How to Cooperate with Your Destiny...

This is a brief overview of Sunday's message from Colossians 1:3-8.  We're talking about our destiny.  To cooperate with our destiny means that we cease to fight with the forces that move us towards God's ultimate purpose.

#1--We cooperate with our destiny by "thanks-praying" (Col. 1:3). I heard Eddie and Alice Smith teach on the need to surround our requests with plenty of thanksgiving. The idea is to be aware and to notice the things that God is doing (even the little things) and to thankfully ask for Him to continue to work. Ask yourself what you see God doing? Recognize it and then let your prayer build around it. God is accomplishing your destiny. Make sure that you are not fighting Him. Cooperate with his work in prayer by thanking Him for the progress that He is accomplishing towards your destiny.

#2--We cooperate with our destiny by practicing "Faith, Love, and Hope" (Col. 1:4-5; 1 Cor. 13:13; 1 The. 1:1-5, 5:8). These three little words appear together four times in the scriptures. They must somehow belong together. "Faith" is trust. "Love" is agape love or sacrificial love. "Hope" is not merely wishful thinking but rather joyful and confident expectation. Pursue your destiny surrounded by these three little words.

#3--We cooperate with our destiny by allowing the Gospel to grow within us (Col. 1:5-6). Colossians 1:5 says that the Gospel is bearing fruit and outwardly expanding in the world in the very same way that it is bearing fruit and outwardly expanding in us. The Gospel is necessary for our destiny to be realized. Idealy, we experience more of the Gospel today than we did yesterday. Each day brings new opportunity to experience the Gospel in fresh ways. It is truly a Gospel of grace.

#4--We cooperate with our destiny by having an Epaphras in our life (Col. 1:7, 4:12-13; Philemon 1:23). Read the passages and you will understand that this former mentor and pastor of the Colossian Church had a huge impact on the spiritual lives of his friends and disciples. He wrestled in prayer for them and was willing to do the hard work of walking with them and speaking into their lives. We all need an Epaphras who will go with us through the dark valleys.