Embracing Change: God's Call to New Seasons

 

Summary

Today, we gathered in gratitude for God’s faithfulness and the privilege of being together as a church family. After a time away, it was a joy to return and sense the presence of the Lord so strongly among us. We honored those who served faithfully in our absence and celebrated the unity and love that marks our community. As we look ahead, God is calling us to prepare for a new season—a “shift change”—that requires honest self-examination and a willingness to let go of the old so we can embrace the new things He is doing.

God is speaking with urgency: this is a time of sifting, shaking, and shifting. He is drawing a line in the sand, inviting us to cross over into a new season of blessing, acceleration, and purpose. But this invitation comes with a challenge: are we willing to change? Are we ready to let go of old mindsets, habits, and attachments that keep us stuck in cycles of frustration and delay? The Lord is not content for us to remain in the same place year after year; He desires to bring us into alignment with His will so that we can experience the fullness of His promises.

Scripture reminds us that to everything there is a season, a time, and a purpose. If we are not attentive to God’s timing, we risk missing the door of opportunity He is opening. Like the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, preparation and readiness are essential. God cannot establish the new in our lives if we stubbornly cling to the old. Stiff-necked attitudes not only restrict our own movement but can also limit what God is able to do in and through us.

We must recognize the signs of changing seasons, be ready to move when God says move, and be willing to take corresponding action. Obedience is the key to breaking free from withering cycles and stepping into fruitfulness. This requires humility, self-examination, and a willingness to surrender our “mine-sets”—those self-centered attitudes that keep us from true transformation. God is calling us to honor Him, honor one another, and align ourselves with His purposes. As we do, we will see healing, restoration, and the swift acceleration of His will in our lives.

Key Takeaways

- Sifting, Shaking, and Shifting: God’s Process for Change
God is actively sifting and shaking both the world and His people, exposing what needs to be removed and bringing forth what is precious. This process is not comfortable, but it is necessary to prepare us for the shift He desires to bring. Only by allowing God to sift us can we be positioned for the acceleration and newness He has planned. [01:33:12]

- Letting Go of the Old to Embrace the New
Holding on to past mindsets, habits, or even sentimental attachments can keep us from stepping into God’s new season. Just as a child must leave the crib to grow, we must be willing to release what is familiar but outdated. God cannot establish the new in our lives if we refuse to let go of the old, no matter how comfortable or meaningful it once was. [01:42:47]

- The Danger of Stiff-Necked Attitudes
A stiff-necked heart—one that insists on its own way—restricts not only our movement but also God’s movement in our lives. When we refuse to change, we risk wandering in circles, missing out on God’s promises, and even hindering His presence. True humility and flexibility are required to move with God into new seasons. [01:56:26]

- Corresponding Action and Obedience Break Cycles of Withering
Breakthrough and restoration come when we respond to God’s word with action. Like the man with the withered hand, we must stretch forth in faith, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable. Obedience—especially when it challenges our preferences—opens the door to fruitfulness and wholeness. [02:07:16]

- Mindsets: The Subtle Barrier to Transformation
Often, it is not external circumstances but our own “mine-sets”—self-centered thinking and resistance to correction—that keep us stuck. God calls us to examine our hearts, surrender our rights, and align our thinking with His truth. Transformation begins when we are willing to let go of self and embrace God’s way, even when it offends our comfort or pride. [02:11:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[11:46] - Honoring Staff and Vacation Reflections
[12:57] - Anniversary and Prayers for the Church
[15:18] - Special Guests and Prophetic Announcement
[52:56] - The Cry of the Children and God’s Justice
[55:00] - Healing for the Brokenhearted
[57:44] - Receiving Wholeness and Blessing
[01:28:25] - Offering and Cheerful Giving
[01:29:18] - The Year of Grace: Pay Attention
[01:31:11] - Shift Change: God’s Urgent Word
[01:33:12] - Sifting, Shaking, and Shifting Explained
[01:34:29] - Drawing the Line: Will You Shift?
[01:39:00] - The Importance of Timing and Readiness
[01:42:47] - Letting Go of the Old
[01:54:57] - The Danger of Stiff-Necked Attitudes
[02:07:16] - Corresponding Action and Obedience
[02:11:49] - Mindsets and True Transformation
[02:29:24] - Preparing for Change and Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: “Shift Change: Embracing God’s New Season”

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### Bible Reading

Isaiah 42:9 (ESV)
> “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)
> “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

Matthew 12:9-13 (ESV)
> 9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.

