The Godly Trailblazer: Humility Is Not Being Quiet

Sermon outline

Access to the Holy of Holies is for living in it daily, so that every believer becomes a godly trailblazer: rooted in faith and the word, motivated by love, humble, adaptable, resilient and faithful.

1. Called with a purpose

   Scripture says we are called, not merely saved, and you call someone for a purpose. Access to the Holy of Holies is not the ultimate goal but part of everyday life: the throne room is where we worship, receive guidance and become fruitful. Why would God call a man and not use him?

   “Getting to the Holy of Holies is not the ultimate goal. It's to live in that realm in order for us to be effective.”

   • Matthew 27:51

2. What a godly trailblazer is

   A godly trailblazer has the qualities of a spiritual leader and a pioneer, and every believer is meant to be one, not only the pastor. Trailblazers are innovative, courageous against the status quo and passionate about whatever God is passionate about, but above all rooted in faith and grounded in God's principles, so that everything they do is referenced by the word.

   “It takes courage to be a man and a woman of faith.”

3. Deep faith and the fear of the Lord

   A trailblazer's faith is grounded in Scripture and a personal relationship with the Lord, found in the inner court and the Holy of Holies now that the veil is torn. The fear of the Lord is not terror, horror or fear of punishment, but deep reverence and respect for His authority, living as if He is watching every step, out of love and worship.

   “We work as if God is literally watching every step and say, Father, I want to worship you in every aspect of my life.”

4. Love, humility and integrity

   The commandment is love God, love people, so a trailblazer is motivated by love, not desire, lust or ambition. Humility is not being quiet like a church mouse or having a reputation for being humble; it is dependency on God, putting your own ambition aside because what He wants matters more, and handling people and work with care rather than as if you were doing everyone a favour. Integrity is not perfection, since all have fallen short, but doing things God's way while He works on us.

   “Humility is not about being quiet like a church mouse.”

   • Romans 3:23

5. Courage, innovation and resilience

   When God has told you to do something, you do not poll your peers or read Rich Dad, Poor Dad first; you act, because not acting is disobedience. Cell groups, attending services and giving are only the foundations. Keep improving what you have been entrusted with, and persevere through setbacks and failures, fixing what needs fixing without being defined by your mistakes.

   Illustration: Hitting a speed bump or getting a speed wobble may shake you once or twice, but you find your feet and keep moving.

   “We're not defined by the mistakes that we've done.”

6. Adaptability and servanthood

   Be adaptable, not rigid, and willing to change plans as circumstances change. Sons and daughters of the house arrive early to serve. Departments and teams have been rearranged, so the posture is: where you need me, there I am, and if you see something wrong, fix it. Servanthood means being first in and last out and keeping your commitments when it is inconvenient.

   Illustration: "If church starts at half past eight, I'll be there by 8:55, because I don't like the praise and worship and I'm only there for the word." How will you serve if you are always late?

   “Where you need me, there I am. You see something wrong, you fix it.”

7. Jesus the trailblazer, and the speed wobble

   We lead by example and grow people to a godly standard, not a popular one. Jesus was the trailblazer who changed the status quo. When he sees someone losing focus or passion and saying their season here is over or something is wrong with the church, he knows they have stopped spending time with the word and with God. The problem is not in the church but in the mind and the heart.

   “The problem is not wrong in the church. The problem is wrong in the mind and in the heart.”

8. A faithful man will abound with blessings

   He gives the church homework to read Proverbs and focuses on the faithful man who abounds with blessings, while the one who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. The Hebrew emunah means firmness, steadiness and faithfulness, from the root aman, to be firm and sure, the root of "amen", and it appears in Habakkuk 2:4. You can be a tool in God's hand, or be like Jonah or Balaam and learn the hard way, or watch it pass you by, because God will do it either way.

   “You can either be God's man in doing it, you can either be God's woman in doing it, or you can watch it happen, because either way, God is going to do it.”

   • Proverbs 28:20
   • Habakkuk 2:4

In this message