SET A GOAL FOR THE YEAR

• John 18 v 36 – 37

v.36 “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

v.37 “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”

1. Jesus understood His Purpose/Goal.
   1. Goal   – Is a target or focus.

– What you are aiming at.

• You were created for a purpose.
  • You have no reason to be in lack.
  • You have no reason to be poor.

• God has not created you empty.
  • He has deposited a lot inside of you – Job 32 v 8

“But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

• Reject the fear of the unknown – 2 Tim. 1 v 7

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

• Take a bold step of faith
  • Have a positive mental attitude – Prov. 23 v 7

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”

• What kind of picture do you paint in your mind?
  • What kind of mind-set do you have?

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR GOALS

1.       DILIGENCE

• Prov. 22 v 29

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”

• Diligence can be likened to HARD WORK
• A strong element that will generate power for you to achieve your GOAL/VISION.
• Standing before kings means that you are making IMPACT in and with what you are doing.
• It is a pity that this generation does not place value on hard work.
• Without hard work, a goal cannot be achieved.
• Thomas Alva Edison – An Inventor titled his autobiography “THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HARDWORK”
• Achievers are hard workers.
• Hard workers drive ordinary achievement into EXTRA Ordinary achievement.
• When you work hard, your results will go from:
  • Being bad to being good.
  • Being good to being better.
  • Being better to becoming the best.

Henry Ford – The man who pioneered the mass production of cars once said

“Many people never recognise opportunities because they come in disguise of HARDWORK.”

2.       DISCIPLINE 

• 1 Cor. 9 v 27

“But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

• Discipline especially self-discipline is the mother of all controls.
• When liberty lacks control, it becomes CAPTIVITY.
• Be orderly – Have value for order.
• Please note that “Without Discipline, your gifts however great will never realise their maximum goal/potential”

• You must submit yourself to the DEMANDS OF DISCIPLINE in all areas.
  • In the place of controlling your EMOTIONS
  • In the place of controlling FLESHLY DESIRES
  • In the AREA OF SPENDING
• If you do not own a house, do not buy luxury cars and park in there.
• When your business is still growing, avoid frivolous spending, do not buy luxuries.
• Do not travel in Business class/1st class when your business needs capital to stand or when you have Loans Repayment.
• Avoid spending on SOCIALS, birthday, funerals, remembrances, when you need capital.
• Learn how to save to build up capitals.
• Avoid buying social uniforms.  Wear what you have and be yourself.
• 1 Cor. 14 v 40

“Let all things be done decently and in order”

• Be under a COACH/MENTOR who can discipline you, query your actions, and give you plausible suggestions.
• Discipline is needed in your eating habit – Do not be gluttonous.  Eat moderately and save for tomorrow.
• Discipline – In the area of reading and studying. Nigerians these days do not read.
• We need knowledge of those ahead of us to survive and gain speed.
• Life is too short to discover new things, study, rub minds with those experts through materials. Thank God for the internet.
• Discipline in terms of SOCIAL CAPITAL

• Let your temperament be spirit-controlled
• Civility costs you nothing but earns you everything
• Work on your Human relations
• Someone can recommend you
• First impression really matters.

3.       SACRIFICE  

 Esther 4 v 16

“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so, will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”

• Great goals are achieved with risk taking and sacrifice making.
• The person that is willing to pay the price will win the PRIZE/TROPHY
• Martin Luther King (Jnr.) said “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live”
• Esther was ready to risk her life to actualise a vision of National Deliverance. – Esther 4 v 16

“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so, will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”

• Note that the actualisation of your (Goal/Vision) will demand one form of Risk/Sacrifice or the other.
• Check out the three Hebrew men in Daniel. They had a Goal/Vision to serve their God ONLY and they expressed their preparedness to die for that Vision/Goal.

4.       START SOMETHING NOW 

• Acts 1 v 8

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

• Job 8 v 7

“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.”