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### Observation Questions

1. In Isaiah 42:9, what does God say about “former things” and “new things”? What is the significance of God declaring new things before they happen?
2. According to Ecclesiastes 3:1, what does the Bible say about seasons and timing in life?
3. In Matthew 12:9-13, what action did Jesus ask the man with the withered hand to take, and what was the result?
4. The sermon described God’s process as “sifting, shaking, and shifting.” What do these words mean in the context of the message? [[01:33:12]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God wants us to let go of the “former things” before He brings the new? How does holding onto the past affect our ability to receive what God is doing now? [[01:36:45]]
2. The sermon compared God’s timing to a “shift change” at work. What might happen if we are not ready or willing to move when God says it’s time? [[01:39:00]]
3. In the story of the man with the withered hand, why do you think Jesus required him to stretch out his hand? What does this teach us about obedience and faith? [[02:07:16]]
4. The message warned about “stiff-necked” attitudes. What are some signs that a person (or a church) might be resisting God’s movement? [[01:54:57]]

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon challenged us to examine our own “mine-sets”—self-centered attitudes that keep us stuck. What is one area in your life where you tend to insist on your own way? How might this be holding you back from God’s new season? [[02:11:49]]
2. Are there any “old mindsets, habits, or attachments” you sense God is asking you to let go of right now? What would it look like to actually release them? [[01:42:47]]
3. The message said, “Obedience is the key to breaking free from withering cycles and stepping into fruitfulness.” Is there something God has been prompting you to do that you’ve been resisting? What step of obedience could you take this week? [[02:07:16]]
4. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins was mentioned as a warning about missing God’s timing. Are there areas where you feel unprepared for what God might want to do next? What practical steps can you take to be ready? [[01:39:00]]
5. The sermon talked about “sifting” and “shaking” as God’s way of preparing us for change. Can you identify a recent situation in your life that felt uncomfortable but may have been God’s way of getting your attention? How did you respond? [[01:33:12]]
6. The message emphasized honoring God and one another as part of aligning with God’s purposes. Is there someone in your life you need to honor or reconcile with to move forward? [[02:18:49]]
7. The pastor said, “God cannot establish the new in our lives if we stubbornly cling to the old.” What is one practical thing you can do this week to make room for God’s new work in your life? [[01:36:45]]

---

Close in prayer, asking God for humility, readiness, and courage to let go of the old and step into the new season He has prepared.

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing God’s Shift: Letting Go of the Old to Receive the New
God is calling His people into a season of shift and change, but to step into the new things He has prepared, we must be willing to release the old mindsets, habits, and attachments that keep us stuck. Just as the Israelites had to leave behind the familiar in order to enter the Promised Land, we are challenged to recognize when God is drawing a line in the sand and inviting us to cross over into a new season. This requires honest self-examination and a willingness to surrender anything that hinders our alignment with His purpose. The question is not whether God is ready to move, but whether we are willing to shift with Him and embrace the newness He is declaring over our lives. [01:36:45]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Reflection: What is one “old thing” in your life—an attitude, habit, or relationship—that God is prompting you to release so you can fully embrace the new season He has for you?


Day 2: Recognizing and Responding to God’s Timing
God is a God of times and seasons, and He calls us to discern the spiritual shifts happening around us and within us. Just as there are natural seasons, there are spiritual seasons that require us to be attentive and responsive. If we are habitually late or unprepared, we risk missing the opportunities and blessings God has appointed for us. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins reminds us that preparation and timely action are essential to entering into what God has planned. Are you in sync with God’s timing, or are you making everything about your own terms? Now is the time to recognize the season, prepare your heart, and be ready to move when God says move. [01:40:05]

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense God is signaling a new season, and how can you intentionally prepare yourself to respond to His timing this week?


