kNOw Limits // Here Is Holy (Part 5) – Pastor Michael Todd – Transformation Church

Introduction:

Right here is holy. If you go too fast you will miss the miracles of right here. However, in some situations, for some people, it hurts us to stay “here”. Nobody’s here is the same. When God says, “stay here”, you need to ask him, “Where?” Do You want me to stay in this spot or stay in this space? Spaces then, could be different perimeters, or sizes, for you to move freely.

So…you can sometimes feel trapped inside a space where you actually have freedom.

You Have to Hear ‘Where Here is’ From Heaven

If you don’t hear where here is from heaven, you will be frustrated in a season that is supposed to bring you great joy. Heaven can only define for you where here is. Sometimes God is telling you to stay in that state of mind, state of generosity, and state of leadership.

You can snap in and out of the atmosphere (or presence of God) from being in prayer and worship to Love and Hip Hop. Stay in an attitude of worship all week. Everyone needs to stay in the parameters that God has set for them. You’ve got to hear where here is from heaven, and when God has brought you to your calling things will get uncomfortable.

kNOw Limits

Pastor Michael thought God wanted him to call this episode, “No Limits”. However, instead he told Michael to name it, “kNOw Limits”, because Michael said that God told us this year, Here is Holy, and the subtitle is…

The Year of Intentional Limitations

Nobody wants this word unless you want to see the promises of God because limits and limitations are a foundational principle of God….how God formed everything…limitations.

• Definition of Intentional – done with intention or on purpose.
• Definition of Limitation – the final, utmost, or furthest boundary.
• Definition of Intentional Limitation – a boundary set for a greater purpose and protection.

When there is an intentional limitation we do that for a reason; it is to protect and give something a greater purpose.

Michael said he does not like limits and always wants to know where the limit is. God said it is not bad for you to know the limits but the truth of the matter is, the limitations that God is setting up in our lives will not be comfortable. They will produce your calling.

An example of a limitation in scripture is:

Genesis 1:6-7

6Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” 7 And that is what happened.

The reason why we know things is because we can enjoy limitations. If you don’t know the limitations you can knowingly and unknowingly do damage. Another example of limitations in the Bible is Genesis 1:14.

God put a limitation on His own innovation (listing only 6 species in the ocean).

More limits is bad for people who don’t know limits.

God put a limit on Adam and Eve to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Exodus 13:17 talks about how:

God also limited His people when he prevented them from taking the short route to the promised land.

Jesus’ act of love towards humanity was not to beat anybody up; it was to limit his power (on the cross) and stay there. The most powerful thing we can do is limit ourselves and just stay there. When Jesus did this for us he proved his love.

Limits = Love

Most times when someone limits something in you it’s out of love. Think of when parents don’t allow kids to ride their bikes in the street and they’re limited to the driveway. The limit set is a representation of parental love.

When you know limits, then you know the love of God.

Love = Limits and Limits = Love

Phillippians 2:6

6 Though He was God He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, 8 He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

To Limit Yourself You are Going to Have to Humble Yourself

The only way Jesus was able to walk in this level of obedience to God and His calling was to humble Himself.

When you find where God’s “here” is for you, you will humble yourself.

Phillippians 2: 9-11

9 Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names. 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The reason you have to humble yourself is because…

Your Legacy is Tied to Your Limits

The only reason we’re talking about Jesus 2,022 years later is because He limited Himself and then He was elevated and it became His legacy.

Most of the time our blessings come as a test. Many people read the Word and promises of God through the lens of legalism instead of through the lens of love. If you look through the lens of legalism it will prevent you from trusting and seeing God clearly so we must look at God through the lens of love. What if we started to love the limits? What if we started to love discipline?

True Disciples are Committed to Limits

There are some people who are more committed to limits than we are. Pastor Mike said that he hasn’t been committed to a limit long enough to develop the discipline to be able to exercise like Scott who he works out with. Discipline is in the core definition of disciple. If you call yourself a disciple of Jesus then you are a disciplined one. Therefore…

You need to do what God has called you to do. Michael said, “I found out, because of the call of God on my life, many could, but I couldn’t.”  He always got caught.

The monogamy of your relationship is a limit of love.

Healthy eating is a limit of what you can, and cannot, eat.

When you are on social media and it starts to feel uneasy, that is God giving you limits.

The budget of money may be a limit of love.

A Disciple Without Limits is Destructive

Thaddeus lost an ear because Peter did not know his limits. He didn’t know that he didn’t need to fight at that moment because Jesus was intentionally limiting Himself to finish the purpose He had come to earth for; He healed what the destructive disciple broke.

Know the Difference Between God Setting Intentional Limitations & You Setting Internal Limitations

Intentional limitations from God are not the same as the internal limitations that you set because of insecurity.

