How To Get Where
You Want To Go
Steve W. Reeves
stevesermons.blogspopt.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. Many
people have read or heard of Stephen R. Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The first of those seven habits is crucial in the life of every
individual and organization. It is, “Begin with the end in mind.” In other words, “set a
goal and determine how to reach it.” Decide what you want to accomplish or where
you want to be at the end of your journey and take the steps that will lead you to that
destination.
1. If you want to be an expert in the field of medicine you must begin by learning
basic principles of science, chemistry, biology and related disciplines.
2. If you want to be financially secure you must begin by learning basic principles like
“Do not allow your outgo to be more than your income lest your upkeep become
your downfall.”
3. If you want to live a rewarding spiritual life there are some practical principles you
need to follow.
B. In 2 Timothy 4 we have a picture of a man who had reached the end of his journey.
The man was the apostle Paul. His second letter to Timothy was the last letter he
wrote as he lived in the cramped darkness of a Roman dungeon illuminated only the
the light of a torch.
1. There was, however, no remorse in Paul’s words. Instead, they were filled with
hope and confidence.
2. In 2 Timothy 4:6-8 this great spiritual giant wrote, “For I am already being poured
out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the
good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is
laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will
award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His
appearing”
C. In the verses that follow this statement, Paul demonstrates the important principles
that had led him have such confidence.
I. PEOPLE
A. No one travels the road of life by themselves. Paul had not arrived at this critical
moment in life without encountering many people along the way. Some of his
relationships were favorable and profitable. Others were difficult and damaging.
B. In verses 9 -13 there are four attitudes we need to develop regarding people.
1. Desire close relationships.
a. In verses 9 and 22 Paul urges Timothy to “make every effort” to come to him
quickly and to come before winter. Earlier in his writing to Timothy, he referred
to Timothy as his “beloved son (2 Timothy 1:2). In his first letter to Timothy he
called him, “my beloved child in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2).
b. Paul had met Timothy during his second missionary journey recorded in Acts
16. The date of that occasion was approximately 47 A.D. Paul’s second
letter was written approximately 65 A.D. For almost twenty years these two
men had traveled together, suffered together, worshipped together,
preached together and prayed together. In Romans 16:21 Paul wrote that
Timothy was his “fellow worker.”
c. All of us need the support and encouragement of friends. Solomon wrote,
“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the
one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11Furthermore, if two
lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if
one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three
strands is not quickly torn apart.”
d. In the book The Friendship Factor, Alan Loy McGuiness tells about two
legendary comedians named George Burns and Jack Benny. George Burns
lived to be 100 years old and commented about his friend, “Jack and I were
best friends for over fifty years, We talked nearly every day. I never walked
out when he played the violin and he never walked out when I sang.”
2. Determine that you will not be deterred by the failures of others. Such was the
case with Demas.
a. In verse 10 Paul wrote, “Demas, having loved this present world, has
deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.”
b. Demas is mentioned three times in Paul’s letters. In Colossians 4:14 he is
mentioned along with Luke as sending greetings. In Philemon 1:2 he is
included in a list of Paul’s co-workers. It is obvious that at one time Demas
was very close to Paul. Now, however, Paul wrote that Demas “has deserted
me.”
c. There will be people in your life who, for various reasons, will disappoint you.
You may even feel betrayed by them. On such occasions you will face an
important decision.
1.) You can become bitter as you allow that disappointment or betrayal to
fester like an infection in your mind.
2.) You can turn it over to the Lord, let Him deal with it, and get on with your
life.
d. Do not let the failure of others cause you to lose your faith. Paul did not say,
“I am going to quit,” because Demas is not who He should be.
3. Develop the potential of others.
a. In verse 11 Paul surprisingly wrote, “Pick up Mark and bring him to me, for he
is useful for service.”
b. John Mark had accompanied Paul and Barnabas as they set out on the first
missionary journey in Acts 13. However, when they came to Pamphylia, John
Mark turned around and went home. Why he did so is a matter of speculation.
However, John Mark’s departure on that occasion irritated Paul to the extent
that when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on the second journey (Acts
15:36-41) he and Paul had a sharp contention between them. Ultimately
Barnabas took John Mark and Paul took Silas.
c. Now, some twenty years later, Paul’s opinion of Mark had changed. Why?
Mark had changed. Paul had changed. Too often we base our judgments of
people on a snapshot we took years ago. We do not consider how they might
have changed through God’s redemptive grace or through the process of
maturity. Paul came to see John Mark as a man of service. Of course, it was
Mark who wrote (or as some scholars speculate, recorded Peter’s thoughts)
the second Gospel account.
4. Depend on reliable people.
II. PROBLEMS
A. Your journey in life will not always be easy. At various points there will be people
who oppose you. Paul was not immune to this. In verse 14 he stated, “Alexander
the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his
deeds.”
1. Alexander was mentioned by Paul in 1 Timothy 1:20 along with Hymenaeus as
having been “handed over to Satan.”
2. This Alexander may also be the one mentioned in Acts 19 who was
involved in a riot in Ephesus. (Remember that Timothy had been in Ephesus
and would have known of this man.)
B. How did Paul respond to this man who had done such great harm to him?
1. Did he seek revenge?
2. Did he invest time and effort in trying to harm him?
3. He did neither of these things. Instead, he said, “the Lord will repay him for his
deeds” (vs. 14).
C. The person who goes through life always seeking to even the score with those
who have hurt him will never get where he wants to go because he will spend
his life keeping accounts. General Robert E. Lee was once asked to give and
opinion of a fellow general who had been very critical of him. Lee spoke of the
general in glowing terms. An aide pulled him aside and said, “Are you not aware of
the harsh things the General has said about you?” Lee replied, “Yes, but the
question was about my opinion of him, not his opinion of me.”
III. PERSPECTIVE
A. The essential key to Paul’s ability to “get where he wanted to be,” is found in verse
17. “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.”
1. He had faced loneliness and isolation.
2. He had faced opposition.
3. He had even faced lions (vs. 17).
4. Notice Paul’s trust in God according to verse 18, “The Lord will rescue me from
every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom.”
B. The key to getting to where you want to be is to stay focused. Keep your focus on
God.
1. Philippians 3:12-14 – “Not that I have already obtained it or have already
become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was
laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid
hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward
to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus.”
2. Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses
surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so
easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.”
CONCLUSION:
A. It has been estimated that 97% of people have no goals in life. No professional goals,
no physical goals and no spiritual goals. You will never get where you want to go
unless you know where that is.
1. Paul knew exactly what his goal was. He stated it over and over and over.
2. The reason he could write those words, “I have finished the course,” is that he
had done the things he needed to do to get where he wanted to be.
B. The most important destination you will ever determine is your eternal one. You may
may have all types of dreams, hopes, desires and goals for this life but Jesus said,
“What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul” (Mark
8:36).
