POTENTIAL PT. 2 NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US. EPH. 3:20

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Potential Webster Dictionary definition-A possibility-something that can come into being. Another definition of the word “potential” says it is “what you can do but have not yet accomplished.”

POTENTIAL PT. 2 We can better define potential this way: Potential is how far you can go, not alone, but with God. You see, God loves you and has great expectations for you. When you develop and use what He has given you, whether you view it as big or small, you are developing the potential He created in you.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Our lives become limited by replaying tapes in your head of people who lied to you. People may not even mean to lie to you, but they still do. You’ve played these tapes over and over in your mind. And they’re lies. The people that made those statements about you have no idea about your potential. You have to talk to your Creator for that. Only he knows what he can do through your life. And only he can unlock that potential.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 You are of great value to God. Truth be told, you can’t even fathom your full potential. Only your Creator can. Only God, the one who made you, knows all you are capable of being. Your parents, your spouse, your friends, your boss — they only get a glimpse of your potential. Only God knows what you’re truly capable of.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Did you know that as a Christian you have a heritage of success? It doesn’t matter if you came from a poor or a rich family-it doesn’t even matter if you know who your parents are. He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us ALL, how shall He not with Him also FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS. Rom. 8:32 (NKJV)

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Most of us tend to think too small, pray too small, believe too small and live too small. We believe the lie that “God may be able to do that for someone else, but not for me.” This kind of thinking limits what God can do in us and through us. It can also keep us from realizing our full potential in life.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 We Serve a God of restoration Regardless of hardships and sin, God restores your potential. Your potential is not limited by your past.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Share some people from the scriptures that had to recognize their potential?

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Abraham-Had to leave his family to find out what God had for him. Ruth/Naomi David when all his children & his wives got carried away. Joseph Esther/Mordecai Nehemiah Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-Nego

POTENTIAL PT. 2 When we go through problems it may feel like God is finished with you or like He is destroying you. Sometimes it may feel like just a pruning and other times we feel like we’ve been clipped at the knees Without struggles, trials, suffering, we will never experience the growth in the right direction nor reach our fullest potential. The growth that you will experience will be full of blessing.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 The Father knows what we need. He is the ultimate gardener (John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener”). He will only cut back in areas that need it, where He sees a problem or hindrance to our growth of reaching our full potential.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 Often the Lord has to prune out things that are a result of our own poor choices. In 2 Samuel 11 & 12 – King David’s lust, adultery and murder were dealt with).2 Samuel 11 & 12 And sometimes, He prunes things out that are part of our sinful nature, like pride (Genesis 37- Joseph was taught to be a humble servant instead of a prideful brother).Genesis 37 We have to keep in mind that occasionally the results from the pruning process are rather quickly realized, as with the crepe myrtle trees and other times it takes time…lots of time, like with the shrubs.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 It is out of love that the Lord prunes us, because He wants us to reach our full growth potential. He knows the blessings that await us on the other side of the pruning. So when you are going through a pruning season, don’t focus on the pain of the experience, focus on the Gardener.

POTENTIAL PT. 2 The Bible describes God as being “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) and tells us that, with Him, “nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). There is never a day when this is not true. He is always able to do far more than we could even think of asking Him.

Next Week Dealing With Failures Scriptures: Philippians 3:13: 1 Corin. 10:12; James 3:2

Resources Reaching Your Full Potential By Susan Norris Realizing Your Potential by Duane Vander Klok