Day 3: The Power of Obedience: Taking Corresponding Action
Breakthrough and restoration come when we are willing to obey God’s instructions, even when it requires us to step out of our comfort zones or do something we have resisted. Like the man with the withered hand, many people remain stuck or see their destinies wither because they refuse to act on what God is telling them. Obedience is not just about hearing God’s word but about taking practical, corresponding action that aligns with His will. When we stretch forth our hand in faith, God meets us with healing, wholeness, and fruitfulness. If you want to see change, you must be willing to do what God asks, even if it challenges your preferences or pride. [02:07:57]

Matthew 12:13 (ESV)
“Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.”

Reflection: What is one specific step of obedience God is prompting you to take today, even if it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar?


Day 4: Breaking Free from Self-Centered Mindsets
A self-focused mindset—where everything is about “mine, mine, mine”—is a major barrier to spiritual growth and relational harmony. When we insist on doing things our way instead of Yahweh’s way, we restrict not only our own movement but also God’s movement in our lives. True transformation and blessing come when we shift from self-centeredness to covenant-mindedness, valuing unity, humility, and shared purpose in our families, marriages, and church. It’s time to examine our hearts for any “mine-set” that keeps us from experiencing the fullness of what God wants to do in and through us. [02:14:50]

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Reflection: Where in your relationships do you need to shift from a “mine” mentality to an “ours” mentality, and what practical change can you make this week to foster unity?


Day 5: Honoring God’s Order: The Blessing of Submission and Honor
God’s commands are not suggestions, and honoring the authorities He has placed in our lives—parents, spiritual leaders, and others—is key to living well and receiving His blessing. When we choose to honor rather than rebel, we position ourselves for longevity, favor, and alignment with God’s heart. Disregarding God’s order and establishing our own mindsets leads to cycles of frustration and missed destiny. Today, let’s examine our attitudes toward authority and commit to honoring God’s design, trusting that His ways lead to life and wholeness. [02:19:47]

Ephesians 6:1-3 (ESV)
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’”

Reflection: Is there an authority figure in your life—parent, pastor, or mentor—whom you need to honor or reconcile with? What is one action you can take today to show them respect and gratitude?

