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What’s Right with You – 3 – Expert Level Success
**WHAT’S RIGHT WITH YOU Bumper
Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano TX. My name is Chris Fluitt!
We are in the Good News Business.
What’s right with you
Not – What’s wrong with you.
Last week we looked at Timmy’s report card and decided to shift our focus from weakness to strength.
Today – Expert Level Success
Me:
You know, for years I thought success was about being good at everything…
Read self-help books
Attend seminars
Watch every TED talk…
Improve…
It was exhausting.
I was spreading myself thin, trying to be a jack-of-all-trades… but a master of none.
Lightbulb moment – I was so busy trying to be decent at everything, I wasn’t giving myself the chance to be exceptional at anything.
It was like I was trying to play every instrument in the orchestra instead of mastering the one I was meant to play.
WE:
I bet you can relate.
We live in a world obsessed with success.
Social media bombards us with highlight reels of people’s lives. We’re constantly comparing ourselves, wondering why we’re not as successful as the next person.
They are good at…
cooking – I’ll try to be like that.
home keeping –
Style & fitness –
Automotive repair – A decent man would be able fix up his car!
Under-water basketweaving – I’d like to give that a shot.
77% of millennials (25 to 39-year-olds)
83% of Gen Z (16 to 24-year-olds)
feel pressure to reach traditional life milestones earlier than previous generations.
This is the thought at work…
I have to be good at all the things…
I have to accomplish all the things…
If I don’t, I am unhappy, unfulfilled, a failure…
It’s exhausting!
But what if I told you…
The key to success isn’t about fixing what’s wrong with you, but maximizing what’s right with you?
Success is not become better at all the things…
Success is becoming an expert at the unique strengths God has invested in you.
GOD:
Let’s look at a success story from the Bible – Joseph.
Joseph
Fancy Coat and Big Dreams
Son of Israel/Jacob
Gift from his Dad – coat of many colors.
Gift from God – Spiritual Dreams & Administration
His gifts did not make him popular with his brothers.
In fact, it landed him in a pit and then sold into slavery.
Pit
God’s plan for us is sometimes scary.
Joseph is sold into slavery to a man named Potiphar.
Pit -> Potiphar
God’s gifting is still at work.
Potiphar notices… and puts Joseph in charge of his household. (Genesis 39:4)
Administrative gifting. Manages the house.
BUT Potiphar’s wife accuses Joseph of sexual assault- wrongfully by the way.
Pit -> Potiphar -> Prison
God’s plan for us is sometimes scary.
But God’s gifting is still at work.
The warden of the Prison notices… puts Joseph in charge of managing the prison. (Genesis 39:22)
In the prison Joseph gets better at his gifts…
He went from managing a household to managing an entire prison organization.
He went from having dreams to interpreting the dreams of others. (The cupbearer and baker – Genesis 40)
No matter the hardship… his gifting causes Joseph to rise.
Your gifts still work in hard times
This is a hard time… what should I do?
USE YOUR GIFTS!
The economy is rough… what should I do?
USE YOUR GIFTS!
My new boss hates me… what should I do?
USE YOUR GIFTS!
I don’t fit in at school… what should I do?
USE YOUR GIFTS!
Use your gifts, and become an expert at your gift.
– Pharaoh has a dream.
None of Pharaoh’s wisemen and magicians can Genesis 41 interpret the dream…
The cupbearer says… I know a guy named Joseph.
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams.
Not just give a vague interpretation; he provides a detailed analysis and a strategic plan.
This plan will cause…
- Pharaoh to grow to be the wealthiest person in the world.
- Solve a regional disaster of a famine.
- Save countless lives – including the lives of his brothers who threw him into a pit!
Joseph does not return to the prison…
Pit -> Potiphar -> Prison -> Palace
Joseph grows in his gifting.
- Interprets the dream
- Manages the entire nation for Pharaoh
Joseph grows into an expert.
Dreams
- Dreamed them.
- Interprets them.
- Communicates strategy from them.
Joseph grows into an expert.
Administration
- Manages a house.
- Manages a prison.
- Manages a nation.
This is Expert Level Success!
Jesus taught us about this last week in Matthew 25.
In the parable of the talents God doesn’t just tell the servants to use their talents; He expects them to multiply them.
God wants you to have expert level success
You:
Do you believe this?
What does this mean for you?
-You have a gift that is greater than a pit…
-You have a gift that is greater than the betrayal of Potiphar.
-You have a gift that is greater than a prison…
-You have a gift that is beyond a palace.
-Don’t just get better, become an expert.
-Find the unique gifting and invest your life in that gift…
-Don’t try to improve at everything – improve at your God calling!
Not a Generalist, but a Specialist.
It is time to go ALL IN on your unique giftings!
Here’s how you can start becoming an expert:
-Deep dive into your top strengths: Don’t just skim the surface.
-Learn how your gifts interact with each other.
-Practice with intention: Set aside dedicated time each day to use your strengths deliberately.
-Seek specialized feedback: Find mentors or coaches who are experts in your specific strengths.
-Apply your strengths creatively: Look for unique ways to use your strengths in your daily life, work, and relationships. The more you apply them, the more expert you become.
-Teach others: Teaching is one of the best ways to deepen your own expertise.
Remember, this isn’t about being perfect in every area. It’s about becoming extraordinary in your specific areas of strength.
It’s about playing your unique role in God’s orchestra with unparalleled skill and passion.
WE:
Imagine… a world where everyone was focused on becoming an expert at what they’re naturally good at, instead of trying to fix what they’re not.
We’d have less burnout, more fulfillment, and greater success – both individually and as a society.
Let’s go back to Joseph’s story…
Pit -> Potiphar -> Prison -> Palace
It was not straightforward.
It was difficult.
Yet, even in those difficult circumstances, he continued to use and develop his gifts.
This reminds me of what Jesus said in… Luke 16:10 – “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”
We must prove ourselves trustworthy.
What does that look like for you?
How can you be trustworthy with your gifting?
It is in hardship that giftings are often put on display.
Can you be trustworthy in hardship?
Call to Action
- Discover & Embrace Your Strengths:
-Ask for help
- Commit to Daily Practice:
-Commit to practicing ONE gift every day this week. - Engage in Community:
-Join a small group or ministry that aligns with your strengths.
-Pray with someone today about achieving Expert Success.