today to practicing these keys so your potential will not die
withyou.GodwantsallHeputinyouforthegoodoftheworldtobereleased
andmaximized.Onlythencanyoutrulybecomeyourpotential.
Godworksthevisionin;manworksthevisionout.
PrinciplesThatGovernPotential
1.WhatGodspeakstoisthesourceforwhatHecreates.
GodspoketoHimselfwhenHecreatedyou,soyoucamefromGod.
2. All things have the same components and essence as the sources
fromwhichtheycame.
BecauseyoucamefromGod,whoisSpirit,youalsoarespirit.
3.Allthingsmustbemaintainedbythesourcesfromwhichtheycame.
YoumustbemaintainedbyGod,yourSource.ApartfromHimyouwilldie.
4. The potential of all things is related to the source from which it
came.
YourpotentialisrelatedtoGod’spotential.
5.Everythinginlifehastheabilitytofulfillitspotential.
Godbuiltintoyoutheabilitytofulfillyourpotential.
6.Potentialisdeterminedandrevealedbythedemandsplacedonitby
itscreator.
GodrevealswhatHecreatedyoutodobyplacingdemandsonyou.Youare
capableofdoingeverythingGodasksofyou.
KeystoReleasingYourPotential
1.Youmustknowyoursource.
GodisyourSource.
2.Youmustunderstandhowyouweredesignedtofunction.
Goddesignedyoutooperatebyfaith.
3.Youmustknowyourpurpose.
God created you to express His image, to enjoy fellowship with Him, to
dominatetheearth,tobearfruit,andtoreproduceyourself.
4.Youmustunderstandyourresources.
Godhasgivenyouresourcesofspirit,body,soul,time,andmaterialthings.
5.Youmusthavetherightenvironment.
God created you to live with Him in a relationship of fellowship and
obedience that is established and maintained by His presence, assurance,
guidance,anddirection.
6.Youmustworkoutyourpotential.
WorkisGod’sblessingtochallengeandexposeyourpotential.
ChapterThree
TheEnemiesofPotential
Yourabilityisyourresponsibility.
Thecyclistsaroseearlythefirstdayofthejourney.Bynoontheywerewell
ontheirwaytocompletingthefirstlegoftheircrosscontinenttrip.Astheyfell
intobedthatnight,exhaustionandexhilarationviedforattention.Thedayhad
giventhemanexcitingtasteofthejoythatlayahead.Ithadalsowarnedthem
thatmuchhardworklaybetweenthemandtheirintendeddestination.
The next morning they awoke to blisters, sore muscles, and a spectacular
sunrise. Amid groans, teasing, and words of encouragement, they prepared to
break camp and to begin riding. To their chagrin, however, two of the ten
bicycles had flat tires. Repairing the flats delayed their starting by an hour or
moresothattheheatofthedaywasuponthemwhentheyhittheroad.
That evening as they set up camp, anxiety and discouragement
overshadowed the exhilaration of the night before. First, the bikers had been
soakedby a lateafternoon downpour.Then, the campfirewas difficult to start
because wood was scarce and what they found was wet. Finally, one cyclist
discovered that a strap on his pack was nearly worn through, and another
realized that his canteen was missing from his gear. As they huddled in their
sleepingbagsonthedampground,eachhopedthenextdaywouldbebetter.
Dawn was just beginning to light the sky when an angry shout broke the
silence.Anearlyriserhadawakenedtofindthecontentsofhispackstrewnall
overtheground.Something—orsomeone—hadgottenintoitduringthenight.
Theothersquicklycheckedtheirpacks,onlytofindthatsomeoftheirfoodwas
missing too. Although no one voiced the thought, more than one cyclist
wonderedifsomeonewastryingtostopthemfromfinishingtheirjourney.Itwas
asilent,troubledgroupthatmountedtheirbikesthatthirdmorning.
Our lives are not unlike this cross-continent bicycle trip. When we come
back to God and begin to glimpse and act on His plans and purposes for our
lives, we becomeexcited and we anticipate the joys and thesurprises that lay
ahead.Aswemeetobstaclesanddiscovertheperseveranceandhardworkthat
willberequired forusto fulfillourGod-givenpotential, ourenthusiasmoften
wanesandboredomordisillusionmentsetsin.
Then,likethecyclists,wemustsimplystaywiththejourneyinspiteofthe
hardshipsand thediscouraging situationsand eventsthatplague us.Even asa
pregnancyisnoguaranteeofthebirthofahealthychild,sobeginningajourney
doesnotensurethatitwillbefinished.Visioncanbeaborted.
Theworldisproficientatabortingpotential.Notonlywillitdonothingto
help you reveal and use the hidden you, it most likely will discourage you by
measuring your efforts against its standards for success—standards it made
becausetheworlddoesn’tknowwhattruesuccessis.Bewareofthesestandards
andthedisparagingwordsofthosewholivebythembecause,ifyouletthem,
theywillundermineyourjourney.Thentragedystrikesassuccessdiesinfailure,
hopediesindespair,andvisionsdieintheabsenceofconfidence.Thisabortion
ofpotentialbreakstheheartofGod.
Tragedy strikes when success dies in failure, hope dies in despair, and
visionsdieintheabsenceofconfidence.
Youareresponsibletoreleaseyourpotential.Nooneelsecanorwilldoitfor
you.Releasingsomepotential,however,doesnotmeanthatyouwillreleaseall
your potential. Redeeming all your potential requires that you protect your
potential, cultivate your potential, share your potential, and discover and obey
thelawsoflimitationregardingyourpotential.Thesearethekeystomaximizing
potential.
Youcanworkhardtoachieveadream,butifyoudonotprotectit,cultivate
it,shareit,andactwithinGod’sstandardsanddirectives,youwillloseit.This
loss occurs because knowing God’s requirements and fulfilling them are two
very different experiences. One is information, the other action. Many times
whatshouldhavebeendoesn’thappenbecausesomewherebetweenthedream
anditscompletionourgreataspirationsaretrampledanddestroyed.Thisisthe
workofthedestroyer.
>TheEnemyofYourPotential
When God placed man in the garden, He commanded him to work the
gardenandtakecareofit.TheKingJamesVersionofthe
Biblesaysthatmanwastotillandkeepthegarden,whileToday’sEnglish
Versionassignstomantheresponsibilitytocultivateandguardthegarden.This
requirement of God is given to man before he breaks fellowship with God
throughdisobedience.Manisinhisidealenvironment,beingfilledwithGod’s
powerand anointing,living inperfect holinessand purity, andenjoying God’s
fellowship and presence. Thus, this commandment implies that something or
someonewaswaitingto takeorattackwhat manhadbeen giventokeep.The
Scriptureswarnusofthisthief.
I [Jesus] am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will
comeinandgoout,andfindpasture.Thethiefcomesonlytostealandkilland
destroy;Ihavecomethattheymayhavelife,andhaveittothefull(John10:9-
10).
Satanisourenemy.HewantstodestroythepowerofGodwithinussothat
God’sgloryisnotrevealedinus.HewhowasthrownoutofHeaventotheearth,
wherehe“leadsthewholeworldastray”(Revelation12:9),isouttoremoveus
fromtheOnewhoisourlifeandoursalvation.He’souttodestroyallwecould
bebecauseheknowsthatthosewhobecomererootedinGodhavetheabilityto
actlikeGod,showingHisnatureandlikeness.Consequently,satancomesasa
thief to steal our potential because he cannot boldly challenge God’s power
within us. Our outward container, which is our body, reveals nothing of the
treasureinsideus.Thisall-surpassingtreasureisGod’spowerandwisdom.
TheLordisexalted,forHedwellsonhigh;HewillfillZionwithjusticeand
righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of
salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this
treasure(Isaiah33:5-6).
Inotherwords,thekeytoreleasingGod’spowerwithinyouisreverencing
Him, whichis living with Himin a relationship of obedienceand submission.
You are filled withheavenlywisdom,but youhaveto followGod’sprogramto
benefitfromit.
JesusspokeofthisneedtoliveinrelationshipwithGodwhenHesaid:
RemaininMe,andIwillremaininyou.Nobranchcanbearfruitbyitself;it
mustremaininthevine.NeithercanyoubearfruitunlessyouremaininMe.I
amthevine;youarethebranches.IfamanremainsinMeandIinhim,hewill
bearmuchfruit;apartfromMeyoucandonothing.Ifanyonedoesnotremainin
Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are
pickedup,thrownintothefireandburned.IfyouremaininMeandMywords
remaininyou,askwhateveryouwish,anditwillbegivenyou(John15:4-7).
Nowondersatantriestostealourpotential.HefearsGod’spowerwithinus
because it is greater than he is. Therefore, our dreams, plans, and ideas are
targetsofhisevilforces.Theminutewehaveagoodidea,thedeceiverwillsend
someonetocriticizeourdreambecausehecannotpermitustoaccomplishour
vision.Aslongasweareonlydreaming,heissafeandhe’llletusalone.When
webegintoactonourdream,he’llhitusfullforce.
Ourdreams,plans,andideasaretargetsofsatan’sevilforces.
You are responsible to guard your dream and bring it to reality by
safeguarding and protecting it from injury and loss. To do so you must
understandhowsatanseekstorobyouofyourdestiny.
EnemiesofPotential
Satan’s methodsforstealing dreamsaremany andvaried,according tothe
visionandthepersonalityofthedreamer.Letusidentifysomeoftheseenemies
ofpotentialsoyouwillrecognizethemforwhattheyare,thedeceiver’sactivity
inyourlife.
1.Disobedience
TheBiblerepeatedlystatesthatdisobediencewithholdsGod’sblessingsand
rainsHiscursesuponus.Thisistruebecausedisobediencebringsintoourlives
the natural (God-ordained) consequences of our actions. Teenagers who
experimentwithsexdestroythebeautyofthefirstintimacythatistobeenjoyed
betweenahusbandandawife,openthemselvestoAIDSandotherdiseases,and
risklosingthejoys ofyouthdueto thebirthofachild. Theyalsoforfeittheir
dreamstoproblemsinmarriageinlateryears,toseriousillnessesandpossible
death,andtotheresponsibilitiesofraisingachildbeforetheyhavematuredinto
thetask.
Jonah learned the consequences of disobedience when he boarded a ship
goingintheoppositedirectionfromthecitytowhichGodwassendinghim.He
nearly lost his life by drowning. In a similar situation, Lot’s wife, in spite of
God’scommandmentnottolookback,sacrificedherlifeforonelastlookatthe
cityshewasfleeingfrom.Disobediencealwayswastespotentialandretardsthe
attainment of goals. You cannot persist in disobedience and maximize your
potential.TomaximizeyourlifeyoumustsubmittoGod’swillineverything.
2.Sin
Althoughtheeffectsofdisobedienceandsinaresimilar,sinisamorebasic
ill because it is total rebellion against the known will of God—or to say it
another way, a declaration of independence from your Source. The resulting
alienationfrom Goddestroys potentialbecausewe cannotknow Godif wedo
nothave His Spirit, and His Spirit is the password to unlocking our potential.
Sin,inessence,says,“Iknowbetterthanyoudo,God,howtorunmylife.”
King David experienced the desolation and death that result from a
rebelliousspiritwhenheviolatedanotherman’swifeandtriedtocoveruphis
action by having the woman’s husband killed in battle and taking her for his
wife.ThesonborntoDavidfromthisaffairdied,andDavidenduredtheagony
of separation from the God he loved. What the child could have done in his
lifetimewas sacrificed, aswere David’s energy andvitality during themonths
beforeheconfessedhissin.ItisnowonderDavidprayed:
HideYourfacefrommysinsandblotoutallmyiniquity.Createinmeapure
heart,OGod,andrenewasteadfastspiritwithinme.DonotcastmefromYour
presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your
salvationandgrantmeawillingspirit,tosustainme(Psalm51:9-12).
Destroying your relationship with God through sin is always suicide. You
cannot become who God created you to be if you persist in rebelling against
Him. Without God’s Spirit living and working in you, you will die with your
potential.Sin capsthewell ofyour potential.Tomaximize yourlife youmust
avoidcompromisewithungodliness.
3.Fear
Fear is having faith in the impossible. It’s dwelling on all that could go
wronginsteadofwhatwillgoright.Although,forexample,accidentsdohappen
and cars must be carefully maintained and driven, fear that prevents us from
driving or riding in a car immobilizes our potential because it severely limits
wherewecango.
Fearisdwellingonallthatcouldgowronginsteadofwhatwillgoright.
Whenasalad,DavidmetthegiantGoliathwithaslingshotandthreestones,
hemostlikelywasafraid.YetbecausehemasteredhisfearbytrustinginGod
insteadofthinkingaboutallthatcouldgowrong,hefreedtheIsraelitesfromthe
oppression of their enemies and honored the name of God. (See First Samuel
chapter 17.) His faith in God moved him beyond timidity to power. Fear is
seeingGoliathtoobigtohit.FaithisseeingGoliathtoobigtomiss.Paulwrote
toTimothyaboutthisabilitytomovebeyondfear:
...fanintoflamethegiftofGod,whichisinyouthroughthelayingonofmy
hands.ForGoddidnotgiveusaspiritoftimidity,butaspiritofpower,oflove
andofself-discipline(2Timothy1:6-7).
A spirit of self-discipline submits the information we receive through our
bodiesandourmindstotheknowledgewereceivefromGod’sSpirit.Itrefuses
to allow our minds to run wild imagining everything that could happen and
choosesinsteadtoapplyGod’spromisestothesituationandtodependonGod’s
love and power for the outcome. Faith, our God-given mode of operation,
combatsfear andencourages themaximizingof potential.He whofears totry
willneverknowwhathecouldhavedone.HewhofearsGodhasnothingelseto
fear.Tomaximizeyourlifeyoumustneutralizefearwithfaith.
Hewhofearstotrywillneverknowwhathecouldhavedone.
4.Discouragement
Most things worth having require patience and perseverance. No pianist
playsperfectlythefirsttimeshetouchesthekeys,nordoesanathletewinarace
the first time he runs. Many discouraging moments exist between an initial
experienceandtheperfectingofaskill.
Unfortunately,much potentialis sacrificed onthe altar of discouragement.
Perhaps you’ve experiencedthis enemy as too many sour notes hinderedyour
ambition to practice or the failure to win a prize took you from the race.
Replayingthemusicuntilit’srightandrunningeverydayaretheonlywaysto
fulfill your potential. Concert pianists and Olympic athletes aren’t born. They
movebeyondtheirdiscouragingmomentstoperfecttheirinnateskills.
Thesameattitudeisrequiredofyoutomaximizeyourpotential.Godwillnot
giveyouadreamunlessHeknowsyouhavethetalents,abilities,andpersonality
tocompleteit.Hiscommandsrevealthepoten-tialHegaveyoubeforeyouwere
born.
God commanded Joshua to be courageous (see Deuteronomy 31:7; Joshua
1:7-8). Even though Joshua didn’tfeel courageous, God knew courage was in
himandcommandedhimtoshowwhatwasthere.
Those who are under command—militarycommand, for example—just do
whattheyaretold.Nomatterhowtheyfeelaboutthecommand,theyjustobey
it.
YoumustrespondthesamewaytoGod’scommands.Evenifyouarefeeling
discouragedabout completingthetask, youmust startit.Do whatneeds tobe
done no matter how difficult or impossible God’s commands feel. Then
discouragementwillhavenoopportunitytodestroyyourpotential.Tomaximize
yourlifeyoumustneutralizediscouragementwithhope.
5.Procrastination
Howmanytimeshaveyoudelayedsolonginmakingadecisionthatitwas
madeforyou,orincompletingaproject thatitwastoolateforyourintended
purpose?Mostofusdothismoreoftenthanwe’dliketoadmit.
Procrastination,thedelayingofactionuntilalatertime,killspotential.The
Israelitesdiscoveredthiswhentheyfoundmanyreasonswhytheycouldn’tobey
GodandenterthelandHewasgivingthem.Whentheysawthatthelandwas
good,withanabundanceoffood,andfinallydecidedtotakethelandasGodhad
commandedthem, they discoveredthat the opportunityto obey God waspast.
DisregardingGod’swarningthatHewouldnotgowiththem,theymarchedinto
battleandweresoundlydefeated.Godleftthemalonetofightforthemselves.
Ifyouwaitforperfectconditions,youwillnevergetanythingdone
(Ecclesiastes11:4LB).
Procrastination often grows out of discouragement. When we become
discouraged,westopfindingreasonsfordoingwhatweknowwecando.Then
Godallowsustogoourownwayandsuffertheconsequences.Soonerorlater,
we will discover that we’ve lost much because we refused to act when God
requiredit.VeryoftenHewillfindsomeoneelsetodothejob.Procrastinationis
a serious enemy of potential. It eats away at the very core of our time and
motivation. To maximize your life you must destroy procrastination by
eliminatingallexcusesandreasonsfornottakingaction.Justdoit!
Procrastinationeatsawayattheverycoreofourtimeandmotivation.6.
PastFailures
Too often we are unwilling to take risks in the present because we have
failed in the past. Perhaps the first story you sent to a magazine wasn’t
published, so you never wrote another story. Perhaps your first garden didn’t
produce many vegetables, so you never planted another garden. Perhaps your
firstbusinessproposaldidn’twinthebank’sapproval,soyouneverstartedyour
ownbusiness,andyou’restillworkingforsomeoneelse.
Failure is never a reason to stop trying. Indeed, failure provides another
opportunitytoenjoysuccess.TheapostlePauldiscoveredthetruthofthiswhen
hemetJesusandturnedfrompersecutingChristtopreachingthegoodnewsof
God’ssalvationinHim.
...I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Brothers,Idonotconsidermyselfyettohavetakenholdofit.ButonethingIdo:
Forgettingwhatisbehindandstrainingtowardwhatisahead,Ipressontoward
the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ
Jesus.Allofuswhoarematureshouldtakesuchaviewofthings...Onlyletus
liveuptowhatwehavealreadyattained(Philippians3:12-16).
Paulwasnotunawareofhisfailures,butherefusedtoallowthemtokeep
himfromdoingwhatheknewhecoulddo.HebelievedthattheGodwhohad
calledhimtoserveHimwouldaccomplishwithinandthroughhimallthatHe
hadpurposed.Hetrustedinapowerhigherthanhimself.
...I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of
knowingChristJesusmyLord,forwhosesakeIhavelostallthings.Iconsider
them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a
righteousnessofmyownthatcomesfromthelaw,butthatwhichisthroughfaith
in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Philippians
3:8-9).
Paul had messed up, but in Christ he found the reason and the strength to
pickhimselfupandmoveon.Youmustdothesameoryouwillneverseeyour
full potential. Refuse to be a loser no matter how many times you lose. It is
better to try and fail than never to try at all. Remember, you cannot make
progressbylookingintherearviewmirror.Tomaximizeyourlifeyoumustlet
thepastbepastandleaveitthere.
7.TheOpinionsofOthers
Mostofushavehadtheexperienceofsharingagreatideawithfriendsonly
to have them tell us 50 reasons why it won’t work. Too often such criticism
promptsustoabandonourideasbecausewewantedthosewithwhomweshared
ourdreamstoapproveofourplans.
Forsakingdreamsbecauseothersbelittlethemorsaywearecrazyfortrying
them wastes potential. So does changing our plans to suit the ideas and
expectations of our family, friends, and business associates. Satan uses those
closesttous,whoseopinionswevalue,togettoourpotential.Hekillsourvision
byshakingourfaithinGodandourconfidenceinourselves.
Satan uses those closest to us, whose opinions we value, to get to our
potential.
Becausethedestroyerusesthoseyoutrustmosttokeepyoufromtranslating
yourvisionintoreality,youmustacceptthatnooneisforyouexceptGod.No
humanbeingcanbetrustedtodefendyourpotential.Youaloneareresponsible.
Byrefusingtoallowthedisparagingcommentsofotherstodiscourageyou,by
removing yourself from their influence when your vision becomes threatened,
and by clinging to God’s commandments and directions, you can unleash the
totalityofGod’spowerwithinyou.
Jesus demonstrated the importance of disregarding the opinions of others
when He went to Jerusalem one Passover and the crowds believed in Him
becauseofthemiraclesHeperformed.
ButJesuswouldnotentrustHimselftothem,forHeknewallmen.
Hedidnotneedman’stestimonyaboutman,forHeknewwhatwasinaman
(John2:24-25).
Hehadagoodreasontobecautiousaboutacceptingtheaffirmationofthe
crowd:Heknewtheficklenatureofpeople.Hedidn’ttrusttheircheersandtheir
patsontheback.Accoladesshouldbeappreciatedbutneverrequired.
The events of the week preceding His death confirm the wisdom of His
decision. One day the people in Jerusalem received Him with great joy and
hailedHimastheMessiah.SeveraldayslatertheyclamoredforHisdeath.Had
He relied on their praise and good will, He very well may have lost the
opportunitytofulfillHisGod-givenpurposetobetheSavioroftheworld.
You too must beware of allowing the opinions of others to influence your
decisions.Donottrustotherstoworkforyourgood.Toooftenfolksyouthought
wereforyouwillturnagainstyouanddestroywhatyouhavebeenworkingto
accomplish.Remember,youarerequiredtoperformforanaudienceofone,the
LordJesusChrist.WhenHeapplauds,thenyouaresuccessful.
Get your encouragement and promotion from God. Tap into the heavenly
realmandreceivetheconfirmationofyourplansfromHimbecauseHisopinion
istheonlyonethatcounts.Theopinionsofotherscandestroyyourpotentialif
youpermitthemtotouchyourdreamsandvisions.Tomaximizeyourlifeyou
mustdeclareindependencefromtheopinionsofothers.
8.Distractions
Thisisoneoftheprincipalenemiesofmaximizingpotential.Allofushave
hadtheexperienceofwalkingintoanotherroomandsaying,“Now,whydidI
comehere?”Wehadapurposewhenwedecidedtogointotheotherroom,but
somethingbetweenourdecisiontogoandthemomentwearrivedsidetrackedus
fromouroriginal intention.Orwemay allowsideintereststo distractusfrom
ourmaingoal.
Say,forexample,thatyousetthegoalofwalkingthreemileseverydayto
improveyourhealth.Thefirstdayyouwalkthreemilesinalittleoveranhour.
Theseconddayyourwalktakesanhour,butyouwalkonlyhalfamilebecause
youkeepstoppingtopickwildflow-ers.Pickingflowersisn’tbad.It’stheresult
ofpickingflowers—thedistractionfromyourgoal—thatisbad.
Satan uses distractions to stop our progress toward a goal, or at least to
change the speed of that progress. If he cannot convince us that our dream is
wrong, he’ll throw other things into our path to slow the development of our
visionorhe’llpushusandinduceustomoveaheadofGod’stimetable.Oneof
satan’smostsuccessfuldevicesistopreoccupyuswith“good”thingstodistract
usfromthe“right”things.
Perhaps God has planted the seed of a dream that He wants you to
accomplish20yearsfromnow.BetweenthenandnowHehasmanyotherplans
foryourlife.Letthatseedincubate,andproceedcautiously.Asyoustayopento
God’s leading in that area, He will reveal when the timing is right. Never
sacrificetherightthingforagoodthing.
Likewise, if God says, “Now is the time,” be careful to examine your
thoughtsandactionscloselytoseeiftheyhelporhinderthecompletionofyour
goal.Ifaplanoractivitydistractsyoufromaccomplishingyourvisionaccording
toGod’sschedule,itisbadforyouatthatmoment.TheapostlePaulunderstood
thistruth.
“Everythingispermissibleforme”—butnoteverythingisbeneficial.
“Everythingispermissibleforme”—butIwillnotbemasteredbyanything
(1Corinthians6:12).
Everything that doesn’t help our progress, hinders it. This is true because
obeyingGodtoosoonortoolateisdisobedience.Therefore,wemustbecareful
notto get drawninto goodactivities thatdistract usfrom our overallpurpose.
God requires our prompt response to Him throughout the journey. Obedience
partofthewayisreallydisobedience.Wemustbetrue,then,toourwholevision
overthelonghaulbecausetrueobediencetoGodisdoingwhatHesays,when
Hesays,thewayHesays,aslongasHesays,untilHesays“stop.”
Becausedistractionstakeusoffcourse,wecannotmaximizeourpotentialif
weallow ourselves tobe distractedfrom faithfully obeyingHim every stepof
theway.EvenifGod,inHisloveandmercy,permitsustogetbackoncourse,
wecannotrecoverthetimeandeffortwewastedbeingdistracted.
GodistheonlyOnewhoknowswhereyouaregoingandwhatisthebest
waytogetthere.Hewillnotsendyoubyroundaboutrouteswithmanydelays;
neither will He lure you into detours and dead ends. The fulfillment of your
potentialisHishopeandjoy.Tomaximizeyourlifeyoumuststayfocusedon
yourpurposeandavoiddistractionsthroughdiscipline.
9.Success
Success is another enemy of potential. When we complete a task and quit
becausewe thinkwe’ve arrived,wenever becomeall weare.If, forexample,
you graduate from college and teach first grade for the rest of your life when
Godwantedyoutobeahighschoolprincipal,youforfeitmuchofyourpotential
becauseyoustoppedatapreliminarysuccess.Leaveyoursuccessandgocreate
another.That’stheonlywayyouwillreleaseallyourpotential.
Leaveyoursuccessandgocreateanother.
Remember,satanisafraidofourpotential.HeknowsthatGodcreatedusto
do something great. Therefore, he will allow us a small success and try to
convinceusthatwehavearrived.Then,wewillnotwanttomoveontogreater
successes. We must beware that a small success does not keep us from
accomplishingourlargergoalorpurpose.
