Charles F. Stanley - How to Reach Your Full Potential for God Study Guide: Never Settle for Less than His Best

I awoke suddenly one morning about three oclock. I had been soundly and deeply asleep. But in an instant, I was sitting up in my bed wide awake with this question burning in my spirit:

Do you want to reach your full potential?

I have experienced similar encounters in the past and have come to recognize that when something like this happens, God is trying to get my attention. More importantly, He is about to impart to me something I need to know or something I need to preach.

Immediately I replied, Yes, Lord!

I didnt hesitate or ponder the question. Without a doubt I want to be and to do all that God has created me to be and to do! That is my deepest hearts desire.

I reached for the pad of paper and pencil that I keep by my bedside for just such words from the Lord, switched on the light, and began to write as He spoke into my spirit. If you truly want to reach your full potential, you must have a clean heart, a clear mind, a balanced schedule. Within a matter of minutes, I had completely outlined the content of the book you are holding in your hands.

Then I turned off the light and fell back into a sound, restful sleep knowing that I had heard directly from God.

When morning came, I got down on my knees and prayed about the words that the Lord had given me during the night. I knew with certainty that I was to preach His messagea message not only for me, but also for the entire body of Christ.

I could hardly wait for Sunday to arrive so I could launch into this wonderfully rich area of the Fathers concernreaching your God-given potential.

The truth is, many people are not pursuing their potential. They are not factoring God into their decision-making or into their goal setting. They cannot clearly and succinctly say what they believe to be the Lords foremost purpose and plan for their lives. They will stare at you blankly if you ask, What do you believe is Gods will for you? Why do you believe He created you? What is the Father leading you to do next in your life?

Let me assure you at this books outset of several great truths:

First, God has a will, plan, and purpose for your life individually and personally. He has a broad will, plan, and purpose for all of mankind, and He has specifically designed you and equipped you to fulfill a portion of that bigger will, plan, and purpose. You are not here by accident. You are not on this earth merely to live a certain number of years, months, and days, and then die. You are here to accomplish a job that God assigned to you from eternity past.

Second, your heavenly Father has already embedded into you all of the gifts and talents you need to complete the work that He has assigned, prepared, and provided for you to do. God has already embedded into you all of the raw material necessary for you to come into a relationship with Him and to develop the character of His Son, Jesus Christ. Your job is to discover the talents that God has placed in you, to develop them, and to begin to use them as the Lord brings opportunities for service or ministry.

Third, nobody can be who you are, nobody can replace you, and nobody else on this earth is capable of fulfilling the Fathers plan for you. Nobody else can do the work He has gifted you to do, know the people He is leading you to know, or offer the praise and prayer that He is giving voice to. You must be and do what God made you to be and do.

Fourth, you must establish firm commitments in various areas of your life in order to pursue and begin to reach your God-given potential. It doesnt unfold accidentally or automatically. The pursuit of your unique potential and purpose requires you to seek Gods very specific help in very specific areas of your life.

The question I ask you at the outset of this book is the same question the Lord asked me:

Do you want to reach your full potential?

If your answer is yes, then this is His message for you.