Turning Ordinary To Extraordinary

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. ³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?  1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (NIV)

Dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said would happen. ¹⁸ They told you, “In the last days, some people will make fun of the truth. They will follow their own ungodly desires.” ¹⁹ They are the people who separate you from one another. They do only what comes naturally. They are not led by the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith. Let the Holy Spirit guide and help you when you pray.

Jude 1:17-20 (NIRV)

WHY ARE WE SO SATISFIED WITH ORDINARY?

1. We Confuse ____________________ With ______________________.

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize… Philippians 3:13-14a (NIV)

2. We Confuse Our ______________ With Our ____________________.

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus…

2 Corinthians 7:6 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. 

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV)

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.   1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NKJV)

“The difference in ordinary and extraordinary is the little ______.”

– Jimmy Johnson

MY PRAYERS GO FROM ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY WHEN…

EXTRA #1 – I Place Extra Emphasis On ____________ ______________.

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers… 1 Chronicles 4:9 (NKJV)

The Eternal stays far from the wrongdoers, but He listens to the prayer of the right-living. Proverbs 15:29 (VOICE)

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”  1 Peter 3:12 (NIV)

EXTRA #2 – I Place Extra Emphasis On __________ My _____________.

…and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain…
1 Chronicles 4:9b (NKJV)

Check any obstacle to extraordinary that you, like Jabez, face:

____ Mommy Issues   ____ Daddy Issues   ____ Sibling Issues

____ Economic Issues ____ Emotional Problems

____ Insecurity Issues ____ Other

Problems with _______________________________________________

EXTRA #3 – I Place Extra Emphasis On _______________ ___________.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel… 1 Chronicles 4:10a (NKJV)

The Lord said: It isn’t too late. You can still return to me with all your heart. Start crying and mourning! Go without eating. ¹³ Don’t rip your clothes to show your sorrow. Instead, turn back to me with broken hearts. I am merciful, kind, and caring… Perhaps I will change my mind… Then you will be blessed…  Joel 2:12-14a (CEV)

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  James 4:8-9 (NIV)

EXTRA #4 – I Place Extra Emphasis On ___________ _______________.

We are confident that God listens to us if we ask for anything that has his approval.

1 John 5:14 (GW)

Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.  James 4:2b (NLT)

          Jabez prays his B. E. S. T. prayer: God please…

B ________ me – “Oh, that You would bless me indeed.”

E ___________ my opportunity – “and enlarge my territory…”

S __________ with me – “that Your hand would be with me,”

T _______ me away from evil – “that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”

…lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:13 (NIV)

I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives… 1 Chronicles 29:17 (NLT)