Be Made Whole

Devotional

Day 1: God Is Able to Do More Than We Ask or Think

God’s power at work within us is far greater than we can imagine, and He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think when we trust Him and align our desires with His will. When we pray for God to change our mindset or to make us able to serve His kingdom, He not only answers but exceeds our expectations, inviting us to believe that His plans for us are bigger than our own. As we go through challenges, we are called to remember that God’s ability is not limited by our circumstances or our own understanding, and He desires to do more in and through us than we could ever dream. [01:08:12]

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT):
"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have limited your expectations of what God can do? How can you invite Him today to do “infinitely more” in that area?

Day 2: Jesus Makes Us Whole—Not Just Forgiven

Salvation in Jesus is not just about the forgiveness of sins, but about being made whole—spirit, soul, and body—so that we can walk in freedom, healing, and purpose. Jesus came to set us free from everything that binds us, removing the root of sin and its effects, and empowering us to live as new creations who are no longer defined by our past or our brokenness. This wholeness is a gift of grace, and we are called to walk in it daily, knowing that the blood of Jesus has the power to make us complete and to restore every area of our lives. [01:35:20]

Matthew 1:21 (NKJV):
"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to experience Jesus’ wholeness today? What step can you take to invite Him into that place?

Day 3: Be Made Whole—Rise Up and Walk in Newness

Jesus not only forgives but commands us to rise up, leave behind our old ways, and walk in the wholeness He provides, empowering us to live free from the patterns of sin and defeat. Like the man at the pool who was healed after 38 years, we are given the ability to walk in newness of life, no longer bound by our past or by the limitations others have placed on us. Jesus’ call to “sin no more” is not a burden but an invitation to live in the reality of our healing, trusting that His power enables us to do what we could never do on our own. [01:47:17]

John 5:8-9, 14 (KJV):
"Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked... Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."

Reflection: What is one habit or mindset you need to “rise up” from today, trusting that Jesus has made you whole and given you the power to walk in freedom?

Day 4: Partake in the Divine Nature—Live by God’s Power

Through Christ, we are given exceedingly great and precious promises so that we may participate in God’s divine nature, escaping the corruption of the world and living empowered by His Spirit. This participation is not passive; it requires us to make every effort to add to our faith, to feed on God’s Word, and to sow seeds of righteousness, so that we walk in the fullness of what Christ has provided. The grace of God is not just for forgiveness, but for empowerment—to live out our calling, to overcome sin, and to reflect His character in every area of life. [02:01:08]

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV):
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

Reflection: What is one promise of God you need to “make every effort” to believe and act on today, so you can participate more fully in His divine nature?

Day 5: Renew Your Mind and Walk in Your New Identity

We are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, refusing to conform to the world’s patterns and instead embracing our new identity as new creations in Christ, empowered to live in wholeness and victory. This transformation happens as we daily choose to feed on God’s truth, confess our sins quickly, and view ourselves as united with Christ in both nature and purpose. As we get the order right—spirit first, then soul, then flesh—we walk in the peace, authority, and completeness that Jesus purchased for us, no longer defined by our past but by His finished work. [02:18:16]

Romans 12:2 (ESV):
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: What is one thought or belief you need to surrender to God today so that your mind can be renewed and you can walk more fully in your new identity in Christ?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered in a spirit of worship and warfare, declaring the name of Jesus over every darkness and fear. The heart of our time together centered on the truth that God is able—able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think, as Ephesians 3:20 proclaims. This is not just a promise for a select few or a certain generation, but for all who call on His name. We are called to believe this not only for others, but for ourselves: God’s power is at work within us, making us able to do what He has purposed for our lives, far beyond our own limitations or expectations.

We heard a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness and deliverance, reminding us that even when life seems to unravel—when accusations, loss, or injustice threaten to overwhelm—God is our vindicator and refuge. He is not only our healer but the one who makes us new, sometimes in ways we could never have imagined. The journey through trial is not evidence of God’s absence, but often the very place where He reveals His perfection and brings us to a deeper trust and dependence on Him.

