Amen?
Also, you may have noticed Gillian, Trish, Zach, Aaron, Megan, Nick, and my wife Christy circulating around. I asked them to minister to you during the service as Holy Spirit leads them. They are there to bless, to encourage, and to speak with clarity into your life. There will also be time at the
end to take advantage of them.
***
Thrive
Introduction
The elders asked me to speak on “thrive.” David has done a good job addressing the aspects of our lives where we want to thrive, like in our work and in our rest. What I especially like is that these are not supernatural activities, but they do have supernatural impact. The daily grind may not be glorious manifestations of the Spirit, but thriving in these routine things can change our own attitudes, and impact the people around us.
So thriving is day to day average stuff. You can thrive in the triumphs and trials of life, but especially you can thrive in your faith, in your church, and in your relationships.
The dictionary definition of thrive:
1. to grow vigorously: FLOURISH
2. to gain in wealth or possessions: PROSPER
3. to PROGRESS toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.
Would you like to flourish in doing God’s purpose? Would you like to prosper in a way that increases the Kingdom of God? Are you willing to progress toward the goal to win the prize, no matter your circumstances?
And, would you like our church to thrive in this way?
My definition of thriving would be
1. Living in the spiritual blessings of Christ.
2. Living with the continual filling of His Holy Spirit
3. Living a life of obedience, contentment, and in the peace of God.
4. Living a life pursuing the call God has placed on my life.
So, to thrive is to live according to Father’s purpose, to bear fruit, and to exhibit the evidence of God in our lives. To thrive is to lay up treasure in heaven. To thrive is to have unshakable faith in the word of God no matter the how bad or good things are going. To thrive is to be the church.
***
Biblical Thriving
There is a Hebrew word rabah, it has a broad meaning, and it occurs 230 times in the OT. It means abundance, enlarge, excel, exceedingly full of, be great, grow up, increase, many, more, greater, multiply, nourish, plenty.
Here are some other examples of rabah in various contexts:
Ps. 18:35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.
Pr. 28:28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
Ps. 71:21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
Ps. 130:7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
4. Living a life pursuing the call God has placed on my life.
So, to thrive is to live according to Father’s purpose, to bear fruit, and to exhibit the evidence of God in our lives. To thrive is to lay up treasure in heaven. To thrive is to have unshakable faith in the word of God no matter the how bad or good things are going. To thrive is to be the church.
***
Biblical Thriving
There is a Hebrew word rabah, it has a broad meaning, and it occurs 230 times in the OT. It means abundance, enlarge, excel, exceedingly full of, be great, grow up, increase, many, more, greater, multiply, nourish, plenty.
Here are some other examples of rabah in various contexts:
Ps. 18:35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.
Pr. 28:28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
Ps. 71:21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
Ps. 130:7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
Pr. 9:10-11 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
Is. 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Whether it’s increase in honor, full redemption, many years of life, righteousness, or being freely pardoned, this is thriving. When you got saved, you got rabah. When you raise your children well and they end up becoming evangelists or maybe they become people of character and faith, you got rabah. Your job promotion is rabah. Every additional day you live on this earth is rabah.
It’s a magnitude of blessing and increase and fruitfulness and righteousness, a supernatural outpouring of more, and more, and more.
Ep. 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Notice this is past tense. This is already you if you’re saved. This is your inheritance as a co-heir with Christ. Spiritual blessings of every kind. Perhaps it’s wealth and position, but it’s more like eternal things. It could be more money, but I think it’s more and more Holy Spirit. Maybe it’s a nicer car, but I would rather bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Would you like this kind of thriving? Can you imagine the kind of thriving that means exceedingly more? We haven’t even scratched the surface of this in our experience. We have no framework to understand the fullness of what God intends for His people.
Say this with me: Father, I want to thrive… in every spiritual blessing.
But I believe we will. I believe this church will know and live this thriving. If we are willing to do what it takes to pursue it.
***
Thriving in Purpose
So when I say thrive, it means each of us, and us as a church, being centered in God’s will, purpose, and desire. The way we live our lives ought to imitate God. It’s what Jesus did:
Jn. 5:19 I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Col. 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
We can do nothing without God. This means we need to see what Father is doing so we can do what Father is doing. To me, that’s what it means to thrive. Thriving is living a life attentive to the glory of God. Thriving is ordering our lives, or rather, allowing Holy Spirit to order our lives so that the glory of God is revealed in us.