You have to KNOW limits. When God tells you to do something He is setting intentional limitations but you hesitate because of your internal limitations. God gave Moses instructions but Moses gave God internal limitations.

Exodus 3:10

10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt. Therefore, we see from this story that…

God Talks to Solutions Not Problems

Problem: The children of Israel need to get out of Egypt

Solution: Moses

God tries to convince the solution (Moses) to answer the call to fix the problem. There are people praying that God is not speaking back to, and you are delaying their deliverance because you will not take up the call that God has placed on your life. Moreover, you are telling Him all of these internal limitations that you have. He chose you. He knows you. He says, “It’s not a problem if you say yes cause I don’t talk to problems. I only talk to solutions.”

Your Next Assignment is to be the Answer

We’re not going to pray for an answer…we are the answer. We are not a river…we are a reservoir and that comes with embracing and becoming the answer… Some things that God has called you for, you’ve never done before. Do not let your internal limitations overtake you.

Exodus 3:11

11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

Exodus 3:13

13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?” Then what should I tell them?”

Exodus 4:1

1 But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say,

‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”

Because of what Moses had been through, he embraced the three limitations that limited his calling. These are listed below.

Exodus 4:10

10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words…

First limit:

The Limit of Language

When God calls us into another level, there is a different level of language at that level that we don’t know so we try to tell God that we can’t do it so he tells us I chose you. It is time to strip of the limit of language.

Psalm 81:10

10 For it was I the Lord, your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it with good things.

Any door you walk into and you don’t know what to say, God says, “By faith open your mouth and I will fill it with what you are supposed to say.”

God says, “Do not limit what I can do because of your limit of language.” Moses doubted his skill with words…

Exodus 4:10

10…I never have been, and I’m not now…

Second limit:

The Limit of Last Time

So you use what happened to you in the past as a limit of what God wants to do with you right now? We think to ourselves, “Well the last time this bad thing happened or that bad thing happened.” So God says, “Do not let last time limit you here because now you have a new license to try again.” Therefore, we shouldn’t limit ourselves because of what happened last time.

Isaiah 43: 18 -19

1. “But forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
2. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Last time does not matter HERE.

Exodus 3:10

10…even though you have spoken to me…

Third limit:

The Limit of Lies

All of us have an area of our life where we believed the lies said about us as opposed to what God said about us. It’s the space between I know God spoke and I get tongue tied. And especially parents… do not reinforce lies on your kids because of your own limitations. You need to tell yourself, I am not going to allow my internal limitations to pass to another generation.

Pastor Mike says that today he needs you to know something about all of your limitations because Moses believed a lie and he said…

Exodus 4: 11

11 Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord?”

When God tells you or calls you to do something, He will also equip you. Know the limitations that are intentionally set by God but then divorce all of the internal limitations that keep you paralyzed….

No limits! Whichever way that folds for you… Know limits!

God doesn’t allow Moses’ internal limitations to be an excuse.

Exodus 4:12-13

12 “Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” 13 But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

God’s been calling your name but you’ve had the limit of language, you’ve had the limit of last time, and the limit of lies and God’s saying I want you to be okay with your limits. Why?

Our Limitations are an Invitation for God’s Intervention

Whenever you can be honest that you are limited in this area, it is an invitation for God to come stand HERE. And when He stands with you then He gets to intervene.

Pastor Mike says that when he starts thinking about what God’s called him to do, it overwhelms him, but when he steps into it and he does it, it fits him. This is the thing about your calling – don’t just look at it – embrace it – put it on – wear it, and watch God intervene every moment that you are limited. Internalize the following scripture in a different way…

2 Corinthians 12: 9

9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

God works best in your limitations.

Moses didn’t have to do anything alone…He just needed a vessel to work through. God isn’t trying to get you to change your business or work. He just wants to change it through you.

Pastor Mike wants to give us two statements to wrestle with all week.

1.    For what God wants to do with me HERE… ask God, “what are your intentional limitations for me this year?”

…Ask God this question and listen for a response.

2.    For what God wants to do with me HERE… ask God, “what internal limitations do I need to give to God?”

Another word for internal limitations is insecurities. With half the power you will have more effectiveness cause you are going to drive the speed limit. You will never be in a hurry to get anywhere that fast again. Our preference will never be as important as protection.

God is telling us that our legacies are tied in these limits and you need to know where HERE is to embrace the limitations… but the internal limitations… Let them go.

Related Notes

• I’m Still Here // Here Is Holy (Part 4) – Pastor Michael Todd – Transformation Church
• The 3 Habits For Here // Here Is Holy (Part 3) – Pastor Michael Todd – Transformation Church (version 2)
• The 3 Habits For Here // Here Is Holy (Part 3) – Pastor Michael Todd – Transformation Church (version 1)
• Here I Am // Here is Holy (Part 1) // Pastor Michael Todd – Transformation Church