Sermons on Barriers To Growth:

Overcoming Obstacles Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Oct 26, 2018

If you want to overcome the obstacles in your life, concentrate on the Lord; consecrate yourself to Him; count on His Word; and then, just cross the water.

A few years ago, drivers on the eastern highways in India encountered an especially stubborn elephant that refused to let them pass until they offered up a little food. He's even been known to stick his trunk through an open window and sniff around for any hidden treasure! One local resident ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 3:1-17

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Grow Free From Bondages

Contributed by Jeff Van Wyk on Feb 12, 2013

Self-deliverance is one of the most important parts of the deliverance process. The devil will seek to enter legally through open doors into a person’s life. Once these doors have been identified and shut, believers can break off any legal grounds that th

Grow Free From Bondages Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:14-15

Denomination: Charismatic

The Significance Of Insignificance Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 27, 2013

We have Jesus and His Word, so we don't need to worry about our size. Just let Him shine and plant the seed of God's Word and God will grow His Kingdom.

Andy Eddington, once the president of Shriner College in Texas, loved sugar in his coffee. On one occasion at a greasy spoon near Dallas, he dumped not one, not two, but three teaspoonful’s of sugar in his coffee. As the waitress watched, Andy said, “Ma'am, we're going to need more ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:21-32

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Dead Church Walking Series

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Oct 28, 2011

A church can be be dead and appear to have life. It can also be almost dead and have all the appearances it is dead, but revived by repenting and getting back to the basics of the Christian life.

Dead Church Walking Sermon 5 in the Series “You’ve Got Mail” Chuck Sligh August 14, 2011 For the PowerPoint for the sermon, write me at chucksligh@hotmail.com. TEXT: Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation 3. INTRODUCTION Illus. – Reader’s Digest had a story about ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Custom Of Prayer Series

Contributed by Dennis Lawrence on Mar 31, 2003

Before Easter is a good time to re-evaluate your prayer life. Do you practice the custom of prayer? It is the key to your spiritual growth.

Custom of Prayer Please read along with me the beginning of Daniel 6- especially v. 10, where we learn about Daniel’s custom of praying. Read on for a few verses to see the trouble that praying got Daniel into. Daniel had a custom of praying. He was known for praying and people even knew something ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 6:10, Matthew 7:7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Revival Must Come!

Contributed by Jim Twamley on Apr 2, 2003

We see a pattern of revival emerge: Obedience to Christ, Group Prayer, Unity, Personal Revival, Empowerment, Evangelism, Conversions, Discipleship, Church Growth.

REVIVAL MUST COME! The Church in America is losing influence and members faster than any other major institution in the nation. If a massive spiritual revival doesn’t come within the next few years America will experience total moral anarchy. (From George Barna’s book The Second Coming of the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-46, Acts 2:1-4

Denomination: Pentecostal

Prayer Series

Contributed by Eric Carey-Holt on Feb 16, 2003

Personal Application Prayer is one of the strongest and most fundamental aspects of the Christian life and we cannot expect growth in grace, without time in prayer.

SERMON—PRAYER—Luke 11:1-13 TEXT Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: " `Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13, Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

The Leaven-Yeast-Mt 13:33 Series

Contributed by Eric Carey-Holt on Mar 7, 2003

Where the kingdom is depicted as having remarkable growth despite humble beginnings, and was probably told to reassure Jesus’ disciples that their involvement in the kingdom would not be for nothing

THE LEAVEN-YEAST-Mt 13:33 Mt13: 33 He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." INTRODUCTION Our previous study examined ‘The Parable Of The Mustard Seed’ Mt13: 31-32, Where ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:33, Matthew 16:5-12

Denomination: Methodist

How The Holy Spirit Can Help You Overcome The Fear Of Fruitfulness

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

The Holy Spirit helps you overcome your fear of becoming too successful by reminding you that God gives the victory, the fruit and the growth of the church.

Illustration:After a preacher died and went to heaven, he noticed that a New York cabdriver had been given a higher place than he had. "I don’t understand," he complained to St. Peter. "I devoted my entire life to my congregation." "Our policy is to reward results," explained St. Peter. "Now ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How's Your Heart?

Contributed by Mark Hiehle on Jul 20, 2001

In order to experience real growth in your life, the condition of your heart will determine what God’s Word can do in your life.

Luke 8:1-15 "How Is Your Heart?" By Rev. Mark Hiehle The Parable of the sower, is a very familiar portion of scripture. It can be very tempting to think to yourself, "I’ve heard this story, hundreds of times before, and there is nothing new here for me." Because we think that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:1-15, Luke 8:4-15

Denomination: Nazarene

Every Healthy Thing Grows

Contributed by Chris Mason on Aug 27, 2001

When a plant is healthy, it grow. The church is the same way, when it is healthy it will grow. This sermon deals with two main growth principles: Quality and Quantity!

EVER HEALTHY THING GROWS INTRODUCTION *STORY: Science Project* Three containers with soil and bean seeds: One was given only water. The other was given coke and sun light. The third was given both light and water. The one with water didn’t grow. The one given coke and water grew, but very ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-33

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"When Temptation Overwhelms Series

Contributed by Dan Jackson on Aug 20, 2005

3rd in series on James. True faith is often displayed in its reaction to trouble. Trials produce opportunities for growth and development in the Christian life.

Chuck Swindoll tells of a mountain man from West Virginia who had never seen a city, or bright lights and modern inventions. He married a girl of the hills and they spent all their married years in the backwoods. Their one son, creatively named “Junior,” reached his sixteenth birthday, [and] his ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-18, James 1:9-12

Are You Devoted To The Apostle's Teaching? Series

Contributed by Jason Cole on Feb 22, 2004

Doctrine is imporatnt, and is useful for our growth in Christ. We need to be sure that we take God’s Word and the study of his word seriously.

“Are You Devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching?” Introduction: When their son left for his freshman year at Duke University, his parents gave him a Bible, assuring him it would be a great help. Later, as he began sending them letters asking for money, they would write back telling him to read his ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Douse The Flame Of Excuses Series

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 30, 2004

Offering excuses will always limit spiritual growth. We look at people from the Bible and their excuses and how God helped them overcome their excuses.

DOUSE THE FLAME OF EXCUSES! By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.  Kyfingers@aol.com TEXT: Proverbs 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. Luke 14:18 And THEY ALL with ONE CONSENT BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSE. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:18-24

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Life As A Stunted Plan Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 2, 2005

Do you feel a lack of growth? It could be that you are experiencing the effects of bad doctrine or that you need to re-connect to the root - Jesus Christ.

The Colossians were Christians - they knew Jesus as their Savior. But what threatened them in the proto-Gnostic heresy was a lack of maturity. They were like plants - plants that hadn’t grown up and were stunted in their maturity. As Christians if we do not grow in our discipleship in Christ ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:1-23

Denomination: Calvary Chapel