This is the ministry of Holy Spirit. He is the source of strength, wisdom, insight, blessing, correction, and victory in our lives. There is something holy about living a life focused on showing the goodness of God in even the most mundane, basic things. We can worship Him mowing the lawn. We can praise him while laughing with our friends. We can glorify Him while we are filling out our taxes. We glorify him in trouble and glorify him in blessing.
***
Thriving in Shalom
David talked about rest last week. We certainly need down time. But the rest Father wants for us is a spiritual state of being. It is Shalom.
Shalom is an interesting word. We translate it as “peace,” but like rabah it’s a much larger word. It means, completeness in number, safety, soundness, welfare, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquility, contentment, security.
That is, shalom is being settled in your place, possessing every confidence and assurance that calms the soul and orders the mind and spirit according to God’s desire.
Ps. 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Ro. 8:6 The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace…
The wind and waves cannot trouble the soul of the one who dwells in the shalom of God. The lure of sin cannot impact the mind of the one whose portion is the shalom of God. The world and its desires hold no sway for the person who makes his dwelling place the shalom of God.
This has everything to do with God’s order. In Genesis it says the earth was formless, which means, confusion, unreality, emptiness. God spoke and brought order to chaos. The power of His Word created all things. He is the God of perfect order.
If your life seems to be in chaos all the time, if you’re living from crisis to crisis, when it seems like things are finally getting on track and something always comes along to mess it up, if you’re going from one sickness to another, one emotional breakdown to another, then you need the order of God.
But, if your soul is quiet, your mind is renewed and transformed, and your spirit is conformed to the Spirit of God, you will have shalom. You will thrive in every spiritual blessing and every life situation.
1 Corinthians 14: 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
Say this with me: I want the order of Holy Spirit… in my life.
It is the ministry of the Spirit to so ground us in our identity that we have shalom in every circumstance. The winds of doctrine and the storms of life do not knock us off step. Because of shalom, our faith will grow and mature to the point that neither worldly pleasure nor spiritual opposition will divert us from the prize.
***
Thriving in Holy Spirit
Ga. 5:16, 25 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
A life of obedience comes from aligning ourselves with Holy Spirit and walking with him. We will thrive when we get in step with Him, because our Old Man, the fleshly nature, will get starved and whither away. Our minds are transformed, renewed and rewired by Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit will also change our relationships, our ministries, and, our church and community.
If your connection with Holy Spirit is thriving, you will thrive. You will trust in the Lord and not be shaken.
This is the ministry of the Spirit.
***
On Earth as it is in Heaven
I had a vision in May. I really did. I don’t have time to tell the whole thing, but I do want to mention a couple of things. It was a throne-room experience. I found myself in the great hall of God in the weight of His glory.
And, it was intense.
The main thing I want to tell you is that in the presence of God I realized I knew everything, even as I was fully known. I no longer was seeing through the glass darkly. I knew and spoke every language, I knew every person, I knew their stories, I knew their faces.
Remember that Paul told the Corinthian church in chapter 13 that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge would pass away?
1Co. 13:8-12 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears….
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Paul says this would happen when “perfection” comes. I believe that this “perfection” is the people of God in heaven. That’s when the imperfect disappears. We know fully, even as we are fully known.
There is no more need of prophecy in the fullness of the presence of God. Tongues aren’t needed, because there we can speak the language of men and angels. Knowledge is fully revealed. In the throne room we see face to face.
My takeaway from this revelation is that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge are mere shadows of the heavenly reality. Their expression here on earth is only in part, a poor reflection. This does not mean we have to accept things the way they are. This is important. I think Father wants to increase in us the spiritual gifts. Thriving includes the increase, the multiplication of, the abundance of the Spiritual gifts.
That is, the heavenly reality would increase in our church:
On earth as it is in heaven…
The kingdom of heaven needs to come on earth even more. According to Jesus, we should be praying for it. This kind of praying has a lot of spiritual power. Earth must become more like the heavenly reality. Heavenly things increase here. That includes thriving in the spiritual gifts.
***
Thriving in the Church
Our doctrinal statement is right there on our website. It says, "We believe in the person and work of the Holy Spirit with His gifts available in the church today." This is what our church believes.
