Awakening Faith: Prioritizing God's Will and Responsibility

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?

Sermon 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

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Sermon Clips

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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