Welcome to. Torch 201 The Spiritual Growth Workshop

Transcription

1 Welcome to Torch 201 The Spiritual Growth Workshop

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3 Table of Contents Section 1: Spiritual Growth Catalysts... p. 5 Section 2: Seeking God First... p. 7 Section 3: Quiet Times... p. 11 Section 4: Prayer... p. 14 Section 5: Other Spiritual Disciplines... p. 16

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5 Section 1: Spiritual Growth Catalysts Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. - 1 Peter 2:2 3 (TNIV) *** Please refer here to the Spiritual Growth Catalysts and Choose To Grow Worksheets, found separately within your folder, or downloadable at *** A habit is continual, characterized by frequent repetition. BENEFITS OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES 1. The Lord is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. - Hebrews 11:6 2. A tight relationship with Jesus is the only thing that truly satisfies. 3. Another benefit is protection. (Psalm 91) 4. Effectiveness In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. - 2 Timothy 2:20-21

6 5. Discernment and Perspective When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. - Psalms 73: An attraction of and the attractiveness of Fire 7. Guidance in hidden things 8. Getting un-stuck 9. Growing in Spiritual Sensitivity 10. Knowing God s Will 11. Becoming more like Him 12. You will reap what you sow. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. People reap what they sow. Those who sow to please their sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; those who sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:7 9 (TNIV)

7 Section 2: Seeking God First QUICK TIPS FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT 1. Shut the door. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:6 (TNIV) 2. Have a Special Place Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. - Mark 1:35 (TNIV) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. - Luke 22:39 (TNIV) 3. Don't ask time where it went; tell it where to go 4. Recommendation: have your quiet time in the morning (if you can). Notes:

8 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against fleshand-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. - Ephesians 6: (NLT) 5. Aim at consistency. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. - Matthew 6:33 6. Good, longer time with God will get the habit in you better. 7. Eat till you re full. Notes:

9 IMPORTANT MINDSETS 1. Get radical. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33 (NIV84) 2. Calibrate a mindset of knowing that you are attractive to God. The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. - Zephaniah 3:17 3. Call the things that are not as if they are: say that you love your time with God. 4. Get over sin quickly. 5. Pray for fresh fire all the time. 6. Believe that abiding with God is for you. 7. Be careful that your quest for accountability doesn't replace your sense of responsibility.

10 QUIET TIME KILLERS: ENEMIES OF A DYNAMIC DEVO LIFE 1. People 2. Spiritual Pride We must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. - Hebrews 2:1 3. Knowing about Him rather than taking the time to know Him 4. Work (or fun) For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? - Mark 8:36

11 Section 3: Quiet Times We spend time with God to know God. 1. Consider your way In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:6 2. Commit your day Commit your way to the LORD,Trust also in Him, and He will do it. - Psalms 37: 5 3. Come ready with resources 4. Make it a household pattern

12 Elements of a quiet time: 1. Bible Intake Time (Meditation, Intentionality, Prayer) TIPS: * Keep it fresh * Follow the Holy Spirit * Don't look back * HUSH. Listen. Let Jesus open up the Scriptures to you Back and forth they talked. Didn t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us? - Luke 24:32 (The Message) * Be content with hot dogs Notes:

13 2. Presence Time TIPS: * Listen. Watch and pray. I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint. - Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT) * Wait on Him first *Solitude & Silence O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD, from this time forth and forever. - Psalm 131:1-3 Solitude: removal of people and place distractions for the purpose of being made more aware of the Father. Silence: purposely being quiet for the purpose of better listening to the Spirit and/or not getting in His way. For more on the prophetic: Visit torchchurch.tv/spiritual-growth-resources

14 Section 4: Prayer The ACTS Model Adore/Praise Names of God: Jehovah-Shammah - "God is Present with me" (Ezekiel 48:35) Jehovah-Rohi - "God is my Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1) Jehovah-Jireh - "God is my Provider" (Gen. 22:14) Jehovah-Rophe - "God is my Healer" (Exodus 15:26) Jehovah-Tsidkenu - "God is my Righteousness" (Jer. 23:6) Jehovah-M'Kiddish - "God is my Sanctification" (Lev. 20:8) Jehovah-Shalom - "God is my Peace" (Judges 6:24) Jehovah-Nissi - God is my Banner" (Exodus 17:15) Confess/Repent But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. - 1 John 1:9 (NLT) We don t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. So let s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. - Hebrews 4:15 16 (The Message) Thank Him Supplicate/Protect Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6 7 (TNIV) Recommended Reading: Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough, by Elmer Towns *** For more on fasting: visit torchchurch.tv/spiritual-growth-resources

15 * Be Specific * Be Believing According to your faith, let it be done to you. - Matthew 9:29 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. - Mark 11:24 (TNIV) * Pray the Scriptures * Wage war by prophecies Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well Timothy 1:18 (TNIV) * Cover loved ones for protection * Apportion God s power

16 Section 5: Other Spiritual Disciplines Fasting And when you fast, don t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. - Matthew 6:16 (NLT) * Fasting strengthens prayer. (Isaiah 58) * Fasting acquires us direction. * Fasting brings breakthrough. Notes:

17 Financial Stewardship The tithe is 10% of what we earn. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. - Luke 14:33 (TNIV) "The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God first in your lives." - Deuteronomy 14:23 (TLB) I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven s Armies. But you ask, How can we return when we have never gone away? Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you? You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. f you do, says the Lord of Heaven s Armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe, says the Lord of Heaven s Armies. Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight, says the Lord of Heaven s Armies. - Malachi 3:6-12 (NLT) Further Resources * On building relationships: try The Evangelism Workshop torchchurch.tv/evangelism-workshop * for a podcast about accountability relationships: visit torchchurch.tv/spiritual-growth-resources

18 Note: You are not justified by tithing. It s about obedience - and obedience is blessed. Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. - Galatians 6:6 (NLT) Notes: Wondering about spiritual gifts? Download The Spiritual Gifts Workshop today! torchchurch.tv/spiritual-gifts-workshop

19 Relational Stewardship So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. - Galatians 6:10 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin s deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:12-13 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25 Notes:

20 Time and Gift-Mix Stewardship Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. - Romans 12: 6-8 He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. - Hebrews 11:6 Putting the time in to be tight with Him will definitely pay off, especially in the tough times. Notes:

21 Please let us know that you ve finished this workshop by sharing your feedback about it at torchchurch.tv/feedback. THANKS!

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