While we are transitioning into a new phase and area of vision in our church life, and we are being challenged to grow, it is important for us not to be diminished in our own eyes.
There is a great excitement about what God is doing in our church, but opportunities for growth can expose the dysfunctions of our life. It’s not so much about whether we are doing things well or not, but it can show where we need to keep getting bigger. Let’s continually challenge our vision and ourselves to be bigger.
Isaiah 54:2 says, “Enlarge the borders of your tent.” The pegs of our own mind need to be pulled up and pushed out to new holes and new areas of impact.
In Numbers 13, twelve spies went out and brought back a report of the land. There was nothing wrong with the land. It flowed with milk and honey, which means it was lush and green for cows to pasture and it bloomed and blossomed for bees to make honey. The grapes were so huge, there is no doubt the land was fertile. The problem was not with the land. The problem was that ten of the twelve could only see the opposition. They couldn’t pull up the stakes in their own mind and push them out to enlarge their thinking. They were diminished in their own eyes.
Do we know our potential, or are we caught up in a mystical prophecy? What is our promised land and what stops us getting there? As an example, we could say, “I don’t really want to go and get a degree to grow bigger.” But the Bible says, study to show yourself approved. There are degrees in life as well as degrees on paper. We can’t shy away from increasing our capacity. Our potential grows every time we place another leader around us and give them responsibility. We need to partner with people.
The Pharisees killed the prophets and any adversary who challenged them to grow bigger in their thinking.
There are always adverse winds; even when skies are clear. The degree to which the wind is blowing against us, is the degree to which we must adjust to stay on course. Winds can be variable; even winds of happiness and familiarity could blow us off course. So we need to ask, “how can I be more accurate in assessing myself to hit the mark that God wants for me?” Where might we need to readjust, so we are not off course?
I’ve found two things to be true in life:
Negativity is always the first thing attacks your mind.
Secondly - You will always dramatise the negatives.
Leave the drama to the actors presenting the gospel on the stage. It should not be in the pew, not backstage, not in the worshippers, or anywhere. Don’t allow the negative any room to speak.
So let’s ask from a positive perspective – “how do I change myself?”
1. Write down the things that will help us to grow.
We need a plan. What do we do when the negatives come up? Passive resistance can be a curse. It’s not a sin to agree to disagree, but when a final decision is made, you may need to adjust your heart to support that decision.
What journey are we on? And what do we need to change? Do we have written down, what we expect of our prayer life? If not, we are probably not praying enough. Prayer doesn’t always change things, but it always changes us. If we don’t seek after God , it is easy for our minds to become negative. If we bring matters to God in prayer, then we can bring answers to people’s lives.
2. Check the growth patterns around our life. Not just in our personal life, but in our areas of influence or leadership. If we just celebrate the big days, we are not being realistic about the patterns of growth in our life or church.
We need to ask “how are we going to change?” Then we need to ask, “how are we going to implement the change to influence others?”
3. Speak declaration. The spirit of faith believes then speaks. Always be declaring. What do we speak out about where we are going?
I love how Daniel prayed for 21 days, and when the messenger finally came with an answer, he asked “where were you?” That is declaring. That is an attitude of ‘Your Kingdom come’.
Declaring is Creating. It is the creativity of God flowing through us. Declare a thing and it will be established.
How long will it take to change? Have we written it down? Keep enlarging. Write the journey. Have someone stand and agree with us.
By transitioning, it’s important to remember, we have not diminished our influence, we have increased it!
God Bless,
David McDonald
No comments:
Post a Comment