Reaching Your Maximum Potential
Steve Sampson

One of the greatest travesties of the Christian life is that we fall far short of the potential that God sees in us. It is
said that the scientist, Einstein, at the end of his life had only utilized ten percent of his brain. Will it be said of
believers on judgment day that only a small portion of our spiritual potential was fulfilled? As Christians, we must
realize that God is thinking bigger than we are about our lives, and we need to call upon Him to bring our lives to
their full potential.

Jesus taught a lot about fruitfulness. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears
much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing….By this My father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples….You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and
that your fruit should remain…" John 15: 5, 8, 16

In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught that there would be those who would bring forth a crop. "Some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Mt 13:8 One hundredfold does not mean one hundred percent, but rather
maximum potential. God wants our individual lives to reach their full potential.

One undeniable attribute of God is that He is on-going. He always desires to take us to higher and higher levels.
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same
image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." II Cor. 3:18 Each of us needs to aim higher. It is
interesting that the Scripture says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23 It does not say
short of good teaching a good church, or a good Bible study, but rather short of the glory of God!

Room for Improvement

There was a Jew named Apollos who had high credentials, yet still had room for improvement. "Now a certain Jew
named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptues, came to Ephesus. This man had
been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the
Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquilla and
Pricilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." Acts 18:24-26

The prophet Elisha was approached by a widow whose husband had left her with debt, and the creditors were
coming to take her two sons as slaves. His response to her seemed less than compassionate. "What should I do
for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" II Kings 4:2 Her answer was, "Your maidservant has nothing but
a jar of oil." As her, we often emphasize nothing, and minimize the jar of oil(the Holy Spirit in us). The prophet's
concern was not to send her more, but to use the jar of oil and gather vessels to pour into. Vessels represent
people. "Then he said, 'Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors-empty vessels, do not gather
just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons' then pour into all those
vessels, and set aside the full ones.'" Vs. 3-4

Each of us have oil in our "house" namely the Holy Spirit, which we have failed to pour out. The prophet set her free
by giving her the vision to pour out. In the pouring out her own need was met. "Then she came and told the man of
God. And he said, 'Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.'" Vs.7

Self-satisfaction

The most strangulating effect on every believer is that of self-satisfaction(not the devil). "A satisfied soul loathes the
honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." Proverbs 27:7 When we are satisfied, we tie God's
hands from manifesting Himself more in our lives. "And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new;
for he says, 'The old is better(sufficient).'" Luke 5:39

God moves in our lives according to our level of our hunger and desire. Our personal hunger is the most precious
commodity we possess as believers. It is noteworthy that if you are on fire for God you will no doubt be criticized. If
you are cold toward God, you will probably be condemned. Yet, if you are right in between, man will neither criticize
nor condemn you. Yet that is just where the Laodecian church was-right in between. "I know your works, that you are
neither cold or hot. So then, because you are neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Rev. 3:15-16 He
then pleads with them as one who is outside the door, " Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me." Vs. 20 He was not speaking to
sinners, but rather to Spirit-filled, tongue praying believers. Believers who once had Him at their table and in
fellowship with Him but had "pushed" Him outside the door of their lives.

We must stay on fire and remain desperate for Him in order to reach our maximum potential. Our expectation and
hunger exerts an awesome demand on His presence-and He does not disappoint!