So, we need to understand, embrace, and properly express the spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts are some of the primary tools Father gives us to carry out the ministry of the Spirit.
I‘m not even sure I like the phrase “spiritual gifts,” because that’s not what they really are. The word “gift” implies something nice given to us because we’re special. But in reality, the spiritual gifts are something nice given to us because Father is special. The gifts point to Father, not us.
Definition: Strong’s exhaustive concordance defines the word “Gift:” (χάρισμα, charisma), extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by
the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, the spiritual gifts are an endowment of spiritual abilities given by Holy Spirit in a way that is consistent with His character. The spiritual gifts reveal God. In the gathering of the saints, the primary purpose of the spiritual gifts is to build up and encourage each other. The spiritual gifts should operate
It is the ministry of the Spirit to so ground us in our identity that we have shalom in every circumstance. The winds of doctrine and the storms of life do not knock us off step. Because of shalom, our faith will grow and mature to the point that neither worldly pleasure nor spiritual opposition will divert us from the prize.
***
Thriving in Holy Spirit
Ga. 5:16, 25 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
A life of obedience comes from aligning ourselves with Holy Spirit and walking with him. We will thrive when we get in step with Him, because our Old Man, the fleshly nature, will get starved and whither away. Our minds are transformed, renewed and rewired by Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit will also change our relationships, our ministries, and, our church and community.
If your connection with Holy Spirit is thriving, you will thrive. You will trust in the Lord and not be shaken.
This is the ministry of the Spirit.
***
On Earth as it is in Heaven
I had a vision in May. I really did. I don’t have time to tell the whole thing, but I do want to mention a couple of things. It was a throne-room experience. I found myself in the great hall of God in the weight of His glory.
And, it was intense.
The main thing I want to tell you is that in the presence of God I realized I knew everything, even as I was fully known. I no longer was seeing through the glass darkly. I knew and spoke every language, I knew every person, I knew their stories, I knew their faces.
Remember that Paul told the Corinthian church in chapter 13 that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge would pass away?
1Co. 13:8-12 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears….
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Paul says this would happen when “perfection” comes. I believe that this “perfection” is the people of God in heaven. That’s when the imperfect disappears. We know fully, even as we are fully known.
There is no more need of prophecy in the fullness of the presence of God. Tongues aren’t needed, because there we can speak the language of men and angels. Knowledge is fully revealed. In the throne room we see face to face.
My takeaway from this revelation is that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge are mere shadows of the heavenly reality. Their expression here on earth is only in part, a poor reflection. This does not mean we have to accept things the way they are. This is important. I think Father wants to increase in us the spiritual gifts. Thriving includes the increase, the multiplication of, the abundance of the Spiritual gifts.
That is, the heavenly reality would increase in our church:
On earth as it is in heaven…
The kingdom of heaven needs to come on earth even more. According to Jesus, we should be praying for it. This kind of praying has a lot of spiritual power. Earth must become more like the heavenly reality. Heavenly things increase here. That includes thriving in the spiritual gifts.
***
Thriving in the Church
Our doctrinal statement is right there on our website. It says, "We believe in the person and work of the Holy Spirit with His gifts available in the church today." This is what our church believes.
So, we need to understand, embrace, and properly express the spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts are some of the primary tools Father gives us to carry out the ministry of the Spirit.
I‘m not even sure I like the phrase “spiritual gifts,” because that’s not what they really are. The word “gift” implies something nice given to us because we’re special. But in reality, the spiritual gifts are something nice given to us because Father is special. The gifts point to Father, not us.
Definition: Strong’s exhaustive concordance defines the word “Gift:” (χάρισμα, charisma), extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by
the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, the spiritual gifts are an endowment of spiritual abilities given by Holy Spirit in a way that is consistent with His character. The spiritual gifts reveal God. In the gathering of the saints, the primary purpose of the spiritual gifts is to build up and encourage each other. The spiritual gifts should operate
- in seamless and powerful ministry among all the people according to Father’s desire
- by the empowering of Holy Spirit
- to bring hope, understanding, maturity, and destiny to the church and its people.
Your Gifts aren’t For You.
