Awakening Faith: Prioritizing God's Will and Responsibility
Summary
The sermon delivered by the pastor at Waymark Church was a powerful discourse on the importance of spiritual awakening, prioritizing God's will, and the role of responsibility in exercising our rights. The pastor began by sharing a personal story about a man named James Richardson who, after a profound conversation about faith, decided to surrender his life to Christ and be baptized. The pastor used this story to emphasize the significance of public profession of faith and obedience to the Word of God.
The pastor then directed the congregation to the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 31, to discuss the biblical meaning of a spiritual awakening. He expressed a desire for such an awakening to occur not only in the church but also in schools, local and state government, and the nation as a whole. The pastor emphasized the importance of preparation, cleaning out the "crap" in our lives, and the power of prayer in communing with God and effecting change. He urged the congregation to be a church that prays and emphasized the honor and privilege of participating in shaping history through prayer.
The pastor also addressed the need for a larger space at Waymark Church to accommodate the growing number of attendees. He referenced the story of Elisha and the widow to emphasize that when our faith is limited by the size of our container, the flow of blessings will be limited as well. The pastor announced plans to expand the church building and encouraged the congregation to support this expansion. He emphasized that God desires our hearts and obedience more than our money, and that spiritual awakening begins with a generous heart and a willingness to serve.
The pastor then focused on the importance of faith accompanied by action. He referenced a biblical figure named Hasaiah who obediently followed God's will and led his nation to spiritual awakening and revival. The pastor encouraged the congregation to be excited about the potential for God to do something big in their lives and to prioritize their actions accordingly. He shared personal stories from his past, acknowledging that his priorities were once out of order, but emphasized that in each of those moments, he was at the pinnacle of where he needed to be to accomplish his goals.
Finally, the pastor emphasized the importance of having our priorities in order according to the word of God rather than the world. He expressed concern about the influence of social media and television shows that promote worldly values, urging the congregation to prioritize worshiping God with all their heart, soul, and mind. He outlined a process for studying God's Word, which includes hearing and being inspired by the Word, meditating on it, making a decision to move forward, and progressing with determination.
Key Takeaways:
- Spiritual awakening requires a heart of preparation, prayer, and understanding. It often occurs in response to challenging circumstances and requires us to clean out the "crap" in our lives. It is a process that involves surrendering our lives to Christ, making a public profession of faith, and being obedient to the Word of God. ([12:45])
- The size of our faith container can limit the flow of blessings. When we limit our faith, we limit the blessings that can flow into our lives. The pastor used the story of Elisha and the widow to illustrate this point and emphasized the need for a larger space at Waymark Church to accommodate the growing number of attendees. ([22:30])
- Faith must be accompanied by action. The pastor referenced the biblical figure Hasaiah who obediently followed God's will and led his nation to spiritual awakening and revival. He encouraged the congregation to prioritize their actions according to God's will and shared personal stories from his past to illustrate this point. ([34:15])
- Our priorities should align with the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives. The pastor emphasized the importance of prioritizing worshiping God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and expressed concern about the influence of social media and television shows that promote worldly values. He outlined a process for studying God's Word and emphasized the need to shift our focus from the world to the Word. ([45:50])
- Responsibility is crucial in exercising our rights. The pastor used examples such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and the right to a speedy trial to illustrate this point. He argued that we should view these rights as responsibilities, understanding that our words and actions have consequences. He also highlighted the ninth amendment and asserted that our country was founded on the word of God and the principle of responsibility. ([58:30])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Romans 10:9 - "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
2. Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
3. 2 Chronicles 31:2 - "Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling."
Observation Questions:
1. In Romans 10:9, what are the two actions that are required for salvation?
2. What does Matthew 6:33 suggest about the order of our priorities?
3. What roles and responsibilities are assigned to the priests and Levites in 2 Chronicles 31:2?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the declaration of faith in Romans 10:9 relate to the public profession of faith?
2. How does seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, as mentioned in Matthew 6:33, align with the concept of spiritual awakening?