In a similar manner, we must be careful to judge our successes by God’s
standards, not the world’s. Success in the world’s eyes is not really success
because the world does not know what true success is. True success is being
right with God and completing His assignment and purpose for our lives. It’s
knowingGod and obeyingHim. Thus, wecannot succeedwithout discovering
anddoingwhatGodasksofus.WithoutGod,everythingwedoisnothing.
Therefore,donotbeintimidatedbyyourlackofachievementintheworld’s
eyes. The power of God within you is greater than any other power. When
you’re hooked up to God and you’re obeying Hisdirectives, you will achieve
successbyHisstandards.Refusetoallowtheworld’smeasurementsofsuccess
toencourageordiscourageyoubecauseGod’sstandardsaretheonlycriteriathat
matter.FollowHimasHeleadsyoufromsuccesstosuccess.Tomaximizeyour
lifeyoumustneverallowtemporaryachievementtocanceleternalfulfillment.
10.Tradition
Traditionsarepowerfulenemiesofpotentialbecausetheyarefullofsecurity.
Wedon’thave tothinkwhenwe dosomethingtheway we’vealwaysdoneit.
Neither do we receive the incentive to grow and be creative because our new
ideasmayinterferewiththeconventionalwayofdoingthings.
Say,forexample,thatyouarehiredtobeareceptionistinamanufacturing
company. Invoices, orders, replacement parts, personal mail, trade journals—
everything comes through your desk before being distributed. Because the
company is a large one, you spend much of your day sending out mail or
decidingwhoshouldreceiveincomingmail.Thispreventsyoufrompresenting
thecompanytothepublicaseffectivelyasyouwouldlikeandoftendelaysthe
routingofimportantcontractsandspecifications.
Thus,youproposethatalloutsidevendorsandsalesmenshouldbenotified
thattheirbusinesswillreceiveprompterattentionifitisaddresseddirectlytothe
department to which it pertains. Invoices should be sent to accounts payable,
paymentstoaccountsreceivable,shippinginstructionstotheexpeditingoffice,
parts to the supply room, etc. Your proposal is not implemented, however,
because the receptionist has always opened all the mail. Indeed, you are
criticizedforbeinglazyandinefficientbecauseyoucannothandleboththemail
andyourotherdutiesasthecompany’sgatekeeper.Mostlikely,itwillbealong
timebeforeyoumakeanothersuggestiontoimprovethiscompany.
The tragedy is that the tradition, which probably served its purpose well
when it was started, prevents the accomplishment of the purpose for which it
wasestablished.Whenthemanufacturingcompanywassmall,itmadesenseto
have the receptionist open all the mail and stamp it received because she also
servedasthesecretaryforthevariousdepartments.Nowthatthecompanyhas
grownandeachdepartmenthassecretariesandclerkswithinit,thecontinuation
ofthat traditionis self-defeating.Disorganization,rather thanefficiency,is the
result.
Remember,nomatterhowgoodthepresentsystemis,there’salwaysabetter
way.Don’tbeimprisonedbythecomfortoftheknown.Beanexplorer,notjust
apassenger.Don’tallowyourselftobecometrappedbytraditionoryouwilldo
andbecomenothing.Yourpresentlevelofsuccesswillbeyourhighestlevelof
success,andGod,whoisnottrappedwithintradition,willfindsomeoneelseto
dowhatyoucouldhavedone.Useyourimagination. Dreambig andfindnew
waystorespondtopresentsituationsandresponsibilities.Thenyouwilluncover
never-ending possibilities that inspire you to reach for continually higher
achievements. We are sons of the “Creator,” who created us to be creative.
NowhereinScripturedidGodrepeatanidenticalact.
Refrainfromacceptingorbelieving,“We’veneverdoneitthatwaybefore.”
Now is the time to try something different. The release of your full potential
demandsthatyoumovebeyondthepresenttraditionsofyourhome,family,job,
andchurch—inessence,throughoutyourlife.Tomaximizeyourlifeyoumust
bewillingtoreleaseineffectivetraditionsfornewmethods.
11.AWrongEnvironment
Nutritiousvegetablescannotgrowinpoorsoilandhealthyfishcannotthrive
in polluted waters. Neither can we maximize our potential in a wrong
environment. The apostle Paul speaks to this principle when he says, “Bad
company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33b). That means, no
matterhowgoodourintentionsmaybe,ifwegetinwithbadcompany,wewill
eventuallythinkandactastheydo.Wewillnotchangethem,theywillchange
us.
Many dreams die because they are shared with the wrong people. Joseph
learned that lessonthe hard way. Indeed, he landed in a pit and was sold into
slaverybecausehisbrotherswerejealousoftheirfather’sfavoritismtowardhim
andthey wereoffendedbyhis dreamsthat placedhimin authorityover them.
This is really not so surprising because older brothers rarely enjoy being
dominatedbyyoungerones.HadJosephkepthisdreamstohimself,hisbrothers’
resentmentmaynothavedevelopedintoaplantomurderhim.
Manydreamsdiebecausetheyaresharedwiththewrongpeople.
Remember, others do not see what you see. They cannot completely
understand the vision God has given you. Protect your potential by choosing
carefully those with whom you share your dreams and aspirations, and by
maintaining an environment in which your potential can be fulfilled. To
maximizeyour life you must manageyour environment and the qualityof the
people and resources that influence you. Your greatest responsibility is to
yourself,notothers.
12.Comparison
Many parents struggle with the temptation to compare their children’s
strengths and weaknesses with the skills and temperaments of other children.
This tendency to compare can be lethal to potential because it may produce
eitherdiscouragementorfalsepride.Bothpreventusfrombecomingallwecan
be. Discouragement keeps us from trying new things because we lack the
confidencethatwecansucceed.Falseprideshort-circuitsourpotentialbygiving
ustheillusionthatwehavearrived.
If, for example, you compare yourself to an artist who paints beautiful
landscapesandbemoanyourlackofartisticability,youmayneverdiscoverthat
youhaveaknackforarrangingflowersintopleasingbouquets.Thefactthatyou
cannot draw a flower need not prevent you from making attractive flower
arrangements.Likewise,youmaysacrificeanOlympicrecordbecauseyouare
satisfiedtorunthe100-yarddashfasterthanyourbrother.
Whenever you compare your skills and abilities with others— either
favorablyorunfavorably—youforfeittheopportunitytobecomeyourpotential
becauseyoutrytomakeequal butdifferentpeoplethesame. Godcreatedyou
with your specific blend of personality, skills, and abilities to fulfill your
purpose. To maximize your life you must understand that you are unique,
original,andirreplaceable.Thereisnocomparison.
13.Opposition
Satan has a way of snuffing out our great dreams by causing us to
compromise.Mostoftenthisoccursbecausewegiveintoopposition.Ifhecan’t
stopus, he’llpush usto makeadeal thatis notGod’sdeal. Thenwe haveno
hopeofattainingourgoalbecause wearetryingtoaccomplishourGod-given
vision with human values and specifications. Opposition is natural to life and
necessary for flight. If everyone agrees with your dream, it’s probably a
nightmare.
Let’s say God gives you a vision to establish an adoption agency to place
orphans of war. Because you don’t raise the funding as quickly as you had
hoped,youbecomeimpatientandlookforadditionalsourcesofrevenue.When
alocalbusinessmanoffershissupport,youeagerlyaccepthisgifts.
At first this arrangement works very well, but when the businessman
demands a position on the agency’s board and begins to dictate who can be
sponsoredforadoptionandwhocanbeadoptiveparents,youbegintowonderif
yourdecisiontoacceptlargesumsofmoneyfromhimwasawiseone.Yet,to
safeguard the financial support you receive from him, you agree to his
conditions. Inso doing, you compromise your vision. To fulfillyour visionin
lifeyouwillusuallyhavetoswimupstreamagainstthetideofpopularopinion.
Oppositionisproofthatyou’reswimming,notfloating.
Compromisedvisionalwayskillspotentialbecauseavisionthatisattempted
outside God’s guidelines cannot reveal His power. Take your dream and be
willingtodieforit.Thisisarequirementformaximizingpotential.Tomaximize
yourlifeyoumustacceptandunderstandthenatureandvalueofopposition.
14.Society’sPressure
Finally, pressure from society’s standards and expectations is a threat to
potential.ThewordsocietycomesfromthesameLatinrootasthewordsocial,
meaning“acompanion,”andendswiththesuffixity,whichmeans“thestateor
condition of something.” Thus, society means “the condition of being
companions”andreferstothepeoplewefrequentlyassociatewith.
The peoplewe associate with, if theymake judgments based onage, race,
financialstatus,ancestry,andeducation,maypressureustorelinquishadream
becausetheydonotbelievewecanaccomplishit:“Yourdaddywasnothing,soI
don’t expect that you’ll amount to anything either.” “You’re going to start a
businessatyourage?That’sforyoungpeopletodo.”“Onlywhitefolkslivein
fancyhouses.”“Theydon’tletGermans,Vietnamese,Japanese,Italians,Puerto
Ricans...liveinthatneighborhood!”“Youcan’tmanagearestaurant.Younever
finished high school!” “No woman’s ever going to be the president of your
country!”
Goddoesn’tthinkthatway.HewalkeduptoSarahwhenshewasalmost100
yearsoldandtoldherthatshewouldhaveason.Imaginetellingyourneighbors
thatyou’regoingtohaveyourfirst
babyat that age. They’d laugh at you and ridicule your dream of being a
mother.
Many dreams are killed by laughter and ridicule, but your dream doesn’t
havetodie.Daretobedifferent.Accomplishsomething.TrustGod’swordrather
thansociety’sexpectations.Neverisasoldasthefirsttimeitchanges.Itonly
lastsaslongasthepersonwhorefusestoallowsociety’sdictatestosquashhisor
herdream.
Those who say “I can” no matter how many people say “you can’t”
transformdreamsintorealities.Theyhavelearnedthepriorityofremainingtrue
to their vision and they have developed the inner strength to trust God when
societypushesthemtoabandontheirgoal.Theyarethosewhomaximizetheir
potential.
>ATreasureWorthMaximizing
WhentheapostlePauldescribedourpotentialastreasureinclaypots(see2
Corinthians4:7),herecognizedthatdiscoveringandexposingthattreasureisnot
alwaysaneasytask.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in
despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2
Corinthians4:8-9).
Hefacedthediscouragement,failure,opposition,negativeopinions,andage-
old traditions that could have enticed him to forfeit his potential and forsake
God’spurposeforhislife.
Yet, because he affirmed that this treasure is the “all-surpassing power..
.fromGodandnotfromus”(2Corinthians4:7),Paulperseveredtotheend.He
reliedonGod’spowerinhislifetoachievewhatGodhadpurposed.LikeJohn,
hestoodfirminhisfaiththat“theonewhoisin[me]isgreaterthantheonewho
isintheworld”(1John4:4b)andhisconvictionthathisShepherdwouldtake
careofhim:
MysheeplistentoMyvoice;Iknowthem,andtheyfollowMe.Igivethem
eternallife,andtheyshallneverperish;noonecansnatchthemoutofMyhand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch
themoutofMyFather’shand(John10:27-29).
YoutoomusttrustGodandcooperatewithHimtofulfillallthedreamsHe
givesyouandtoreachallthegoalsHesetsbeforeyou.Yes,satanwillusethe
enemies of yourpotential to destroy God’s power withinyou, but you are not
captive to his ways. You can choose to protect yourself from his attack; to
cultivatethepossibilitiesyouyetcanaccomplish;touseyourtalents,skills,and
abilities for the good of others; and to live within the laws of limitation that
governwhoyoucanbecome.Thesekeystomaximizingpotential,togetherwith
thekeystoreleasingpotential,acknowledgebothyourdependenceonGodand
your responsibility to trust Him and cooperate with Him as He works in and
throughyou.
Asweexpectaplantortreetogrowfromaseedbecauseweknowitexists
in it, so God calls forth from us the wealth of our potential. He wills that we
should bear fruit that shows His potency. Practicing the keys that maximize
potential and recognizing the enemies of potential are essential steps in our
journeyofbecomingwhoweare.
KeystoMaximizingYourPotential
1.Youmustguardandprotectyourpotential.
2.Youmustcultivateandfeedyourpotential.
3. You mustunderstandand obeythe lawsoflimitation thatgovern
yourpotential.
4.Youmustshareyourpotential.
Principles
1.Visioncanbeaborted.
2.Satanisyourenemy.Yourdreams,plans,andideasaretargetsofhis
evilforces.
3.Bewareoftheenemiesofyourpotential:
•Disobedience
•Sin
•Fear
•Discouragement
•Procrastination
•PastFailures
•TheOpinionsofOthers
•Distractions
•Success
•Tradition
•AWrongEnvironment
•Comparison
•Opposition
•Society’sPressure
4.God’spowerisstrongerthanalltheenemiesofyourpotential.
ChapterFour
GuardandProtectYourPotential
You were created to perform for an audience of one, the Lord Jesus
Christ!
Theboysighedwithsatisfactionasthelastofthefourtowersstoodfirmand
tall.Nowallhehadtodotofinishthesandcastlewastodrawthedesignonthe
topofthewalls.Asheworked,hewatchedtheapproachingwaves.Beforelong
theywouldbeuptothecastle.Thesurfhadbeenfardownonthesandwhenhe
startedbuildingfourhoursbefore,buthehadknownthatthetimewouldcome
whenthewaveswouldapproachwhereheworked.Hence,hehadbuiltalarge
moatwithanopeningtowardtheseatohelpthewaterstayinthemoatinsteadof
comingupovertheentirecastle.Hehopedthemoatwouldprotecthiscastlefor
afewminutesbeforethewavescompletelydestroyedit.
Ashefinishedthelastofthewalls,theboyalsokeptaneyeonhisyounger
sister. Twice she had come to “help him.” The first time she had smashed an
entiresectionofthewallwithhershovelbeforehecouldstopher.Thelasttime
hehadbeenonguardandhadseenhercoming.Thus,hehadprotectedthecastle
frommajordestructionbycatchingher hand.Nowhewasespeciallyguarding
againstherattackbecauseheknewthatthetimehehadbeenlookingforwardto
thewholetimehehadbuiltthecastlewouldsoonbehere.Waterwouldsoonfill
themoat.Becauseheplannedtoplaywithhisboatsinthemoatofthecastle,the
boyhopedthemoatwaswideanddeepenoughtopreventthefirstwavesfrom
destroyinghismorning’swork.
TheTwoStagesofDefense
Theboybuildingthesand castlewaswise.Herecognizedtheapproaching
waves and the misguided help of his sister as enemies of his goal to build a
castleandtoplaywithhisboatsinitsmoat,andhedefendedagainstthem.
Thedefenseofsomethingoccursintwostages.Theboy’sfirststepwasto
guardhiscastlebybuildingawide,deepmoatthatwouldkeepthefirstwaves
fromsweepingoveritandbykeepingawatchfuleyeonboththewavesandhis
sister so he would see them coming and, thus, have the opportunity to defend
againsttheirattack.
Guardingispreventiveinnature.Itoccurswhilethepossibilityofanattack
ispresentbutbeforethethreatisactiveandnear.Recognizingtheexistenceof
anenemywhowantstostealordestroythetreasure,theonewhoguardswatches
over the treasure to safeguard it from injury or loss. He does so by taking
precautionsagainstanattackandbykeepingwatchsotheenemycannotslipup
onhimandcatchhimunaware.Guardingleadsintothesecondstepofdefense,
which is the action necessary when an enemy steps over the established
boundaryandthreatensthetreasure.
Guardingoccurswhilethepossibilityofanattackispresentbutbefore
thethreatisactiveandnear.
Thissecondstepofdefenseisprotecting.Protectionisactivedefenseinthe
midstofanassault.Itimplementsthepreestablishedplantopreservethetreasure
fromdanger orharm. Theboyprotected hiscastle whenhecaught hissister’s
handtokeepherfromruiningit.
Protectingisactivedefenseinthemidstofanassault.
WeAreResponsibleforDefendingOurTreasure
Protecting and guarding work together. One without the other presents a
weakened resistance to the thief who is trying to steal the treasure. The
responsibilityforthisresistancelieswiththerecipientofthetreasure.Goddidn’t
tellHeavenortheangelstoprotectthegarden.HetoldAdamtoprotectit.Ina
similar manner, the apostle Paul admonished Timothy, not his mother or his
grandmother,todefendthetreasurehehadreceived:
Timothy, myson, Igive youthis instruction inkeeping withthe prophecies
oncemade about you, so thatby followingthem youmay fightthe goodfight,
holdingontofaithandagoodconscience.Somehaverejectedtheseandsohave
shipwreckedtheirfaith(1Timothy1:18-19).
Thisdefensebeginswithanunderstandingofthetreasurewehavereceived
fromGodand isworkedoutinour fighttokeepwhat wehavereceived.This
treasureisbothGod’swisdomandpowerwithinus(ourpotential)andthegiftof
HisSpirit.
WhatAreWetoDefend?
As we have seen, God deposits a treasure in each person He creates. This
treasureisa)God’swisdomandknowledgeconcerningwhoHeis,whoweare,
andhowwearetoliveinrelationshipwithHim;b)God’spowerthatworkedin
creation through the spoken word and even today brings forth beauty from
chaos; and c) God’s Spirit who lives within our hearts. Thus, God reveals
Himself to us and crowns us with His potency—His power, authority, and
strengthtoeffectivelyaccomplishwhatHewills.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing
powerisfromGodandnotfromus(2Corinthians4:7).
This potency of God within us—our potential—is the treasure we must
defend. The treasure is the God-invested vision and purpose for our lives,
designedbothtoshowHisgloryandtobringHimglory.
TheTreasureofGod’sWisdomandKnowledge
The prophet Isaiah recognized God’s wisdom as a treasure, as did the
psalmistsandKingSolomon.Theyalsoagreedthat thefearoftheLordisthe
keytothistreasure:
Hewillbethesurefoundationforyourtimes,arichstoreofsalvationand
wisdom andknowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure(Isaiah
33:6).
ThefearoftheLordisthebeginningofwisdom;allwhofollowHisprecepts
havegoodunderstanding...(Psalm111:10;seealsoProverbs1:7).
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
turningyoureartowisdomandapplyingyourhearttounderstanding,andifyou
calloutforinsightandcryaloudforunderstanding,andifyoulookforitasfor
silverandsearchforitasforhiddentreasure,thenyouwillunderstandthefear
oftheLordandfindtheknowledgeofGod.FortheLordgiveswisdom,andfrom
Hismouthcomeknowledgeandunderstanding(Proverbs2:1-6).
WhatdoesitmeantofearGod?ThepsalmistslikenthosewhofearGodwith
thosewho“hope...inHisunfailinglove”(Psalm33:18),who“understand[His]
statutes”(Psalm119:79),andwho“walkinHisways”(Psalm128:1).Theyalso
compare fearing God with trusting Him (see Psalm 40:3; 115:11) and advise
thosewhowouldlearnwhatitmeanstofeartheLordto“turnfromevilanddo
good;seekpeaceandpursueit”(seePsalm34:11,14).Solomonequatesfearing
theLordwithshunningevil(seeProverbs3:7;8:13)andhatingknowledgewith
failingtofeartheLord(seeProverbs1:29).Thus,tofeartheLordistotrustand
obey Him. In so doing we defend the deposit of His wisdom and knowledge
withinus.
TheapostlePaulspeaksofGod’swisdomwithinusasa“secretwisdom”(1
Corinthians 2:7) because sinful man can neither know nor understand the
thoughts and the heart of God toward His children. Only as we come to God
through faith in Jesus Christ, “and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2), and
throughthepresenceoftheHolySpiritinourhearts(see1Corinthians2:9-16)
areweprivilegedtounderstandGod’sthoughtstowardus.
IsaiahacknowledgedthisdifferencebetweenGod’sthoughtsandours:
“ForMythoughtsarenotyourthoughts,neitherareyourwaysMyways,”
declares theLord. “Astheheavens arehigher thantheearth, so are Myways
higherthanyourwaysandMythoughtsthanyourthoughts.Astherainandthe
snowcomedownfromheaven,anddonotreturntoitwithoutwateringtheearth
andmakingitbudandflourish,sothatityieldsseedforthesowerandbreadfor
theeater,soisMywordthatgoesoutfromMymouth:ItwillnotreturntoMe
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I
sentit”(Isaiah55:8-11).
ThiswisdomofGodisatreasuretobecherishedanddefended.Histhoughts
toward us are good and His knowledge of us is perfect. He sees beyond our
vesselsofclaytoHiswisdomwithinusandcallsforthfromuswhatHesees.As
we learn to see as God sees and to live from His perspective, we begin to
understand this treasure of His wisdom and the importance of safeguarding it
fromthesnaresoftheevilone.PaulwroteofthistoTimothy:
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from
godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. (1
Timothy6:20-21).
God seesbeyond ourvessels of clay to His wisdomwithin us and calls
forthwhatHesees.
God’swisdomwillnevermatchthewaysoftheworld:
Foritiswritten:“Iwilldestroythewisdomofthewise;theintelligenceof
theintelligent I willfrustrate.” Where isthe wiseman?Where isthe scholar?
Whereisthephilosopherofthisage?HasnotGodmadefoolishthewisdomof
theworld?(1Corinthians1:19-20)
WemustbecarefultosafeguardHisknowledgewithinussowecanseethe
perfectionandbeautyofHisplansandpurposesforourlives.
Sadly,sataninfluencesmanypeopletoclosetheireyesandwalkawayfrom
theirvisionsbecausetheydon’tbelievewhattheysee.Heknowsthe potential
they contain—what they can become, the many goals they can meet, and the
ideastheycanaccomplish—buttheydon’t.ThisiswhytheapostlePaulinstructs
usto“takecaptiveeverythoughttomakeitobedienttoChrist”(2Corinthians
10:5).
When we bring our thoughts to Jesus and make them subject to Him, we
combat satan’s strategy and unmask his deception. Jesus, who knows both
satan’sworksandthepotentialGodbuildsintoeveryhumanbeing,cleansesour
sightandenablesustoseerightlythroughtheeyesoffaithandhope.Thisisthe
beginningofwisdom.
TheTreasureofGod’sPower
GodhasalsodepositedHispowerwithinus.TheapostlePaulspokeofthis
powerasthemeansbywhichGodworkssalvationinus—“Iamnotashamedof
the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who
believes.” (Romans 1:16)—and he carefully portrayed this salvation as “a
demonstrationoftheSpirit’spower,sothat[our]faithmightnotrestonmen’s
wisdom,butonGod’spower”(1Corinthians2:4-5).
Inasimilarmanner,PeterandJohnunderstoodGod’spowertobethesecret
behindtheirpower:
...“MenofIsrael,whydoesthissurpriseyou?Whydoyoustareatusasifby
ourownpowerorgodlinesswehadmadethismanwalk?...
ByfaithinthenameofJesus,thismanwhomyouseeandknowwasmade
strong”(Acts3:12,16a).
Goddoesn’twantusjusttoknowwhoweareinHim;Hewantsustobecome
it. This occurs as we take hold of His power and make it our own. We must
alwaysbecareful“...toshowthatthisallsurpassingpowerisfromGodandnot
from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Even when we do not understand how God is
workinginourlivesorwhatHeistryingtoaccomplish,wecandogreatthings
whenwecooperatewithHispower.Thisistruebecausepotentialisvisionina
dormant state that can be activated by our faith in God’s power. If we are
childrenofGod,ourgreatestgoalinlifeshouldbetoresembleourFather.
Goddoesn’twant usjustto knowwho we are inHim; He wants us to
becomeit.
Whenever we see ourselves being something, doing something, or going
somewhere,andwebelievethatGod’spowerinuswillbringthisglimpseofour
potentialtopass,wetapintoGod’spowertoaccomplishHiswill.Thispowerof
GodisatworkinustosaveusandtocallustoaholylifeinChristJesus(see1
Corinthians2:1-5and2Timothy1:8-10).
SatanknowsthatGod“isabletodoimmeasurablymorethanallweaskor
imagine,accordingtoHispowerthatisatworkwithinus”(Ephesians3:20)and
he is threatened by potential that is transformed by this power. Therefore, we
mustdiligentlydefendGod’spowerwithinussothatourvisioncanbechanged
intomissionandGod’spotencymayberevealedinus.God’spowerinusisa
secondtreasuretobedefendedfromtheschemesoftheevilone.
TheTreasureoftheHolySpirit
PaulalsoidentifiestheHolySpiritHimselfasthedepositortreasurewithin
usthatwemustguard.
NowitisGodwhomakesbothusandyoustandfirminChrist.Heanointed
us,setHissealofownershiponus,andputHisSpiritinourheartsasadeposit,
guaranteeingwhatistocome...(2Corinthians1:21-22).
Nowit isGod whohas madeus...and has given us the Spiritas a deposit,
guaranteeingwhatistocome(2Corinthians5:5).
TheHolySpiritbothrevealsGod’swisdomandpowerinusandguarantees
thatwewillreceiveallGodhasplannedforthosewhoseekHiswisdomandlive
byHispower.HispresenceinourlivesisanimportantdepositbecauseHeisthe
key to tapping into God’s storehouse of wisdom and power. We cannot
understandandapplyGod’swisdomwithouttheHolySpirit;neithercanwelive
byHispower. HeistheCounselor to teachus all things(see John 14:26),the
SearcherofourheartstorevealtousthedeepthingsofGod(see1Corinthians
2:9-11),andtheOnewhotestifiesthatweareGod’schildren(seeRomans8:16).
ThroughHimweknowGod’sthoughtsandunderstandwhatGodhasgivento
us:
WehavenotreceivedthespiritoftheworldbuttheSpiritwhoisfromGod,
thatwemayunderstandwhatGodhasfreelygivenus.