The teaching today focused on the wholeness that Christ offers. Salvation is not merely the forgiveness of sins, but a complete rescue—spirit, soul, and body. Jesus came to make us whole, to set us free from the root of sin and all its effects: sickness, lack, oppression, and brokenness. The story of the man at the pool in John 5 illustrates this: Jesus didn’t just heal his body, but restored his entire being, commanding him to “sin no more” because true wholeness is possible in Him.

We are reminded that our wholeness is both a gift and a responsibility. Christ has made the garden of our lives new, but it is up to us to sow seeds of the Spirit, not the flesh. Our knowledge of who we are in Christ—our participation in His divine nature—empowers us to live free from sin and to walk in authority, healing, and provision. This requires effort, intentionality, and a daily feeding on God’s promises. The grace of God is not just for forgiveness, but for empowerment to live out our new identity. We are not merely imitators, but partakers of the divine nature, called to display His glory and set others free.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s ability to do “infinitely more than we might ask or think” is not just a distant hope, but a present reality for every believer. When we ask God to change us, to make us able for His purposes, we must be prepared for Him to exceed our expectations—transforming our minds, breaking fear, and empowering us beyond our perceived limits. This is a call to believe for ourselves what we so easily believe for others. [68:12]
2. Wholeness in Christ is not limited to forgiveness of sins; it is a complete restoration of spirit, soul, and body. The root of sin, once removed by Jesus, means that all its fruit—sickness, oppression, lack—no longer has a right to remain. We are called to walk in this wholeness, not as limping survivors, but as those made whole by the blood of Jesus, empowered to set others free. [99:04]
3. The order of our lives matters: spirit, soul, then flesh. When our personality (soul) dominates, we sow seeds of the flesh and reap cycles of sin and defeat. But when we live from our new reality in Christ, sowing to the Spirit, we cultivate a garden of righteousness and freedom. Our daily choices—what we feed on, what we meditate on—determine whether we walk in the fullness Christ has provided. [116:09]
4. The grace of God is not merely a safety net for our failures, but the empowering force that enables us to participate in the divine nature. True grace is the power to live out our new identity, to make every effort to add to our faith, and to never settle for less than what Jesus has provided. This requires intentionality, knowledge of God, and a refusal to live below our inheritance. [121:48]
5. We are not just imitators of Christ, but actual partakers of His divine nature. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, enabling us to walk in authority, healing, and provision. Our wholeness is a legal right in Christ, but it must be appropriated through faith, knowledge, and daily participation. As we feed on His promises and refuse to settle for less, we become agents of wholeness and freedom for others. [134:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[66:38] - Worship and Warfare Cry
[67:33] - Ephesians 3:20 and God’s Ability
[68:52] - Believing God’s Power for Yourself
[69:29] - Overcoming Fear and Declaring Victory
[71:20] - Welcoming Visitors and Community Life
[74:14] - Testimony: God’s Deliverance and Vindication
[78:39] - Facing Accusation and Trusting God
[87:57] - God as Vindicator and Refuge
[91:11] - New Creation and Identity in Christ
[94:43] - Be Made Whole: The Purpose of Christ’s Coming
[99:04] - Salvation: More Than Forgiveness
[102:48] - John 5: The Man at the Pool
[105:18] - Seeking Wholeness in the Wrong Places
[107:17] - Jesus Makes Us Whole: Sin No More
[112:15] - Legal Right to Wholeness
[116:09] - Sowing Seeds: Spirit, Soul, and Flesh
[119:54] - Participating in the Divine Nature
[125:44] - Knowledge and Relationship with God
[130:16] - Making Every Effort: Living Out Wholeness
[134:31] - Partakers of the Divine Nature
[138:16] - Renewing the Mind and Feeding on Christ
[141:19] - United with Christ: Spirit, Soul, and Body
[142:29] - Prayer of Wholeness and Declaration

Bible Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Be Made Whole”

Bible Reading

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)
> Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

John 5:1-14 (ESV)
> [Read the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda, focusing on verses 5-9 and 14.]

