All of my life I’ve heard the phrase, “Heads up” when being cautioned about a ball coming my way or something I needed to pay attention to from a higher perspective than I would naturally have. In this hour of the church I sense the Holy Spirit saying, “Heads Up Church!” We serve a significant role in what God is doing around us and if we neglect what He’s revealing the problems are far reaching. HEADS UP!
Psalm 24:7 So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you. The Passion Translation
HEADS UP! Your biggest battles will be internal, not external. If you can win on the inside, you'll win on the outside!
Being saved is one thing. Allowing the mind of Christ to dwell in your life, establish your thinking, and shape your destiny is another. We must be growing in God’s Word!
Leonard Ravenhill, “Five minutes inside eternity and we will wish that we had sacrificed more, wept more, grieved more, loved and prayed more, and given more.” HEADS UP!
Ravenhill also said, "The greatest tragedy ever, is a sick church in a dying world." HEADS UP!
You can think yourself down into depression. You can also think yourself up into gratitude. Your mind is a powerful gift from God so HEADS UP!
Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV
The attitude of your mind is an incredibly powerful tool. What consumes your mind will take control. What you think about matters so think about what you think about.
The devil doesn’t have to tie you up for you to be bound. He just has to fill your head with stress, worry, anger, unforgiveness, low self esteem, and he can make you physically sick if he can control your mind. HEADS UP!
You were born to be a gateway for the King! Faith, hope, and expectation should be your overall disposition. This kind of attitude is actually part of opening the gates so the Lord can invade your life.
Harvard produced research showing 85% of a person’s ability to get a promotion in the workplace has to do with attitude. HEADS UP! You are the gates! Renew your mind! Watch your attitude!
The University of Wisconsin reports how negativity makes you more prone to illness. The National Academy of Sciences also links "negative brain activity" to a weakened immune system. HEADS UP! You are the gates! Renew your mind! Stay positive!
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. NKJV
There is an abundance of research on how your attitude affects dating, personal finance, career and overall health and wellness. Perhaps this is why God’s Word has so much to say about renewing the mind, practicing positivity, giving thanks, etc.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (NAS)
Lift up your heads oh ye gates! Lift up your countenance in everything. Give thanks in every situation!
If you look carefully at Scripture you’ll see Jesus constantly looking up to heaven. Lazarus is dead and Jesus lifts His eyes before He prays. Five thousand people are hungry and Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven. Jesus demonstrated how to lift up your countenance and become the gate through which God’s Kingdom would invade the earth.
Your mind doesn’t automatically operate on the level of your anointing. HEADS UP!
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. KJV
At all times, we can offer short breath prayers of invitation to the Lord. I encourage you to consider practicing these throughout your day every day this week.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose some way to remind yourself daily to lift up your head and behold the eternal perspective of God.
OPEN THE GATES: HEADS UP
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
Psalm 24:7-9 So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you…Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in. (TPT)
We are the gates through which the King of glory enters into our world. During this season we are learning how we don’t wait for a move of God. We are the move of God to the world around us.
We bring God’s presence to real life in every realm of society and on every level of community.
As we move toward a more basic understanding of the message, mission, and ministry of Jesus we come to a clearer understanding that we were born to be a gateway for the King. This starts first in our own home!
God’s plan is for us to hear his voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with this first and
primary question for discussion.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
To lift up your heads is to lift up your countenance cultivating a disposition and perspective that would be
attractive to God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. Describe your attitude by sharing what you believe others observe who are around you fairly often.
3. When somebody is told to hold their head up high what does that usually mean?
A lifting of our countenance produces an attractive attitude that expresses confidence, character and joy. In addition to natural benefits there are supernatural benefits when we position ourselves to have an attitude of confidence spiritually.
Living in light of eternity changes what you are seeing!
Jesus demonstrated how to lift up your countenance and become the gate through which God’s Kingdom would transform the earth.
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. KJV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. What are some ways you can implement this week’s action point developing a stronger habit of lifting up your countenance to the Lord no matter what the circumstances may be?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose some way to remind yourself daily to lift up your head and behold the eternal perspective of God.
Conclude by taking a few moments in prayer together allowing everyone in your group to voice short prayers of praise and appreciation to the Lord. The hope is to initiate this as a daily practice in our personal lives throughout the week as well.