Quotes

What we've been paying attention to is there's something about to shift. Not just in the earth, but point to yourself. Something's about to shift in you. Now, how bad do you want it? Those of you that are watching, how bad do you want it? You know, people talk about, oh, I want change or I want this. But then they don't do anything to position themselves. So talk is cheap. And you discover you go back to those people two, three, four, five, ten years from now. And they're still in the same old wandering cycle of what they were committed to ten years prior or whatever. They didn't shift. [01:31:17]
God said there's a cord of three strands that cannot be easily broken. And I've learned in my life that God speaks in threes a lot of times to establish something that ultimately he wants to do. And the season that we are currently in, and it's why that there is so much rhetoric going on right now and discussions on, is this person guilty? Is that person guilty? Is there ever going to be this person brought to justice? Is this thing? And we have to understand the first word. You ready? Those of you that are watching the word, you all start with an S. God says, okay, there has been a sifting. God is sifting. Right? And it's called shaking. I will shake both the heavens and the earth, says the Lord. And I will shake, he says in his word, everything that can be shaken. And part of that shaking is a sifting so that God can bring to the surface what needs to come to the surface, but also bring the gold, right? Bring that which he's trying in the golden era to manifest. [01:32:14]
You can't have the shift change until you have the sifting, shaking that is currently happening in the earth. It's going to position us for the next thing, the next S, shift. You have sifting, now it's shifting. And I said, well, God, where is this heading? When I was, you know, preparing this message, where are we heading? He said, well, we're heading towards what I've been saying, acceleration. And that is the word swift. Let God sift, shake, shift so that we can come into swift. We can come into the new season, the blessings, the things that we have been praying for, crying out to God for, expecting. [01:33:29]
God brings two kingdoms together. He draws a line in the sand and he says, no more. And then he looks to you and he says, are you going to shift with me? Are you going to be on this side of an old season? Are you going to shift and cross the line? Because I'm drawing it. And if you're on the other line, you're going to, we're going to talk to you in five, ten years, and you ain't gone nowhere. You better shift or you're going to be left out. [01:35:05]
Something is about to happen in your life that you've been waiting for, expecting. You can't seem to get a breakthrough. There seems to be delay. You're frustrated. And you're going to see in a moment, you're stuck. It's about to shift. Are you going to shift with it? [01:36:24]
You have to understand that God is a God of times and seasons. He deals with things in the earth according to events. And so what he is saying is the events that have led you up to this point, it's timing out. Now, I have hit the reset. What has God been saying? Reset. He's been saying it since the 2020 chaos. You're coming into reset. You're coming into a shift change. The question God is asking every one of us in here is how bad do you want to change? How bad do you want to shift? It's not on God. It's going to be on you. [01:37:19]
If you are late in the natural, you'll be late in the spirit realm. You'll miss your blessing. That's why he laid it out in Matthew 25 with the five wise virgins and the five foolish. It was all about time. Are you going to be on time? And are you going to be productive in the time that has been allotted to you? And the door closed because they were late. They wouldn't change. They made everything about their terms. My life. [01:38:41]
Don't miss the season, the time, and purpose under heaven because God is declaring we're in a shift change. Are you ready? Now watch this. Hebrews chapter 10 is verse 9. This is what you have to understand this principle. I know people in 40 years of serving God and almost next year, well, over 40 years, almost 40 years of ministry next year where I have had people squall and bawl and bawl and squall why nothing's ever happening for them. And usually the root problem is never God. It isn't God. 99, no, 100 % of the time it isn't God. It's us. [01:41:17]
But you got to be willing to take away the old so that you can establish the new, right? If you're not willing to change, you won't shift. [01:50:11]
If you're holding on to the old and your past and your past is more important than your present positioning for a future blessing, then you ain't going to get it. There are three things we have to understand if we're going to shift change. Number one, you got to recognize your season is changing. Right? [01:50:48]
First, you got to recognize something's moving, something's changing, something's shifting. And then you got to be ready for it. If you don't prepare yourself, that's why the five virgins were considered foolish because they didn't prepare themselves. They couldn't prepare for the shift. They missed the timing. The third thing is you must be willing to not just shift, but change. [01:54:07]
A stiff -necked is a person who's determined to do things on their terms, their way. And when you're stiff -necked, it restricts your movement. Right? Have you ever had a stiff -necked before? How many of you have ever woken up with a stiff -necked? Do you really feel like going out mowing the lawn? Right? Do you feel like doing the dishes, cooking? Do you feel like going to the gym? Do you feel like lifting weights? Come on, Willie, do you? Have you had a stiff -necked? No, you don't. It restricts your movement, but watch this, the most dangerous thing. This is why some of you need to take a break from yourself. Quit celebrating yourself so much. [01:55:05]