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)
> His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Observation Questions

In Ephesians 3:20, what does Paul say about God’s ability and how does he say that power works in us?
According to John 5, what was the man at the pool waiting for, and how did Jesus’ approach to his healing differ from what the man expected?
In 2 Peter 1:3-4, what does it mean to be a “partaker of the divine nature”?
The sermon described salvation as more than just forgiveness of sins. What other aspects of wholeness did the pastor mention? [[01:39:04]]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon emphasized that God’s power is not just for others, but for us personally. Why do people often find it easier to believe for others than for themselves? [[01:08:12]]
Jesus told the man at the pool, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” What does this suggest about the connection between wholeness and how we live after being healed? [[01:47:17]]
The pastor said, “Our wholeness is both a gift and a responsibility.” What does it look like to take responsibility for the “garden” of our lives? [[01:56:09]]
According to 2 Peter 1, how does knowledge of God and participation in His promises empower us to live differently? [[02:01:08]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to believe that God can do “infinitely more than we might ask or think” in our own lives. Is there an area where you have limited your expectations of what God can do for you? What would it look like to pray bigger prayers this week? [[01:08:12]]
The story of the man at the pool shows someone waiting for healing in a certain way, but Jesus met him differently. Are there places in your life where you are waiting for God to move in a specific way, but He might be inviting you to trust Him for something unexpected? [[01:46:38]]
The pastor talked about “sowing seeds of the Spirit” versus “sowing seeds of the flesh.” What is one practical way you can sow to the Spirit this week (for example, in your thoughts, habits, or relationships)? [[01:56:09]]
The testimony shared in the sermon described God as a vindicator and refuge during a time of accusation and loss. When have you needed God to be your vindicator? How did you respond, and what would you do differently now? [[01:29:10]]
The sermon said, “The grace of God is not merely a safety net for our failures, but the empowering force that enables us to participate in the divine nature.” What is one area where you need to rely on God’s grace for empowerment, not just forgiveness? [[02:01:48]]
The pastor encouraged us to “make every effort” to add to our faith and not settle for less than what Jesus has provided. What is one area of your life where you have been settling for less? What step can you take this week to pursue wholeness? [[02:10:16]]
The sermon ended with a prayer of wholeness, declaring freedom from anxiety, torment, oppression, and lack. Is there one of these areas you want to specifically pray over and declare God’s wholeness in your life this week? [[02:22:29]]

Closing Prayer:
Invite the group to pray together, asking God to help each person walk in the wholeness, authority, and freedom that Jesus has provided—spirit, soul, and body.

Sermon Clips

If I ask him, Lord, make me able to do whatever it is that you want me to do for the kingdom of God. He's going to make me able above what I have asked him to make me. When I ask him God to change my mindset, let me think like you, oh God, help me to think like you. And as he is changing that thinking because we are not supposed to adapt to this world and the world's way of thinking. We are supposed to adapt to God and God's way of thinking. So as he increases our mindset, increases us in the things that we might ask or think, God does above all of that. [01:08:46]

So cast down that fear because here's what happens. Even in the workplace, God forbid anything ever happened to you. What's going to happen, right? They're just going to replace you. You're a body. You're a body. But if you're there and you're doing the work that God has called you to do, no thing can touch you. No stress, no anxiety, none of that. No disgruntled boss, no boss that do not like you can prosper. Nothing that the enemy tries to throw your way will prosper. [01:10:04]

So, when we go to work and we're stressing, I had this conversation with somebody this week and we're stressing and we're stressing. I can't do this. I can't do that. The devil is a liar. Yes, you can. God has not given you the spirit of fear. So, what are we saying when we can't do something? I fear being able to do that. Not that I can't do it. I fear being able to do it. [01:09:53]

But a lot of times we walk around feeling like we're broken or not really understanding our wholeness. Okay? So salvation is more than just being set free from sins. And I want to speak of uh this weekend um those who came out on Friday night, we went out on um Friday night downtown Rome and God was setting people free. How many people got saved? Eight or nine people. Eight or nine people. Yes, it was powerful. [01:36:27]

Because we have a message, a message of wholeness. We have a message that you can be set free. There's so many people, even Tiana and I were talking, this couple came up and they basically were like, "What are y'all doing?" And they had been drinking. I mean, you could smell it all over them. moment. They were kind of, you know, but they were like, "What are you guys doing?" And Tiana's like, "We're sharing the gospel." And they were like, they didn't even know what the gospel was. What is the gospel? [01:37:39]

