Professors or Possessors
Review
Last week we looked at the story of Joseph
as a young man- was gifted by God w/dreams,
these dreams were part of his destiny,
but Joseph was also proud/arrogant in the way he handled what God had given him,
his brothers sold him into slavery,
in Egypt, as a slave, got himself into trouble with his master’s wife- thrown into prison,
interpreted dreams for- baker/cupbearer but was overlooked again and left in prison.
God had to first work in Joseph’s life first, to establish His Kingdom in Joseph’s heart, to prepare Him.
The difficulties were opportunities for God to work.
2 Cor 4:7-12
Through these trials, Joseph was broken open
the glory of God within was released and
he was able to affect whole nations.
God gave Joseph divine strategies to save Egypt and Jewish people from seven years of famine.
The destiny of a nation is in the hands of the church. Lance Wallnau
The story of Joseph is the story of
one man being shaped by God
through- series of trials/difficulties that prepared
him to be a man of influence in his culture.
What could God do w/body of people like Joseph- broken, walking together, filled w/glory of God?
Professors versus Possessors
I was at- COTRI regional prayer summit last week.
Dr. Lawrence Kennedy, who oversees COTRI, was there with a number of other regional pastors.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
Some people are professors and others are possessors. Dr Lawrence Kennedy
Profess- to declare openly or freely, (2) to declare in words or appearance only (pretend).
Tit 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him … NASU
2 Tim 3:5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power NASU
Possess- to have, hold, occupy, seize something so as to make it your own.
It is one thing to profess that we are Christians and another to live in that reality- to possess it.
Often our thinking limits what God wants to do in us.
Isa 55:8-9
If this were not true, then He would not be God.
If this is true, why do we hold our thinking over God’s Word- choosing to believe a lies rather than truth?
We need God to invade our minds with His thoughts and our hearts with His affections.
This will only happen as we take time with God in prayer and the Word.
Priests and Kings
We have been created to be priests and kings.
Rev 5:8-10
(IN YOUR NOTES):
Priests are people who have a relationship w/God.
They know how to …
talk w/God,
intercede on behalf of others, and
listen to and hear God’s voice.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
Kings are called to rule or govern.
They are people with extraordinary
influence or affluence,
they are opinion shapers, decision makers.
Deut 28:13 "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully
God has called us to reign/rule w/Him- to be people …
of influence and
who influence the influencers in our culture.
The Next Season of God
In the natural- great concern for what the future holds.
We all wonder what will happen in the future to our nation and how it will affect us personally.
Many- making preparations- stock food, investments.
We have come through a prosperous season and have now entered a more difficult one economically.
But are we as concerned about the next season of God?
What is it that God is about to do?
What part has He called us to play in that?
(IN YOUR NOTES):
How we live in the current season of God and how you leave this season, will affect our fruitfulness in the next season.
I have discussed w/number of people how they are responding to difficult situations in their lives
struggle w/discouragement/fear/anxiety/anger.
We all struggle from time to time in our walk w/God.
It is during these times that we must hold onto an eternal perspective.
We must recognize that our current trials/difficulties are opportunities to grow in our faith.
They are times to take a hold of everything God wants to teach us now so we are prepared for- next season
Jn 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. NASU
As our culture spirals towards darkness and immorality, we have this assurance
Rom 5:20 where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, NASU
God’s grace is there for us in this season and the next.
What is our assignment in the next season of God and how do we step into it?
Keep Your Eye on the Ball
When I was a kid and tried to play baseball, I was always told to keep my eye on the ball.
If I was going to be a good batter or a good fielder, I would need to learn to keep my eye on the ball.
Josh 3:1-4
The Ark represented the presence of God.
God was taking Israel where they had never been before and- important for them to follow the Ark.
In the next season of God, He will be taking us into places where we have never been before.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
We must follow the Ark, the presence of God, if we are going to find our way in these perilous times.
Josh 3:5
God promised Israel
when you step into this new season,
when you step into the land beyond the Jordan,
I am going to do wonders among you.
God has the same for us today as we follow Him.
1 Ki 22:1-4
The King of Aram had taken land that rightfully belonged to Israel.
They decided that they were going to take it back.
1 Ki 22:5-7
Jehoshaphat had enough spiritual reality to know he had better inquire of God before going out to war.
He was also concerned- Ahab- surrounded himself w/prophets who spoke what he wanted to hear.
It is so important that you/I take time to seek the heart and mind of God in this season in which we live.
2 Ki 1:2-4
So often in times of trouble, we look to so many other places before we inquire of God.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
We cannot expect the favor of God if we do not spend time seeking His face and listening for His voice.
Walking with God is not just wishful thinking or hoping that God will help us.
Jehoshaphat took time to seek godly prophetic counsel.
There is effort that must be exerted to engage God.
Mk 5:25-34 (tell the story)
The woman had to be willing to press through the crowd and reach out and touch His garment.
She did not just reach out with her hand/arm only, she reached out spiritually with her faith as well.
Conclusion
God is reconfiguring our spiritual realities.
Too often we have mistaken natural understanding for spiritual reality.
We must lay hold of the present- what is God doing in our life now, so we are prepared- step into- future.
The present is a doorway into the future.
If we are overly …
focused on the hurts/pains of the past, or
consumed w/discontent with the present,
it will hinder us from benefiting from the present season we are in and
from being prepared for the future.
Whatever your situation, God has great things for you.
Jer 29:10-13
One last principle …
It is God’s job, as our shepherd, to lead us, it is our job to figure out where He is taking us.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
We need to have confidence in HIS job and then do our job well- listen and follow.
Ministry
God gave me three words to pray over our church recently- pray that we would have …
Excitement, Expectation, Enthusiasm
Excitement- is the act of exciting.
To be excited is to be to be awakened, called into activity, to be energized.
God wants to awaken us/call us into to His activity
Expectation- the state of expecting something.
To expect is to look forward, or reach forward, or to fix your eyes on something.
God is calling us to look forward to what He wants to do and to fix our eyes on Him.
Enthusiasm- comes from en and theos (god)-
a belief in special revelations of the HS.
Today it has come to mean something inspiring zeal.
God is calling us to believe that He wants to speak to us and reveal Himself to us.
Altar Call
