I started this message series “Unlimiting God” a few weeks ago asking you some basic questions:

1. Do you desire to participate in the spiritual race you have been called to run?

2. Are your eyes fixed on God’s clear direction for you to be able to run the race successfully?

3. Have you seen God work amazing things in your life?

4. Are you satisfied with your life?

And last week I asked you:

5. Do you want to unlimit God in your life and receive more profound truths from God?

Hopefully, you have been taking some time to prayerfully consider these questions and have asked God to help you as you seek His truth, direction and run the race He has planned for you.

We also learned some valuable principles the last couple of weeks to help us unlimit God in our lives:

1. We need to have intimacy with God, by drawing near to Him, repenting of sin and cleansing our hearts.

2. We need to have faith in God.

3. We need to actively pursue our love relationship with Jesus.

4. We need to keep our hearts right by obedience to God, so that we will continue to hear from Him.

5. We need to grow in spiritual maturity.

6. We need to understand that God will not reveal more truth than we are capable of receiving.

7. We need the Holy Spirit to enable us to grow by sharing through God’s Word, when we make ourselves prepared to receive.

Today, we will start with the principle (to unlimit God in your life):

God will match His assignments with your character and your walk with Him.

This ties in with one of our questions from week one: “Have you seen God work amazing things in your life? Richard Blackaby let’s us know that:

Let’s look to an example of this with the Apostle Peter. Turn to Mark 1:16-18.

Here we see Peter and Andrew receiving their first instructions from Jesus.

To be a disciple of Jesus, which meant becoming a fisher of men, we like the original disciples, need to follow Jesus.

The disciples needed to leave their lives behind and learn from Jesus, grow in maturity and faith and do each assignment He gave them.

Look at Peter later, after this initial encounter with Jesus in John 13: 36 – 38.

Peter thought he was ready to go with Jesus on this next assignment that Jesus was about to go on. Peter did not understand why he couldn’t go with Jesus. He felt sure he was ready to go too. He even said he was willing to lay down his life for Jesus. Yet, Jesus knew the depths of Peter’s heart and character and proclaimed to him what would really happen. Denial of Jesus.

Throughout the three years with Jesus, Peter had taken on the role of the unofficial leader of the 12 disciples. Yet, at that moment he had no idea he was still so unprepared to go on with Jesus. Even though Jesus broke this bad news to Peter, He offered him hope. Look back at John 13:36b.

Peter eventually laid down his life for Jesus. Historians tell us that Peter was crucified but he demanded to be crucified upside down, because he counted himself unworthy to be crucified as Jesus was. We can see how God developed the character of Peter, for now he was not afraid to die for Jesus! God had made Peter into a strong faithful servant totally surrendered to Him!

Naturally, we are to grow and mature in our lives. Likewise, spiritually God knows how He wants to mature us for His Kingdom work! Think of it, the more mature we become in Christ, the more amazing Jesus becomes to us! The more that Jesus amazes us, the more confident we are in Him to accomplish His work through us! But first, God has to develop our character so He can fulfill the potential He sees in us, to serve Him!

God begins expanding our capacity by giving each of us a little and expects us to be faithful and obedient.

Let’s look at this concept in Matthew 25: 20 – 29.

Each time we obey, we mature spiritually and we will be given more to do.

We see this principle repeated in other places in the Bible such as Luke 16:10.

For example, let’s apply this to us today:

1. You received Christ as your Savior. Scripture in multiple places tells us the next step is Baptism, such as in Acts 2:38.

That is the believer’s first step of obedience. If you have not been baptized, you will not mature.

2. The Bible also teaches us to read and study the Bible in 2 Timothy 2:15.

If we do not do that next step of obedience of reading and studying our Bibles, we will not mature.

3. The Bible tells us not to forsake gathering together with other Christians to worship, learn and fellowship in Hebrews 10:25.

If we only come to church when it is convenient, or doesn’t make us uncomfortable, we will not mature.

4. The Bible tells us to be in constant prayer in Ephesians 6: 18.

If we are not obedient to this command to pray at all times, we will not mature.

5. Like Jesus told the disciples, when He called them to follow Him, they were to be fishers of men in as we previously read in Mark 1:17.

If we are not sharing the gospel with others, we will not mature.

Sharing our faith is one of those basic or little assignments that God gives to all of us, that challenges all of us and pushes many of us out of our comfort zones, but we need to remember if God gives us someone to witness to, the Holy Spirit will do the work. We just need to be obedient, open our mouths and let the Holy Spirit do His work through us. This will grow our faith and help us to spiritually mature. As time goes by, God will increase our assignments. We just have to be faithful in the little.

When God tells us something to do and we respond with a “no” or “not yet”, we will suspend our growth.

Suppose someone has hurt your feeling or offended you. You refuse to forgive them. This breaks another basic command of God found in Ephesians 4: 31 – 32.

Many of us say no to forgiving others, because we think they deserve this punishment we are giving them. We are really just punishing ourselves by hindering our walk with God.

Character identifies who we are therefore it will reveal how mature we are and in particular it will reveal our spiritual maturity. God knows how mature we are and will use us according to what our maturity can handle. How exciting it is that God desires to mature us in Him! How God matures us is unique to each of us. The key to spiritual maturity in Christ is to follow Him, faithfully, obediently and consistently through our lives even in the little things. The extent of our maturity in Christ will be reflected by the assignments He gives us.

Like in our physical lives maturity can come from challenging, difficult and painful circumstances. It’s the valleys in life rather than the mountain tops that we grow the most mature spiritually. Letting God develop our character requires courage and faith to stand in Him.

“Be prepared, spiritual growth often comes when you face criticism, health problems, or financial hardships.” Richard Blackaby

Many of us pray for those difficulties to be removed. Yet, we need to realize that God has allowed those circumstances in order to mature us. God can stretch us and grow us through steps of obedience in difficult times. He will build some qualities into your life that you lack through both avenues.

Absence of certain character traits will hold us back from greater service to God. We must seek God and be obedient through difficult times.

The question is, are you satisfied with your present state of service to God? Or are you open to growth – even when it is painful?

If you are not satisfied, listen to what God is saying to you right now. He is speaking. During this message He may have reminded you about something He asked you to do. Answer Him with “Yes, I will do that.”

Do you want greater assignments, more faith, and more Christ-like Character?

Then be obedient no matter what He calls you to do or what He brings in to your life. Unlimit God in your life by being faithful in the little.