WE ARE THE GATES:
We want God to open the gates of heaven and pour out his blessing in our lives. A close examination of Scripture reveals something interesting. We are the gates!
Ps 24:7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! NAS
It’s up to us to open the gates so the King of glory may come into the lives of the people of the earth. Instead of asking for God to rain down from heaven on our lives we must understand that even in the natural rain never begins in the heavens. Rain evaporates from the earth and then comes down after it has gone up. It’s up to us to respond to God and release something in the earth!
2016 is a year that God is enriching the church and by doing so God is enriching the world. The word for this year is “ENRICHED!” The purpose of our being enriched by God is to enrich the lives of others.
2 Cor 9:11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. NIV
We are blessed and may we never forget that we are blessed so that we can be a blessing according to Genesis 12:2. When Christians cooperate with their assignment from God the world becomes a better place. This happens because we are the seed of Abraham, the expression of God’s blessing in the earth.
What are you going to do to purpose a year that is enriched by God?
What are you going to do to purpose a year that enriches others?
Pause here for a moment of prayerful reflection and think about what this looks like in your life.
Our GOD’S PRESENCE FOR REAL LIFE action point for this week is to make time to be enriched by God and purpose to enrich somebody else this week.
God has revealed this word of “Enriched” to us because He’s desiring to accomplish something specifically in our lives. When God reveals something we must understand he has equipped us for war. Don’t take a “wait and see” attitude that questions everything you hear from God as this is the opposite of faith. If what you’re seeing doesn’t line up with what God’s been saying then what you’re seeing is subject to change!
Paul told Timothy to take that which God spoke and use it as a weapon to fight! AND FIGHT!
1 Tim 1:18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight. NAS
The fortitude of your faith is measured by what it takes to discourage you.
What God says in his word and what He reveals in prayer will sustain you through any fight. You need to understand that your opinion about your situation matters! God asked Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” in Ezekiel 37.
When we make the time to stir our faith and renew our minds in places of God’s presence we become a weapon in the hand of God! We can forbid and permit on earth as it is in heaven according to Jesus’ own words!
Matt 16:17-18 …who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” NLT
There is something very forceful about this text. Your decisions affect more than just you! Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ and Jesus tells Peter that this was a revelation from heaven and , “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail” because of that which is revealed from our Father in heaven in our lives!
Paul clearly teaches the unbelieving spouse is sanctified through the believing spouse preserving the children in a marriage = 1 Cor 7:14. The believer in the family stands in the way of the enemy and becomes a gate through which God releases influence to cover and protect the children in that family!
YOU ARE THE GATES!
What are you going to do to purpose a year that is enriched by God?
What are you going to do to purpose a year that enriches others?
HOW TO WALK THIS OUT IN THE DESTINY FAMILY:
At Destiny we really are committed to raising up the giant killers of our generation but ultimately it is always up to you. You are the gate that either opens or closes to God’s influence in you and through your life.
January 17th we begin our 40 Day focus. We are asking everybody to get involved in a Community Group to grow deeper in the five core values God has revealed as priorities for us as a church family.
Anybody interested in becoming member of the Destiny family needs to walk through these core values with a Community Group to truly understand our assignment from God as a church family. Community Group leaders will have a card for those desiring to become part of the Destiny family with information about our Welcome To The Family meal at 6pm on Wednesday, Feb 17th.
That following Sunday at 5pm we begin eight weeks of Destiny Enrichment Courses for those who want to grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord. This eight week course does cost $20/person or $25/couple just to place a value on this commitment. All money will go to help support orphanages and missionaries we support around the world.
Ultimately anybody in our Destiny Family any length of time should grow to be OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING, PASSIONATELY PURSUING the Lord, IRRATIONALLY GIVING as a lifestyle, CONSISTENTLY SUBMITTING to God's plans and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLING others to do the same.