1Pe. 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
You are to faithfully administer varieties of grace via your spiritual gifts. You have a calling in this local Body to use what God has given you. I think this is crucial for our church. This is serious stuff. I think God is calling us up to a new level of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is a call to maturity, brothers and sisters. We are being asked to step up. Everyone.
***
Here’s a list of spiritual gifts:
Practical Gifts
- Hospitality
- Serving
- Teaching
- Encouraging
- Giving to the needs of others
- Leadership
- Mercy
They are “practical.” But though they are practical they are still supernaturally endowed. If you are a person who serves, you have a gift. If you have mercy, you have a gift. Encouragers are gifted. All spiritual gifts are supernatural.
"Supernatural" gifts:
These gifts are maybe more spectacular in their expression:
- Prophecy
- Message of wisdom
- Message of knowledge
- Miraculous powers
- Distinguishing between spirits
- Speaking in tongues
- Interpretation of tongues
- Gifts of healing
I don’t want you to make that mistake.
***
Maturity in the Ministry to the Body
Giftedness does not mean maturity. That’s why we must work to hone and foster our character as we work to hone and foster our spiritual gifts. Paul commands us to earnestly desire the greater gifts. This is the practice of the mature Christian and mature church.
It takes a mature church to operate in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Father wants mature people of faith ministering in their gifts. The Bible says
1 Co. 14:26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
The Corinthian church had some real problems. Yet Paul tells them that everyone contributes to the building up of the church, including their supernatural gifts. And it must be done, he says.
Part of my intent with this is to model a church gathering here we are all contributors.
So, does anyone have a message of encouragement? Not for a specific person, but for all of us?
Does someone have a short testimony of God’s goodness in your life?
I asked for someone to open with prayer because there are many people here who can pray powerfully. I asked for someone to give a message of encouragement because there are many here who know Father’s heart for this church. I asked for testimonies because Father is moving among us and He deserves the glory.
Some of us might think that only the leaders or the professionals should do all the spiritual stuff. They are the ones to go to. They have the titles, so only they have the answers. Of course, none of this is true.
I’m glad for our godly leadership and their many talents and their servant’s hearts, but I want to remind you that you also have the Spirit of God in you, if you have been saved. God has placed things in you, and you have a kingdom job to do.
Let’s do what Scripture commands, in the context of wisdom and spiritual maturity. Let’s be prepared as mature people of faith for mature things. That means
***
This Changes Things
I asked for someone to open with prayer because there are many people here who can pray powerfully. I asked for someone to give a message of encouragement because there are many here who know Father’s heart for this church. I asked for testimonies because Father is moving among us and He deserves the glory.
Some of us might think that only the leaders or the professionals should do all the spiritual stuff. They are the ones to go to. They have the titles, so only they have the answers. Of course, none of this is true.
I’m glad for our godly leadership and their many talents and their servant’s hearts, but I want to remind you that you also have the Spirit of God in you, if you have been saved. God has placed things in you, and you have a kingdom job to do.
Let’s do what Scripture commands, in the context of wisdom and spiritual maturity. Let’s be prepared as mature people of faith for mature things. That means
- The prophetic is not to be filtered, it is to be weighed.
- We don’t need to be protected from false prophecy, we need to be taught discernment.
- We don’t need to be shielded from a mistaken word of knowledge, we need to be exposed to it and judge it.
- We don’t need to wonder about the truth of a word of wisdom, we need be able to evaluate it.
- We don’t need to fear or avoid tongues, we need to be able to interpret them.
***
This Changes Things
I wonder if you’re starting to see how all this changes our understanding about relationships, church, and how we live out our faith.
“Permission Granted to do Church Differently in the 21st Century.” - Gary Goodell
***
Conclusion – Vision
My purpose today has been to encourage you to begin to engage in an earnest pursuit so that you would thrive, and this church would thrive. I said before that we want to allow Holy Spirit to arrange our lives so that the glory of God is revealed in us. To keep in step with the Spirit. Shalom. The Spiritual Gifts. Maturity of faith.
I want you to obtain everything Father has purposed for you in Christ. I want to somehow build your faith and maturity in a way that allows you to find your God-ordained place in the kingdom of God. I want to fan into flame Holy Spirit within you. I want you to move from being a spectator to being a minister of the grace deposited in you.
