The Umbrella of Spiritual Authority: Intimacy with God
(4) Intimacy: Your gifts are a given. You can develop them to your maximum potential, but they are what they are. People are impressed with them, but God isn t He gave them to us. Depth with God is a choice we have to make, and a price we have to pay. If we are going to expand the umbrella of our authority we must go deep with God. (Moses mouth to mouth; Thrall & McNichol) (John 15)
(4) Intimacy: We must pursue God. (encounters like rain downpours; soft soaking) (shift pursuing for fruit, pursuing for intimacy. Seek His face, not just His hands; Mansions - 4) Depth does not happen haphazardly. We must plan for growth. The secret to your long term depth is found in your daily routine.
(4) Intimacy: My journey into God s presence (desired revival; pursued God; increased Diana) We must learn to recognize the difference between when we are leading out of the flesh & leading out of the Spirit (frenetic energy; feel like I need to make things happen trying to produce spiritual results with human activity; create chaos) (still center; energy that comes from the Spirit; produces peace)
(4) Intimacy: I have observed that people of true depth of soul, and intimacy with God have these 4 things in common: Solitude They spend time alone with God. It is a priority, a non-negotiable Silence They make time to get into God s presence; to be still. To listen. Suffering They choose how to suffer Sacrifice They sacrifice for God out of a heart full of love
(4) Intimacy: Solitude People of depth spend time alone with God. It is a priority, a nonnegotiable Solitude isn t just about being alone. It is about being alone with God. Mother Teresa, You ll never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.
(4) Intimacy: Solitude People of depth spend time alone with God. It is a priority, a non-negotiable Solitude stills the soul. Solitude prepares the heart to hear from God. Solitude unmasks the sinner. It takes away all of our props, and allows us to stand spiritually naked before God. It brings us to selfawareness, and God-awareness. Nouwen, Solitude is the furnace of transformation. (St. Anthony)
(4) Intimacy: Silence People of depth make time to get into God s presence; to be still. To listen. Silence guards the heat of the inner heart of religious affections. Silence keeps the fire of God stoked with in us. (Henri Nouwen Steam bath when the door is left open ) Silence allows us to access God s rest.
(4) Intimacy: Silence People of depth make time to get into God s presence; to be still. To listen. Silence cultivates sensitivity to God s voice. In our silence we give room for God to speak. Silence helps cultivate a longing for God s presence. Silence builds faith & anticipation in our spirits. Silence helps us to surrender, and to let go of our need to control.
(4) Intimacy: Suffering People of depth choose how to suffer. If we are going to go deep with God, and become people of substance, we must learn to suffer redemptively. We don t get to choose IF we suffer, we only get to choose HOW we suffer. (Ask the right question not why, but how) (Rom 8; Ja 1) (sitting with grief in God s presence)
(4) Intimacy: Sacrifice People of depth sacrifice for God out of a heart full of love. (Luke 11:13 in context) There is a price to intimacy. God honors sacrifice. He is a God who sacrificed His Son for us, and He honors those who sacrifice for love of Him. (e.g., fasting; watching; retreats)
How to keep your soul fresh: Practice vital union disciplines. Make time with God a non-negotiable in your life. (Mark 1:32-39, v35) Learn which disciplines feed your soul. (e.g., worship, confession, listening, praying Scripture) Practice sacrifice (watch; fast; retreat) (Jen worship & gardening)
How to keep your soul fresh: Practice vital union disciplines. Know your rhythm. (pour out; pour in) (adjusting my rhythm) Practice Sabbath. (Day off; study break; spiritual retreats monastery; 10 minute retreats)
How to keep your soul fresh: Making the most of a spiritual retreat: What to bring? (Bible, journal, worship, spiritual reading classics) I bring things that feed & cultivate my desire for God. (Psalm 63) You may want to bring people (great discipleship tool; helps some extroverts dozens joined me) Remove distractions (phones, computers, etc.)
How to keep your soul fresh: Making the most of a spiritual retreat: What to do? Block out time for worship, surrender, confession. Seek his face, not just his hands. (the heart) Practice silence, solitude, sacrifice.
How to keep your soul fresh: Making the most of a spiritual retreat: What to do? Ask God for His agenda. Lay aside your agenda (e.g., Holy Spirit weekends) You can bring a series of questions that you would like God to answer; spend time listening. Cultivate His Presence.
How to keep your soul fresh: Practice vital union disciplines. Know your rhythm. (pour out; pour in) (adjusting your rhythm) Practice Sabbath. (Day off; study break; spiritual retreats) Be a continual learner. (e.g., conferences; reading, intentional mentoring, etc.)
How to keep your soul fresh: Keep healthy relationships. Relationships free from junk (Romans 12:18). Relationships that replenish (Onesiphorus, 2 Tim. 1:16) (Rich). Some people drain, some people fill. Schedule time with people that fill.