Salvation is much more than just forgiveness of sin. I think this is sometimes where we go wrong. We think, "Okay, Christ came. He died on the cross. I'm forgiven of my sin." Right? But salvation is much more than that. Salvation is when Christ sets us free. Salvation is the word soo. Say soo. That Greek word means to heal. It means to save, to preserve. It means to make whole, right? Rescue from danger or destruction, to deliver. [01:38:41]

He took away the Adamic nature. He took away the generational curses. He removed that stuff so we could be made whole. Now it's up to us how we make our wholeness. Okay? How we live this life that he set us free from. Um there's a song Robert Lowry sung a long time ago and sometimes Desiree will sing this one. Y'all are in the spirit. Um it's called Nothing But the Blood of Jesus. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Right. [01:40:09]

Sometimes we just kind of walk around. I feel like we're just kind of limping around. Just arrows, you know, being attacked, being attacked. Ah, I'm just a sinner saved by grace. Well, that's true. But you're saved by grace to be made whole. Okay? Say, "Be made whole." Be made whole. And I think God wants to make us whole in this building so we can set other people free. We have the truth. We have the authority. We have the power in Christ to make others whole. [01:41:20]

So as we begin to to walk in this power and understand who we are, it can change our life forever. You have a perfect garden ready. What are you going to sew? It's your choice what seeds you sew. Okay, it all goes to Galatians 6. And I'll look at it in a second with you, but all right. So my personality sometimes is stronger than my personal reality of Jesus. It should be spirit, soul, flesh. Okay, not the other way around. [01:59:01]

You don't know what you don't know. But when you begin to understand how powerful you are, when you begin to understand you're made whole, then there's no longer excuse. He told the man, "Go and sin no more. Get up, take up your mat. You're never coming back to this place. You're made whole." Okay? You have a new life. And that's what Christ wants us to walk in. The newness of life, the power and the authority of who he made us to be. [01:52:27]

If you will grab a hold of who you are in Christ, you can change lives forever. That's what the grace is for. The grace of God, yes, is what sets us free. The grace of God is not just that our sins are forgiven or just that we can live in our sin. The grace of God enables me to live this life for him. So again, how does this happen? You guys know it. Romans 12:2, do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. [02:17:45]

The grace is to empower you to walk in the truth. It's to empower you to live out this Christian life. It's to empower you to walk in your wholeness. That's the authority God has given us. But we think the grace is simply to have our sins forgiven. You don't understand the cross. Okay? You lack knowledge of who you are in Christ. And that is our problem. We don't teach the truth. We don't meditate on the truth. We're not sewing seeds of the spirit. [02:02:08]

We have a legal right because salvation soo means healing, deliverance, wholeness. We can approach God for these things. We should have confidence when we come to the father to make us whole. We don't have to walk around just limping around this Christian like, "I hope I make it. I hope I don't sin this week. I hope I don't smoke a cigarette. I hope I don't fall back in sin again." No, you've been made whole to walk in power and authority. [01:53:58]

So, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not just that our sins are forgiven, right? and we don't sin anymore. But the grace is so that we can be a partaker of his divine nature. Um, second Peter, I love this. It starts off with even in the very beginning, verse one says, Simon Peter. I don't think there's a mistake why they left his old name and his new name. Simon is the man who came to Christ. Simon was the fisherman who was a mess. [02:03:23]

We were created to be warriors, right? It starts with your knowledge of who you are in Christ, that you're made whole and his divine nature lives in you. But then you are to carry that and fight for Jesus. We are to fight this life, not just to sit around that we're whole. Oh, thank you, Lord. I'm whole. Okay. No, we are participants of the divine nature to set people free. [02:19:27]

So, how does this what does this mean for my daily life? Right? If Jesus could walk in health, authority, and provision, and victory over sin, so can his body, the body of Christ. The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is the same spirit that lives in you. The same spirit that picked him up off the grave and set us free forever is the same spirit that lives within us. Okay? So, how do we live this out? [02:18:50]

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Be Made Whole

Devotional

Day 1: God Is Able to Do More Than We Ask or Think

Day 2: Jesus Makes Us Whole—Not Just Forgiven

Day 3: Be Made Whole—Rise Up and Walk in Newness

Day 4: Partake in the Divine Nature—Live by God’s Power

Day 5: Renew Your Mind and Walk in Your New Identity

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Be Made Whole

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