...ThemanwithouttheSpiritdoesnotacceptthethingsthatcomefromthe
SpiritofGod,fortheyarefoolishnesstohim,andhecannotunderstandthem,
becausetheyarespirituallydiscerned(1Corinthians2:12,14).
TheTreasureofPotential
In essence, God’s wisdom, power, and Spirit are the treasure we must
safeguard.TheyareadepositofHimselfinussothatwecanactandfunction
likeHim,sharinginHiswork.Togethertheyareourpotential,thesourceofour
dreams and visions. We must remember, however, that having this deposit of
Goddoesnotmeanthatwewillkeepit.
AllthegreatthingsGodhasputinsideus—ourvisions,dreams,plans,and
talents—aresatan’s targets. Heis afraidof menandwomen whohave faithin
God’swisdomandpower,becausetheytaketheirvisionsandtranslatetheminto
action.Theynotonlysetgoals,theymakethemhappen.
AllthegreatthingsGodhasputinsideus—ourvisions,dreams,plans
andtalents—aresatan’stargets.
The deceiver fears the treasure we possess. His destructive tactics and
deceptiveinfluencescomeintoourlivestonullifyandentrapallGodhasgiven
tous.Heisn’tgoingtoletusfulfillourpotentialwithoutencounteringresistance
fromhim.Indeed,hisattackissoseverethatPauladvisedTimothytoseekthe
helpoftheHolySpirittomeetandovercomeit:
Guardthegooddepositthatwasentrustedtoyou—guarditwiththehelpof
theHolySpiritwholivesinus(2Timothy1:14).
Havenofear!Godhasgivenuseverythingweneedtosafeguardourhidden
wealth from the schemes and deceit of the evil one. We must be careful,
however, not to rely on weapons of human strength and wisdom. We cannot
whipthe enemy byourselves, “forthe foolishnessof God iswiser thanman’s
wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1
Corinthians1:25).Onlyasweare“strongintheLordandinHismightypower”
(Ephesians6:10)canwewithstandsatan’sonslaughtagainstus.TheHolySpirit,
sentbyJesuswhenwereceiveHimasSavior,isourHelper.
God’sPlanofDefense
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the
spiritualforcesofevilintheheavenlyrealms.Thereforeputonthefullarmorof
God,sothatwhenthedayofevilcomes,youmaybeabletostandyourground,
andafteryou havedoneeverything,to stand.Standfirmthen, withthebeltof
truthbuckledaroundyourwaist,withthebreastplateofrighteousnessinplace,
andwithyourfeetfittedwiththereadinessthatcomesfromthegospelofpeace.
Inadditiontoallthis,takeuptheshieldoffaith,withwhichyoucanextinguish
alltheflamingarrowsoftheevilone.Takethehelmetofsalvationandthesword
oftheSpirit,whichisthewordofGod.AndprayintheSpiritonalloccasions
withallkindsofprayersandrequests.Withthisinmind,bealert...(Ephesians
6:12-18).
ThisdescriptionofthearmorofGoddetailsaplantoguardandprotectyour
lifeagainstsatan’sinvasion.Youmustunderstandtheprovisionsofthisplanand
putthemintopracticeifyouwanttodefendyourpotential.
Recognizeyourenemiesasthespiritualforcesofevil.
First,recognizeyourenemyasthespiritualforcesofevil“forourstruggleis
not against flesh and blood, but against…the powers of this dark world and
againstthespiritualforcesofevil…”Whatlookstobeaconflictinpersonalities
or a difference in values may well be a struggle on a more basic level.
Discouragement,opposition,criticism,andtheotherenemiesofpotentialarethe
workofevilforcesthroughthosewhoareclosetoyou.Learntorecognizeand
combattheseobstaclesforwhattheyare.
Learntorecognizeandcombattheenemiesofpotential.
TheScripturesarefilledwithexamplesofsatan’swork.Moses’motherand
sister relied on God’s power to save him from death when Moses’ life was
threatened by the Pharaoh of Egypt’s decree that all Hebrew boys should be
killedatbirth.Afterhismotherhadhiddenhimforthreemonthsandshecould
hidehimnolonger,sheputhiminabasketandplaceditamongthereedsinthe
NileRiver.Hissisterthenwatchedfromadistancetoseewhatwouldhappento
him.When Pharaoh’sdaughter found himand took pityon him, Moses’sister
brought her mother to care for him. (See Exodus 2:1-10.) Thus, Moses was
savedfromPharaoh’smurderousplan.
Josephwasbutayouthwhenhisbrothersplottedtokillhim.Aftertheyhad
soldhimintoslaveryinsteadofkillinghim,Josephenduredmanyhardshipsthat
couldhavepreventedhispotentialfrombeingunveiledandexercised.First,he
was falsely accused of seducing his master’s wife and was, therefore, thrown
into prison; then he was forgotten by those he helped. Still Joseph remained
faithful to God and continued to trust Him. He didn’t allow the enemies of
discouragement,opposition, and the negativeopinions of others to destroythe
dreamsGodhadgivenhim.
After many years, Joseph was placed in a position of great prominence
becauseheinterpretedPharaoh’sdream.Thus,hispotentialtointerpretdreams
and to manage wisely were effectively used, and his purpose to preserve his
fatherJacob’sfamilyinthemidstofaseverefaminewasfulfilled.(SeeGenesis
37—47.)
KingSaultriedtokillDavidmanytimes.AfterSauldisobeyedGodandGod
chose David to replace Saul as king, “.the Spirit of the Lord.. .departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit.. .tormented him” (1 Samuel 16:14). As a young man,
David came into Saul’s house to soothe him with the playing of the harp.
BecausehefoundfavorwithSaul,DavidbecameoneofSaul’sarmor-bearers.
Beforelong,Davidranintotrouble.Ashebecameagreatwarriorandgrew
in popularity, Saul came to be jealous. One day Saul hurled a spear at David.
Another time he sent his men to David’s house to kill him. Although David
escaped,hespentmanyyearsasafugitive,tryingtoavoiddeathbySaul’shand.
Discouragement, fear, loneliness, distractions, negative opinions, and pressure
from others were all part of those years. Yet, David trusted God to fulfill the
promise he had received when Samuel had anointed him to be king. In time,
DavidfulfilledhispotentialandbecamethegreatestkinginIsrael’shistory.
Althoughdeathisafavoritewayforsatantodestroypotential,hewillmost
likely try to ensnare you with one of the enemies of potential. Be alert to
recognizetheseenemiesforwhattheyare—satan’sattacksonyourpotential.
ExpectSatAN’sAttack.
Paulknewthattheattackofsatanisinevitable.Thus,hetoldtheEphesians
toputonthefullarmorofGodsotheycouldwithstandwhentheevildaycame.
Hewantedthemtoexpecttroublesotheywouldbepreparedtomeetitwhenit
came.
No matter what you do, you will always have critics. This is true because
somepeoplecannotbeartoseeotherssucceed.Whenyouaren’tdoinganything,
you’re not a problem for them; but when you start fulfilling your dreams and
visions,you’llattractattention.Peopledon’tcareaboutyouuntilyoustartdoing
somethingbig.
Nomatterwhatyoudo,youwillalwayshavecritics.
This opposition often occurs because your critics aren’t doing anything.
Those who are working out their own dreams don’t need to be threatened by
your accomplishments. They are too busy to be jealous and too confident to
worryhowyoursuccessmightaffectthem.Thus,youmustbecarefulofthose
whoaredoingnothingwiththeirpotential.Theywillbeyourgreatestcritics.
Learntoexpecttheiroppositionandtoriseaboveit.Refusetogetdrawninto
their petty quarrels or to allow their words and actions to influence your self-
esteem or your behavior. Every dream you share has the potential to cause
jealousy,sobecarefulwithwhomyoushareyourdreams.Sometimesyoumust
keepyourdreamtoyourselfbecausenootherpersoncanunderstandit.Indeed,
yourdreamsmaysoundfunnyorpretentioustoothers.
Just stick with what you’re supposed to do until you achieve what you’re
after,andletthosewhoaregoingnowheregotherewithoutyou.Otherswhoare
pursuing their purpose and maximizing their potential will understand your
behavior,eveniftheycan’tseeyourparticularvision.Findthemandenjoytheir
company,forthosewhoaregoingsomewherearemorelikelytosupportyouin
yourjourney.Thisisanessentialfactoringuardingyourpotential.
Preparetoovercomesatan’sattack.
Onewayyoucanpreparetodefendyourpotentialistomakewisechoices.
Consider carefully with whom you associate and where you spend your time.
Examine your reading material and how you fill your day. Be cautious with
whomyoushareyourdreams—ifyousharethematall.
Asecondpriorityinpreparingtomeetsatan’sattackistobesurethatyour
visionisfromGod. Don’tconjure upyour ownideas.If theycontradictGod’s
Word, you know your ideas are not from Him. God will not deny His Word.
Falsedreamsandfakepropheciesaresurewaystoloseyourpotential.Satanwill
distractyouanywayhecan.Prepareforhisattackbystayinginclosefellowship
withGodandbyseekingHisknowledgeandwisdom.
A third method for fortifying yourself against the assault of evil is to seek
God’sdisciplineanddirectioninyourlife.Betruthfulinyourdealings.Actwith
justiceandvirtue.Liveatpeacewithothersinsofarasitiswithinyourpower,
beingcareful, however, notto compromiseyour loyaltyand obedienceto God
andHisWord.SeekHischasteningwhenyouhavefailedand“rejoicein[your]
sufferings, because. suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character;
andcharacter,hope. Andhopedoesnotdisappointus.” (Romans5:3b-5).God
will honor your efforts to obey Him and, in so doing, you will guard your
potential.
Standfirminthemidstofattack.
Sooneror later, satan is going to step over the boundaries of your defense
and you are going to be under attack. Then it is time to move from guarding
your potential to protecting it. Paul admonished the Ephesians to stand their
groundand, afterdoingeverything else,stillto stand.Perseverance is thekey.
Youmaynotwinthewarinonebattle,butyoucanstandfirminthemidstof
eachassault.
Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Paul—all persevered through numerous
battlestoemergevictorious.At timestheyfalteredandfailed,buttheyalways
returnedtothebattle.Youtoomustperseverewhentheforcesofevilthreatento
overwhelm you to destroy your potential. The story of Nehemiah offers some
hintsonhowtodothis.
HowtoProtectYourselfFromAttack
Nehemiah,acommonman,hadajobasthecupbearerofthePersiankingin
whose land he was an exile. When he heard of the plight of his former
countrymenwhohadnotbeencarriedintoexileandthesorrystateofthecityof
Jerusalem,hemournedforthemandaskedGodtohelphimreturntoJerusalem
sohecouldrebuildthecity.Godheardhisprayerandgrantedhimfavorinthe
king’s sight so that the king gave Nehemiah both his permission to return to
Jerusalemandtheresourcestobeginrebuildingthecity.
Noteveryone,however,washappythatNehemiahwastakinganinterestin
thewell-beingofthecityanditsinhabitants.
WhenSanballattheHoroniteandTobiahtheAmmoniteofficialheardabout
this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the
welfareoftheIsraelites(Nehemiah2:10).
EventhoughNehemiahwastryingtodosomethingbeneficial,thesefellows
wereangeredbyhisplans.Sotheystartedtomaketroubleforhim.
“What is this you are doing?" they asked. “Areyou rebelling against the
king?”(Nehemiah2:19b)
But Nehemiah was not to be deterred. He gathered workers together and
beganto rebuildthe gatesand thewallsof Jerusalem.This incensedSanballat
furthersothathebegantoridiculetheJews:
What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they
offersacrifices?Willtheyfinishinaday?Cantheybringthestonesbacktolife
fromthoseheapsofrubble—burnedastheyare?(Nehemiah4:2b)
Tobiahjoinedinhismocking:
Whattheyarebuilding—ifevenafoxclimbeduponit,hewouldbreakdown
theirwallofstones!(Nehemiah4:3b)
Nehemiah did not reply to their ridicule. Instead, he turned to the Lord in
prayer(seeNehemiah4:4-5)andkeptonwiththework.Thisillustratesthefirst
guidelineforprotectingyourpotential.Don’tansweryourcritics.
Thereareseverallevelsofanger.Atfirstyourcriticmaybeannoyedbyyou,
but if you persist in your work, he becomes incensed. Sanballat, Tobiah, and
their associates became incensed by the continued work on the walls of
Jerusalem and committed themselves to destroying the potential of Nehemiah
andtheotherworkerswhowererebuildingthecity.
They all [Sanballat and his cohorts] plotted together to come and fight
againstJerusalemandstiruptroubleagainstit.Butwe[Nehemiahandtheother
workers]prayedtoourGodandpostedaguarddayandnighttomeetthisthreat
(Nehemiah4:8-9).
Nehemiahrespondedtothisnewthreat thesamewayhehadansweredthe
last one. He prayed to God instead of answering his critics. He also added a
secondlinetohisdefense.Hepostedaguard.Thisisthesecondguidelinefor
protectingyourpotential.Postaguardtolessenthelikelihoodofattack.
WhenourenemiesheardthatwewereawareoftheirplotandthatGodhad
frustratedit,weallreturnedtothewall,eachtohisownwork(Nehemiah4:15).
This reveals a third means of protecting your potential from attack. Allow
Godtofightforyou.Theworkersstoodguard,butGodfrustratedtheplansof
theattackers.TheIsraelitesreliedonHimtofightforthem:
Whereveryouhearthesoundofthetrumpet,joinusthere.OurGodwillfight
forus!(Nehemiah4:20)
Forawhile,Nehemiahandhishelpersworkedinpeace.Yet,theydidnotlet
downtheirguard.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were
equippedwithspears,shields,bowsandarmor.Theofficersposted themselves
behindallthepeopleofJudahwhowerebuildingthewall.Thosewhocarried
materialsdidtheirworkwithonehandandheldaweaponintheother,andeach
ofthebuildersworehisswordathissideasheworked(Nehemiah4:16-18a).
Thus, they employed a fourth means for protecting their potential from
attack.Don’tallowalullinthebattletoconvinceyouthatthewarisover.Don’t
confusequietwithpeace.
Finally, when Nehemiah’s enemies received word that the wall had been
completelyrebuilt,theysentamessagetorequestameeting:
Come,letusmeettogetherinoneofthevillages...(Nehemiah6:2b).
Nehemiahwiselycounteredthisaswell,recognizingitforadifferentkindof
attack:
Buttheywereschemingtoharmme;soIsentmessengerstothemwiththis
reply:“Iamcarryingonagreatprojectandcannotgodown.Whyshouldthe
workstopwhileIleaveitandgodowntoyou?”(Nehemiah6:2c-3)
Thisreplyrevealsafifthandasixthmeansofprotectingyourpotentialfrom
attack. First, Nehemiah sent a messenger instead of going himself when his
enemiessummonedhim.Stayawayfromtheopposition.Second,herefusedto
stophisworktotalk.Don’twastetimetalking.
EvenwhenSanballatsentlettersfourandfivetimesrequestingNehemiahto
cometoavillagetotalk,andtriedtointimidateNehemiahbysuggestingthathe
wouldsoonbeintroublewiththekinginPersia,Nehemiahremainedfirminhis
stance. He again sent a letter instead of going himself, and he accused his
opposers of making things up in their heads to create trouble. You too must
remainfirminyourdecisionsandrefusetobeintimidatedbyyouroppressors.
Thesearetheseventhandeighthfactorsinprotectingyourpotentialwhenyou
areunderassault.
Nehemiahusedmanymethodstofightforhisvision.Youmustemploythe
samemethodstopreserveyourpotentialfromattack.
FightforYourVision
Therewillalwaysbepeoplewhoarecommittedtodestroyingyou.Theywill
criticizeyou,ridiculeyou, andbecomeangry withyou.Letthem. Youarenot
responsiblefortheiractions,onlyyourown.
Fight for your vision. Share your dream only when you must, and choose
carefullywithwhomyoushareit.Dothebackgroundworkandstayoncourse
when the going gets rough. Expect opposition and be careful not to allow the
threats and accusations of your enemies to intimidate you. Stick with your
decisions and remain committed to your goal. Don’t let quietness fool you so
thatyouarecaughtunpreparedbyalaterattack.TalktoGodaboutyourneeds
andallowHimtorespondtoyouroppressors.Neveranswerthemyourself.
Finally, keep yourself busy. Don’t allow the battle to interfere with your
work.Youmay notbe popular, butyou willbe successfulbecause Godworks
withthose whoput forththe effort tostay withthe visionHe hasgiven them.
Thus,youropposerswilllearn thattheyarenot asimportantas what youare
doing, and you will remain focused on your vision withrenewed wisdom and
strength to accomplish it. Your potential is worth the effort of overcoming its
enemies.
GetMoving
God helps those who help themselves. This familiar saying expresses an
importanttruth.PaultoldTimothytoseekthehelpoftheHoly
Spirit(see2Timothy1:14),nottoexpectHimtorunthewholeshow.The
HolySpiritwillnottakeover ourlives,butHewillassistusin running them.
That’s the meaning ofHis nameparacletus). He is our helper or assistant. He
doesn’tguardourpotential.Hehelpsustodosobyguidingourdecisionsandby
empoweringustowithstandandtriumphinthemidstoftrials.
Guidance, by definition, requires movement. Merriam Webster’s 10 th
CollegiateDictionarysaysthattoguideisto“directinacourseortoshowthe
waytobefollowed.[It]impliesknowledgeofthewayandofallitsdifficulties
and dangers.” As a ship that is resting in the harbor cannot be steered, so the
HolySpiritcannotguideusifwearenotgoinganywhere.Whenwesay,“Guide
me,Lord,”theHolySpiritreplies,“Whereareyougoing?”Heneedsustomove
soHecanturnusintherightdirection.
Ifyou want Godto guard yourpotential, you haveto startusing it. Ifyou
wantHimtoprotectit,youhavetostartprotectingit.Let’ssay,forexample,that
you have a dream to go back to school and become a teacher, but you’re
strugglingwithyourdreambecauseyouhavepoorreadingskills.Godwillhelp
youprotectyourdreamofbecomingateacherifyousignupforanadultreading
classandworkhardtolearntoread.
Oragain,youmayhavetheambitiontobeanurseoracabinetmakerora
storemanager.Researchthenursingprogramsinyourareaandgetallthefacts
before you present the idea to your parents or your spouse. Find a skilled
carpentertoserveunderasanapprenticebeforeyousetupyourownshop.Start
going to school in the evenings to get your master’s degree in business
administrationbefore you apply for a supervisoryposition. That first step you
takemaynotbetherightone,butGodcan’thelpyouuntilyoudosomething.
Hecan’tcloseadooryouhaven’topenedoraffirmadecisionyouhaven’tmade.
If you aren’t doing anything to accomplish your goal, He isn’t doing anything
either.TheHolySpiritcan’tworkforyouunlessyouareworking.
Thesameprincipleistrueforprotectingyourpotential.Perhapsyouhavethe
ambitiontograduatefromschoolwithhonors,buttoomuchofyourstudytime
isbeingspentworkingapart-timejoborhangingoutwithfriends.Quityourjob
orrearrangeyourhourstogiveyoumorestudytime.Limityoursocialactivities
andmakeyourfreehoursproductiveandrelaxing.Whenyoudosomethingto
removetheattack againstyourvision, Godwillaid yourefforts.Nevertheless,
theinitiativemustcomefromyou.
Or perhaps you’d like to lose weight because your appearance is affecting
both your self-esteem and the confidence others have in your ability to
accomplisha given task.You know youcan do thejob, but younever get the
chancetotrybecauseneitheryounoryourbossiswillingtoriskgivingyouthe
extraresponsibility.Whenyoumakeasincereefforttowatchwhatyoueatand
toget the properexercise, Godwill reaffirm Hisestimation ofyour value and
motivateothers toseeyou asa capable,valuable person.Hisaction toprotect
yourpotentialdependsonyouractions.
Godwon’ttakeabadhabitoraninappropriatelifestylefromyoubecauseHe
didn’tgiveittoyou.Hewillaffirmyour decisionsandstrengthen yourefforts
whenyoustarttakingpositivestepstoridyourselfofthenegativeinfluences,the
wrongattitudes,orthepoorchoicesthatarethreateningyourpotential.Destroy
thecigarettesordrugs.Moveoutfromlivingwithyourboyfriendorgirlfriend.
Stayhomeinsteadofspendingeverynightatthelocalbar.Leavetheroomwhen
youareabouttohityourchildinanger.Takeresponsibilityforyourownactions
when your boss asks you why a project isn’t completed or your spouse is
disappointedthatyouforgotherbirthdayoryourweddinganniversary.
Aboatthatisstillcannotbeturnednomatterhowlongorhowfaryouturn
thewheel.Moveasmalldistanceandtheboatwillrespondtoagentletouchon
thewheel.Theguardingandprotectingofyourpotentialisthesame.Ifyoustay
stuck in your present rut with no attempts to get out of it, your dreams will
witheranddie.Start moving and the gentle touch of God will begin changing
you and helping you to achieve seemingly impossible dreams. God is your
partner. You must work together to protect your potential. When you start
contributingtoyourownprotection,theHolySpiritstartstoprotectyouaswell.
Heempowerswhatyoubeginandredirectsyoureffortswhentheydon’tmatch
Hisexpectations.Thenyoucanbegintodiscoveryourpotentialandtoprotect
whatyousee.
Guardingpotentialisadailytaskthatrequiresmorewisdomandpowerthan
wepossess.Godisinthebusinessofmaximizingpotential.He’llempowerour
efforts if we cooperate with Him, but He will not do the work for us. Begin
today to follow the guidelines for guarding and protecting your potential. The
futureofyourdreamsandvisionsisatstake.
>Principles
1.Youareresponsibletoguardandprotectyourpotential.
2.ThetreasureyoumustdefendisGod’swisdom,God’spower,and
thepresenceofGod’sSpiritinyourlife.ThispotencyofGodwithinyouis
yourpotential.
3.Guidelinesforsafeguardingyourpotential:
•Recognizeyourenemiesastheforcesofevil.
•Expectsatan’sattack.
•Preparetoovercomehisattack.
•Standfirminthemidstofattack.
4.Guidelinesforprotectingyourselffromattack:
•Don’tansweryourcritics.
•Postaguardtodeterattackandtowarnofimpendingdanger.
•AllowGodtofightforyou.
•Don’tallowalullinthebattletoconvinceyouthatthewarisover.
•Stayawayfromyouropposition.
•Don’twastetimetalking.
•Refusetobeintimidatedbyyourcritics’threatsandaccusations.
ChapterFive
CultivateandFeedYourPotential
Whateveryoueateventuallyeatsyou.
Theoldwomansmiledassheenteredthesmall,hotroom.Ablazeofcolor
met her eyes. African violets of many shades of pink, purple, white, red, and
blue,andvariegatedmixturesofthesecolors,filledtheroom.Theroomhadnot
always looked like this. When she and her husband had first built this house
manyyearsbefore,thishadbeentheirchildren’splayroom.Then,toyshadfilled
theshelves.
Afterthelastoftheirchildrenhad lefthome,thewomanhadbecomevery
depressed,missingthechildrenandhavingverylittletodo.That’swhenafriend
hadgivenherclippingsfromherAfricanvioletsandhadpersuadedhertoturn
the playroom into a greenhouse. The idea had been a good one, giving her
renewedinterestinlife.
Overtheyears,shehadspentmanyhourshere.Atfirstonlyoneofthemany
shelves had contained plants. Now the original shelves were completely filled
and others had been added. She still remembered her joy when her violets
bloomedforthefirsttime.Manyhourshadprecededthattriumph,forshehad
never been known for having a green thumb. In fact, some of herfriends had
triedtodiscouragehernewadventurebecauseinthepastplantshadbeenmore
likely to wither than flourish while in her care. Still she had forged ahead. In
timeshehadcometounderstandthatherplantshadfailedbecauseshehadnot
giventhemsufficientcare.Indeed,theyhaddiedfromneglect.
When the first plants not only lived but flourished under her touch, she
gained the confidence to add other colors by getting more clippings from her
friend. She also began reading books and magazine articles about the care of
Africanvioletsandtalkingwithotherswholovedplants.Onedaywhilereading
ahorticulturemagazine,shediscoveredanarticleoncreatinghybrids.Thatwas
thedayshebecamehooked.
Sincethen,shehadspentpartofeverydayinthisroom,wateringherplants,
checking for insect pests, rooting new cuttings, fertilizing the plants that were
about to bloom, picking off old blossoms, and rotating the plants so each one
receivedsufficientlight.Eventhedayherhusbandhaddied,shehadwandered
inheretofindsolaceamongherfriends—asshehadcometothinkofherplants.
In the evening, she often read gardening and horticulture magazines here,
havingmovedherfavoritechairfromthelivingroomwhenherhusbandwasno
longertheretospendthelonghourswithher.Afternearly40yearsofhardwork
andextensivereading,theriotouscolorthatsurroundedherrevealedthesuccess
ofherefforts.
Now, her skill in cultivating and breeding African violets was known
throughout the community, and over the years she had found great joy in
teaching others the art of cultivating plants. Every year her conservatory was
consideredtobethehighlightofthegardentour.Plantcollectionsthroughoutthe
town—ingardensandrooms—weretestimonytoherskill.
Thesuccessfulfulfillmentofyourpotentialissimilartothetaskofgrowing
prizewinning flowers. Both require careful attention and diligent effort to
producewinningresults.
PotentialDoesn’tGuaranteePerformance
Godmadeeverythingwiththeabilitytoproducefruitortoreproduceitself.