How to keep your soul fresh: Monitor your spiritual gauges. Compassion gauge (1 John 4:7) (gift of tears) Brokenness gauge (Isaiah 57:15) Peace gauge (Colossians 3:15) Passion (Rev. 2 Ephesus lost her first love) Listening (John 10:27; John 14-16)
How to keep your soul fresh: Practice vital union disciplines. Know your rhythm. Practice Sabbath. Be a continual learner. Keep healthy relationships Monitor your spiritual gauges
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: (My journey read your Bible, pray; discovered worship fed my soul) (Ps 100) Praise and thanksgiving are of ultimate value to our spiritual vitality. God doesn t ask us to praise Him, and thank Him because He is selfserving, nor because he is trying to teach us good manners. It is one of the most important pathways to our spiritual renewal.
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21, Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit s fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject whatever is harmful. (realized these were connected thoughts)
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: Rejoice always Expressing joy, celebrating, giving God praise, is easy to do when life is going our way. But, Paul tells us to rejoice... Always. Did he mean it? (Jesus; Acts 5) Acts 5:41, The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. (Paul prison)
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: Rejoice always How were they able to rejoice in the face of hardships? How can we? Deeply personalize our identity in Christ. You are loved by your Father in Heaven. Know that God is good all the time. He can be trusted. Don t take offense when hardship comes. (Aslan winter was passing, spring was coming - joy)
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: Rejoice always. Pray continually. Paul tells us to continually turn our eyes back to Jesus. Continually turn your affections back to Jesus. Continually refocus on Jesus. Continually turn back to His presence. (ipod; Jesus prayer; Hour of Prayer; sit in his presence periodically)
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus. Paul raises the bar high! Here is the will of God for your life. How do we live like this? Thanksgiving flows from grace. (charis grace; eucharist; charismata) Praise & thanksgiving can lead us to renewal. (marriage struggles thank me)
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: How does praise & thanksgiving keep the Spirit s fire lit? (fire have to keep feeding it to keep it burning) God s fire is self-sustaining. (Moses burning bush; Acts tongues of fire) (I AM). We need God s presence. When we worship & give thanks we enter His presence (Ps 100). He is the fire. He fuels our fire. When we stop worship, & thanks the fire goes out.
Chasing God Passion Vital Union Brokenness Stage One: Revival
Chasing God Passion Vital Union Brokenness Stage One: Revival Wandering Idolatry Disappointment with God Stage Two: Spiritual Decline Comfort sin patterns Callous heart
Chasing God Passion Vital Union Brokenness Stage One: Revival Wandering Idolatry Disappointment with God Stage Two: Spiritual Decline Comfort sin patterns Callous heart Stage Three: Burnout Bondage Hardened Heart Rebellion Religious Spirit Pharisaical Traits
Chasing God Passion Vital Union Brokenness Stage One: Revival Wandering Idolatry Disappointment with God Stage Two: Comfort sin Spiritual patterns Decline Callous heart Re-engaging Stage Four: Softening of Renewal the heart Energy Restored Positive Outlook Burnout Stage Three: Hardened Heart Bondage Rebellion Religious Spirit Pharisaical Traits
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: But, what about your darkest days? Praise isn t always easy to choose. What about when your mood is dark, your feelings are sad, depressed, lonely, discouraged how do you praise then? How do you overcome the darkness? (last few years 300 people left; attacked; kid struggles) There are two times to worship when you feel like it, and when you don t. Especially when you don t. The intensity of our worship needs to match the darkness of our hour.
Praise & the Cycle of Renewal: Keep things fresh in worship. God is good. Not everything that comes into our life is good. (Romans 8:28f) Whatever touches Jesus on the cross, can be redeemed for good in our life (Is 53). I don t feel like it Acknowledge the condition of your heart, but don t let it stop you. (sitting in His presence in worship) Adopt a no grumbling policy. (Phil 2:14) Adopt this pattern (Ps 73): Remember Praise Appeal (versus Remember Lament Grumble)
Intimacy: The gap we have a gap between what we know to be true & what we actually believe. (e.g., healing & deliverance; know Jesus is exalted over sickness) We have to expand the umbrella of authority. Relentlessly stubborn at going after it. Fast & Pray (Acts 9 Peter & Dorcas; he prays. But doesn t pray for her.) (Mt. 17 they couldn t cast out demons) Add other people to the prayer & fasting team. (combining umbrellas)
Intimacy: If we are going to expand the umbrella of our spiritual authority we must develop our gifts, hear God s voice for our ministry assignments, grow in wisdom, and we must cultivate depth of soul and intimacy with God. We must continually pursue more of God s presence in our lives. We need fresh encounters with God, fresh baptisms, fresh anointing.