3. In 2 Chronicles 31:2, how do the duties of the priests and Levites reflect our own responsibilities in our spiritual journey?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on Romans 10:9, how can you make a more public profession of your faith in your daily life?
2. Considering Matthew 6:33, what is one area of your life where you can better prioritize God's kingdom and righteousness this week?
3. Based on 2 Chronicles 31:2, what is one specific way you can serve or give thanks in your community this week?
4. How can you clean out the "crap" in your life to prepare for a spiritual awakening?
5. Can you identify a specific action you can take this week to demonstrate your faith, inspired by the story of Hasaiah?
Devotional
Day 1: Preparation and Prayer for Spiritual Awakening
Spiritual awakening is a transformative process that requires a heart of preparation, prayer, and understanding. It often occurs in response to challenging circumstances and requires us to clean out the "crap" in our lives. This process involves surrendering our lives to Christ, making a public profession of faith, and being obedient to the Word of God. ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK2EsSnXvTw&t=750s))
Ezekiel 36:26 - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Reflection: What are some areas in your life that need a spiritual awakening? What steps can you take today to prepare your heart for this transformation?
Day 2: Expanding Our Faith Container
The size of our faith container can limit the flow of blessings. When we limit our faith, we limit the blessings that can flow into our lives. It's important to expand our faith container to accommodate the growing number of blessings God has in store for us. ([22:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK2EsSnXvTw&t=1335s))
2 Kings 4:3 - "Then he said, 'Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few.'"
Reflection: How can you expand your faith container today? What are some ways you can make room for more of God's blessings in your life?
Day 3: Faith in Action
Faith must be accompanied by action. It's not enough to simply believe; we must also act in obedience to God's will. This involves prioritizing our actions according to God's will and being excited about the potential for God to do something big in our lives. ([34:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK2EsSnXvTw&t=2040s))
James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Reflection: What is one specific action you can take today to demonstrate your faith? How can this action align with God's will for your life?
Day 4: Prioritizing God Over the World
Our priorities should align with the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives. This means prioritizing worshiping God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and shifting our focus from the world to the Word. ([45:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK2EsSnXvTw&t=2735s))
Colossians 3:2 - "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Reflection: What are some worldly distractions that are currently taking precedence over God in your life? How can you shift your focus back to God and His Word?
Day 5: Responsibility in Exercising Our Rights
Responsibility is crucial in exercising our rights. We should view these rights as responsibilities, understanding that our words and actions have consequences. This involves recognizing that our country was founded on the word of God and the principle of responsibility. ([58:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK2EsSnXvTw&t=3495s))
Galatians 6:5 - "For each one should carry their own load."
Reflection: What is one right you have that you can exercise more responsibly? How can you use this right to honor God and serve others?
Quotes
1. "Without responsibility, there is no freedom. Without responsibility, there are no rights." [01:17:05]
2. "Now we know that faith without works is dead right? So we're going to look at the action of faith that God is requiring of you and I today." [37:32]
3. "I want to encourage each of you not only to get our priorities in order but to understand what our priorities are to be according to the word of God and not the world." [47:19]
4. "A spiritual awakening begins when we take our focus off of the world and place our focus on the Word. That's the epitome of progressing in our biblical priorities." [48:41]
5. "When our faith is limited by the amount of containers that we have for the power of the Holy Spirit to come in, the oil is going to shut off." [01:02:12]
6. "God don't want your money. He wants your heart. He wants your obedience." [01:03:41]
7. "A spiritual awakening requires a heart of preparation, a heart of prayer and a heart that understands priorities. You can prepare yourself and you can pray, but if you don't move forward in what God is telling you to do, everything that you do is in vain, because we know faith without works is dead." [51:29]
8. "Have you prepared your hearts for spiritual awakening? Have you taken out the garbage, have you cleaned up the junk? It's a lot of junk to clean up, but God can take it away." [01:24:08]
9. "Our number one priority should always, always, always, always be following the Lordship of Jesus Christ, submitting to His ways and seeking His direction first." [53:42]
10. "A spiritual awakening will continue to progress when we begin to prioritize generosity." [58:28]
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