11 Mar Heroes… why not you? (Hebrews 12:1-3) Part 2

Last week we began discussing “heroes” of faith and our ultimate Hero, Jesus Christ. We also discussed that we can develop heroic qualities in our own lives!

This week, let’s continue…

Now, before we embark on developing some heroic qualities in our lives, please allow me to show you the difference between a hero and a celebrity.

1.      Celebrities are visible.  Heroes are useable.

2.      Celebrities are characters.  Heroes have character.

3.      Celebrities are popular.  Heroes are powerful.

4.      Celebrities speak of change.  Heroes usher in change.

Celebrities can be so phony.  They can look like they are something when in actuality they have very little substance at all.  The other day, Anne and Johnathan and I all went to the Opryland Hotel.  For those of you not familiar with this hotel, it is like an indoor collection of waterfalls, beautiful foliage, restaurants, stores and sights.  We were simply there walking around when we happened upon one of those player pianos.  You’ve seen them…they’re programmed to play by themselves.  Well, I sat down and began to pretend like I was playing.  I put on quite a show and was very demonstrative like a concert pianist.  I even stood up and began to play behind my back!

Walking close by were two ladies who were literally amazed at how skilled and accomplished I was at playing this piano.  You should have seen their faces when I walked away from it and the piano kept on playing!  I sure looked good but I had no substance to me!

In these last days, God wants us to be the real deal.  He wants us to develop heroic qualities in our lives so we can make a difference for His kingdom.  Let’s take a few laps around the Heavenly Olympic track with some of the Bible’s greatest heroes.  Together let’s glean some heroic qualities from their lives that we can incorporate into ours!  First, let’s “mine” some “Jewels from Joseph”:

Jewel #1:  The greater the dream, the greater the opposition (Gen. 37:5).

As you know, Joseph received a lofty dream from God and eventually ended up second in command to only the Egyptian Pharoah.  However, prior to the fulfillment of his dream, he was thrown into a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery and falsely accused of sexual impropriety.  In other words, Joseph had more “give ups” than “go ons”.  Joseph had tremendous opposition.  Many times as we advance in our God-given destiny, we experience adversity.  With new levels come new devils.  With new position comes new opposition.  With divine opportunities come demonic adversaries.  Many times, your enemies surface when you begin to make progress.

I believe that approximately 75% of all trials that come our way do not come because of some sin we are in, but because we are headed in the right direction and we are about to win!  While there are certainly times to excuse ourselves in adversity (see I Cor. 11:28), over the years I have trained myself to ask this question, “What am I doing right?!”  Jesus had much opposition and never did one solitary thing wrong.  If you’ve never had a head-on collision with the devil…chances are you are walking with him!

Next week we’ll continue our series.

As you head towards your divine dream and experience opposition, be encouraged…it may just be you are heading in the right direction!  Remember this, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all” (Ps. 34:19)!