Yet, the potential to produce does not guarantee performance, nor does the
quantityoffruitguaranteeitsquality.Youmayhaveagoodideathatproduces
mediocrity-ladenresults.Oryoumayhavebigdreamsthatamounttoverylittle.
Thisistruebecausepregnancyisnoguaranteeoffruitfulness,andperformance
isnotensuredbyplansanddreams.Pregnancyandperformancematchwhenthe
potentialtoproduceisproperlycaredforanddeveloped.
Pregnancy is no guarantee of fruitfulness, and performance is not
ensuredbyplansanddreams.
You may have the potential to be a world-class architect, but your ability
does not guarantee that you will reach this level of success. You may never
progress beyond drawing doll house plans for your daughter or designing a
model train layout for your son. An important key to producing what you are
capableofisspendingthenecessarytimeandefforttopromotethedevelopment
ofyourtalent.Youmustcultivateandfeedyourpotential.
AGardentoCarefor
WhenGodmademan,shrubshadnotyetappearedontheearthandplants
hadnotyetsprungfromtheground.Onlyafterman’screationdidGodplanta
garden and give it a river to water it. Why? Until then “there was no man to
worktheground”(Genesis2:5).Theearthwaspregnantbutnothingwascoming
outbecausetherewasnoonetocareforthesoil’sbabies.
Thus,weseethatGodcreatedalllifetodependoncultivationtomaximize
itsexistencebecausepotentialcannotbereleasedwithoutwork.inessence,God
said, “i can’t allow these trees and plants to grow yet because they need
cultivationwhentheystartgrowingandthereisnoonetocareforthem.”The
fruitandseedsofmanyplantsandtreeswerepresentintheground,butthesoil
didnotproducethemuntilAdamcultivatedthegarden.
The New International Version of the Bible says that God gave Adam the
responsibility of working the garden. The Revised Standard Version and the
King James Version describe man’s task as that of tilling the garden, and the
GoodNewsBiblespeaksofcultivating.Allpoint toman’s assignmentto help
the garden produce to its fullest capacity. Thus, man was created to have a
cultivatingministrybymakingtheearthgrowricherashegivestoit,feedsit,
andaddstoit.
WinningthePrizeRequiresRunningtheRace
Potential is like soil. It must be worked and fed to produce fruit. King
Solomon referred to this process of releasing the fruitfulness of man when he
said,“Thepurposesofaman’sheartaredeepwaters,butamanofunderstanding
drawsthemout”(Proverbs20:5).
Notice,thedrawingoutofman’spotentialrequireseffort.Likethefisherman
who brings forth the treasures of the sea by hard work and the farmer who
harveststhefruitofthegroundbythesweatofhisbrow,somanmustlaborto
tapevenaportionofGod’spotentialwithinhim.
Potentialislikesoil.Itmustbeworkedandfedtoproducefruit.
The apostle Paul understood this need to put forth the effortto release his
fruitfulness.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the
prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the
gamesgoesintostricttraining.Theydoittogetacrownthatwillnotlast;but
wedoittogetacrownthatwilllastforever.ThereforeIdonotrunlikeaman
runningaimlessly;Idonotfightlikeamanbeatingtheair.No,Ibeatmybody
andmakeitmyslavesothatafterIhavepreachedtoothers,Imyselfwillnotbe
disqualifiedfortheprize(1Corinthians9:24-27).
Understandingandwisdomarethekeystothesuccessofman’smission.His
racetomaximizeeverythingGodhasgivenhimbeginswithknowingwhatGod
requiresof himand how Heexpects himto reachthe finishline. Theprimary
principleincultivatingone’slifeformaximumlivingistodestroyignoranceby
thepursuitofknowledge,wisdom,andunderstanding.
KnowledgeandUnderstandingPromoteGrowth
SupposeIwantedtocreateabeautifulvasetoplaceinmylivingroom,butI
knewnothingaboutmakingpottery.Myfirststepwouldneedtobeavisittoa
masterpotter,oratleasttothelocallibrary,tolearnallIcouldaboutworking
clay into beautiful pieces. I would have to learn about the selection and
preparation of the clay, the throwing and shaping of the vase on the potter’s
wheel,thelengthoftimeandtheconditionsforseasoningtherawpot,theproper
temperatureanddurationforfiringthepotinthekiln,etc.Muchwork,including
many hours of practice on much lesser pots than the vase I hoped to create,
would precede my reaching the goal of making a vase to place in my living
room.
Thisprocedureisnotunliketheprocesswemustundertaketomaximizeour
potential.Knowledgeandeffortmustco-exist,butknowledgeisthefoundation
for success. As we saw in the last chapter, God’s wisdom and knowledge
becomeavailabletouswhenweareconnectedtoHimthroughthepresenceof
HisSpirit.AnunderstandingofHiswaysandthediscoveryofHispurposesare
partofthetreasureHehasgivenus.
For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and
understanding.Heholdsvictoryinstorefortheupright,Heisashieldtothose
whosewalkisblameless,forHeguardsthecourseofthejustandprotectsthe
wayofHisfaithfulones.Thenyouwillunderstandwhatisrightandjustandfair
—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be
pleasanttoyoursoul(Proverbs2:6-10).
The search for knowledge requires effort. You must seek it like a treasure
that is precious to you. You cannot touch God’s knowledge, however, without
diligenceandexertion.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge
(Proverbs23:12).
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
turningyoureartowisdomandapplyingyourhearttounderstanding,andifyou
calloutforinsightandcryaloudforunderstanding,andifyoulookforitasfor
silverandsearchforitasforhiddentreasure,thenyouwillunderstandthefear
oftheLordandfindtheknowledgeofGod(Proverbs2:1-5).
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
throughknowledgeitsroomsarefilledwithrareandbeautifultreasures.Awise
man has great power, anda man of knowledge increases strength; for waging
waryouneedguidance,andforvictorymanyadvisers(Proverbs24:3-6).
Building a house and waging war require great effort. They do not just
happen.Thesameistrueforstoringupthings.Ifyou’veevercannedorfrozen
fruitsandvegetablesinthesummertoprovideforyourfamilyinthewinter,you
knowthatmanylong,hothoursprecedethefinalactofputtingthefinishedjars
ontheshelf.
Inasimilar manner,removing treasuresfromtheearth isalsoarduous and
time-consuming.Wellsmustbedrilledbeforeoilcanbepumpedfromthedepths
of the earth, and great shafts or tunnels must be dug before the mining of
diamonds, silver, and other precious metals can be achieved. These are the
imagesSolomonusedtoillustratethestrengthandthededicationyouwillneed
toexerciseifyouhopetogaintheknowledgethatwilladvancetheunleashingof
yourpotential.
Knowledge must always precede action or much time and effort will be
wasted through misguided efforts and dead-end directions. God, who planned
yourlifeandgrantedyouthepotentialtofulfill
His plans, works for and with you when you seek to know Him and to
understandandfollowHisways.
Knowledgemustalwaysprecedeactionormuchtimeandeffortwillbe
wastedthroughmisguidedeffortsanddead-enddirections.
TheConsequencesofNeglectingKnowledge
Sadly, we often forfeit our potential because we neglect the wisdom,
knowledge,andunderstandingthatcomefromGodalone.Solomonspokeofthe
consequencesofthisneglect,asdidtheprophetHosea:
Wisemenstoreupknowledge,butthemouthofafoolinvitesruin(Proverbs
10:14).
Theteachingofthewiseisafountainoflife,turningamanfromthesnares
ofdeath.Goodunderstandingwinsfavor,butthewayoftheunfaithfulishard.
Everyprudentmanactsoutofknowledge,butafoolexposeshisfolly(Proverbs
13:14-16).
Mypeoplearedestroyedfromlackofknowledge.“Becauseyouhaverejected
knowledge,IalsorejectyouasMypriests;becauseyouhaveignoredthelawof
yourGod,Ialsowillignoreyourchildren”(Hosea4:6).
A lack of knowledge is not the same as the unavailability of knowledge.
Hosea says that God’s people perish because they have rejected knowledge.
Knowledgemaysurroundus,butunlessweapplyittooursituationoruseitto
inform our decisions, it is useless to us. We cannot really excuse ourselves
before the Lord saying, “I didn’t know,” because opportunities to gain
knowledgeaboundinourworld.Weliveinanageofaninformationexplosion
withlibraries,tapeministries,teachingvideos,television,andradiobombarding
us on every side with opportunities to stretch our horizons and increase our
knowledge.WhatwecanconfesstoGodis,“Irejectedtheopportunitytolearn.”
Thesaying,“Whatyoudon’tknowcan’tkillyou,” issimplynottrue.Too
oftenwe sufferloss becausewe didnottake theopportunity tolearnthe facts
aboutaparticularsubject.Weperishbecauseofwhatwedon’tknow.Nomatter
howgreatyourdreamis,ifyoudon’thavetheinformationrelativetoyourplan,
forgetit.
ThePenaltiesofIgnorance
The devil doesn’t destroy God’s people...the government doesn’t destroy
God’s people.the economy doesn’t destroy God’s people.. .cocaine and
marijuana don’t destroy God’s people. Ignorance destroys God’s people. This
onethingisbehindeverydestructiveinfluenceinourlives.
God rejects those who reject His knowledge. In other words He says, “We
can’tdobusiness.Youhaven’tusedthetoolsIgaveyou,soIcan’thelpyou.You
can’teventalkintelligentlywithMe.”IgnoranceaffectshowGodanswersour
prayers because we ask for things we don’t need or shouldn’t want. To ask
rightly we must understand how we operate, how the devil operates, how the
world operates, and how God operates. Asking God to do something for us
before we understand these aspects of our situation is wasting our time and
God’s.HemustrejecteverythingwerequestbecauseourprayersandHisways,
will,anddesiresforusdonotlineup.
Ignorance affects how God answers our prayers because we ask for
thingswedon’tneedorshouldn’twant.
Research your dream before you start working to achieve it. Learn
everythingyoucanaboutthebusinessyouwanttostartorthepeopleyouwant
toreach.Youneedgoodinformationtomakerightdecisions.
God also ignores the children of those who ignore His knowledge. This is
true because your children learn what you know. If you don’t know anything,
theyaren’tgoingtolearnanything,andtheywillthusmakethesamemistakes
andhavethesamevaluesandattitudesyouhave.
Ignorance messes up the next generation. It destroys not only your
fruitfulnessbutyourchildren’saswell.Thus,youandyourchildrenreapwhat
yousow,andyourlackofinformationharmsthem.Ourworldisexperiencinga
multitude of human disasters that give evidence to this fact. Abortion, AIDS,
environmental issues, drugs— all reveal the consequences of the rejection of
knowledgebythisgenerationandthosethatprecededus.Inessence,ignorance
is generational and transferable. The decision to pursue knowledge, improve
understanding,and gain wisdomis a personaldecision butnot a privateissue.
Everybookyoureadaffectsyourgrandchildren,soreadandcultivateyourself
forposterity.
TwistedValues
OurignoranceofGod’swillandHiswayshastwistedourworld.Wedevalue
what God values and elevate what is insignificant to Him. He sees the
tremendous ability we have and we look at the earth houses that contain that
treasure(see2Corinthians4:7).HecreatedustoshowforthHispower,butwe
aremoreinterestedinsuccessbytheworld’sstandards.Heaffirmsourabilityto
tapintoHiswisdom,butwemakedecisionsbasedontheinformationwereceive
fromourphysicalsensesandoureducation.
Our poverty of knowledge is revealed by our inability to fulfill God’s
potentialonourown.Weliveaimlesslywithoutpurpose,flittingfromonething
to another and never accomplishing anything. Such life is a waste of time.
Withoutasenseofpurposewearelikestillbornbabies.
YourpotentialwillbewastedifyoudonotallowGodtocleanseyoursight
andredirectyourvalues.Then youcanescapethispurposelessexistence.This
occurs as you become aware of the world’s standards and compare them
carefullywithGod’s.Youmaybesurprisedbywhatyoufind.
PotentialUnderAttack
TheBiblesays,“Manlooksattheoutwardappearance,buttheLordlooksat
theheart”(1Samuel16:7c).It’stimeyouandIreevaluatethestandardsofthe
world. Our cars are faster but weaker. Our clothes are sharper, but they come
apartattheseams.Ourvinylshoesshinenicely,buttheylackthedurabilityof
leather. What appears to be better may indeed be a compromise on value and
worth.Theseupside-downvaluesareattackingyourpotential.
Ourworldhasbecomeveryconcernedaboutpollutionissues.Environmental
groups are angered by oil spills and they warn us about the need to protect
endangered animals, rain forests, and waterways. As consumers we are
constantlyremindedtodisposeofwasteproperlyaspartoftheefforttoprotect
ourplanet’sairandwatersupplies,andweareencouragedtorecycletopromote
thewiseuseoftheearth’sresources.
Sadly,wearemoreconcernedaboutthedestructionoftheearth’satmosphere
thanweareaboutthepoisoningofourchildrenbytheairwavestheybreathein
ourhomes.Weareinterestedinthepurityofthewaterwedrink,butwedonot
monitorthepollutantsthatfillourminds.Ourworldissickbecausewevaluethe
wrongthings.
IntheGospelofMark,JesusrebukedthePhariseesbecausetheirvalueswere
mixedup.AsJesusandHis discipleswerewalkingthroughagrainfield,they
were picking and eating grain because they were hungry. Since it was the
Sabbath,thePhariseescomplainedthattheywerebreakingthelaw.
Heanswered[them],“HaveyouneverreadwhatDaviddidwhenheandhis
companionswerehungryandinneed?...heenteredthehouseofGodandatethe
consecratedbread,whichislawfulonlyforprieststoeat.Andhealsogavesome
tohiscompanions.”ThenHesaidtothem,“TheSabbathwasmadeforman,not
manfortheSabbath.SotheSonofManisLordevenoftheSabbath.”
Anothertime[Jesus]went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled
hand was there. Some of [the Pharisees] were looking for a reason to accuse
Jesus,sotheywatchedHimcloselytoseeifHewouldhealhimontheSabbath.
Jesussaidtothemanwiththeshriveledhand,“Standupinfrontofeveryone.”
ThenJesusaskedthem,“Which is lawfulontheSabbath:todo good or todo
evil,tosavelifeortokill?”Buttheyremainedsilent.Helookedaroundatthem
in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man,
“Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely
restored(Mark2:25—3:5).
MatthewrecordsJesus’wordsonthisoccasionslightlydifferently:
[Jesus]saidtothem,“Ifanyofyouhasasheepanditfallsintoapitonthe
Sabbath,willyounottakeholdofitandliftitout?Howmuchmorevaluableisa
manthanasheep!ThereforeitislawfultodogoodontheSabbath”(Matthew
12:11-12).
Thevaluesandstandardsofourworldarenotsodifferentfromthoseofthe
Pharisees.Wesavewhalesandtrytoprotectendangeredspecies,butweallow
babiestobeaborted.Wecannotshootflamingos,butwecantakeascalpeland
killhumanfetuses.
Wearesick.WearenodifferentthanthoseJesusadmonished.Therefore,we
need to rethink our values and redefine the definition of pollution. The most
damaging pollutants that are poisoning our communities are not coming from
cars,factories,andtoxicwastedumps.Theycomefrombookshelves,televisions,
movie houses, and rental videos. They come from our schools and colleges
whereteacherswhodonotbelieveinGodteachourchildrenthatGodisacrutch
or afigment of theirimaginations. Don’ttell menot to shoot flamingoswhen
teachersareshootingmychildrenbyteachingthemcorruption,error,evolution,
andGodlessphilosophies!
Theonlywaytocombatthispollutionistoexaminewhatwearefeedingour
childrenandtocultivatewithcaretheenvironmentsinwhichtheygrow.Then
wecanactivateandstimulatetheirpotential,andours,withthepropernutrients
and fertilizers. God determined this need to care for our potential when He
placedAdaminthegardenandcommandedhimtowork,till,andcultivateit.
ATwofoldProcess:
CultivatingandFeedingYourPotential
Potentialmustbecultivatedandfedtoproducefruit.Buthowdowedothis?
Howdowecultivateandfeedthetalents,skills,andabilitieswepossess?
The definitions of cultivate include: a) to prepare and work to promote
growth;b)toimprovegrowthbylaborandattention;c)todevelopandrefineby
educationandtraining;andd)toseekorpromote,suchasafriendship.Tofeed
something means that we a) supply with nourishment; b) provide as food; c)
furnish for consumption; and d) satisfy, minister, and gratify. All these
definitions imply that the process is to be beneficial, not harmful. If the
provisionsdonot supplynourishmentthat isessentialforgrowth, theyarenot
trulyfeedingus.Likewise,iftheactivityandattentiondonothelpustodevelop,
refine,improve,andpromoteourabilities,skills,andtalents,theycannottruly
becalledcultivation.
Evenasseedsdonotbecomeplantsovernight,sothewealthofourpotential
cannotbeexposedandfulfilledinan instant.Wemust exertefforttocultivate
what God has given us, and we must exercise care to fertilize and water it
properly.Asspecificplantsrequirecertainnutrientsandconditionstogrow,so
we must provide the right nourishment and environment to encourage the
maximizing of our potential. These specifications have been set by God, who
createdus.Toignorethemistoinvitedeath.
CultivatingandFeedingtheThreeDimensionsofPotential
Wearelikeafallow field.Wecontainmuchfruit,but ourfertilitywillnot
become evident until and unless we cultivate and feed our bodies, souls, and
spirits.Thesearethethreedimensionsofpotential.Cultivatingandfeedingwork
together to promote maximum growth and fulfillment. If we activate and
stimulate our potential through challenging work and experiences, but we
neglect to provide the appropriate fertilizers that will sustain and maintain it
withinthosesituations,beforelonggrowthwillbecomestuntedandeventually
stop. Likewise, if we feed our bodies, souls, and spirits according to our
Manufacturer’sspecifications,butwefailtofosteranddevelopoccasionswhen
we can try new things and reach for new goals, we will still diminish the
effectivereleaseofourpotential.Bothcultivatingandfeedingarenecessaryfor
wholesomegrowth.
Each dimension of our potential—body, soul, and spirit—has definite
specifications and materials for cultivation and explicit requirements in
fertilizers.ThesespecificationsorrequirementsprescribedbyourManufacturer
ensure that each part of our being operates at peak performance and achieves
maximumfruitfulness.Theyareessentialingredientsforunveilingwhowecan
beandwhatwecando.
Youarewhatyoueat.Thisistrueforallthreedimensionsofpotential.Ifyou
eat excessive fatty foods, you will gain weight and your face will be covered
with pimples. If you feed your mind with trash, your thoughts will be in the
gutter.Ifyoufeedyourspirittheinformationreceivedthroughthesensesofyour
bodyandtheeducationofyoursoul,neglectingGod’swisdomandknowledge,
youwilloperatefromworldlystandardsandvalues.
Youarewhatyoueat.
CultivateandFeedYourBody
Yourbodyisaprecisemachinethatrequiresproperfood,exercise,andrest.
Healthyfood,regularexercise,andscheduledperiodsofrestareessentialforit
to operateat its maximum potential.Physical health deteriorateswhen sweets,
fats,orotherharmfulfoodsarestuffedintothebody,andthebody’sstrengthand
endurance are lessened if exercise (work) is missing from your daily routine.
Likewise,theabsenceofrestdepletesthebody’sresourcesuntilexhaustionand
evencollapseeventuallyoccur.Cultivateandfeedyourbodybylivingwithina
healthyroutinethatincludesnutritious food,moderatebutsystematicexercise,
andregularsleepandrelaxation.
Secondly, the cultivation and feeding of your body requires that you use it
with discretion, setting it apart for its intended uses. God did not give you a
physical body so you can fill it with empty calories or treat it as a beast of
burden. If you have a choice of a salad or french fries for lunch, choose the
salad.Thefriesmaytastegood,buttheydolittleornothingtonourishyou.Ina
similarmanner,considertheproperuseofyourbodywhenyouareworkingor
exercising. For example, safeguard your back by bending your knees to lift a
heavyload.
This requirement to use your body with discretion also means that you
shouldtreatitwithrespectandexercisecautionnottoabuseit.Takecarenotto
allowcigarettes,alcohol,andotherharmfulsubstancestoenterit.Astheapostle
Paulwarnsus:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one
mayreceivewhatisduehimforthethingsdonewhileinthebody,whethergood
orbad(2Corinthians5:10).
Eachpersonwillhavetogiveanaccountforwhathedidwithhisbody.
Third,youmustcultivateyourphysicalbodybypreservingitandprotecting
it from pollutants.If you are going to do something for the world, if you are
really going to contribute to the effectiveness and the productivity of your
nation,youcannotbesickbecauseyoucannotbeeffectiveifyouaresick.Asthe
apostlePaulsays:
DoyounotknowthatyourbodyisatempleoftheHolySpirit,whoisinyou,
whomyouhavereceivedfromGod?...Thereforehonor
Godwithyourbody(1Corinthians6:19-20).
InhislettertothechurchatRome,Pauladds:
..offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is
yourspiritualactofworship(Romans12:1).
Forsomethingtobeasacrifice,it mustbevaluableandworthgiving.You
cannot effectively honor God if your body is too heavy or your heart is weak
because you have filled your body with cholesterol-producing foods. Preserve
yourbodybyunderstandingandobeyingtheManufacturer’sdirections.Youare
responsibletoprotectyourphysicaltemple.Cultivateyourbody.
CultivateYourSoul
Your soul consistsof your mind, yourwill, and your emotions.What goes
into your mind always influences what comes out. If your children watch
disrespectful,smart-mouthedkidsonTV,theywilllearntotalkandactthesame
way. In fact, they won’t even know that they are being disrespectful because
theirvaluesandwisdomwillhavebeenskewedbythethingstheysawandread.
Be careful, then, to convert your mind by filling it with godly, uplifting
materials.Feed itGod’sWordinstead ofjunk novels.Ifyou spendmuch time
reading ivory-towered romantic fiction, you will come to have unrealistic
expectationsofyourspouseandyouwilleitherdegradeordestroythemarriage
relationshipthroughunfaithfulthoughts,words,andactions.Turnonateaching
tapeinsteadoftheafternoonsoaps.TakepartinasmallgroupBiblestudy.Use
yourmomentsofleisuretoupliftratherthanteardown.
Likewise,cultivateyourmind.SpendsometimeeachweekinseriousBible
study or research a useful topic you know little about at your local library.
Attend concerts and lectures, or take evening classes at a community college.
The whole purpose of encyclopedias, formal education, and other sources of
knowledgeis not to makeyou smart, butto give youthe opportunity tomake
yourself smart. Use the resources available to your mind to inspire you to
activate your dreams and reach for new goals. Your mind is a powerful tool
createdbyGodforthegoodofmankind.
It’sapitytodiewithwaterwhenpeoplearedyingofthirst.Yetithappens
everydayaspeoplewhohavetheanswerstotheworld’sproblemsrefusetofeed
and cultivate their minds so they can reach into the deep wells of their
possibilitiesandpulloutwhattheworld needs.Looktothecarefulcultivation
andfeedingofyourmind.Remember,thepersonwhodoesn’treadisnobetter
offthanthepersonwhocan’t.
It’sapitytodiewithwaterwhenpeoplearedyingofthirst.
The cultivation of your soul also includes the discipline of your will.
Discipline is training or teaching someone or something to obey a particular
command or to live by a certain standard. The discipline of your will is
particularly important because the will is the decision maker. If you refuse to
disciplineyourwill,youwon’tbesuccessfulinfulfillingyourpotentialbecause
yourwilldeterminesyourdecisions,whichgovernyourpotential.
IimagineJesusinthegardenbeforeHisarrest.Hiswillwassaying,“Let’s
findanother way to dothis,” but Godsaid, “There isonly one way.” Because
Jesus’willwasdisciplined,Hesaid,“Okay,YourwillnotMinebedone.”(See
Mark14:32-36.)IfyoudonottrainyourwilltobesubjectedtoGod’swisdom
and purposes, you will forfeit the purpose for which you were born, and your
potential will be wasted. Self-discipline is the highest expression of
selfmanagement,whichismanifestedinadisciplinedwill.
The cultivating of your soul also requires that you control your emotions.
Toooftenweallowouremotionstocontrolusinsteadofourcontrollingthem.
Tantrumsandfitsofragearesymptomsofthismalady.Emotionsarecontrolled
byunderstanding.Ecclesiastes7:12says:
Wisdomisashelterasmoneyisashelter,buttheadvantageofknowledgeis
this:thatwisdompreservesthelifeofitspossessor.
Whatweknowtobetruefromseekinginformationandexaminingthefacts
must be the basis on which we make decisions and relate to other people.
Emotionsoftencolorwhatwesee.Theyalsopromptustosayhastywordsand
to make unwise choices. Emotions governed by information provides an
environmentinwhichthepotentialofoursoulscanbemaximized.
Betterapatientmanthanawarrior,amanwhocontrolshistemperthanone
whotakesacity(Proverbs16:32).
Jesus said that the soul is the most important dimension of our makeup
because the soul is both our receiving center and our distribution center. It
receives information through our physical senses and discernment through our
spiritsanditsendsdirectionsbacktobothourbodiesandourspirits.Thus,our
souls processes information from both the physical and the spiritual worlds.
JesussaidinMatthew5:5,“Blessedarethemeek,fortheywillinherittheearth.”
The word meek does not mean “weak,” but rather “controlled power” or
“disciplinedenergy.”Self-disciplinewillcauseGodtotrustustomanagemore
oftheearth’sresources.
