They Ran Toward Their Destiny While Everyone Expected Them to Be Disqualified

Sermon outline

Every woman of God was crowned for such a time as this, so she must rise out of what tried to bury her, reign in the authority she has in Christ, and rule the territory God has assigned her.

1. Rise: stand up in strength

   To rise is to refuse to stay in what tried to bury you, whether trauma, loss, delay or shame; it is not perfection but refusing to stay down. Tamar, Rahab, Mary Magdalene and the woman with the issue of blood all ran toward their destiny when others expected them to be disqualified. Rising starts in the mind. Her mnemonic: Recognise who you are, Ignite your faith, Shake off what held you back, Emerge in power, like Deborah who rose and delivered a nation.

   Illustration: She quotes what she calls Dad's famous line, that the enemy may have knocked you down, but he did not take you out. She has the ladies shake their hands or feet as they declare that they shake off every lie.

   “These women ran towards their destiny when others expected them to be disqualified.”

   • Psalm 139:16
   • Micah 7:8
   • Genesis 38
   • Joshua 2
   • Mark 5
   • Isaiah 60:1
   • Ephesians 2:10
   • Hebrews 11:1
   • Isaiah 52:2
   • Micah 3:8
   • Judges 4

2. Reign: walk in authority

   Those who receive abundance of grace reign in this life, and we are royalty because of our position in Christ, not our past. Deborah did not ask permission to lead, and Esther did not let her crown change her courage. Her mnemonic: Remember whose you are; Exercise your authority, because unused authority is wasted; Influence without apology; Guard your territory, your heart, mind, time and anointing; and Never step down into pettiness, offence, fear or doubt, because we are seated with Christ.

   Illustration: At a time when most of her department had resigned, she and one colleague were left running sales, purchasing and engineering, and she wanted to give up. She held on, and the promotion to lead the team came after, with a team since grown and strengthened.

   “The devil isn't afraid of a woman who goes to church. He is afraid of a woman who knows the authority she has in Christ.”

   • Romans 5:17
   • Romans 8:17
   • Luke 10:19
   • Mark 7:24-30
   • Proverbs 31:25
   • Proverbs 4:23
   • Philippians 4:8
   • Ephesians 2:6
   • Proverbs 31:26
   • Romans 8:30
   • Ephesians 6:13
   • 1 Corinthians 15:58

3. Never step down

   Power is not always loud: Jesus stood silent before Pilate. Do not step down to fit in, to make others comfortable, because of insecurity, or in the face of resistance, since opposition usually means you are on the right track. Do not step down just when you are getting started, because weariness often comes right before the breakthrough.

   “You don't need to dim your light, they just need sunglasses.”

   • Ephesians 2:6
   • 1 Corinthians 15:58

4. Rule: take territory

   God told mankind to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, so we were created to expand, not shrink: spiritually, emotionally, financially, relationally and creatively. Ruling means moving from survival to strategy, as Lydia did in the marketplace, Priscilla in teaching and Mary Magdalene in testimony. Joshua had to move before he could possess the promise.

   “Ruling means moving away from survival mode and living in strategy.”

   • Genesis 1:28

5. R: Reject limitations

   Before Gideon could take territory he had to reject the lies about himself. You cannot take new ground with an old mindset, and limitations are learned, imposed or imagined, not from God. Reject the limitation of timing, of comparison and of shame, because there is no condemnation for those in Christ. Before you rule outwardly, you must win inwardly.

   Illustration: Each time a promotion came, she had to remove the old mindset, reset her mind and put on the mind of Christ.

   “Your crown doesn't fit in a cage.”

   • Judges 6:12
   • John 4
   • Philippians 4:13
   • Isaiah 54:2
   • Proverbs 23:7
   • 1 Corinthians 1:27
   • Isaiah 60:22
   • Romans 8:1

6. U: Understand your assignment

   You cannot take territory until you know which territory is yours. Busyness does not equal fruitfulness, and not everything good is God ordained. You are assigned to a people, a place and a purpose, and God never gives an assignment without the grace to complete it. Assignments change with seasons, but identity is permanent.

   Illustration: When her children were younger her assignment was different, and now it is changing.

   “The anointing doesn't follow feelings. It follows obedience.”

   • Esther 4:14
   • Luke 12:48
   • Joshua 1:3
   • Matthew 11:30
   • Isaiah 43:19

In this message