PEOPLE FUEL: GOD'S PROMISES FOR ENERGY, POSITIVITY, AND RESILIENCE

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) 

GOD’S PROMISES THROUGH THE FOUR QUADRANTS OF RELATIONAL NUTRIENTS

1. QUADRANT 1: BEING  

PRESENT. 

Communicating that we are “for” each other, with few words

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:7 (NIV) 

2. QUADRANT 2: CONVEYING THE  

GOOD.

Giving words that dispense grace

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) 

3. QUADRANT 3: PROVIDING  

REALITY.

Delivering helpful information

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Proverbs 19:20 (NIV) 

4. QUADRANT 4: CALLING TO  

ACTION.  

Pushing to a practical step

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV) 

Your Next Steps

Which nutrients can you request from a safe person this week?

Which nutrients can you provide for another person this week?

Dr. John Townsend, Saddelback Church

GOD’S PROMISES ABOUT GUIDANCE

 

“I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, and I will not leave them undone.”Isaiah 42:16 (NASB)  

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 (NIV) 

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18 (NIV) 

“Your road led through the Red Sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!” Psalm 77:19 (NLT) 

HOW DOES GOD GUIDE ME?

• HE GUIDES ME BY  HIS SPIRIT.  

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10 (NIV) 

“When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth . . . He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”John 16:13-14 (NIV) 

“No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God . . . We have [received] the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us . . . The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned . . . But we have the mind of Christ.”1 Corinthians 2:11-16 (NIV) 

• HE GUIDES ME BY HIS WORD.   THE BIBLE IS NOT LIKE A MAP, BUT A COMPASS.  

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NIV) 

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) 

• HE GUIDES ME BY HIS PEOPLE.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another. . .” Colossians 3:16 (NIV) 

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 (NIV) 

• HE GUIDES ME BY CIRCUMSTANCES (CLOSED AND OPEN DOORS). 

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) 

• HE GUIDES ME BY HIS STILL SMALL VOICE.   IT IS TO A PATH.  NOT A DESTINATION.   

  

“[Elijah] went into a cave to spend the night. Suddenly the Lord spoke to him, ‘Elijah, what are you doing here?’ He answered, ‘Lord God Almighty, I have always served you—you alone. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left—and they are trying to kill me!’ 

‘Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain,’ the Lord said to him. Then the Lord passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks—but the Lord was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, and then there was an earthquake—but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire—but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, ‘Elijah, what are you doing here?’”1 Kings 19:9-13 (GNB) 

“You will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)  

“In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.”
 Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV) 

• WHERE I END UP IN LIFE IS NOT NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS HOW I GOT THERE.

“And the Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”Isaiah 58:11 (NIV) 

FACTS ABOUT MY FUTURE

• GOD KNOWS  

Everything that will happen.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before his eyes . . .” Hebrews 4:13 (NIV) 

“The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book before any of them ever began.” Psalm 139:16 (TEV) 

• GOD’S PLAN  

for my future is good.

“‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 

• I MUST  

choose to trust and obey God.

“Today I am giving you the choice between life and death, between blessings or curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. So choose life! Then you and your children will live!”Deuteronomy 30:19   

• GOD WILL  

be with me every step of the way.  

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘NEVER will I leave you, and NEVER will I forsake you!’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper! I WILL NOT BE AFRAID! What can people do to me?’”Hebrews 13:5-6  

SIX GUARANTEES OF GOD FOR MY FUTURE

1. GOD PROMISES  

to guide me when I'm confused.  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.”Proverbs 3:5-6 (TEV)  

2. GOD PROMISES  

to help me when I am tempted. 

“Remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.”1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)  

“The Lord is faithful and he will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NCV)  

3. GOD PROMISES  

a way out of temptation. 

“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up . . . for I am the Lord your God.”Isaiah 43:2-3 (LB) 

“I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me. I am ready for anything and equal to anything through him who infuses inner strength into me.”Philippians 4:13 (Amp) 

4. GOD PROMISES  

to repay those who hurt me. 

“Never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it.” Romans 12:19 (LB) 

5. GOD PROMISES  

to reward my service and generosity.   

“God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love for him by helping his people, as you continue to do.”Hebrews 6:10 (NLT)  

Jesus: “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends (for eternity). In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.”Luke 16:9 

6. GOD PROMISES  

to keep me saved until heaven.

Jesus: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; and no one can snatch them out of my hand!” John 10:28 (NIV)  

“If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 (NIV) 

“Be confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!” Philippians 1:6 (NIV)