Toooftenthesoulisneglectedandpermittedtopickupinformationthatis
notgoodforthespirit.Maximizeyourpotentialbycultivatingandfeedingyour
soul so that your spirit may fellowship with God, who is the source of all
potential.
CultivateandFeedYourSpirit
MaximizingyourpotentialbeginswithyourdecisiontoacceptJesusChrist
asyourLordandSaviorbecausethemeasureofyourtruepotentialisyourspirit.
Until you become reconnected with God through faith in Jesus Christ and the
presenceofHisSpiritinyourheart,youarespirituallydead,andthepotentialof
yourspiritisunavailabletoyou.Thenyourmindcanonlybecontrolledbywhat
youreceivethroughyoursensesandyourmind.
Thosewholiveaccordingtothesinfulnaturehavetheirmindssetonwhat
thatnaturedesires;butthosewholiveinaccordancewiththeSpirithavetheir
minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the
mindcontrolledbytheSpiritislifeandpeace(Romans8:5-6).
ThesecretwisdomofGodconcerningyourpotential(see1Corinthians2:7-
11)cannotinfluenceyourlifeifHisSpiritisnotpresentinyourheartbecause
only God’s Spirit knows and understands God’s plans and purposes for you.
These were written long before your birth. They contain the information you
need to live to the fullest and to achieve everything you were sent to do.
Attainingyourmaximumpotentialisimpossibleifyoudonotcultivateandfeed
yourspiritbyhookingyourselfuptoGodandabidinginHim.(SeeJohn15:1-
8.)
Cultivatingand feedingyour potentialis asecond keyto maximizingyour
potential. As you pay attention to the fertilizer you give your body, soul, and
spirit, and the work you do to keep them healthy by the Manufacturer’s
specifications,youwillbesurprisedanddelightedbythemanythingsyoucan
accomplish and the satisfaction and joy in life you will experience. You must
cultivateandfeedyourpotentialaccordingtoGod’sspecificationsandwithHis
materials.
Showmeyourfriends,andIwillshowyouyourfuture.
>Principles
1.Thepotentialtoproducefruitdoesnotguaranteeeitherfruitfulness
orthequalityofthefruit.
2.Potentialmustbeworked(cultivated)andfedtoproducefruit.
3.IgnorancemessesupthenextgenerationbecauseGodrejectsboth
thosewhorejectknowledge,andtheirchildren.
4.Goddesignedthepotentialofyourbody,yoursoul,andyourspirit
to be maximized by specific fertilizers and environments that promote
positivegrowthanddevelopment.
5.Cultivateandfeedyourbodybygettingtheproperfood,exercise,
and rest, by using it with discretion, and by preserving and protecting it
frompollutants.
6.Cultivateandfeedyoursoulbyfeedingyourmindpositive,Godly
information,bydiscipliningyourwilltodiscoverandlivebyGod’swisdom
andpurposes,andbygoverningyouremotionswithGod’struth.
7.CultivateandfeedyourspiritbylivingfromGod’ssecretwisdom
dispensedthroughHisHolySpirit.
ChapterSix
ShareYourPotential
Givingisthegreatestevidenceoftruefreedom.Itismoreproductiveto
givethanreceive(seeActs20:35).
Silently the orchestra waited. What would this new masterpiece of their
beloved conductor be like? He had promised that it would be different from
anythinghehadeverwritten.Aseachplayerreceivedhispart,helookedatitin
surprise.Althougheachscorecontainedsomenotes,thereweremanymorerests
than notes. All assumed the other instruments must have the lead part for the
piece.
Whentheystartedtoplay,however,itsoonbecameevidentthatnoonehad
thelead.Thetrumpetswouldplayforafewmeasures,thenthetrombones,after
whichtheclarinetsortheflutespickedupthetune.Althoughitwastruethatthe
parts had some resemblance to each other, no clear melody was evident. The
longer the musicians played, the stranger the music became, but they kept
playingbecauseitseemedtobewhattheconductorexpected.
Afterfiveminutesofeachinstrumentplayingafewnoteshereandthere,the
conductorlaiddownhisbatonandlookedatthemusicians.“Whatiswrong?”he
asked.“Don’tyoulikethemusic?”
Quicklythemembersoftheorchestralookedateachother.Whatshouldthey
say?No,theydidnotlikethepiece,forithadnoneofthebeautyandgrandeur
theyhadcometoexpectinthemaestro’smusic.Ratherthanhurttheirleader’s
feelings,theysaidnothing.
Then the maestro started to laugh. “Wait,” he said, “I will be right back.”
Whenhereturned,hisarmswereagainfilledwithmusic.Oncemorehemoved
throughtheorchestra,givingeachplayera score.Thistimewhenheliftedhis
baton,anticipationfilledeachface.Althoughthescoresstillcontainedrests,they
wereconsiderablyfewerandtheyseemedtobeatfittingplaces.
Aftertheorchestrahadplayedforafewminutes,theconductorstoppedthem
andasked,“DoyouunderstandwhatIhavedone?Ifyoulookatthenotesonthe
twoscores,youwillnoticethattheyarethesame.Itisthereststhataredifferent.
Thefirsttime,oneofyouplayedalittle,thenanother,thenathirdplayer.You
neverplayedtogether.Ididthistoshowyouthateachpartisimportant,butitis
meaningless without the others. When we all play the right notes at the right
time, blending the music and sharing the unique sounds of each instrument, a
beautifulmelodyemerges.Unlikethestrangeawkwardnessofthefirstscore,the
secondscorehighlightseachinstrumentat theappropriatetime,withtheother
instrumentsplayingthesupportingchordsandthecountermelodies.Thisisthe
waymusicissupposedtosound.”
>SharingMaximizesandFulfillsPotential
Thisblendingandsupportisalsothewaypotentialismeanttobeused.Even
asthebeautyofasymphonyisminimizedwheneachinstrument’spartisplayed
inisolation,sothewealthofourpotentialisminimizedwhenwedonotshareit
with others Potential is maximized and fulfilled only when it is shared. This
sharingofpotentialisGod’swayofbringingtopassHisplansandpurposesfor
menandwomen.
Thewealthofourpotentialisminimizedwhenwedonotshareitwith
others.
GodSharesHisPotential
God’s nature is built around sharing and giving. Before the world was
created,everythingexistedinHim.Allthatwehaveseen,nowsee,andyetwill
see comes from Him. God could have kept all this stuff inside Him, but it
wouldn’thavebenefitedHimthere.Hehadtoreleaseitthroughcreativitybefore
thebeautyandpowerofHispotentialcouldberevealed.
Everything God called into being He gave a purpose that meshes with the
larger purposeoftheworld. Everyanimal,bird, fish,insect,reptile,plant, and
tree is connected to the whole of creation. If one species becomes extinct, its
deathdisruptsandimpactstheentireeco-system.Inessence,eachpartofGod’s
worldinsomewaybalancesandenrichestherest.
YouShareGod’sPotential
HumanbeingsareGod’scrowningcreativeact.ThetreasureHeputinusHe
tookfromHimself.HechosetogiveuspartofHispotentialsowecoulduseit
forHim.GodcouldhaveruntheworldbyHimself,butHebroughtusintoHis
plansowecouldbringglorytoHimbyrevealingallHeis.Hedoesn’tneedour
involvementtoaccomplishallHeiscapableofdoingandbeing,butHewantsus
to enjoy the blessing of participating in His purpose. Your gifts, talents, and
abilities are your share of the endowment God gives to mankind to bless all
creation.
Asaparentenjoyswatchingachildlearnnewthings,Godfindssatisfaction
in watching you discover and use your potential. In essence, you show forth
God’s nature and reveal His potency when you fulfill your potential Your
purposeisequaltoyourpotential,andyourpotentialisequaltoyourpurpose.
The more you understand your purpose, the more you will discover what you
cando.
Godfindssatisfactioninwatchingyoudiscoveranduseyourpotential.
Thus, God gets excited when you take authority over your bad habits. He
enjoys watching you discover and use the deposit of His power and wisdom
withinyou.SometimesitwouldbeeasierforGodtojustsnapHisfingersand
take over, but then He’d lose the joy of watching you order your life and the
pleasureofseeingyouexposeHispotential.
Theotherday,mywifeandIweresittingatthetablewhereourlittlegirlwas
doing her homework. She had to spell some words and find the words that
rhymed.IwassotemptedtogiveheralltheanswersbecauseIknewthemright
away.IheldbackbecauseIknewIwouldrobherofthepleasureofproducing
herownpotential.
Godworkswithyouinthesameway.TherearesomethingsHe’dliketodo
foryou,butHe’sholdingbacksoyoucanenjoyyoursuccesswhenyoudothem
yourself. You say, “God, change this situation,” and God responds, “Well, I
could, but there’s something you could learn about what you are capable of
doingandbeing,sono,Iwon’ttakeoveranddoitforyou.”
Justas Itellmy daughter, “Youfigure itout,”when sheasks me,“Daddy,
what’sthis?”soGodallowsyoutoworkthingsoutforyourself.He’sproudof
you when you succeed, just like I’m proud of my daughter when she
successfully completes her homework. I produced her as part of my
responsibility,nowIfindpleasureinseeingherusewhatIsharedwithher.
Godfindsthesamepleasurein you.HehassharedHispotentialwithyou,
now He wants to enjoy the benefits of that gift. His joy overflows when you
releaseallHehasgivenyou.
PotentialIsNeverGivenforItself
WhenIwasincollege,IwentonatourofEurope.Afterseveraldays,Ilost
interestin allI wasseeing becausemyfiancee, who is now my wife,was not
there to share it with me. On that trip I learned the truth of this principle:
Potential is never given for itself Whatever God gives to you, He gives for
others.
Even as a solitary instrument cannot produce the majestic music of a
symphonicorchestra,sohumanbeingscannotglorifytheirCreatorinisolation.I
needyourpotentialtomaximizemine,andyouneedmypotentialtomaximize
yours.Allwehavebeengivenismeanttobeshared.
IsolationIsNotGood
Aftermanhadfinishednamingalltheanimalsandnosuitablehelperforhim
was found among them, God performed another significant act of creation.
Why?“Itisnotgoodforthemantobealone”(Genesis2:18).
God did not make woman because man asked for a wife, nor because a
helperformanwasagoodidea.Manneededacompanionbecausehecouldnot
realizehispotentialwithoutsharingitwithsomeone.Hissolitaryexistencewas
notgood.
Tobesolitaryoraloneisnotthesameasbeingsingle.Tobealoneistobe
isolatedandcutofffromothers.Communicationisimpossiblebecauseyouhave
noonelikeyourselftosharewith.ThisiswhatGodsaysisnotgood.
To be single is to be unmarried. Marriage is not a requirement or a
prerequisiteforthefulfillmentofyourpotential.Youdonotnecessarilyneeda
husbandorawife.Whatyoudoneed,however,issomeonewithwhomyoucan
shareyourpotential.Thisistruebecauseyourpersonalsatisfactionisconnected
to your fulfilling God’s purpose for your life, and your purpose cannot be
achievedinisolation.Youneedthosepeoplewhowillcallforthyourpotential
andintowhomyoucanpouryourlife.Youmaybewiredtobesingle,butyou
arenotdesignedtoliveisolatedandalone.
Youneedsomeonewithwhomyoucanshareyourpotential.
AWordofCaution
Youmust becareful,however,when,how,andwith whomyoushare your
potential. Even as isolation is not good for personal fulfillment and the
maximizing of potential, so sharing your hidden wealth in a manner that
transgressesGod’slawsoflimitationisnotgood.Allyournaturalabilities,all
thegiftsyouhavecultivated,andalltheknowledgeyouhaveaccumulatedare
yourstosharewithinthecontextofGod’sprinciples,plans,andpurposes.God
createdeverythingtofulfillitspotentialwithinthelimitationsofcertainlaws.In
otherwords,Hespecifiedtheboundarieswithinwhichallthingscanperformto
theirmaximumcapabilities.
Forexample,GodcreatedyoutoserveonlyHim.Thecontextoflivinginan
obedientrelationshipwithHimistheonlymeansofensuringyourhappinessand
fulfillment.Therefore,Godcommandsyou:
YoushallhavenoothergodsbeforeMe.Youshallnotmakeforyourselfan
idol....Youshallnotbowdowntothemorworshipthem
(Exodus20:3-5a).
HiscommandseekstosafeguardyouridealenvironmentbecauseHeknows
thatyou cannotsatisfyyour spiritualpotential ifyouworship orbow downto
somethingorsomeoneelse.
Inasimilarmanner,Godsetaphysicalcontextwithinwhichyourpotential
may be shared. This physical context is the relationship originally enjoyed by
AdamandEvewhenEvewasgiventoAdamtobehishelpmeet.ThisGod-given
requirementforsharingphysicalpotentialismadevisibleinHiscommand:“Be
fruitfulandincreaseinnumber;filltheearthandsubdueit”(Genesis1:28).
Neither two males nor two females can produce a baby because man’s
potential is fulfilled by sharing it with a woman, and woman’s is fulfilled by
sharing itwith a man. For their potentialto be fruitful, menand women must
share their physical potential within the context of a male-female relationship
thatiswithinthebondsofmarriage.
Whatisknowntodayasanalternativelifestyleistrulytheabuseofnatural
destinyandtheviolationofhumannaturebecauseitpreventsthisfulfillmentof
purpose. Woman was created to receive, and man was created to give. Thus,
theirsharedpotentialscomplementeachother.Amancannotbefruitfulwithout
a woman, nor can a woman be fruitful without a man. Two givers or two
receiverscannotworktogethertoproducefruit.Becarefulthatyoushareyour
physicalpotentialwiththerightperson.
Your soulical potential is fulfilled by sharing it within the context of the
family. Here a child learns to give and receive love and affection. Very often
psychologicalandemotionalproblemsarisewhenloveisnotfeltandexpressed
intheformativeyears.Ifaboyneverfeelslovedbyhismother,hemaybecome
confused later in life if a male starts meeting some of those needs. Then his
ability to give and receive affection, affirmation, and attention seeks to be
fulfilledinthewrongcontext.
Men can enjoy deep and lasting friendships with men, but they must be
carefulwhattheysharewithinthatrelationship.Certainthingsaregoodtoshare;
othersarenot.Thesameistrueoffriendshipsbetweenwomen.Godintendsthat
youwillfulfillyourbasicsoulicalpotentialwithinthecontextofthefamily.
PotentialIsFulfilledWhenItIsReleased
Potential is fulfilled only when it is given to others. You cannot enjoy or
fulfillyourpotentialifyoukeepittoyourselfEverythingGodgaveyou,Hegave
formeandeveryoneelse.Heblessesyouwithadditionalgiftswhenyouusethe
blessingsyouhavealreadyreceivedtoblessothers.Inotherwords,fruitfulness
isalwaysgiventomakeyouablessingtoothers.Youareblessedwhenyoutake
whatyouhaveandgiveitaway.Thisistruebecausesharingyourpotentialboth
revealshiddenpossibilitiesandreleasesadditionalgifts.
EverythingGodgaveyou,
Hegaveformeandeveryoneelse.
Aseedproducesnothingifitdoesnotsurrenderitspotentialtothesoil.Ifit
says,“I’mgoingtokeepwhatIhave,”itspotentialtoproduceatreeislost.Only
as the seed relinquishes its outer shell and puts down roots that permit it to
receive nourishment from the soil can it release its potential to be a tree.
Throughself-giving,theseedistransformedandgivesbirthtonewpossibilities.
Then the tree, having been blessed by the gift of the seed, begins to push out
blossoms,showingforthsomeofitsfruit.Intime,ityieldsfruitwithmoreseed
that can continue the cycle of giving. If anything along the way chooses to
withholditspotential—beittheseed,thetree,orthefruit—thecycleisbroken
andmuchpotentialislost.
This same truth is evident in the music of an orchestra. The instruments’
potential to produce music cannot be fulfilled until the individual notes are
releasedbytheplayers.Ifevenoneplayerrefusestoreleasewhathepossesses,
thelossextendsfarbeyondtheonewhowithholdshiscontributionbecausethe
withheld potential of one affects the potential of all. Indeed, the music either
remainshiddenanddormantoritemergesmisshapenandincomplete.Allsuffer
loss—musicians and music—if even one person or one instrument refuses to
cooperate.Onlyasallgiveofwhattheypossesscanthepotentialofthemusicbe
released.
GivingExposesPotential
Treasures that are hidden and locked up benefit no one. Say, for example,
thatyourgrandmothergaveyouabeautifulnecklacethatsheworeasabride.If
youkeepitlockedinasafeandneverwearit,itsbeautyiswasted.
Orperhapsyouhaveweddinggiftsofbeautifulchina,sterlingsilver,andfine
crystalthatyouhaveneverusedtoserveameal.You’rewastingthepotentialof
those dishes. They cannot do what they are supposed to do sitting on a shelf.
people bought them for you to use. Treasure is useless unless you expose it.
Potentialcanneverbeattainedifithasnoopportunitytogive.
Potentialcanneverbeattainedifithasnoopportunitytogive.
ThiswasthepowerofJohnF.Kennedy’swords,spokenathisinauguration
tobethepresidentoftheUnitedStates:“Asknotwhatyourcountrycandofor
you,butwhatyoucandoforyourcountry.”Kennedy’swordspromptustofocus
onwhatwecangiveinsteadofwhatwecanget.Itisthroughourgivingthatwe
discoverwhatwecandoandbe.
ThiswasalsothewisdomsharedbytheapostlePaul,“Itismoreblessedto
give than toreceive” (Acts 20:35). Releasing what you havereceived benefits
you and others. Holding on to a treasure forfeits the blessing inherit in the
treasure,andnooneprofitsfromit.Liketheseed,you mustreleasewhatGod
hasstoredinyoufortheworld.Youdothisbyreleasingseedsintothesoilofthe
livesofothers.
GodIsaGiver
Godisconstantlyreleasingseedsintothesoilofyourlife.Heisagiverand
He created you to be like Him. The foundation of God’s giving nature is
revealedinHispurposeforcreatingmenandwomen.
Godmade Adamand EvesoHe wouldhave someoneto loveandbless—
morechildrenlikeChrist,HisIncarnateSon.AlthoughGodpossessedallHehad
created,thosethingswereuselesstoHimuntilHecreatedmantoreleasetheir
potentialbyusingHiscreationsand,thereby,showingoffHisfullness.
In essence, God, who is love, created man to fulfill His potential to love.
Loveisworthlessuntil itisgivenaway.Itmusthave anobjecttobe fulfilled.
Therefore,GodneededsomethingonwhichHecouldlavishHislove,something
that could understand and appreciate what He had to give. Of all God’s
creatures,onlymenandwomenshareGod’sSpiritand,thus,canappreciateHis
love.
YouaretheobjectofGod’slove.Becauselovecanbefulfilledonlywhenthe
receiver of loveis like the giver, He createdyou like Himself, to be loved by
HimandtoloveasHeloves.
TheMutualityofGiving
Thinkaboutthelasttimeyouboughtacardoragiftforaspouseoraclose
friend.Muchof thepleasureingiving thegiftis foundinchoosingsomething
thatwilldelighttheonetowhomyouaregivingit.Thegift’smeaningisfound
inthesharedloveofthegiverandtherecipient.
ThisisthemeaningofJesus’words:
Donotgivedogswhatissacred;donotthrowyourpearlstopigs.Ifyoudo,
they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces
(Matthew7:6).
Apetcannotappreciateadiamondring,butyoursweetheartwill.Why?She
understands the thoughts and the feelings that both prompted the gift and are
revealedinit.Theonewhoreceivesagiftmustunderstandandappreciatethe
giverbeforethegiftcanhavemeaning.Throughgivingloveisreleased.
You have been physically birthed by the giving of your parents and
spirituallybirthedbythegivingofChrist.Evenasyourparentsgavetheseedof
theirbodiestoreleasetheirpotentialtoproduceanotherhumanbeing,soJesus
Christ gave the seed that brings new life by releasing His potential to be a
Savior.Theirgivingbringsyoulifeandtheopportunitytocontinuethecycleof
giving. Joy is found in participating in the pattern of giving, receiving, and
giving again. This pattern of releasing potential by giving and receiving is
particularlyvisibleinthebiblicalconceptofablessing.
BlessedtoBeaBlessing
The giving of a blessing is an important image in Scripture. Whether it is
God,afather,orsomeotherpersongivingtheblessing,itisagiftthatexposes
possibilitiesandreleasespower.GodblessedAdamandEve(seeGenesis1:28),
andNoahandhissons(seeGenesis9:1),bycallingforthfromthemthepotential
tobefruitful,toincreaseinnumber,andtofilltheearth.Likewise,Heblessed
Sarah,thewifeofAbraham,whenHereleasedthepossibilitythatshewouldbe
a mother(see Genesis 17:15-16). Isaac passed thepower to be the lord ofthe
familyontoJacobwhenheblessedhim(seeGenesis27:27-29).Jacobinturn
blessedeachof hissons,unveilingthe futureofeachone (seeGenesis49).In
each case, the blessing confirmed what God had alreadypurposed for the one
whoreceivedtheblessing.
Blessings are never given solely for the benefit of the one who receives
them.ThatmeansallGodhasgivenyou—yourclothes,food,house,car,bike,
education,intelligence,personality,etc.—aregiventoyousoyoucanmaximize
thembysharingthem.Youcannotreleasethefullpotentialofanythingifyoudo
notshareit.
Blessingsarenevergivensolely for thebenefitof theone whoreceives
them.
Abraham not only received a blessing from God; he was also made a
blessingtoothers:
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your
name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and
whoevercursesyouIwillcurse;andallpeoplesonearthwillbeblessedthrough
you(Genesis12:2-3).
ThesamewastrueforAbraham’swife,Sarah(seeGenesis17:16),hisson
Isaac (see Genesis 26:4), and his grandson Jacob (see Genesis 28:14). God’s
blessingalsoworkedthroughJacob’ssonJoseph,whopreservedGod’speople
through a severe famine. Each passed on God’s blessings so others could be
blessed.
Godoperatesfromthisperspective:“I’mgoingtosharewithyousoyouwill
beblessedbyMysharingandyou,inturn,willblessothersbyyoursharing.”He
givestoyousoyoucanshareHispotentialbybeingmotivatedtopassonallHe
givesyou.Therefore,thetaskofhumanityistoemulatetheattitudeofGodby
drawingfromeachpersonallheorshepossesses.Youexisttopullthingsfrom
me,andIexisttopullthingsfromyou.
Godfindsjoyingivingtoyousoyoucangivetoothers.Heblessesyouto
blessanother.Nomatterwhatyourcircumstancesare,thereissomewayyoucan
share your potentialwith others. If you are homebound, giveyourself through
prayerortheministryofencouragementthroughcards,letters,andphonecalls.
Or perhaps you are retired with few financial resources but much time. Pour
yourselfintoachild.
Whatever your blessings, find some way to share them. This is God’s
intentionforgivingthemtoyou.Yourgiftsmaybedifferentfrommine,buttheir
valueisequalifweservethesameLordwiththesameSpirit(see1Corinthians
12:1-7).Yourgiftsareformeandmygiftsareforyou.Togetherwecanblessthe
world.Thisishowpotentialisreleased.
ReceivingWithoutGivingResultsinDestruction
Truejoyisfoundnotinwhatyouaccomplishbutinwhobenefitsfromyour
success.Dyingtoyourselfandgivingformeandotherswillreapforyouthejoy
ofseeingyoureffortsreproducedmanytimesoverinus.Yoursharingwillgive
lifetomany.
If,however,yourefusetoshare,youwilldestroybothGod’sjoyingivingto
youandyourjoyinpassingonwhatHegives.YouwillalsoforfeitHisblessings
becausethosewhowishtoreceivefromtheabundanceofGodmustusewisely
allHe gives.Thisis truebecause selfishnessconcerns itselfonlywith itsown
prosperityandwellbeing.Itlacksinterestintheconcernsandneedsofothers.
YoucannotemulatethegivingnatureofGodifyouretainallyouhavefor
yourownwantsandneeds;neithercanyourbucketdrawfromthedeepwatersin
me.Such selfishness killspotential andlessens the likelihoodthat you willbe
blessedbymypotential.
True wisdom is understanding this interdependence: “The purposes of a
man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out”
(Proverbs20:5).Thiscannotoccur,however,ifweareconsumedbythoughtsof
ourselves.
SelfishnessDestroysPersonalHappinessandSatisfaction
Youwerecreatedtogive.Whenyoulavishyourpotentialonyourself,your
potentialandallyouaccomplishbyusingitlosetheirmeaning.KingSolomon
learnedthiswhenhewentthroughlifedoingonethingafteranotherforhimself.
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless!
Everythingismeaningless.”Whatdoesmangainfromallhislaboratwhichhe
toilsunderthesun?
Iundertookgreatprojects...Imadegardensandparksandplantedallkinds
offruit trees in them. I madereservoirs...I bought male andfemale slaves... I
also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I
amassedsilverandgoldformyself...
Ideniedmyselfnothingmyeyesdesired;Irefusedmyheartnopleasure.My
hearttookdelightinallmywork,andthiswastherewardforallmylabor.Yet
whenIsurveyedallthatmyhandshaddoneandwhatIhadtoiledto achieve,
everythingwasmeaningless...
SoIhatedlife,becausetheworkthatisdoneunderthesunwasgrievousto
me.Allofitwasmeaningless,achasingafterthewind.
I hatedall the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave
themtoonewhocomesafterme.
Nowallhasbeenheard;hereistheconclusionofthematter:FearGodand
keepHiscommandments,forthisisthewholedutyofman.ForGodwillbring
every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or
evil(Ecclesiastes1:2-3;2:4-8,10-11,17-18;12:13-14).