As I said, this is very serious. Critical. We can’t coast, we can’t be ambivalent. We need to grow up and walk in the power and wisdom of God. We’ve been content with spoonfed milk for too long, it’s time for some of us to move on to the meat. Sink your teeth into a nice, big, juicy ribeye of faith, and start thriving.
We can be this kind of church. I think the elders are moving us in that direction. It has to happen, in fact.
I want to remind you about Gillian, Trish, Zach, Aaron, Megan, Nick, and my wife Christy. They are the prayer team today. They are available for you now. You don’t have to go up to the front. If one of these people asks to pray for you, please say yes. If you see someone that you want to talk to or have them pray for you, go ahead and seek them out.
This is your opportunity to receive impartation, like increased faith, a spiritual gift, or maybe healing. Or, if you realize that you have been wandering away from God, or have never even believed, now’s the time to get right with Him. Or if there’s chaos in your life.
The Bible says that in order to be forgiven of your sins, you need to repent (forsake, turn away) from your sin, and put your faith in God (agree, turn toward, embrace wholeheartedly). The Bible says Father sent His son Jesus as the perfect sacrifice that washes away all guilt for those who believe. This can be you, today. Repent and believe.
So. Our church has a future in Christ. It’s something Father is building for His glory. I believe He wants to move in us in power. He wants to add daily to those who are being saved.
He wants to increase in us. He wants us to heal. And preach the Gospel. He wants us to comfort those who mourn. Feed the hungry. Care for the widow and the orphan. Remember the poor.
He will make all this happen, if we are willing. What do you say, church?
- Our relationships change from what can be gained to what can be given.
- Our church changes from singing and a lecture to a family gathering.
- Our faith changes from a duty or routine to a power infused, grace-infused, purpose-infused ministry.
- We look for opportunities to bless and build up, to heal, to restore, and to encourage.
- We worship as the power of God touches peoples’ lives in salvation, deliverance, and reconciliation.
- We see the value in people from Father’s viewpoint rather than what someone can do for us.
- We get vision that takes us up and up and up, and our desire then is to look around for others and say, “let’s go up. Come with me.”
“Permission Granted to do Church Differently in the 21st Century.” - Gary Goodell
***
Conclusion – Vision
My purpose today has been to encourage you to begin to engage in an earnest pursuit so that you would thrive, and this church would thrive. I said before that we want to allow Holy Spirit to arrange our lives so that the glory of God is revealed in us. To keep in step with the Spirit. Shalom. The Spiritual Gifts. Maturity of faith.
I want you to obtain everything Father has purposed for you in Christ. I want to somehow build your faith and maturity in a way that allows you to find your God-ordained place in the kingdom of God. I want to fan into flame Holy Spirit within you. I want you to move from being a spectator to being a minister of the grace deposited in you.
As I said, this is very serious. Critical. We can’t coast, we can’t be ambivalent. We need to grow up and walk in the power and wisdom of God. We’ve been content with spoonfed milk for too long, it’s time for some of us to move on to the meat. Sink your teeth into a nice, big, juicy ribeye of faith, and start thriving.
We can be this kind of church. I think the elders are moving us in that direction. It has to happen, in fact.
I want to remind you about Gillian, Trish, Zach, Aaron, Megan, Nick, and my wife Christy. They are the prayer team today. They are available for you now. You don’t have to go up to the front. If one of these people asks to pray for you, please say yes. If you see someone that you want to talk to or have them pray for you, go ahead and seek them out.
This is your opportunity to receive impartation, like increased faith, a spiritual gift, or maybe healing. Or, if you realize that you have been wandering away from God, or have never even believed, now’s the time to get right with Him. Or if there’s chaos in your life.
The Bible says that in order to be forgiven of your sins, you need to repent (forsake, turn away) from your sin, and put your faith in God (agree, turn toward, embrace wholeheartedly). The Bible says Father sent His son Jesus as the perfect sacrifice that washes away all guilt for those who believe. This can be you, today. Repent and believe.
So. Our church has a future in Christ. It’s something Father is building for His glory. I believe He wants to move in us in power. He wants to add daily to those who are being saved.
He wants to increase in us. He wants us to heal. And preach the Gospel. He wants us to comfort those who mourn. Feed the hungry. Care for the widow and the orphan. Remember the poor.
He will make all this happen, if we are willing. What do you say, church?
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