But here's the danger of a stiff -necked. A stiff -necked doesn't just restrict your movement, it restricts God's. Because when you're stiff -necked, God says, listen, unto the land flowing with milk and honey, I'm not going in the midst of you. You're not going to be part of my move. You're not going to be part of my blessing. You're not going to be part of how great your prophetic destiny is. You are not going to get it because you won't change. You won't take away the old. You keep holding on to what you think is important. And God says, don't blame me when you don't get it. Because I'm not going to go with you because you have an attitude. You're stiff -necked. And not only have you restricted your movement, in fact, the proof of it is they went nowhere for 40 years. All because they restricted themselves holding on to the old and not being willing to change. It restricted God's movement. I'm not going to be part of it. Count me out. Don't blame me. Yes, but God's in control. No, He's not. Not when you are. [01:56:16]
They're stuck. They choose to be stuck. They keep beating the old same dead horse. I mean, has anybody come along and said, that horse that you're riding is dead? Oh, no, it's not. It's still alive. See? No, that's you making that noise. That horse is dead. You need to get out of that stupid job. It ain't helping you. You need to get away from that person. They're not helping you. And you keep riding it and you don't realize that everybody else is looking on going, man, you're stuck. [01:57:47]
Obedience is connected to whether you get unstuck and you shift change. Come on, I know people all day long, through as many years I've been in ministry, that I've had to say to them, I think you need to do this. And they love me as long as I agree with them. But when I was trying to reveal why and how they were stuck, I was now the bad guy. He's controlling. He's trying to manipulate me. And 99 .9 % of the time, what I told them was the problem and many times what would be the result happened. [02:02:08]
You're going to have to do something if you want to shift change. You want things to stop withering? You want these never -ending cycles to stop in your life? Then you better obey. You better do something. It requires corresponding action. You know what I do on a regular basis? I go to my board of advisors. Pastor Doug, you're on it. I go to my spiritual fathers and mothers. And I do an evaluation. And I say, what do I need to change? What's some corresponding actions? I have to do the thing I hate sometimes. I have to watch myself on TV. Because I want to be the best delivery boy for God that I can be. And there are some things about me I don't like. [02:05:57]
People are stuck in never -ending cycles because of old mindsets. You get in your head and the Holy Spirit, when I was preparing this, he said, uh -uh -uh -uh. Uh -uh, it's M -I -N -E sets, old mindsets. That's mine. No one is going to tell me what to do. And you love it when Pastor Hank is funny and quiet and gets to the point. You don't like this. That's because you have the wrong mind. M -I -N -E set. It's all about you and what you want. [02:10:52]
What causes things to be successful is the celebration of your marriage covenant, spirit, soul, and body. And not my headache. That was for somebody because you're using that. Stop it. Now, if I ever had a headache, Brenda believes me. Has she ever had a headache? She believes me. That sounds so wrong. But, but we don't manipulate. We don't play games. We stay on the same page. We pray every day together. We speak the word in our home. It's not mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine. And then people wonder why their marriage never shifts to another level of communication, happiness, joy. Because somebody is all about the mindset that benefits them. [02:14:28]
Unless you become converted, unless you shift and change in your Christianity, you cannot inherit the kingdom of God. And I'm not here to play games and neither should you. And if you're in a church or you're Googling or scrolling through churches that you feel good but you don't shift and you don't change, get out of those churches. [02:16:10]
He's called Yahweh, not your way. I've met Jesus. Jesus, I'm telling you right now, I would never mess with him in a million years because he don't play. It is amazing how people always try to reduce him down. Oh, he gets us. You haven't met him. It ain't about us. We adjust to him. He made everything about himself in a sacrifice as an innocent man. He did get us. He'll get you if you convert. You change. You repent. Right? You shift. [02:17:37]
You know in your heart when you're texting your little girl on the phone and she ain't your wife. She's your assistant or you work with her. Oh, no, she's just a friend. Oh, really? You know in your heart. Why don't you show those text messages to your wife? When she texts, you won't show it. When she calls, oh, it's a friend at work. Really? You know it's wrong. You know in your heart what is right and what is wrong. Quit playing. My phone is open anytime for my wife. When I text a woman, I let her know. Or I group text her. Huh? Or I make her, she's, do you, hey, Amy, where's Amy? My assistant of 28 years. Do you know that Brenda is also my in -home secretary? You know that she writes a lot of my messages for you? I can't find my glasses. That's really what it is. Here's another thing. She gets to the point. [02:27:40]
I know I'm hitting everybody upside there, hitting one downside out of the way and everything. Because I'm just trying to get you to shift. But you gotta be willing to change. Now next week, I'm gonna show you some really good tips on how you can do it. Because don't you wanna shift? How many wanna shift? How many wanna change? Right? All right. And realize I preach to myself. Well, how do I know that? Because I hear what comes out of my own mouth too. I also know what I prepare, right? That I'm held accountable to as well. [02:29:24]

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