Divine Shift: Be Different

Divine Shift – Sermon Notes Pastor Brad Myers

Be Different October 6, 2024

Today: Be Different!

Matthew 9:9 (NKJV) Matthew the Tax Collector

• Not as much a physical follow as be like me Different!
• No three-day notice like the Israelites had.
• No Paralysis of Analysis
• Instant decision to “Be Different”

Mathew lost a comfortable job, but he found a destiny. He lost a good income, but he found honor. He lost a comfortable security, but he found an adventure which he had never dreamed of.” All because he dared to be different!

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Being Different Requires Three BIG Internal Shifts.

1. Ownership

2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV)

• Mathew was owned by the gov’t but he didn’t like it!

When we get tired of our current owner, we’ll start looking for a new one.

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2 Leadership

Matthew 4:19 (ESV)

• Peter and his brother Andrew be different!
• Opportunity to lead proceeded deciding to be different.

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3. Relationship

Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

Example of being different

Joseph: Genesis 37-50

• Joseph eleventh son of Jacob (Isreal): first son through his favored wife, Rachel, the beautiful one.
• Jacob loved Joseph: more than other sons: Born when Joseph was very old.
• Special coat: Not from Wal-Mart or Target. Louis Vuitton, Versace, Prada.

Genesis 37:3 (KJV)

• Brothers hated Joseph.
• Joseph loved to wear his coat!
• Joseph began to dream about his family.
• Prophetic visions: Joseph ruling over his family.
• Joseph was different!
• We have unique gifts, callings, and talents God placed inside of us.
• We need people willing to wear their coat out in public!
• God wants you to be different!

When we grasp that God has made us different, we’ll start being the different person God has made us to be!

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What does it mean to be different biblically?

Jesus was distinct, unique, out of the ordinary, and he called his followers to be like him.

The Biblical word “holy” describes the word “different”. A holy person is not an odd person, but a different person. A holy person has a quality about their life that is unique.

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The struggle with being different

We Value Conformity

Our struggle is that when we realize the differences between us and other people, we downplay our uniqueness to fit in and conform with today’s culture.

• We don’t want to stand out in a crowd.
• We fear being different.
• We don’t want to be perceived as odd.
• Terrified of being set apart.

John 15:19 (NKJV)

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What we fail need to realize when trying to conform to the world.

People accept what is the same, but they eventually will respect what is different. Pastor Steven Furtick

People being different actually make the difference!

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Jesus dared us to Be Different not just better!

Matthew 4:19 (ESV)

• “Follow Me” You can just follow but never be different!

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Examples of those who dared to be different!

1. Caleb and Joshua 

• 12 spies sent into the promised land of Canaan.
• 10 spies agreed to give a bad report.
• Caleb and Joshua declared a good report.

Numbers 14:6-10 (NIV)

• Caleb & Joshua believed God’s report and got to the Promised Land
• All the multitudes who believed the negative report died in the wilderness

2. Daniel and three friends: 

• They refused the food and wine of the king of Babylon, so that they would not defile themselves or make themselves unclean.
• After 10 days they were looked better than the others who defiled themselves.

Daniel 1:18-20 (NIV)

3. Leper who came back: Luke 17:12-19

• Jesus healed ten lepers, only one of them came back to thank Jesus,
• while the remaining nine went away. He was the only one who was made whole 

4. Prophet Micaiah: I Kings 22:6-37

• Only prophet who dared to be different.
• He did not join about 400 prophets who prophesied lies to King Ahab.
• When all the other prophets were prophesying lies, he was the only one who was bold to tell the king the true word of God, and what he said happened.

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Areas to be different

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)