Work and effort that focus on self are meaningless. It doesn’t matter what
youaccomplish,noneofitwillbringyousatisfactionunlessyougivefromwhat
you have. Nor will your accumulated riches bring you happiness, for they are
useless and meaningless if you don’t understand and seek to fulfill God’s
purposeforgivingthemtoyou.
Workandeffortthatfocusonselfaremeaningless.
You must share what you earn before it can bring you pleasure and
satisfactionbecausesharingensuresthattheblessingsyouhavereceivedwillbe
passed on and others will also be blessed. This basic principle of sharing is
foundationalformaximizingyourpotential.
Ifyourefusetoshare,yourpotentialwillkillyoubecauseyoucannotenjoy
freedominyourconsciencewhenyouareactingagainstyournaturaldesignto
give. Pleasure will end, but conscience abides until it has completed its
assignment.Itworksonyouuntilyouacknowledgetheerrorofyourways.Only
by releasing all God has given you can you have a pure and holy conscience
beforeHimandfindmeaninginlife.Pursuingselfishpleasurealwaysdestroys
the one who seeks it. In a similar manner, unshared potential consumes the
personwhoseekstoholdittightlyforselfishgain.
SelfishnessDestroystheJoyofGiving
First,selfishnessdestroysGod’spleasureinwatchingyoupassonallHehas
givenyou.NeartheendofHislife,JesusremindedHisdisciplesthattheycould
notaccomplishanythingapartfromHim.Thesameistrueforourlives.Evenas
JesusremainedinfellowshipandconversationwithGodthroughoutHislife,so
we must abide in Him. Without this consistent association with God, our
fruitfulnesssuffersandwebecomenomorethanabranchtobethrownintothe
fire.Thepowerofpotentialisgone.(SeeJohn15.)
ThisabsenceofpowerhurtsboththepersonwhohaswithdrawnfromGod
andGodHimself.HecreatedustobearfruitthatreflectsHisnatureandglory.
Whenweneglecttofulfillthispurpose,wegrievetheheartofGod.
God’spleasureinJesuswasevidentwhenHespokefromacloudatthetime
of Jesus’ baptism and again on the mountain of transfiguration (see Matthew
3:17and17:5).ThesourceofHispleasurewasJesus’willingnesstofulfillthe
purposeforwhichHehadbeensentintotheworldandtoreleaseHispotential.
ByMyselfIcandonothing;IjudgeonlyasIhear,andMyjudgmentisjust,
forIseeknottopleaseMyselfbutHimwhosentMe(John5:30).
He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who
worksforthehonoroftheonewhosenthimisamanoftruth;thereisnothing
falseabouthim(John7:18).
TheonewhosentMeiswithMe;HehasnotleftMealone,forIalwaysdo
whatpleasesHim(John8:29).
IhavebroughtYougloryonearthbycompletingthe work Yougave Meto
do.Andnow,Father,glorifyMeinYourpresencewiththegloryIhadwithYou
beforetheworldbegan.IhaverevealedYoutothosewhomYougaveMeoutof
theworld. TheywereYours;Yougave them to Meand they have obeyedYour
word...AllIhaveisYours,andallYouhaveisMine.AndgloryhascometoMe
throughthem...IamcomingtoYounow,butIsaythesethingswhileIamstillin
theworld,sothattheymayhavethefullmeasureofMyjoywithinthem(John
17:4-6,10,13).
WhatwasthisfullmeasureofjoythatJesusknew?
LetusfixoureyesonJesus,theauthorandperfecterofourfaith,whoforthe
joyset before Himendured thecross, scorning itsshame, andsat down atthe
righthandofthethroneofGod(Hebrews12:2).
Obedience.Jesusfound joy indoing what Godasked of Him.The pathof
sorrows certainly did not bring Him happiness while He walked it, but He
lookedbeyondthepainandshametotherewardofreclaimingHisrightfulplace
attherighthandofGod.
Thisisalso thesourceofGod’spleasure inus.Aswe obedientlyshareall
that God has given us for the world, we will find that He delights in us. If,
however, we decline to fulfill His plans and purposes and refuse to allow His
natureandlikenesstogovernourthoughtsandactions,wedestroythefullness
ofjoywecouldhavebroughtHimhadwesoughtHispurposesandobeyedHis
principles.
Secondly, selfishness destroys the joy of giving. When we hoard and hide
whatwereceivefromGod,wedenyourselvesthedelightsofpassingonGod’s
gifts.ThesecondletteroftheapostlePaultothechurchatCorinthrevealsthis
delight.
Outofthemostseveretrial,theiroverflowingjoyandtheirextremepoverty
welledupinrichgenerosity. ForItestifythattheygaveasmuchas they were
able,andevenbeyondtheirability.Entirelyontheirown,theyurgentlypleaded
withusfortheprivilegeofsharinginthisservicetothesaints____Soweurged
Titus,
sincehehadearliermadeabeginning,tobringalsotocompletionthisactof
graceonyourpart.Butjustasyouexcelineverything—infaith,inspeech,in
knowledge,incompleteearnestnessandin yourloveforus—seethatyoualso
excelinthisgraceofgiving(2Corinthians8:2-4,6-7).
TheMacedonianchurchesunderstoodthatsharingisaprivilegetobesought
andenjoyed.Therefore,theygaveevenwhentheyhadlittle.Wedowelltolearn
thissamelesson.Itisnotthemagnitudeofourgiftbutsimplytheactofsharing
thatproducesjoy.Whenwerefusetosharewedenyourselvesthisbenefit.
Third,selfishnessdestroysthejoyofseeingotherssharewhatwehavegiven
them.TheapostlePaulalsospeaksofthisjoy.
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your
partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this,
thatHewhobeganagoodworkinyouwillcarryitontocompletionuntilthe
dayofChristJesus(Philippians1:4-6).
Partnership speaks of sharing. When we fail to share our potential, this
partnershipisforfeitedandthefruitforwhichwewerechosenandappointedis
lost.
YoudidnotchooseMe,butIchoseyouandappointedyoutogoandbear
fruit—-fruitthatwilllast.ThentheFatherwillgiveyouwhateveryouaskinMy
name(John15:16).
GodmournsforthislossbecausethelossofpotentiallimitsHisactivityon
earthanddestroysthejoyofsharing—forGod,forourselves,andforthosewith
whomwemighthaveshared.Selfishnessalwaysdestroysthejoyofgiving.
SelfishnessDestroystheGift
God isoften hurt because people arepregnant with great treasure butthey
keepittothemselves.Say,forexample,thatyouareamedicalresearcherwho
discovers a cure for leukemia. Instead of sharing the results of your research
withothers,youcarefullyguardyoursecretknowledgesonooneelsecantake
creditforyourdiscovery.Meanwhile,manypeopleneedlesslydie.Intime,your
God-giventalent toheal willbedestroyed. Becauseyou areso concernedthat
someone may receive the recognition you deserve, you will lose the desire to
study and to receive new medical insights. Your selfishness in keeping the
treasure to yourselfultimately destroys the very gift that isthe source of your
wealth.Potentialthatisnotsharedself-destructs.
SelfishnessStopstheFlowofGod’sBlessings
Finally,selfishnessdestroysthecycleofgivinginitiatedbyGod.Veryoften
youhavenotbecauseyoulavishuponyourselfallyouhavereceived.Godwill
give you all things if you ask to receive so you may pass it on to others. I’m
blessedbecauseIhaveapassiontopassontoyouallthatGodhasgiventome.
GodexpectsyoutopassontoanotherallHehaspouredintoyou.Getridof
it.MakeroomformoreofthevastquantityHehaspreparedtopourintoyou.
You hold up God’s plans and purposes when you cling to your blessings, and
youcapoffyourpotentialwhenyourefusetoshareallyouhavereceived.Jesus
said:
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken
togetherandrunningover,willbepouredintoyourlap. For withthemeasure
youuse,itwillbemeasuredtoyou(Luke6:38).
GodexpectsyoutopassontoanotherallHehaspouredintoyou.
Some of you are blessed with tremendous talents, gifts, and knowledge. I
wonder what is happening to them. Flow with your God-given abilities. Use
them to bless others and to glorify God. Don’t worry if your gifts and talents
aren’tasgrandasyou’dlike.Usethemtobenefitothers,andyouwillseethem
grow.Sharing all God has given you is a must if you want to maximize your
potential.
>Principles
1.Potentialcannotbemaximizedandfulfilledunlessitisshared.
2.Godshareswithyousoyoucansharewithothers.
3.Isolationisnotgoodbecauseitpreventssharing.
4.YoumustshareyourpotentialwithinthelimitsofGod’slaws.
5.Givingtransformsandrevealspotential.
6. God’s blessings in your life expose His power within you and the
possibilitiesthatareyourpotential.
7.TheselfishretentionofGod’sgiftsdestroys:
•God’sjoyingiving,
•yourpersonalhappinessandfulfillment,
•yourjoyingivingtoothers,
•yourjoyinwatchingotherssharewhattheyhavereceivedfromyou,
•thegiftsthataregiven,
•thecontinuingevidenceinyourlifeofGod’sblessings.
8.Givingyourpotentialtoothersisabasickeytomaximizingallthat
Godhasgivenyouforyourblessingandthebenefitofothers.
ChapterSeven
YourPotentialandtheNextGeneration
Tolivefortodayisshortsighted;tolivefortomorrowisvision.
Justasaseedhasaforestwithinit,sowecontainmuchmorethanisevident
atbirth.EverythingisdesignedbyGodnotonlytoreproduceitselfbutalsoto
transfer its life and treasure to the next generation. Potential is not fully
maximizeduntilitreproducesitselfinthefollowinggeneration.
An old Chinese proverb that states, “the end of a thing is greater than its
beginning,” rings true for our lives. King Solomon concurred with this truth:
“The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11b).
Everyindividualisthereforeresponsibletolivetothefullestforthesakeofthe
followinggeneration.KingSolomonstatesitthisway:“Agoodmanleavesan
inheritanceforhischildren’schildren”(Proverbs13:22a).
ASeedlessLife
I will never forget the day I first discovered seedless fruit. One of the
pleasuresIenjoywithinmyverybusyscheduleisaccompanyingmywifetothe
foodstore,whichgivesustimetoplanourfamilymealsanddiscovernewitems
together.
On one of these occasions, as we approached the produce section, I was
intriguedtoseealargesignintroducingseedlessgrapesandoranges.AtfirstI
rejoicedattheprospectofbeingabletoenjoygrapesforthefirsttimewithout
theinconvenienceofhavingtoejecttheseeds.(Nodoubtthisnewlyproduced
hybridwasdevelopedinresponsetothemarketdemandforfruitthatcouldbe
enjoyedwithoutthediscomfortofseeds.)SoIquicklypickeduptwopoundsof
redandwhitegrapesandabagoforanges,lookingforwardtoeatingthem.
My impatience to experience the thrill of seedless grapes prompted me to
placethebagofgrapesbesidemeinthecarsoIcouldenjoythemwhileIwas
drivinghome.Whatapleasure,tosinkmyteethintofresh,juicy,sweetgrapes
withouthavingtoworryaboutseeds.Itwaslikeadreamcometrue.Soonafter
wehadarrivedhome,Islicedintoanorangeandstoodamazedatthefactofa
seedless fruit. Again I experienced a new pleasure, sucking the juice from a
seedlessripeorange.
LaterthatdayIreturnedtothekitchentoenjoytherestofmynewdiscovery
and to marvel at this feat of botanical science. Suddenly, in the midst of my
pleasure, I was startled by this thought: “If these grapes and oranges have no
seeds, how can they reproduce another generation of fruit?” After all, the life
andpowerisintheseed,notthefruit.ImmediatelyIrealizedthatIwasenjoying
momentarypleasureattheexpenseofgenerationalreproduction.Thefruitwas
beautiful, ripe, sweet, juicy, and pleasing to eat, but it lacked the potential to
transferitsuniquenesstoanothergeneration.Inrealitythetreeisnotinthefruit
butintheseed.
Lifeandpowerisintheseed,notthefruit.
Godcreatedseeds toguaranteethe fulfillmentoffuture generations.Every
plant, animal, bird, reptile, and insect possesses within itself the ability and
potential to reproduce itself and to continue the propagation of its species.
Consider then the prospect if every seed decided to germinate, develop into a
beautifultree,andhavejuicy,sweet,seedlessfruit.Whatwouldbetheresult?A
natural tragedy! Chaos would ensue and ultimately the genocide of mankind
wouldfollowasoxygendisappearedfromtheatmosphereforthelackoftrees.
Please note that the seed in this example did fulfill part of its purpose. It
germinated,grew,developed,andevenborefruit.Yetthetotalityofitspotential
was not fulfilled because it did not extend itself to the maximum potential of
releasingseeds.Becausetheseedfailedtoreproduceitself,thenextgeneration
oftreeswasrobbedoflife,consequentlyaffectingtheentirehumanraceandall
creation. This is the impact when one element in nature withholds its true
potentialandrefusestomaximizeitself.
Tragically, thereare millionsof peoplewho exist in“seedless lives.”They
are conceived, grow, develop; they dress up, smell good, and look good; and
theyevenpretendtobehappy.Yeteverythingtheyaredieswiththembecause
they fail to pass on everything God gave them. They have no sense of
generationalresponsibility.Theyhavenoideaoftheirdutytothefuture.Noman
isborntoliveordietohimself.Whenaseedmaximizesitspotential,itnotonly
feedsthenextgenerationbutalsoguaranteesitthroughtheseedsinthefruit.
Nomanisborntoliveordietohimself.
God gave you the wealth of your potential—your gifts, talents, abilities,
energies, creativity, ideas, aspirations, and dreams—for the blessing of others.
You bear the responsibility for activating, releasing, and maximizing this
potentialasadepositforthenextgeneration.
>TheSchoolThatWasAlmostKilled
Several years ago I was invited to speak at a church conference in Gary,
Indiana, on the topic of discovering your purpose in life. Before I was
introduced,thehostinvitedagentlemantosharebrieflyontheestablishmentof
an educational institution that had distinguished itself in that community. An
unassuming,middle-agedgentlemansteppedforwardandbegantoshareastory
thatpiercedmysoul.Hetoldofhowhismotherhadfailedinanattempttoabort
himasanunbornchild,andhehadendeduplivinginfosterhomesalloverthe
city for many years. He emphasized how he had dreamed of providing an
environmentinwhichyoungpeoplecouldgrowandlearnsothattheywouldnot
havetosufferwhathehadexperienced.Heintroducedtotheaudiencetheschool
hehad founded andestablished—a school thathad becomeone of theleading
academicinstitutionsforhighschoolstudentsinthatcity.
Imagineifhismotherhadbeensuccessful.Shewouldhavekilledaschool.
Despite his past and his less-than-ideal heritage, this dreamer rose above his
circumstancesandmaximizedhispotential,whichisnowbenefitinggenerations
tocome.
The prophet Elijah also exemplifies the importance of living to the fullest
andrefusingtosettleforpresentcircumstances.AsrecordedintheBookofFirst
Kings,ElijahconfrontedtheprophetsofBaalandchallengedthemtoacontest
toprovethatJehovahisthetrueGod.Thetestwastobuildanaltarandcallon
Godtosendfirefromtheheavenstoconsumethesacrifice.Aftermuchprayer
and dancing by the prophets of Baal, there was no response or results. Then
ElijahbegantocallontheLordGod,andfirefellandconsumedthesacrifice.
Afterward,hecommandedthepeopletoseizetheprophetsofBaal,andallwere
destroyed.WhenQueenJezebel,aworshiperofBaal,heardthisnews,shesenta
messagetoElijah,threateninghislife.
Elijahwasafraidandranforhislife.WhenhecametoBeershebainJudah,
helefthisservantthere,whilehehimselfwentaday’sjourneyintothedesert.He
cametoabroomtree,satdownunderitandprayedthathemightdie.“Ihave
hadenough,Lord,"hesaid.“Takemylife;Iamnobetterthanmyancestors”(1
Kings19:3-4).
After all his great accomplishments and achievements, this distinguished
prophethadadeathwishwithsuicidaltendencies.Godwasnotpersuaded.He
intervenedandshowedElijahthathehadmuchmoretoaccomplishbeforehis
fullpotentialand purposewouldbe maximized.ThenGod instructedElijahto
anoint the next kings over Aram and Israel, and more significantly, to anoint
Elishatosucceedhimasprophet.
JustsupposeElijahhaddiedwhenhewantedtoquit.Hissuccessor,Elisha,
whoperformedtwiceasmanymiraclesasElijah,wouldnothavediscoveredhis
purposeandfulfilledhispotential.Itisimperative,therefore,thatweneversettle
for the average of our circumstances because there are thousands of “Elishas”
waitingonourobediencetofulfilltheirlives.
MaximizingPotentialIsDyingEmpty
AsIhavestatedinmypreviousbooks,thewealthiestplaceonthisplanetis
notthegoldmines,diamondmines,oilwells,orsilverminesoftheearth,butthe
cemetery. Why? Because buried in the graveyard are dreams and visions that
were never fulfilled, books that were never written, paintings that were never
painted,songsthatwereneversung,andideasthatdiedasideas.Whatatragedy,
thewealthofthecemetery.
I wonder how many thousands, perhaps millions, of people will be poorer
because they cannot benefit from the awesome wealth of the treasure of your
potential: thebooks you have neglected to write, the songs youhavefailed to
compose,ortheinventionsyoucontinuetopostpone.Perhapstherearemillions
whoneedtheministryorbusinessyouhaveyettoestablish.Youmustmaximize
yourlifeforthesakeofthefuture.Thenextgenerationneedsyourpotential.
Thenextgenerationneedsyourpotential.
Think of the many inventions, books, songs, works of art, and other great
accomplishments others in past generations have left for you and for me to
enjoy. Just as their treasure has become our blessing, so our potential should
becometheblessingofthenextgeneration.TheapostlePaulinhislettertohis
youngfriendTimothydescribeshislifeasadrinkofferingthatwaspouredout
forothers.
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has
comeformydeparture.Ihavefoughtthegoodfight,Ihavefinishedtherace,I
havekeptthefaith(2Timothy4:6-7).
Whatasenseofdestiny,purpose,andaccomplishmentiscontainedinthese
words. There is no hint of regret or remorse, only confidence and personal
satisfaction.
Millionsoftheworld’spopulation,bothnowandingenerationspassed,have
poured out some of their potential, accomplished some of their dreams, and
achievedsomeoftheirgoals.Still,becausetheyhaverefusedtomaximizetheir
lives, their cup holds a portion of their purpose, stagnating into depression,
regret,anddeath.
I admonish you, decide today to act on the rest of your sleeping dream.
Commityourselftothegoalofdyingempty.JesusChristourLord,attheendof
Hisearthlyassignment,gaveevidenceofHissuccessinmaximizingHislifeby
fulfilling all God’s will for Him on earth. As He journeyed to the place of
crucifixion, many people followed Him, mourning and wailing. Seeing them,
Jesussaid:
DaughtersofJerusalem, do not weep for Me;weep for yourselves and for
yourchildren(Luke23:28b).
The implication is evident: “I have completed My assignment, stayed
through My course, and finished My task. I have emptied Myself of all My
potential.Nowitisyourturn.”
Don’tBeaGenerationalThief
Firstdiscoverwhatyouwereborntobe,thendoit.Fulfillyourownpersonal
purposeforthegloryofGod.YourobediencetoGod’swillandpurposeforyour
lifeisapersonaldecision,butnotaprivateone.Godhasdesignedtheuniverse
insuchawaythatthepurposesofallmankindareinterdependent;yourpurpose
affectsmillions.Maximizingyourpotentialis,therefore,necessaryandcritical.
Yoursphereofinfluenceismuchgreaterthanyourprivateworld.
Yoursphereofinfluenceismuchgreaterthanyourprivateworld.
SupposeMaryhadabortedJesus,orAndrewhadfailedtointroducePeterto
Jesus.WhatifAbrahamhadnotlefttheLandofUr,orJosephhadrefusedtogo
to Egypt. Or let’s assume that Ananias had not prayed for Saul who became
Paul,orthatthelittleboyhadrefusedtogiveJesushislunch.Howdifferentthe
biblicalrecordmightread!Theseexamplesshowthatalthoughourobedienceis
alwaysapersonaldecision,itisneveraprivatematter.
Don’trobthenextgenerationofyourcontributiontothedestinyofmankind.
Maximize yourselffor God’s glory. Remember, he who plantsa tree plans for
prosperity. “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends
whateverhegets”(seeProverbs21:20).
Principle
1.Thelifeandpowertoreproduceisintheseed.
2.Yourobyourchildrenwhenyouwithholdyourpotential.
3.Youmustmaximizeyourlifeforthebenefitofthenextgeneration.
4.Potentialisnotfullymaximizeduntilitreproducesitselfinthenext
generation.
5. Obeying God’s will for your life and fulfilling His purpose is a
personaldecision,butnotaprivateonebecauseyoursphereofinfluenceis
muchgreaterthanyourprivateworld.
ChapterEight
UnderstandandObeytheLawsofLimitation
Freedom without law is anarchy. Liberty without responsibility is
irresponsibility.
Themorningsunshimmeredbrightlyonthe choppywavesofthebayasa
small motor boat moved slowly over the water. Perhaps 200 yards away, 14
swimmerspliedthroughthechillywaters.Twenty menandwomenhadbegun
the race that morning, but six had been pulled from the water into one of the
many boats that lined the course. Exhaustion, muscle cramps, or some other
maladyhadtakenthemfromtheraceevenbeforetheswimmershadreachedthe
mid-waypoint.
Justnowtheswimmerswerebunchedmorecloselythantheyhadbeenfor
sometime.As thefarshorecame intosightthecompetitors appearedtoreach
into their resources and pull with greater power and precision. Between them
andthe beachlay theirgreatesttest, anarea ofswift-movingcurrents thathad
carriedmanyaswimmerfartowardtheseabeforehehadbeenrescuedorfinally
hadgivenupanddrowned.
Ofthe14swimmersinthewater,13hadswumthebaybefore.Theyknew
fromexperiencethedangersofthecurrents.Althoughthosewhowatchedfrom
the boats kept an eye on the veterans, it was the one rookie swimmer they
watchedmostclosely.Justnowhewasinthelead,severalhundredyardsahead
ofthepack.
Wouldheheedthewarningsandfollowtheinstructionshehadbeengivento
swimupthecoastapiecebeforeattemptingtocrosstheswift-movingchannel?
Ifhedid,hewouldwintheraceeasily.Ifhedidnot,thinkingthathedidn’twant
towastethetimetoswimparalleltotheshore,orthathewasstrongenoughto
meetthecurrentsheadon,theywerereadytomovequicklytorescuehim.All
watchedanxiouslytoseewhathewoulddo.
As the rookie neared the buoys that marked the swift-running water, it
appearedforamomentthathewouldstaywithinthemarkedcourseandswim
upstream.Hehadnotmovedmorethan20yards,however,whenheturnedand
swamdirectly toward theshore. Instantly, motorssprang to lifeand twoboats
spedacrossthewatertothenow-strugglingswimmer.ThesewereCoastGuard
boatsmannedbyexperiencedrescuers.
Later that afternoon when all the swimmers had reached the beach—
including the rookie, who had been brought in by a Coast Guard cutter—the
winneroftheraceapproachedtheyoungmanwhohadnearlydrowned.“Why
didyouchangeyourmind?”heasked.“Theofficialstoldmethatyoustartedto
follow the path marked out for us, but then you suddenly veered toward the
shore.”
“Those20yardsthatIswamupstreamagainstthecurrentweresoeasythatI
thoughtallthefussaboutthatchannelwasjustsomuchhype.SoIdecidedto
cut through it to win the race by a large margin.I soon realized that not only
wouldn’tIwintherace,Iwouldn’tevenfinishit.ForaninstantIfeltsodumb
forthrowingawaytherace,butthenIrealizedthatIhadjeopardizedmylifeas
well.I’llnevertrythisagain.”
Oh,Ithinkyoushouldentertheraceagainnextyear,”saidtheveteranracer.
“You’reamagnificentdistanceswimmer.Justfollowtherulesthenexttimeand
you’ll find that the crossing point determined by the race organizers is
challenging,butnotlife-threatening.Eachyearthatpointisdifferentbecausethe
currentsconstantlychange,soweallhavetofollowtheprescribedcourse.One
yearwedidn’traceatallbecausetheofficialscouldn’tfindasafeplacetocross
thechannel.Iwantedtotalkthemintosponsoringtheraceanyway,butIknew
thatwouldbefoolish.Mostlikelynoonewouldhavefinishedanyway.Well,I
hope to see you next year. It’s about time someone beat me. For a while I
thoughtthiswouldbetheyear.”
Howsad!Althoughtherookieswimmerhadthepotentialtobeattheveteran,
helosttherace,andnearlyhislife,becausehechosetoveerfromtheassigned
course.Heexercisedhisfreedomtogohisownway.Thisgraspingforfreedom
is a universal tendency. To maximize your potential, you must understand the
conceptoffreedomandtheprincipleoflaw.
WeWanttoBeFree
The cry “We want to be free!” has swept our world in remarkable and
frighteningwayswithinthepastdecade.ParticularlyinEastern
Europe, the desire for freedom has brought sweeping revolutions, toppling
governments and power structures that have repressed and oppressed many
peoples.Thissameyearningforfreedompromptspregnantwomentoaborttheir
babies,childrentotaketheirparentstocourt,andstudentstoseekgreatercontrol
overthemeasuresofdisciplineusedintheirschools.
Freedom! It sounds so good. Everybody wants freedom. Ethnic groups,
social groups, religious groups. Children, youth, adults. All want the right to
determine their own lives and to make their decisions without guidance or
interferencefromanyoneelse.
