Dharius Daniels - This Ain't It

We’re in this series called «Detours,» and I’m really excited about this message today. I’m probably more excited about this message than any other message in the series, so we’re going there today. We’re going all the way there today—it’s all gas, no brakes. I want somebody to put «today» in the chat, not t-o-d-a-y but t-u-h-d-a-y. We’re going there today, today!

So let’s look at the Book of Acts, chapter number 16, beginning at verse number 6. Acts chapter 16, starting at verse 6. This is what it says, family: it says Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been, listen to this, kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. Y’all, you didn’t hear that. You weren’t paying attention; there’s no way you paid attention and missed that. Here it is—I’m going to read it again. Having been kept by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit did not allow them to preach the word in the province of Asia.

Then they came to the border of Mysia and tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to; so they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, «Come over here to Macedonia and help us.» After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. This is the reading of God’s word.

I want to talk from this subject, if you all are ready today: «This Ain’t It.» Somebody drop that in the chat like you mean it—this, this ain’t it. Family, as we leap into this lesson today, I’d like to present a concept for your consideration. This is for my notetakers: here it is—detours don’t always show up looking like obstacles. Sometimes detours show up looking like opportunities. I’m going to say that one more time: detours don’t always show up looking like obstacles; sometimes detours show up looking like opportunities.

When the adversary attempts to derail us from our destiny, he doesn’t simply orchestrate obstacles; he also arranges opportunities. The same enemy that uses obstacles to discourage us is the same enemy that will use opportunities to distract us. This truth is seen in our first introduction to the adversary, the enemy, found in the Book of Genesis. In some circles, we call this the «law of first mention,» which simply suggests that the first time you see something mentioned in Scripture, specifically in the Book of Genesis, that is an indication of the way that concept is to be seen and interpreted all throughout Scripture.

In some way, the first time you’re introduced to it is a picture of a pattern that you’ll see with that concept throughout Scripture. So, there’s some stuff that the devil does in the Garden of Eden that is a picture of what he’s going to do in the garden of your life. Yes, sir, did you hear what I just said? When we look at the activity of the enemy, the first time we see him in Scripture, he does not attempt to derail Adam and Eve’s destiny by presenting them with an obstacle. Y’all aren’t talking to me in this studio.

I said, the first time we’re introduced to the activity of the enemy, he is not derailing the destiny of Adam and Eve by presenting them with an obstacle; he derails their destiny by presenting them with an opportunity. He says, «Look at that tree of knowledge of good and evil,» and he uses that opportunity to derail them. That’s what he did to the first Adam in the garden.

When Jesus is led in Matthew chapter 4 into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, he tries to do the same thing. He doesn’t attempt to derail Jesus’s destiny with obstacles. Read Matthew 4; those three temptations are all opportunities. «Command these stones to be made bread"—use your gift this way; you got a gift—use it this way. Opportunity! «Look at all of these kingdoms, bow down to me, and I’ll give you all of them"—opportunity!

It’s quiet in this studio church today. Listen, family, I’m trying to let some of you know, who are watching and who are listening, your greatest struggle is not going to be your obstacles. I’m trying to get you to see that for some of you, your greatest struggle is going to be your opportunities. But I believe I’m talking to just a remnant of people who have got the revelation that everything that glitters is not gold.

I believe I’m talking to some people who are living with a degree of discernment, where you can see that every door is at my door and every opportunity isn’t my opportunity, and every chance isn’t my chance. You have gotten to the place where you recognize I’m not a rat, and I’m not chasing, and I won’t be trapped with cheese. I don’t want just any door; I want my door. I don’t want just any opportunity; I want mine. I don’t want just any assignment; I want my assignment. And I don’t want to just make a difference; I want to make my difference.

So, I’m not chasing what other people are chasing. You can’t trap me, devil, the way you trap them, because this ain’t it. I’m talking to some people who are serious about achieving and accomplishing their purpose. It is impossible to reach your purpose without the…