EPHESIANS 4:11-12
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-26
2 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Acts 2.0 Can It Happen Again?
“Mankind cannot send the wind of revival – all mankind can do is set the sales of their ship so when the wind comes, they are ready to go. ” – Rick Warren
Not Without Vision!
“ALL THE BELIEVERS were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” ACTS 2:44-47
Not Without Faith
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” HEBREWS 11:6
3 TYPES OF FAITH
- Saving Faith
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ROMANS 5:1
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” EPHESIANS 2:8
2. Doctrinal Faith
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” JUDE 1:3 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” 1 CORINTHIANS 16:13
3. Practical Faith
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” HEBREWS 10:35-36
JESUS on FAITH
“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of LITTLE FAITH?” MATTHEW 6:30
“He replied, ‘You of LITTLE FAITH, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” MATTHEW 8:26
“You of LITTLE FAITH,” he said, “why did you doubt?” MATTHEW 14:31
“Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, ‘You of LITTLE FAITH, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?’” MATTHEW 16:18
He replied, “Because you have so LITTLE FAITH. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” MATTHEW 17:20
Jesus… marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” LUKE 7:9
CONDITIONAL FAITH
STAGNANT FAITH
SAFE FAITH
Three Life-Changing Commitments
Commitment #1 PUT GOD FIRST WITH MY TIME
A DAILY TIME WITH GOD
The Purpose:
“…Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” JAMES 4:8
The Practice:
“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
The Promise:
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners
take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who
meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which
yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” PS 1:1-3
The Power of Spending Time With God…
Reconnects you with God – JAMES 4:8
Rekindles your Hope – ISAIAH 6:1
Renews your Confidence – PS 34:4
Renews your Perspective – PS 73:16-17
Releases your Anxieties – 2 CHR 20:1, 12
Restores your Joy – NEHEMIAH 8:10 | PS 16:11
Commitment #2 PUT GOD FIRST WITH MY MONEY
A WEEKLY TITHE TO GOD
The Purpose:
“…where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” MATTHEW 6:21
The Practice:
“On the first day of every week, set aside some of what you have earned and give it as an
offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn.” 1 COR 16:2
The Promise:
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running
over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured
back to you.” LUKE 6:38
“I shovel it out, and God shovels it back—but God has a bigger shovel.”
– R. G. LETOURNEAU (who tithed 90% of his income to Christian causes and lived on 10%)
“A checkbook is a theological document. It tells who and what you worship.”
– BILLY GRAHAM
Commitment #3 PUT GOD FIRST WITH MY RELATIONSHIPS
BEING REGULARLY INVOLVED
IN FELLOWSHIP
THE POWER OF CONNECTING…
How Will Small Groups Equip Me For Life?
The Purpose:
“Let us not give up the habit of meeting together….Instead, let us ENCOURAGE each other…”
HEBREWS 10:25
The Practice:
“They met day after day in the temple courts and from house to house.” ACTS 5:4
The Promise:
“Two are better than one, because together they are more effective. If one falls down, the other
can help him up.” ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” PROVERBS 27:17
A GROWTH COVENANT
“…We are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing,
and our spiritual leaders are affixing their seals to it.”
NEHEMIAH 9:39
LUKE 19: 1-6
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
ROMANS 5: 1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
EPHESIANS 6:21-24
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
LUKE 10:38-42
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”
EPHESIANS 6:18-20
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
EPHESIANS 6:18-24
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. 21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. 23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
EPHESIANS 6:10-17
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when (not if) the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Winning Life’s Most Important Battles
1. Don’t be : I have an !
“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Ephesians 6:11
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10
Battle for
He said to the woman, “Did God really say…?’ Genesis 3:1
Battle for
“She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened Genesis 3:6-7
Battle for the
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Matthew 16:18
Battle for
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Romans 2:2
2. Don’t be !
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:11-12
His Tactics:
“…in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
2 Corinthians 2:11
He wants to…. You You You
The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin, God knows your sin but calls you by your name. – Ricardo Sanchez
3. You are not !
There are steps to !
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians. 6:13
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 5:6-7
Six Essential Parts of the Armor of GOD
#1 THE BELT OF TRUTH
Fight Deception With Truth
with the Belt Of Truth buckled around your waist,
WINNING SPIRITUAL VICTORIES
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32