It should not surprise us, then, that many common phrases express this
craving for freedom: Freedom of the press, Freedom of choice, Freedom of
religion, Freedom of speech. All reveal the universal longing to be
unencumberedbythedictatesandthedecisionsofothers.
NothingIsFree
Isthistrulypossible?Canwebeentirelyfree?No,Idon’tthinkso.Nothing
isfree.Althoughadvertisingtriestoconvinceusthatwearegettingsomething
for nothing—buy one, get one free—we are still paying for the product the
advertiserclaimsisfree.Inasimilarmanner,thecostofsweepstakesandprizes
giventoenticeconsumerstobuyaparticularproductortosubscribetoacertain
periodicalisbuiltintothecompany’spricestructuresomewherealongtheway.
Wecannotgetsomethingfornothing.
Nothingisfree.
Wecannotgetsomethingfornothing.
Thisaxiomisalsotrueinrelationships.Wecannotbeentirelyfreetodowhat
we want, when we want, where we want, how we want, and with whom we
want.Freedomalwayshasapricebecausetheactionsofonepersonrestrictsand
influencesthefreedomofanother.Thewomanwhoabortsherbabytakesaway
the baby’s freedom to live, and the student who slaps the teacher who
reprimandshertakesawaytheteacher’sfreedomtokeeporderinhisclassroom.
Freedomwithoutresponsibilitycannotbefreedomforallwhoareinvolved.
TheConsequencesofFreedomWithoutResponsibility
Lawlessness is the freedom to do whatever we want, when we want, with
whomwewant,withnoonetellingustostop.Inessence,wedefythestandards
that govern society to become a law unto ourselves with no sense of
responsibilitytowardanythingoranyone.
Forexample,youmaychoosethefreedomtosmokemarijuanabehindyour
houseatthreeo’clockinthemorning.Youknowyouarebreakingthelaw,but
you choose to disregard the law and to exercise your freedom to do as you
please.Lawlessnessalwaysresultsinslavery,death,andthelossofpreexisting
freedoms.AdamandEve’sexperienceinthegardenverifiesthistruth.Freedom
withoutlawisbondage.
TheLossofFreedom
WhenGodcreatedthemanandthewomanandplacedtheminthegarden,
Hegavethemthefollowinginstructions:
Youarefreetoeatfromanytreeinthegarden;butyoumustnoteatfromthe
treeoftheknowledgeofgoodandevil,forwhenyoueatofityouwillsurelydie
(Genesis2:16b-17).
Theywerefreetoeatfromanytreeinthegarden,butone.
When the serpent convinced the man and the woman to eat from this one
tree,Godputthemoutofthegardenandtheylostthefreedomtoeatfromthe
garden’sothertrees.TheirdesiretobefreedfromGod’srestrictionscostthem
thefreedomHehadgiventhemtoeatfromtheothertreesinthegarden.Thus,
thefirstpenaltyoffreedomwithoutresponsibilityisthelossofexistingfreedoms.
Thisprovestobetrueinalllife.Theteenagerwhostaysoutpasthiscurfew
loseshisprivilegetousethefamilycar.Themechanicwhochargesexorbitant
rates loses the customers he is in business toserve. The worker who takes 30
minutes for a 10-minute break loses the freedom to leave her desk without
punchingthetimeclock.Thepoliticianwhoforgetshiscampaignpromisesand
breaksfaithwiththepeoplewhoputhiminofficeloseshisreelectionbidand
theopportunitytoservehisconstituents.
Slavery
Slaveryisasecondconsequenceoffreedomwithoutresponsibility.Whenthe
manandthewomandisobeyedGodandatefromthetreeoftheknowledgeof
good and evil, they became slaves to evil. Before their rebellion against God,
Adam and Eve knew only good because their knowledge came from their
relationshipwithGod,whoisgood.Inthemomentofsin,theirspiritsbecame
separatedfromGod’sSpiritandtheybecameslavesofrebellion,therootofall
sin.TheycouldnolongerseeanddowhatGodrequires.Thislossoftheability
toseeanddowhatisrightisalwaysaresultofchoosingtoplaceoneselfabove
thelaw.
Thus,theteenagerwhoregularlystaysoutpasthiscurfewcomestoexpect
that this is his right, the mechanic who charges exorbitant rates loses sight of
fairness, the worker who takes an extended break assumes the company owes
herthis,andthepoliticianwhobreaksfaithwiththosewhoelectedhimfailsto
seetheerrorofhisways.Eachbecomessoenmeshedinhisrebelliousattitudes
andactionsthathecannolongerseethewrongofhisactions.Deathinevitably
follows.
Death
Thethirdconsequenceoffreedomwithoutresponsibilityisdeath.Noticethat
Godconnectedtheviolationoftheboundaryaroundthetreeoftheknowledgeof
goodandevilwithdeath:“.forwhenyoueatofityouwillsurelydie”(Genesis
2:16).Disobediencetolawalwaysresultsindeath.
Theteenagerwhoindulgesinlatehourswilleventuallyseethedeathofhis
parents’trust.Themechanicwhotakeswhateverhecangetwillsoonexperience
bankruptcyandthedeathofhisbusiness.Likewise,theworkerwhoextendsher
breakandthepoliticianwhoneglectstofulfillhispromiseswillsufferthedeath
oftheirdreamsforadvancementandrecognition.Deathistheinevitableresult
offreedomgraspedattheexpenseofobediencetolaw.
Death is the inevitable result of freedom grasped at the expense of
obediencetolaw.
TheNatureofLaw,Commands,andDemands
Merriam Webster’s dictionary (10th Collegiate, 1994) defines law as “a
binding custom or practice of a community: a rule of conduct or action
prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling
authority; a ruleor order that is advisable or obligatory toobserve.” It further
observes that law “implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the
obligationofobedienceonthepartofallsubjecttothatauthority.”Thus,alaw
regulatesandgovernsthebehaviorofsomeoneorsomething.
Acommandisan“ordergiven”oranauthoritativedirective.It“stressesthe
officialexerciseofauthority”andexpressesthewilloftheauthoritybasedupon
the established rules and regulations that govern the group. Thus, a
commandmentspecifiesbehaviorrelativetoalaw.
Ademandis“theactofaskingwithauthority.”Itisbasedontherecognized
authority of the one who asks, and it builds upon a previous command or
commandment.Thus,ademandassumesthattherequesterhastherighttomake
therequest,anditspecifiesbehaviorinaspecificinstanceorcircumstance.
Let’susefamilylifetoillustratetheseprinciples.Astheheadofthehome,
thefathermayestablishthelawthattheprivacyofeachindividualisensured.
This is a given within the structure of the family. Then he may issue the
command that all members of the family should knock on a closed bedroom
doorandwaitforthebidding“comein”beforeenteringthatroom.Thisishis
mandate or commandment relative to the principle of ensuring the privacy of
eachindividual.Finally,whenadaughterinthehouseholdisupsetbecauseher
brother constantly enters her room when she is on the phone, the father may
demandthatthesonknockonhissister’sdoorandwaitforherresponse.
LawProvidesDirectionforDailyLife
God has established many laws that influence our lives. Some of these
govern the physical world in which we live; others control our relationships
within the human family and with God Himself. For example, God has
established marriage as the structure in which sexual relationships should be
enjoyedandchildrenshouldberaised.ThatisHislaw.“Youshallnotcommit
adultery”(Exodus20:14)isoneofHiscommandmentsbuiltonthatlaw.Hence,
when God demands that you should not gratify your physical desires by
engaginginintercourseoutsidethemarriagerelationship,Heisapplyingtodaily
lifethelawHeestablishedatcreationandthecommandmentHegaveatMount
Sinai.Heisspecifyinghowweshouldbehaveinagivensituation.
God’sdemandsarealwaysbasedonHislawsandcommandments.Heisnot
capricious,norisHeouttodestroyourpleasure.Heknowsthatwecannotfulfill
ourpotentialoutsideHislaws,soHegivesuscommandmentsrelativetothose
laws and He makes demands on us that apply His commandments to our
situation. If we resist His demands, we bring upon ourselves the natural
consequencesofHislaws.Thelawofloveisagoodexampleofthisprinciple.
God created us to be loved by Him and to love Him and others in return.
LoveisaninnatequalityofHisnatureandofours.Thecommandments“Love
eachotherasIhavelovedyou”(John15:12),and“Loveyourenemiesandpray
forthosewhopersecuteyou” (Matthew5:44b)directoureffortstounderstand
andapplythatlawoflovetoourlives.Whenwedisregardthislaw,webearthe
consequencesofloneliness,alienation,andinternalturmoilthatnaturallycome
tothosewhofailtolove.
Wecannotchoosewhetherornottheseconsequenceswillcometous,since
they are inseparable from the law. Our only choice is whether or not we will
love. Thus, we see that God’s commandment to love, like all His
commandments,is given for ourgood. Those who obeyit are spared thepain
thatirrevocablyassailsthosewhofailtolove.
God’scommandmentsaregivenforourgood.
The effects of God’s laws cannot be avoided. They are constant and
unchangeable,evenasHeis.Yet,youcontroltheimpactofGod’slawsonyour
lifebecausethedecisiontoobeyordisobeyGod’scommandmentsanddemands
iswhollyyours.Inthismanner,youcontrolyourdestiny.
ReadtheFinePrint
NothingcanfunctionatitsmaximumperformanceifitviolatesGod’slawsor
the laws laid down by the manufacturer. These laws set the boundaries or
limitations within which all things must operate. There is no recourse. The
preestablished consequences always follow the failure to fulfill the law’s
obligations.
Ifsomethingsoundstoogoodtobetrue,itprobablyis.Booksandtelevision
shows may tell us that we are free to sleep around, but they don’t caution us
abouttheguiltandthemisery thatcomefromsuchactions.Pro-choicegroups
maypersuadeusthatwearefreetoabortourbabies,buttheydonotwarnusof
theseveredepressionandnever-endingsenseoflossthatplaguemanywomen
following an abortion. Cigarette ads may portray healthy, laughing men and
womenpuffingawayontheparticularbrandthattastesbestandgivesthemost
satisfying high, but they do not show the hospital rooms, cancer treatment
centers,anddoctors’officesfilledwithsmokerssufferingfromlungcancerand
emphysema.
Too often we resist obeying rules and living within a given set of laws,
stipulations, and regulations because we see them as having a negative rather
thanapositiveimpactonourlives.TheScripturesareclearthatGod’slawsare
good.Theyaregivenforourbenefit.
This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not
burdensome...(1John5:3).
IfyoufullyobeytheLordyourGodandcarefullyfollowallHiscommandsI
give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on
earth. All these blessing will come upon you if you obey the Lord your God
(Deuteronomy28:1-2).
Yourwordisalamptomyfeetandalightformypath(Psalm119:105).
Every commandment of negative orientation can be restated in a positive
manner.“YoushaltnotmisusethenameoftheLordyourGod”(Exodus20:7a)
could be rephrased,“Worship only Me.” “You shall notsteal”(Exodus 20:15)
might be reworded, “Leave other people’s possessions alone.” “You shall not
givefalsetestimonyagainstyourneighbor”(Exodus20:16)couldbe,“Tellthe
truth.”
Unfortunately, mankind has difficulty obeying God’s commandments.
Therefore,GodsetsforthHiscommandmentsasprohibitionsthatsetboundaries
within which we must operate. He relates to us at the point of our sin and
endeavors to move us beyond our failure and disobedience by giving us very
specific guidelines and directions. Because Cain had already killed Abel, for
example, God said,“Youshall not murder” (Exodus 20:13)instead of “Honor
and safeguard your neighbor’s life.” This same phenomenon is evident in the
discipliningofachild.
Although the parent may tell the newly-mobile child “You may play only
withyourtoys,”sheinevitablymustadd“Donottouchthestereo,thetelevision,
the magazines on the coffee table, etc.” Do not touch...do not touch...do not
touch. It isthese negative statements that clearly definethe child’s boundaries
andhelphimlearnwhatisacceptablebehaviorandwhatisnot.
So it is in your relationship with God. Through thou shalt nots God
delineatesthelimitswithinwhichyoucanliveahealthy,happy,productivelife.
TheyareHismeansofhelpingyou.Hedoesnotintendtounnecessarilyharm,
restrict,orbindyou.
Godcreatedyoutofulfillyourpotential,butyoumustaccepttheprinciples
andlawsthatgovernit.That’sthebottomline.
>MisconceptionofLaw
ThelimitlessabilityGodhasgivenustodoallwecanthink,toaccomplish
allwecanimagine,tofulfilleveryaspirationweentertaincannotsurviveunless
weobeyGod’slawsandlivewithinHislimitations.Toencourageanaccepting
attitude toward God’s laws and commandments, let us examine some of the
misconceptionsthatsurroundtheconceptoflaw.
OurpotentialcannotsurviveunlessweobeyGod’slawsandlivewithin
Hislimitations.
Misconception—LawsRestrictUs
Allparentshaveheardthecomplaint,“Youjustdon’twantmetohaveany
fun,”whentheyputarestrictionupontheirchildren’sactivities.Whetheritisa
curfew,aruleaboutcallinghome,orastandardthatrequiresthechildtoavoid
beingatafriend’shomeifthefriend’sparentsarenotthere,thechildseesthe
rulesandrequirementsastheparents’desiretowithholdfromhimtheenjoyable
thingsofyouth.
VeryoftenwetransferthissameattitudeintoourrelationshipwithGod.We
seeGod’sthoushaltnots asHismeansof takingthefun outoflife. ThenHis
lawsappearto berestrictiveinstrumentsthatlimit ourfreedomto dowhatwe
want,whenwewant,wherewewant,withwhomwewant.
Misconception—LawsInhibitUs
The misconception that law inhibits or restrains us also distorts our
understanding of the purpose of law. This perception is readily evident in the
attitude of the employee who feels that the obligation to punch a time clock
cramps her preferred style of arriving at work five or ten minutes after the
designated starting time and making up that time at the end of the day. Or
perhapsayoungcouplebelievesthatan apartmenthouse’srule torentonlyto
marriedcouplesinhibitstheirfreedomtolivetogether.Or,yetagain,aclubthat
makesmuchofitsincomefromadailyhappyhourmayconsideranordinance
that holds establishments responsible for accidents involving their patrons
unnecessarilyprohibitive.
Misconception—LawsBindUs
Some laws appear to bind us and we, therefore, find them to be irritating.
Trafficlawsaregoodexamplesoftheselaws.OnedayasIrodeinthecarwith
my son, I tried to beat a yellow light because I was a little late. As the light
changed, my son said, “Daddy, the light is changing.” Just as I pressed the
acceleratortomakethelight,hespokeagain,“Daddy,you’vegottostop,”and
then “Thou goest too fast, O Dad.” Because I had taught him to stop at red
lights,I slammedon thebrakes andwe cameto ahalt witha terriblescreech.
Thelawconcerningredlightswasparticularlybindingtomethatday.
Misconception—LawsRobUs
Thebeliefthatlawspreventusfromreceivingthebestthingsoflifeisalsoa
false understanding of the nature of law. This perception often occurs when
something we want defies a given law, but we want it anyway. A young
Christian girlwho wants to marry a nice-looking, well-behavedguy who isn’t
savedthinksGodisunfairwhenHesaysnottobeyokedwithunbelievers(see2
Cor. 6:14).Ayoung businessmanperceiveshimselftohavebeenrobbed when
hispartnerisunwillingtousedishonestlyobtainedinformationtomakeakilling
onthestockmarket.AsinglemotherstrugglesbetweengivinghertithetoGod
andspendingthemoneyonamuch-deservedweekendawayfromthekids.
All these misconceptions convince us that laws and regulations are
encumbrancesand burdens thatprevent us fromenjoying lifeto the fullest.In
truth,lawsareprovidedforourbenefit.
TheBenefitsofLaw
If,then,lawsaregiventohelpusandtomakelifemoreenjoyable,howdo
theyaccomplishtheirpurpose?Whatreliablebenefitsdotheyoffer?
Benefit—LawsProtect
Thechildwholiveswithnorulesandrestrictionsismuchmorelikelytoget
hurtortoendupintroublethanthechildwholiveswithinastructureofparental
guidance. Because he has no boundaries or guidelines against which he can
judge his actions, he may make decisions that jeopardize his safety and well-
being.Therule“noplayingonthekitchenfloorwhenMomismakingdinner,”
forexample,protectsayoungchildfrombeingscalded.Ifheisnottaughtthis
rule,thechildmaynotevenknowthatheisindanger.Likewise,therestriction
“no swimming alone” protects against drowning. In a similar manner, traffic
signs such as stop, yield, slow, and detour have all been established not to
restrict,buttoprotectusandothers.Lawsprotectus.Theyalertustopossible
danger.
Lawsalertustopossibledanger.
Benefit—LawsAssist
Laws also give us assistance. Can you imagine the confusion if everyone
addressedtheirlettershowevertheywished?Somepeoplemightputtheaddress
of the sender in the upper left corner, but others might put the address of the
recipientthere.Oronecommunitymighthavethetraditionofputtingthestamp
onthebackoftheenvelope,whileeveryothercommunityplacesitonthefront.
Postalregulationsaidtheefficienthandlingofmailsolettersgotothesender’s
intendedrecipient.Insteadofrestrainingus,lawsprovideassistancesowecan
accomplishwhatweintend.
Benefit—LawsAllowforFullExpression
Laws also allow us to express ourselves completely within the context of
community. Consider what would happen if you bought a house in a nice
neighborhood to raise your children in a safe, nonviolent environment only to
haveyourneighboropenanadults-onlybookstore.Thetrafficonyourformerly
quietstreetnowquadruplesandyourchildrenareexposedtounhealthymaterials
aspeoplecomefromtheshopleafingthroughpornographicliterature.Onenight
a patron is shot in front of your house by his wife, who is enraged by his
attitudes and his actions toward her after he has been looking at his girlie
magazines.Suddenly,yourniceneighborhoodisnolongersafe.Civillawshelp
tocontrolwhatisandisnotpermittedwithinacommunitysothatallmayenjoy
theenvironmenttheydesire.
Although these laws may irritate us because they compel us to act in a
certainmanner,theypermitustoenjoypersonalpreferenceswithinourpersonal
space.Consider,forexample,thefollowingsituation.Aresidentinanapartment
complex enjoys listening to classical music, but the young man in the next
apartmentblares his rock music so loud that it rocks his neighbor’s walls and
drownsouthermusic.
If you are the young man who prefers loud rock music, the rules of the
apartment complexthat control noise appear to be restrictiveand binding. For
thepersonintheneighboringapartment,however,theregulationspermitherto
enjoy her own taste in music. Laws allow each person to enjoy his individual
preferencesso longas hedoesnot infringeon the freedom ofothers to dothe
same.
Benefit—LawsMaximizePotential
Laws help us to do and be our best. The very laws that restrict negative
behavior also encourage and uphold positive attitudes and actions. The
classroom rule, for example, that makes the entire class responsible for
monitoring cheating and gives a failing grade to anyone who copies from
another student’s paper also encourages excellence because it exerts peer
pressureforhonestyandguaranteesthateachpersonwillbegradedbyhisorher
own efforts. Thus, the law both sets consequences for negative behavior and
rewardsthosewhoworkhardanddotheirbest.
Theverylawsthatrestrictnegativebehavioralsoencourageanduphold
positiveattitudesandactions.
The Bible clearly shows that laws do not restrict positive thoughts and
behavior:
...livebytheSpirit,andyouwillnotgratifythedesiresofthesinfulnature.
ForthesinfulnaturedesireswhatiscontrarytotheSpirit,andtheSpiritwhatis
contrarytothesinfulnature.Theyareinconflictwitheachother,sothatyoudo
notdowhatyouwant.ButifyouareledbytheSpirit,youarenotunderlaw.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the
like. I warn you. ..that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of
God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law
(Galatians5:16-23).
Since the violation of law destroys potential, and obedience to law fulfills
potential,lawencouragesthereleasingandthemaximizingofpotential.
Lawencouragesthereleasingandthemaximizingofpotential.
Benefit-LawSecuresPurposeandFunction
Finally, law allows us to function within God’s general design for human
life,andtheplansandpurposesHesetsforourindividuallives.
TheblessingoftheLordbringswealth,andHeaddsnotroubletoit
(Proverbs10:22).
Achieving purpose with God’s blessing never brings sorrow. Those,
however,whotrytofulfilltheirpotentialoutsideHispurposesoftenexperience
multipliedsorrow.Abusinessman,forexample,whobuildshisbusinesswithout
God’s guidance and direction may attain the same wealth as a man who
submittedhisdreamsandplanstoGod’swill,buthispositionoutsideGod’splan
does not provide the freedom from worry that the other businessman enjoys.
Thosewhomustrelyonlyonthemselvestoprotecttheirgainoftenbecomeill
fromworrying.Thereisnojoyinthatkindofwealth.
WhentheLordblessesaperson withprosperity,Hebothprotectswhat He
has given and He serves as a resource to the recipient. Man needs spiritual
resourcesassurelyasheneedsphysicalandmaterialassets.
YourPotentialNeedstheBenefitofGod’sLaw
Potential without law is dangerous. Even as breaker switches cut off
electricity when an electrical appliance malfunctions and a free flow of
electricityispossible,soGodshutsusdownwhenweoperateoutsideHislaws.
ThisisHissafeguardtokeepusfromself-destructing.
Potentialwithoutlawisdangerous.
Manypeoplethroughouthistoryhaveharmedthemselvesandothersbecause
theytriedtofulfilltheirpotentialoutsideGod’sspecifications.AdolfHitler,for
example,wasagiftedleader.Usinghisleadershipskills,hecameupthroughthe
ranks of government until he was legally elected the chancellor of Germany.
Onceheachievedthatposition,somethingwentwrong.Heviolatedtherulesof
leadership.
Powerisalwaysgiventoworkthroughthevehicleofservanthood.Whenwe
areinapositionofauthority,wehavetheresponsibilitytoservethoseunderus.
Hitlerviolatedthatlawandmadehimselfadictator.Insteadofusinghispower
to serve and bless the country he ruled, he placed himself above the law and
forcedpeopletodohisbidding.
Hitleralsobrokethelawsofhumandignityandequalitybecausehecreated
andenforcedpoliciesthattreatedallpeoplewhowerenotofAryandescent,with
blondhairand blueeyes,as subhumansand half-humans whowere createdto
servetheperfectrace.ManyJewsandothernon-Aryanpeopleswerevictimsof
Hitler’s beliefs and policies. Eventuallyhe brought death to himself and those
whosharedhisconvictions.
Potentialisalwaysgiventobless,nevertoharm.Ifyourpotentialishurting
someoneorsomething,you’dbetterlookcarefullyatyourattitudesandactions.
You are probably using your gifts and talents outside their God-given
specifications.
PotentialDiesWhenLawsAreBroken
TheexperienceofHitlerandmanyotherpeopleconfirmsthattheviolation
of the boundaries that delimit potential sets off serious consequences and
exposestheviolatortopotential-threateningcircumstances.Thisistruebecause
violating the specifications set forth by God for the use of potential removes
protection,hindersfulfill-ment,andinterruptsperformance.
Let’ssay,forexample,thatyouareayoungexecutiveinalocalbank.You
haveworkedforthebankforfiveyears,developingagoodworkingknowledge
ofthebankingindustryandbuildingasolidreputationforhonestyandintegrity.
Yourgoalistobecomethemanagerofthemainbranch.
Yourspouseconstantlycomplainsthatyoudon’tearnenoughuntiloneday,
indesperation,youtake$2,000fromthebanksafeandgiveittoyourspouse.
Severalthingshappen whenyoudothis. First,youlose theprotectionofyour
goodreputation.Untilnow,peoplehavetrustednotonlyyourintegritybutalso
the soundnessof your decisions. Second, youforfeit the opportunity to riseto
the position of branch manager. Third, you interrupt your career because not
onlythebankyouworkedforbutotheremployersaswellcannottrustyou.This
oneactofdisregardingthecommandment“Youshallnotsteal”(Exodus20:15)
destroysyourpotentialtobecomeacompetent,respectedbanker.
JesuscametorecoverthespiritofGod’slawssowecanrecognizethemas
theblessingstheyare,andtoshowusthepowerthatbelongstothosewholive
withintheirGod-givenspecifications.OnlybythepoweroftheHolySpiritcan
we live within God’s laws of limitation and, thereby, maximize our potential.
Laws and limitations established by a manufacturer for a product are always
given to protectand maximize the product’s potential and performance, not to
restrictit.
Flippingaswitchisahelpfulwaytouseelectricity.Stickingyourfingerina
socketisnot.Evenasyoucannotliveifyouignoretheprecautionsthatgovern
thesafeuseofelectricity,soyoucannotexperiencethefull,abundantlifeJesus
promisesifyoudisregardthespecificationsthatlimittheuseofyourpotential.
YoumustabidebyGod’sspecificationstoenjoythetotalityofwhoyouare.His
lawsandcommandmentsarethesecuritythatguaranteesyouwillreceiveallHe
plannedandpurposedforyourlife.
AmanwithoutGodispotentialwithoutpurpose.
AmanwithoutGodispowerwithoutconduction.
AmanwithoutGodislifewithoutliving.
AmanwithoutGodisabilitywithoutresponsibility.
That’sadangerousman.
That’salivewire.
>Principles
1. Freedom always has a price. What frees one person may enslave
another.
2. Lawlessness defies the standards that govern society. It shows no
responsibilitytowardanyoneoranything.
3.Lawlessnessresultsinthelossofexistingfreedoms,inslavery,and
indeath.
