Embracing a Growth Mindset for Spiritual Revival
Summary
In this sermon, I explored the concept of adopting a growth mindset as Christians, rather than a preservation mindset. I argued that while it's important to protect our rights and those of future generations, we should also be preparing for victory, not just trying to slow the advance of evil. I suggested that we are only one generation away from a substantial spiritual revival in our culture, and that we should have faith that God can turn the country back to Him. I urged us not to be a generation of Christians who die in the wilderness because we lack the faith to believe that God can deliver on the growth He has proclaimed in scripture.
In the second part of the sermon, I delved into the concept of repentance and how Jesus calls us to shift from our own way of thinking and align with what God has proclaimed. I used the example of salt losing its taste to illustrate the importance of maintaining our spiritual 'saltiness'. I also discussed the growth of our congregation, attributing it to our decision to embrace Jesus's call for growth and expansion. I encouraged us to adopt a growth mindset in our personal lives and to expect Kingdom growth.
Key Takeaways:
- We should adopt a growth mindset as Christians, preparing for victory and expecting a spiritual revival in our culture. (#!!01:25:40!!#)
- Repentance involves shifting from our own way of thinking and aligning with what God has proclaimed. (#!!57:34!!#)
- Maintaining our spiritual 'saltiness' is crucial to being effective in our Christian walk. (#!!58:18!!#)
- The growth of our congregation is due to our decision to embrace Jesus's call for growth and expansion. (#!!01:20:33!!#)
- We should expect Kingdom growth in our personal lives and have faith in God's ability to accomplish what we have assumed as impossible. (#!!01:22:10!!#)
Study Guide
Main Points from the Sermon:
1. God calls us to fellowship and learn from each other. This is important because we all need direction and help in our spiritual journey. We are all at different levels in our walk with God, so we need to help each other mature and grow. [38:31]
2. We need to spend more time together in fellowship and in God's word. The time we spend in church on Sunday is beautiful, but we need more time to mature and grow. We need to be together more often and engage more in God's word. [40:52]
3. We are called to be the salt and light of the world. We need to let our light shine before others so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. [43:58]
4. We are called to promote Kingdom growth and point people to Jesus. We are not called to be merely preservers, but to be fertilizers. We are called to take possession of the land. [01:27:55]
5. Jesus expected growth and the early disciples expected growth. We should also expect growth when people encounter the gospel and the message of Jesus. [01:15:13]
Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:
1. Matthew 5:13-16
2. Acts 2:42-47
3. Hebrews 10:24-25
Discussion Guide:
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 5:13-16, what does Jesus mean when He calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world?
2. In Acts 2:42-47, what were the early Christians doing together that promoted growth and added to their number daily?
3. In Hebrews 10:24-25, what are we encouraged to do and not to do?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does being the salt and light of the world relate to promoting Kingdom growth?
2. How can we apply the practices of the early Christians in Acts 2:42-47 to our lives today?
3. What does Hebrews 10:24-25 teach us about the importance of fellowship and meeting together?
Application Questions:
1. How can you be a light in your community and point people to Jesus?
2. What steps can you take to spend more time in fellowship and in God's word?
3. How can you promote Kingdom growth in your sphere of influence?
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace the Call to Growth
God calls us to growth and expansion, not to a slow decline of influence. As Christians, we should expect growth in our spiritual lives and in our spheres of influence. We should believe that the gospel still appeals to a dying world and that against God's church, not even hell can stand. [43:08]
Matthew 13:31-32 - "He told them another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.'"
Reflection: How can you embrace the calling to be salt and light in your own sphere of influence?
Day 2: Cultivate a Growth Mindset
A shift in mindset can make all the difference in our spiritual growth. We should approach our spiritual lives with a growth mindset, expecting victory and expansion in the things of God. This is not about claiming whatever we want, but about expecting Kingdom growth. [01:22:10]
Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a growth mindset in your spiritual life?
Day 3: Expect Spiritual Revival
We should not be a generation of Christians who die in the wilderness because we lack the faith to believe that God can do something better. We should expect spiritual revival in our culture and believe that God can turn the country back to Him. [01:26:23]
Habakkuk 3:2 - "LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy."
Reflection: How can you cultivate an expectation for spiritual revival in your own life and community?
Day 4: Be a Fertilizer for Kingdom Growth
Jesus calls us to be fertilizers for Kingdom growth, to promote growth and point people to Him. We are not called to merely preserve, but to take possession of the land for the Kingdom of God. [01:27:55]
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 - "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."
Reflection: How can you be a fertilizer for Kingdom growth in your own life and community?
Day 5: Prepare for Victory
Our mindset matters. We should have faith and expectation for growth and victory as stated in scripture. We should prepare for victory, not just after death, but right now. We should believe in a world-transforming victory. [01:22:55]
1 Corinthians 15:57 - "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Reflection: How can you prepare for victory in your spiritual life and in your sphere of influence?
Quotes
1. "Instead of trying to slow the advance of expecting this continued progression of evil, why not instead adopt the attitude that we are preparing and we are doing these things to ultimately take the hill for victory." - 01:25:40
2. "Let's not be a generation of Christians who was going to die in the wilderness because we lack the faith to believe that God can actually do something better, that God can actually deliver on the growth that he has proclaimed in scripture." - 01:27:08
3. "Jesus doesn't call us to be merely World preservers, we're not called to be merely preservers. Jesus has called us to the fertilizer to promote Kingdom growth, to point people to him and to ultimately take possession of the land." - 01:27:55
4. "Jesus expected growth, the early disciples expected growth and Christians for centuries have expected growth. We need to be biblically accurate, we need to expect growth and expansion." - 01:15:51
5. "Our mindset matters, our faith and our expectation for growth and victory as stated in scripture matters. Instead of trying to protect our children from some sort of an irresistible pull of evil, why not think about our primary purpose of doing these same things as a preparation for our children to enter the culture empowered by the Holy Spirit to transform and eradicate the evils in our culture." - 01:24:18
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