• Note:  GREATNESS is gradually attained; it is not a SUDDEN ARRIVAL.
• Do not wait until everything is perfect.
• Turn your passion into a job
• Many of the great Enterprises celebrated today started under small and unenviable circumstances.
• Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook in 2004 from his dormitory at Harvard University.
• Google started in January 1996 not as a corporation but originally as a research project by the duo of Larry Page & Sergey Brim when they were students at Stanford University.
• Michael Dell established PCs Ltd. aged 19 with a capital of $1,000 operating from his off-campus hostel while a student.
• Mother Theresa’s vision shook the whole world, but she started by picking up the destitute from the streets and giving them tender love and care.
• William Harry Gates III (Bill Gates) dropped out of college at 19years to start Microsoft which is now the world’s largest computer software company.
• Do not go through the year without a GOAL.
• Get a Diary and set some goals for yourself. Let me help you by breaking it down into different AREAS:

1. SPIRITUAL GOALS
2. Quiet Time
3. Word Building
4. Prayer & Fasting
5. Devotional
6. Retreat
7. House Fellowship
8. Tapes, Books
9. Prayer Altar

• HEALTH GOALS
• Exercise
• Jogging
• Spa
• Massage
• Have a regular medical check up
• Good Eating Habit etc.
• MARITAL GOALS
  • Seeking God
  • Family Life books
  • Time for unwinding
  • Family Meeting
  • Outings
  • Emotional stability
  • Hygiene
  • Smiling
  • Books/Tapes
• FINANCIAL GOALS
  • Plan properly
  • Cultivate the habit of saving.
  • Live within your means
  • Avoid wastage

5.       NETWORKING 

• Eccl. 4 v 9

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”

• 1 Cor. 12 v 21

“And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.”

• Matthew 18 v 19 – 20

v.19 “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

v.20” For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

• Phil. 4 v 1 – 3

v.1 “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”

v.2 “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.”

v.3 “And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”

• Good association is better than good isolation
• Your Goal/Vision will go far and wide to the extent to which you are willing to network with others.
• Where your knowledge stops, another person’s knowledge starts.
• No one has the monopoly of ideas.  We need ourselves.

6.       DON’T LOOSE YOUR GOALS/VISION TO DISOBEDIENCE

• Acts 26 v 19

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision”

• Disobedience to God and authority can distort your Goal/Vision.
• Abraham had a vision, he got Isaac from God. When he lost his vision, he slept with his maid.
• Moses had a vision; he parted the Red Sea.  He lost his vision; he smote the Rock and did not get to the Promised Land.
• Samson had a vision; God gave him effortless victories.  He lost it when he slept with Delilah and died shamefully
• Elijah had a vision, destroyed Baal prophet.  He lost it when he ran from Jezebel.
• Uzziah had a vision, he followed hard after God.  He lost it due to disobedience and became leprous.
• Solomon had a vision; he was the wisest king.  He lost it when he married many strange women, and they turned his heart away from God.
• Demas had a vision, he followed Apostle Paul.  He lost it when he loved this present world and got carried away with worldly things.
• Judas had a vision; He was one of the Apostles.  He lost it for covetousness and sold Jesus Christ for 30pieces of silver.

7.       INTEGRITY 

• Proverbs 11 v 3

“The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.”

• Psalm 25 v 21

“Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.”

• Integrity has to do with trust
• Trust is the crux of integrity
• People will not follow or patronise a person they cannot trust.
• You must strive to pass the integrity test always for your Goal to be achieved.
• Integrity is now a big issue in the Church nowadays.
• Can Christians do business together
• Can they be trusted to do quality jobs?
• How about profit sharing
• Backbiting
• Mechanics – Fixing no spare parts

REQUIREMENT TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

1.       Word of God – Psalm 32 v 8 – “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

2.       Identify your goals

3.       Training/Apprenticeship

4.       Making Consultations/Enquiries & Research

• Find out why people in your field are succeeding/Failing/Stagnated.
• Look at the factors and apply them to your area for better success and use them as CAUTIONS.

5.       Seek Adequate Knowledge

• Upgrade yourself
• Network

6.       You may need

• A change of Job
• A change of Skill
• Adding to your Skill
• Venturing into a new skill (Playing field)
• Learn New Trade