Check Out How Pastor Dre Breaks Down What Does The Benefit Of The Doubt Mean When It Comes Too Using Our Talents And Gifts To Reach People With The Gospel.
[2Ti 1:6 NIV] 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Have you ever been in a place where you doubted if God can use you?
Have you ever wondered to yourself am I qualified enough to step out for God?
Then this message is for you.
Tonight, I would like to speak a message that I believe the Lord has placed on my heart entitled “The Benefit of the Doubt”
We just read in II Timothy 1:6 where Paul is encouraging Timothy to use the gifts that God has given him.
I believe Timothy was in a place where he was feeling a little doubtful and wondering if God could really use him.
So Paul had to step in and remind him to step out in what God had called him to do. He had to remind him to use the gifts that God had given him.
Maybe he was a little timid, maybe he was a little doubtful, and maybe he was a little discouraged.
I am sure Timothy is not alone. I am sure there have been times in our lives where we have felt timid, we have felt discouraged and we have felt unqualified.
Then we started wondering, can God really use what I have?
Can God really use me to make a difference?
Even though there are times when maybe all of us have felt like this, I wanted to remind you and I that there are benefits to you and I stepping out.
That is why I called the message “The Benefit of the Doubt.”
When you and I step out and allow God to use our lives there are benefits. The main benefit is seeing lives come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Now that benefit of seeing souls saved should push you and I to step out even in the midst of our doubt.
“The Benefit of the Doubt”
I believe we all at times have doubts if God can really use us.
The benefit of seeing lives changed, the benefit of seeing families restored, and the benefit of seeing souls saved is what should push you and I to step out beyond our doubt.
When you and I allow God to use our lives our benefit is not fame, our benefit is not even popularity, our benefit is not status, or benefit is not even money, but our benefit should be to see lives changed, families restored, and souls saved.
Our passion for souls is what should push us beyond our doubts.
Can I hear an amen?
See some people only step out when they benefit.
Come on somebody.
Sometimes we only put in hard work when there is a personal reward for us.
Sometimes we don’t have time to step out unless there is something in it for us.
Can I prove it to you?
Illustration: Trash on the Road
Let’s say we are driving along the road and we come across a pile of trash in the middle, a tire in the middle of the road or someone threw a broke chair in the middle of the road. What do we do?
We drive around it right?
Why? Because we don’t have time to stop and pick up a chair in the middle of the road or a tire that is causing traffic in the middle of the road because we are busy.
Now if we are driving along the road and we see a suitcase in the middle of the road and that suitcase has all kinds of money flying out of it, how many know you and I might find time to stop and pick up the suitcase. Because it benefits us.
When you and I step out for God there might not be a personal benefit for us but that is ok because we are passionate about seeing souls saved.
We step out because we want to see the hurting family reached.
We step out because we want to see the hurting young person reached
We step out because we want to see the gang member reached.
We step out because we want to see the Young adult reached.
We step out because we want to see the drug addict reached.
The alcoholic, the lonely, the lost, the hurting and those that don’t know Jesus.
That is why we step out beyond our doubts.
This evening I came to encourage the one that has talent and gifts, but you are not using them, because you doubt if God can use you, and you are not stepping out.
See what can happen sometimes is instead of being moved by the benefits of seeing lives changed, we start focusing on: Competition, Comparison, Popularity, Personal Gain and Praise.
- What do I mean by competition? Instead of stepping out for God because we want to reach people. We look at it as a competition and we are trying to outdo and be better than the next person.
- What do I mean by comparison? Instead of stepping out for God because we want to reach people. We compare ourselves to the next person and say I am not as good as so and so, so I will not step out.
- What do I mean by Popularity? Instead of stepping out for God because we want to reach people. We step out because we want to be popular.
- What do I mean by personal gain? Instead of stepping out because we want to reach people. We step out because we want some kind of personal gain from it.
- What do I mean by praise? Instead of stepping out because we want to reach people. We step out because we are looking for the praise of our friends.
Now when you and I get sidetracked by these things it can hinder us from stepping out for God.
It can hinder us from using our talents and gifts for God, but I want to know if we have a church this evening that is not focused on Praise, you are not focused on popularity, you are not focused on competition, but you are focused on reaching people that are hurting.
You are focused on the benefit of reaching the lost.
You are focused on the benefit of reaching that hurting family.
Ok I might not sing the best, I might not preach the best, I might not dance the best, rap the best or even do this as good as so and so, but I am not in competition I am on a mission.
That mission is to reach hurting people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Isn’t that why Jesus came?
The Bible says in Luke 19:10 NIV – For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The Bible says in Matthew 20:28 NIV – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The same mission that Jesus had while He was here in Body, is the same mission that I have now that I am a part of His Body.
I might not get an award for best preacher of the year, best song of the month or best rap of the week, but my benefit is to reach Treasures out of Darkness.
So what pushes me beyond my doubts is that I want to be available for God to use to reach Treasures out of Darkness.
God is not looking for perfect vessels, all He needs is a willing vessel.
God can use anyone or anything.
If you don’t believe me just as Paul. – Paul used to persecute Christians, but God was able to turn his life around for His and Honor and His Glory
If you don’t believe me just as Rahab in the book of Joshua Chapter 2. Rahab was a prostitute, but God still used her.
If you don’t believe me just ask the donkey in the book of Numbers chapter 22. God used a donkey to speak to Balaam and to get Balaam’s attention.
If you don’t believe me just ask Moses. Moses stuttered but God still used him. Moses took someone out, but God still used him.
God can use anyone he chooses.
I have been anointed to reach Treasures out of Darkness.
If I can encourage someone tonight that has talents and gifts, but you are not using them because you are wondering if God can use you.
You doubt if God can use you to make an impact.
Let the benefit of seeing lives changed push you beyond that doubt.
You have been anointed to reach Treasures out of Darkness.
It is not a competition.
It is not a talent show.
It is not a contest.
It is not an award ceremony.
We are on a mission.
Is there anyone here tonight that is willing to let the benefits of reaching hurting people push us beyond our doubts?
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.
He came to give his life as a ransom for many.
