Empowered to Excel

Phil 2:9-11, Phil 14:8

To be empowered is to be authorised to do something, to have the ability or potential or grace to do something. To excel is to have an outstanding ability to outshine others, to always set the pace for others to follow. Therefore, to be "empowered to excel" means having the ability to outshine others.

The Omnipotent God is the one that empowers people to excel. In what can we excel?
Phil4:8. We can excel in truth, honesty, justice, purity, love, good report, virtue, good works, worship, praise, prayer, giving, leadership, preaching, holiness, caring, humility, loyalty, offerings, research and discoveries. We can academically, financially, morally and in all spheres of life. Our Lord Jesus Christ was given an excellent name.

Phil 2:9-11. The Bible says, "therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father".

Jesus excels in all things. He is the only begotten son of God. The first to die and to resurrect. He loves us so much that he died for us. He excels in preaching, healing, teaching, humility and in doing good. Despite all these, Jesus encourages us in John 14:12-13 by saying "I tell you the truth; any one who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father"; with this he has assured and empowered us to do outstanding things. You can excel in preaching, humility and also in doing good and all that is in the second paragraph.

In the bible, people like Abraham, Daniel, David, Paul, Ruth and many others have excelled in one way or the other. Let us consider the five people listed above.

Abraham, also known as Father of Faith, excelled in Obedience
God instructed him at age seventy five (75) to move out of the country, from his kindred and from his fathers house. The bible tells us in Gen 12:4 "So Abram left as the Lord had told him". In Gen 17:27, In obedience to Lord's instruction he was circumcised at age ninety (90) the same day with his son Ishmael at age thirty (30). In Gen 22:9-10, "He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood, then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son". Abraham was ready to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God's instruction. He also walked with God and God blessed him and his blessings were also outstanding. You too can excel in obedience.

Daniel excelled in purity
In Daniel 1:8, despite the kings meat and wine which were so nourishing, Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the kings meat nor with the wine. Because he was outstanding in purity by not defiling himself God gave him knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom and had understanding of all various and dreams. He was ten times better than his peers. In Daniel 3:6, the Bible tells that he was preferred above the president and princes because excellent spirit was in him and the king sought to set him over the whole realm. He was also so faithful that no error was found with him. You too can prevent anything that will defile you and see what the Lord will do for you.

David Excelled In Praises
David gave himself to praising God all the time. He placed his complete confidence in God. He wrote seventy five psalms. He engaged in praise until he became a man after God's heart. In Psalm 23:6, He said "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever". In Psalm 18:1, He said, "I love you, O Lord my strength". He acknowledged God as his rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, the rock of his salvation. He said God is worthy of praise.

In Psalm 10:5, He encouraged us to give thanks to the Lord and to make his deeds known among nations and we should remember the wonders he has done. In Psalm 139:14, David said, "I will praise thee" . In Psalm 139:17, "How precious to me are your thoughts Oh God, how vast is the sum of them". Remember, God inhabits the praises of his people. You can excel in praising God. It is also an art of worship.

Paul Excelled In Total Submission
Paul after conversion lived a life that excelled in total submission. He wrote so many letters to churches. Even while in prison he was still encouraging people in Christ. He taught believers how to live for Christ in a corrupt society. He proclaimed Christ. In actual fact he wanted to be Christ-like in everything. He made converts, made many missionary trips; established churches and thousands were brought to Christ through him. In 1Tim 3:1-10, He listed specific criteria for each office. Roles of overseers, deacons and church leaders. In 1Tim 4:12, he wrote to encourage Timothy to forge ahead. He said in 1Phil 16:15 "woe unto me if I preach not the gospel". In Phil 3:2-8, He said all he had gained he counted them loss for the sake of Christ.
He lived for Christ and for the gospel.

Paul has an excellent departure and he said in 2Tim 4:6-8, "for I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race: I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing".

You can live for Christ and the gospel. If you excel in this, surely You will have an excellent departure.

Ruth excelled in Love and Loyalty
Despite the fact that the world around her was collapsing, she had no child when she lost her husband and her brother in law and there was no hope of another husband, yet in Ruth 1:4, she clung to Naomi, her mother in-law. Despite the fact that Naomi insisted she must go back to her people and her gods, in Ruth 1:16 "but Ruth replied, don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you, where you go I will go, and where you die I will die, and there I will be buried; may the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me".

Ruth excelled in loyalty and love. No wonder God was kind and faithful to her. God also cared and protected her. Through her marriage to Boaz, she became the great grandmother of David. Their offspring continued the family line through which the Messiah come into the world.

When the world around you seems to be collapsing will you remain loyal and loving? Yes, You can!

Prayer
Lord, I know you have deposited a lot in me, you have endowed and empowered me to excel. Grant me the grace despite all odds to be able to excel in them. In Jesus I pray (AMEN).