4.Lawssetnormsorstandardsandgovernorregulatebehavior.
5.Commandmentsexpressthewillofanauthorityrelativetoalaw.
6.Demandsspecifybehaviorinaspecificsituationbasedonpreviously
definedlawsandcommandments.
7. Violating laws and commandments aborts potential and brings
inevitableconsequences.
8.Lawsandcommandmentsbenefitusandhaveapositiveimpacton
ourlives.
ChapterNine
ReceivingYourPotential
Itisalwaysbettertofailatsomethingthantoexcelatnothing.Getup
andtryagain.
Ahushfellovertheroomasapetite,neatlygroomedwomansteppedtothe
podium.Unlikemostoftheothersintheroom,shewasnotcladinprison-issued
attire.Yetshedidnotseemtobeortofeeloutofplace.Thosewhowatchedher
wonderedatthis,fortheyhadobservedmanypeopleintheseweeklymeetings.
Mosthad a genuinedesire tohelp theprisoners, but theiractions andremarks
often revealed that they were uneasy being there and that they did not truly
understand what imprisonment did to a person. Although the prisoners were
gratefulfortheconcernandwell-meaningofthesevisitors,theypreferredthose
speakerswhowerecomfortablewithintheprisonwalls.Theyoftenunderstood
moreaccuratelytheparticularneedsandfrustrationsthatprisonlifeproduced.
Expectancyfilled thosewho facedthe womanon thestage. Althoughthey
couldnotdefinewhy,theysensedthatthisspeakerwasdifferentfromtherest.
She didn’t look any different, yet shewasdifferent. Perhaps it was the gentle
compassioninherfaceasshelookedoutoverthewomenwhopackedthesmall
room.Perhapsitwashercalm,assuredmannerthatrevealedanabsenceoffear
ornervousness.Perhaps itwasthatshe didnotplaceany notesonthelectern.
Forwhateverreason,theprisonersknewthatthisspeakerwasunliketheothers
whohadcometoencourageandstrengthenthem.
Herfirstwordsstartledthem.“Iamoneofyou.Ilivedhereforfiveyears.I
came here at the age of twenty, leaving behind my husband and my young
daughter.Althoughithasbeenmanyyearssincemyrelease,Istillrememberthe
intenselonelinessandtheconsumingdespairthatfilledmyfirstdayshere.Ican
alsohearinmymindtheclickofthegatebehindme.Idoubtthosethoughtsand
feelingswilleverleaveme.
“Iamheretodaybecausesomethingveryimportanthappenedtomehere.I
mettheLordJesusChrist,acceptedHisforgivenessformypast,andentrusted
myfuturetoHiskeeping.MylifeisverydifferentbecauseofHim.ThroughHis
loveandmercy,andthesupportandencouragementofmanybrothersandsisters
in Christ, I have finally forgiven myself for the wrongs that brought me here.
TodayIamfreebecauseHefreedme,andIbringtoyoutheopportunitytofind
thisfreedomandforgiveness.
“WhenIfirstcamehere,Ihatedmyself.Allmylife,myfamilytoldmethatI
would never amount to anything. I believed them. When I landed in jail, I
fulfilledtheirpropheciesandmyownexpectations.Iassumedthattherestofmy
lifewouldcontinuetofollowasimilarpattern.Ilearned,however,thattheywere
wrong, and I was wrong. Through the patience and faithfulness of those who
helpedmetosurvivewithinthesewallsandtomakeitontheoutside,through
mystudyoftheBible,andthroughmypersonalrelationshipwithJesusChrist,I
havediscoveredthatIamcapableoffarmorethanmyfamilyexpectedofme.
“ThisistruebecauseGodcreatedmeforaspecialpurposeandplacedwithin
methepotentialtofulfillallthatHeplannedformylifebeforeIwasborn.The
unfavorable circumstances that surrounded my birth did not change God’s
intentions, nor have the wrong choices, broken relationships, and painful
experiences of my past destroyed who I yet can be. The talented, worthwhile
personwithdistinctabilitiesthatIhavelearnedtoseeinmyselfwasinsideme
all the time, but I had to discover her and release her from the guilt and self-
hatredthatconsumedmethroughouttheearlyyearsofmylife.
“I have also learned that my experience is not unique. The world is filled
with men and women whose experiences parallel my own. Both in my
counselingpracticeandafterspeakingengagements,Ihavespenthourslistening
toandsharingwithpeoplewhoseheartsandlivesareasburdenedasminewere
whenIfirstenteredthesewalls.JesusChristhasgivenmecompassionforthem
and for you. He has also gifted me with the ability to express that love and
concerninawidevarietyofsettings.
“Therefore,Icometoyoutodayasafriendwhowantstohelpyoubecome
allthatyoucanbe.Nomatterwhatothershave said about you,andwhatyou
have believed about yourself, you are a competent, gifted person.I know you
maynot feelthatway,but yourfeelingsare notaccurate.Youarethe beloved
daughter of God, created by Him with meticulous care and endowed by Him
witheverythingyouneedtoblessyourself,yourfamily,and,indeed,theentire
world.Thispotentialhibernateswithinyou,buriedbytheactions,attitudes,and
lifestylesthatbroughtyouhere,butitneednotremainhidden.Youcanrecover
yourpotential.
“IsharemystorywithyounotbecauseIhavemadeitbysociety’sstandards,
but because I have a passion to free women like us— womenwho have been
bound not only by prison walls but also by years of negative opinions, poor
judgments, unhealthy relationships, detrimental environments, and adverse
circumstances. I stand with you as one who has found the way to peace,
happiness,andfulfillment.Perhapsmystorycanhelpyoufindthatwayaswell.
“Iwasborn...”
Fewstirredthroughoutthelengthystory.Occasionallysomeonenoddedher
head in agreement or sighed from memories awakened by the storyteller’s
words.Attimestear-brightenedeyesoverflowedfrompainrememberedorhope
renewed.These were largelyunnoticed,for allwere caughtup by thestory of
onewhoselifeinsomewaysparalleledtheirownandinotherrespectswasquite
different.Hopelessness,bitterness,resentment,anger,anddespairwerecertainly
partofherstory,buttheywerenotthedominantthemes.Wovenwithinthestory
ofwhattheex-prisonerhadbeenwereglimpsesofwhatshehadbecomeandyet
hopedtobe.Therewerenodramaticadventuresorshockingdisclosures,justthe
simpleretellingofthechangesinalifetouchedbytheloveandpowerofGod.
Manywomeninthatsmallroomyearnedforthetrustandthecontentment
evidentinthespeaker’swordsastheywonderedwhethertheirlivescouldalso
beredirectedintotheplansandpurposesoftheCreator.Wastherehopefortheir
potentialyetto berevealed? Asthespeakerclosedwith asimpletestimonyto
hercurrentlife inJesusChrist,many heartslongedforthe assurancethatthey
toocouldexperiencechanged,redeemedlives.
Change.Thehopeforsomethingdifferent.Eachofus,atsomepointinour
lives,has been dissatisfiedwith where weare and who weare. Wehave been
keenlyawarethatlifeisnotmeasuringuptoourexpectations.Someofyoumay
stillbethere.Othersofyou,liketheformerprisoner,havefoundrenewedhope
inlife.Alife-changingencounterwithGodthroughHisSonJesusChristmakes
thedifference.TheBibleteachesusmuchaboutourneedforthislife-changing
encounterandthepathwemusttakeifwewouldexperienceit.
Forgiveness
The journey to recovering your potential begins with forgiveness— God’s
forgivenessandself-forgiveness.God’sforgivenessisanexpressionofHislove
forus.HeoffersittoallwhoconfesstheirrebelliousnessandacceptHisgiftof
newlifethroughHisSon,JesusChrist.BecomingrerootedinGodtakescareof
thisfirstaspectofforgiveness.
Self-forgiveness,however,isoftenmoredifficult.Godforgivesandforgets
oursinassoonasweconfessit:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in
love.Hewillnotalwaysaccuse,norwillHeharborHisangerforever;Hedoes
nottreatusasoursinsdeserveorrepayusaccordingtoouriniquities.Foras
highastheheavensareabovetheearth,sogreatisHisloveforthosewhofear
Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our
transgressionsfromus(Psalm
103:8-12).
We,ontheotherhand,oftenholdourselvesaccountableforourwrongsfora
long time. Indeed, many who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior still
thinkandactasthoughtheirsinsarenotforgiven.Suchbehaviorshort-changes
potentialbecauseitagainplacesourselvesaboveGodandHiswordtous.Like
AdamandEveinthegarden,wedisbelievewhatGodhassaid.
The speaker in the prison must have been guilty of some rather serious
wrongs to land herself in prison, but her journey to happiness and wholeness
beganwithherabilitytoacceptGod’sforgive-nessandtoforgiveherself.Ina
similarmanner,theapostlePaulcouldhavecondemnedhimselfforeverforthe
Christianswhodiedbyhishand(seeActs7:54—8:3;9:1-2).PraiseGod,hedid
not!
Remember, God’s promises are true and His power surpasses all other
powers. If God says your sins are forgiven, they are forgiven. You are freed
forever from their penalty and their power over you. No one, including satan,
hastheauthorityortherighttochangeordisputeHisdecision.
Thefailuretoforgiveourselvesplacesusatriskforfuturesin.Thisistrue
because self-condemnation opens the door for satan and his forces of evil to
workonuswithdoubtandguilt.GuiltpreventsusfromactivelyseekingGod’s
power and wisdom because we are ashamed to enter His presence, and doubt
enslavesustofeelingsofpowerlessnessandunworthiness.Bothdenythepower
andauthorityofGodinourlivesandenticeustorelymoreonourfeelingsthan
thepresenceofGod’sSpiritwithinus.Bothdestroypotential.
Refuse,then,toallowself-condemnationtostealyourpotentialinChrist.If
youhaveconfessedyoursin,youareforgivenandGodremembersitnomore.
Forgiveyourselfandmoveon.Ifyouwouldloveothersandshareyourpotential
withthem,youmustfirstloveandforgiveyourself.Thisisanimportantstepin
thejourneyofrecoveringyourpotential.
YourPastandYourPotential
Asecondstepinrecoveringpotentialistheabilitytomovebeyondyourpast
andtouseittoinformandimproveyourfuture.Allofushavethingsinourpasts
ofwhichweareashamed.Whileself-forgivenesstakesawaythestingofthose
confessedsins,itdoesnotremovefromourmindsthememoryofthosewrongs.
Wemustlearntolivewithourmemoriesandallowthemtobeapositiveforcein
ourlives.
Wemustlearntolivewithourmemoriesandallowthemtobeapositive
forceinourlives.
KingDavid,afterhissinwithBathsheba,mostcertainlywashauntedbyhis
wrong(see2Samuel11:1—12:25).Overwhelmedbytheenormityofhissin,he
could have forfeited his potential to serve God as the king of God’s people.
Instead, David confessed his sin (see 2 Samuel 12:13 and Psalm 51) and
petitionedGod:
Createinmeapureheart,OGod,andrenewasteadfastspiritwithinme...
.RestoretomethejoyofYoursalvationandgrantmeawillingspirit,tosustain
me(Psalm51:10,12).
TodayDavidisrememberedasamanafterGod’sheartandthegreatestking
inthehistoryofGod’speople.
This same restorative power of God can move you beyond the negative
opinions, poor judgments, unhealthy relationships, detrimental environments,
andadversecircumstancesofyourpast.NosinistoogreatforGodtoforgive.
NorelationshipisbeyondHisrestoration.Hishealingtouchcanreachintoyour
worst experiences and show you something you can learn from them. His
transformingpowercanredirectyourmisguidedandharmfulactionsandenable
you to remove yourself from the destructive environments and crippling
circumstancesthat threaten yourpotential. Nomemory is toodeep for Himto
heal.NoproblemisbeyondHisblessingandpower.
NosinistoogreatforGodtoforgive.
NorelationshipisbeyondHisrestoration.
NomemoryistoodeepforHimtoheal.
NoproblemisbeyondHisblessingandpower.
The key to moving beyond all that haunts you from your past is allowing
thosememoriestoempoweryouinsteadofdestroyingyou.Ifyouwereaddicted
to drugsand you know firsthand the destructive forces they unleash, use your
experiencesto help thosewho areat risktoday of experiencingthe samepain
you’vesurvived.Makefriendswithateenagerwhosefatherhaswalkedouton
his family. Support a local teen’s club. Speak in your child’s school about the
dangersandthedeceptionsofdoingdrugs.
Ifyouhaveahistoryofgettingintofights,learnwhatsetsyouoffandhow
you can respond more appropriately to the anger-provoking situations in your
life.Findsupportivepeoplewhocanencourageyouandhelpyouthroughtough
times. Look for the insecurity in yourself and others that destroys self-esteem
andincitesverbalandphysicalexchanges.
Ifyouquithighschoolbecauseyouwerepregnant,gobacktoschoolandget
yourdiploma.Ifyoudidtimeinprison,befriendanewlyreleasedprisoner.Ifthe
pressuresofbeingayoungsinglemothercausedyoutoabuseyourchild,offerto
help another young mother who is going through experiences similar to your
own.
Discouraging,defeatingexperiencesmaybepartofyourpastlife,butthere
isnoreasonwhytheymustcontinuetodiscourageanddefeatyou.Indeed,they
canbecomesteppingstonestothereleasingandmaximizingofyourpotentialif
youarewilling toacknowledgeyourpast, tolearnfromyour mistakes,andto
allow God’s transforming power to turn your loss into gain. With God’s help,
youarecapableofrisingaboveyourshortcomingsandofredeemingyourless-
than-perfectdecisions.Hehasnotgivenuponyou.He’swaitingtoseewhatyou
willdowiththerestofyourlife.Protectthepresentandthefuturefromthepast
by facing the past and moving beyond it. This is an essential element of the
journeytorecoveryourpotential.
RedeemingtheDaysofYourLife
Thethirdsteptorecoveringourpotentialistoredeemthetimethatisleftto
us.Wecannotundowhatispast,butwecanmakethenecessarychangesinour
livestopermitthewiseuseoftheremainderofourdays.
TimeisGod’sgiftforaccomplishingourpurposeandfulfillingourpotential.
Itbeginsthedaywearebornandendswhenwedie.Thelengthofourphysical
lifematchesthedaysrequiredtofulfillourpurposebecauseGodplannedforthe
maturingofourliveswithinthetotaldaysHehasallottedtous.Therefore,we
havesufficienttimetomaximizeourpotential.Thequestionis,Willwewasteor
usewiselythedaysGodhasassignedtoourlives?
Time is God’s gift for accomplishing our purpose and fulfilling our
potential.
TheapostlePaulinstructsusto“seethenthat[we]walkcircumspectly,not
asfoolsbutaswise,redeemingthetime,becausethedaysareevil”(Ephesians
5:15-16NKJV).Inotherwords,wemustfindourpurposeanduseourpotential
to accomplish it. Likewise, we need to consciously refuse to allow
procrastination,discouragement,andtheotherenemiesofourpotentialtoinduce
ustowasteevenonedayofourlives.Wheneverweuseourtimetodothings
that neither release our potential nor help us progress toward the
accomplishmentofourpurpose,weforfeitordelaytheopportunitytoreachthe
excellencyandcompletionGodintendedforourlives.
Accepting God’s forgiveness and forgiving yourself, moving beyond your
past,usingyourpasttoinformthefuture,andredeemingtheremainingdaysof
yourlifearethenecessaryfactorsthatwillpermityoutorecoveryourpotential.
Liketheformerprisonerwhoforgaveherselfforherpastandusedittobringlife
and hope to others, you can replace the hopelessness, bitterness, resentment,
anger, and despair in your life with peace, happiness, and fulfillment. Her
journeyofrecoverybeganwhenshemettheLordJesusChristandacceptedHis
forgiveness for her past. You too must begin to recover your potential by
acceptingJesus asyour Saviorandby allowingHim tochangeyou. Returnto
your Manufacturer/Creatorfor a reassessmentof your true potentialand begin
again.
You can replace the hopelessness, bitterness, resentment, anger, and
despairofyourlifewithpeace,happiness,andfulfillment.
Just as a seed is full of promise and potential, so your life is abundantly
loadedwithuntappedpowerandpurpose.Likewise,justasa seedneedstobe
relatedtothesoilandtobefednutrientstomaximizeitsfullestpotential,soyou
areinneedofapersonalrelationshipwiththeSourceandCreatorofyourlife.
Only God theFather can restore you to your original purpose anddream, and
only He can provide the grace and resources you need to experience true
fulfillment.Everyproductneedstoremainrelatedtothemanufacturerifitisto
maintainitsguaranteeandwarranty.Therefore,Iencourageyoutoobeythecall
of God in your heart right now by pausing before you read any further and
prayingthisprayerofsubmissionandcommitment:
DearHeavenlyFather,
IconfessthatYouaretheCreatorandSustainerofmylife.IbelievethatYou
createdmeforaspecificpurpose,andthatYouhavedesignedandequippedme
withthepotentialtofulfillthatpurpose.IadmitthatIhaveattemptedtolivemy
life without Your Spirit and guidance; I ask for Your forgiveness for this
rebellious spirit. I acknowledge the work of reconciliation You accomplished
throughthedeathandresurrectionofChristJesusformypersonalrestoration,
and I receive Your Spirit to live within me now. By faith in Your promise, I
receive with thanksgiving a new beginning as I commit myself to pursue the
fulfillmentofYourwillformylifeandthemaximizationofthepotentialYouhave
investedinme.
InthenameofmyLord,JesustheChrist,
Amen.
Ifyouprayedthisprayer,youhavejoinedmillionsaroundtheworldwhoare
partofthegreatBodyofChrist.Writetomeandletmeknowofyourdecision
today.(SeetheaddressforBahamasFaithMinistryonthecopyrightpage.)
Itismoreimportanttobeyourselfthantobethebest.
Principles
1.Godcreatedyouforaspecialpurposeandgaveyouthepotentialto
fulfillit.
2.Youareacompetent,giftedperson.
3.Youmustexperiencealife-changingencounterwithJesusChristif
youwanttorecoveryourpotential.
4.Thejourneytorecoveringyourpotentialmustinclude:
•acceptingGod’sforgiveness,
•forgivingyourself,
•movingbeyondyourpast,
•usingyourpasttoinformyourfuture,
•redeemingtheremainingdaysofyourlife.
ChapterTen
PotentialandGod’sPurpose
Untilamancanseebeyondhisownloins,thefutureisindanger.
Godcreatedeverythingforapurposeandequippedeachcreatedthingwith
the corresponding potential or ability to fulfill that purpose. All of nature
testifies to this great truth,as is evidenced by the fact that seeds always carry
withinthemselvesthegermofthetreestheyweredestinedtoproduce.Inevery
birdthereis aflock,in everycowa herd,inevery fishaschool, andinevery
wolf a pack. Everything is pregnant with the potential to become all it was
createdtobe.
Thereleaseandmaximizationofthatpotentialisdependent,however,onan
environment that is conducive to its development and release. For instance,
despitethepotentialofaseedtoproduceatreeafteritskind,andtobringforth
fruit in abundance, this great potential can be minimized, restrained, or
immobilizedbyanimproperenvironmentalcondition.Iftheseedisplacedona
bakedclaytileorastone,orinapollutedsubstanceortoxicelements,itsgreat
potentialwillberestrictedandneverfullymaximized.
This limitation of potential not only robs the seed of the right to fulfillits
truepotentialbutitalsorobsbirdsoffoodandofbranchesfortheirnests,and
deprivespeople ofwood for buildinghouses, offruit forfood, andof fuelfor
heat and cooking. In essence, this loss of potential due to an improper
environment interferes with the entire ecological system. The seed fails to
produceatree,whichispreventedfromproducingoxygentogivelifetomen,
who are then incapable of fulfilling God’s will and purpose in the earth.
Therefore,anyattempttorestrict,abuse,misuse,oppress,orrepressthepotential
ofanylivingthinghasadirecteffectonthepurposeandwillofGod.
>AWordtotheThirdWorld
Themagnitudeanddepthofhumanpotentialonearthhasyettobetapped.
Millions are born, live, and die, never discovering or exposing the awesome
potentialthatresideswithinthem.Thistragicstateofaffairs,whichisaglobal
phenomenon, is the result of man’s succumbing to life governed by his own
devices.Themajorsourceofthistragedyisignorance.
The most powerful enemy of mankind is not sin or satan, but this death-
dealing,life-stealingforcecalledignorance.The OldTestamentprophetHosea
recognized ignorance as the primary source of personal, social, and national
destruction.WhenrelayingGod’sexplanationformoralandsocialdecayamong
the nations, he wrote, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”
(Hosea 4:6a). The implication is that destruction in any area of our lives,
whetherpersonallyornationally,isrelatedtoalackofknowledge.
Themostpowerfulenemyofmankindisnotsinorsatan,butignorance.
This reality is profoundly true as it relates to the maximization of our
potential.Theignoranceofmankindconcerningthevalue,worth,andmagnitude
ofhumanpotentialcausesmassiveoppressionofourwonderfultreasure.
Ourplanetisnowhometoover5.8billionpeople,allofwhomare“created
intheimageofGod”andpossessthepotentialtofulfillthepurposeforwhich
they have been born. Over 4 billion of these people live in countries and
conditionsdescribedasThirdWorld.ThetermThirdWorldisnotethnicorracial
inorientation,butismorephilosophicalandconditionalinmeaning.Technically,
itisusedtodescribeanypeoplewhohavenotbeenallowedtoparticipateinor
directly benefit from the industrial revolution, and who therefore have not
directlyprofitedfromthesocial,economic,andtechnologicaladvancementthat
accompaniedthisrevolution.
In practical terms, the term Third World categorizes all people who, for
whatever reason, have been robbed of the opportunity to discover, develop,
refine, release, and maximize their God-given potential. This miscarriage of
justicehasoftenbeentheresultofoppressionandsuppression,anditisusually
generatedby discrimination,prejudice, hate,and fear. Manyof theseforces of
oppressionareinstitutional,constitutional,philosophical,andreligiousinorigin,
butallarefoundedongraveignoranceandmisconception.
Theignoranceofmanaboutmanistheultimatecauseofallourproblems.
Thekeytotheknowledgeofanyproductmustbethemanufacturerbecauseno
oneknowsaproductliketheonewhocreatedit.Therefore,thetruthaboutman
cannot be found in the great libraries of our educational institutions or the
journalsofourscientificinvestigations.
Genesis, the first book of Moses, clearly states that God created man to
dominatetheearth:
Then Godsaid, “Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let
themrule[havedominion]overthefishoftheseaandthebirdsoftheair,over
thelivestock,overalltheearth,andoverallthecreaturesthatmovealongthe
ground"(Genesis1:26).
The ignorance of man about man is the ultimate cause of all our
problems.
Please note: God created all men to dominate the earth, not one another.
Therefore,everyhumanpossessestheabilityandthepotentialtodominate,rule,
govern,andmanagetheearth.Eachonehaswithinhimthespiritofleadership
and the aspiration to determine his own destiny. This sacred spirit must be
respected,protected,andproperlyrelatedtoGod,theCreator,oritspowerwill
beturnedtowardothermentooppressthem.
ThishasbeentheplightofallThirdWorldpeople.Theyhavefallenvictim
totheignoranceofmenconcerning theequalityandpurposeformankind.We
haveallbeencreatedtoservethepurposesofGodaspartnersindominionover
creation,forthepurposeofmanifestingGod’snatureandKingdomonearthasit
isinHeaven.
JesustheChristcameintotheworldforthisreason:torestoreusbacktoour
Creator/Father God through His atoning work so that we can rediscover our
rightful place within His will for His creation—not to create a religion. This
great message, called the gospel, has been contaminated by many for their
personalmotivesandhasevenbeenusedtojustifyoppressionandsuppression
in many cases. Therefore, it is imperative that we in this generation commit
ourselves,ourresources,andourenergiestodestroyingtheignoranceanderror
thatcloudthetruthconcerningmankind,God’scrownofcreation.
YouaresovaluableandnecessarytothedestinyofthehumanracethatGod
chosetocometoearthHimselftoredeemyoutoyourpurposeandtruepotential.
WhatyouwereborntodoandbecausedJesusChristtocometogiveHislifefor
yourreconciliation.Theworldneedsyourpotential.
Theworldneedsyourpotential.
Nothing is more tragic than the waste, denial, abuse, and suppression of
humanpotential.The millions of Third World people in Europe, Asia, Africa,
andtheAmericas,includingthosewhoarequietlyburiedwithinthewallsofthe
industrial states, must now determine to loose themselves from the mental
shackles of the oppressor; to honor the dignity, value, and worth of their
brothers; and to provide an environment within which the corporate will and
energyofthepeoplemaybedeveloped.Wemustchartanewcoursebasedon
theprinciplesoftheKingdomofGodthatwillharnesstheintellectualresources,
spiritualvirtues,andeconomicindustryofourpeopleandwillprovideanational
incubatorthatwillencouragethemaximizationofthepotentialofgenerationsto
come.
Thechoiceisyours.
Youareresponsibletounderstand,release,andmaximizeyourpotential.
Principles
1. Everything God created is equipped with the potential or ability to
fulfillitsGod-givenpurpose.
2. You cannot maximize your potential unless you live in an
environmentthatisconducivetoitsdevelopmentandrelease.
3. Potential can be minimized, restrained, or immobilized by an
improperenvironment.
4.Yourpotentialislostwhenyoutrytolivebyyourowndevices.
5.Ignorancestealslifeanddealsdeath.
6.Youpossesstheabilitytodominateandmanagetheearth.
7.Youarevaluableandnecessarytothedestinyofthehumanrace.
