Embracing Divine Guidance: The Journey with the Cloud
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound concept of "Moving with the Cloud," drawing from the biblical narrative of the Israelites in the wilderness. The cloud, representing God's presence, was not just a guide but a divine instructor, shaping the Israelites into a prophetic community. This journey was not merely about reaching a destination but about being discipled by the presence of God. The Israelites' experience teaches us that the journey with God is about transformation, not just arrival. The cloud's movement dictated their direction, emphasizing the importance of divine timing and obedience over personal comfort or logic.
We delved into the essence of God's glory, which is the sum total of His attributes. It's not just an experience but the very presence of God stepping into our midst. The glory of God is not to be reduced to mere goosebumps or thrills; it is the weightiness of God Himself. As believers, we are called to seek this glory, to invite the fullness of God's presence into our lives and communities.
The sermon also highlighted the importance of waiting on God. Waiting is not wasted time; it is a period of transformation and preparation. In our fast-paced world, we often equate waiting with stagnation, but in God's kingdom, waiting is a vital part of our spiritual growth. It teaches us surrender and aligns us with God's divine timing.
Furthermore, we were reminded that the church is meant to be a movement, not an institution. We must be willing to leave behind comfort and tradition to follow God's leading. The cloud's movement requires us to be flexible and ready to step into the unknown, trusting that God has already gone before us.
Finally, a prophetic word was released over Encounter Church, declaring a new season of movement, authority, and expansion. The church is called to step into this new era with bold obedience, leaving behind old mindsets and embracing the fresh wind of the Spirit.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Cloud as a Divine Instructor: The cloud in the wilderness was more than a guide; it was a tool for shaping the Israelites into a prophetic community. It taught them to rely on divine timing and instruction rather than personal comfort or logic. This teaches us the importance of being discipled by God's presence in our own lives. [01:47:49]
2. Understanding God's Glory: God's glory is the sum total of His attributes, not just an experience. When we seek His glory, we invite the fullness of God into our lives. This challenges us to move beyond superficial experiences and seek the weightiness of God's presence. [01:37:38]
3. The Value of Waiting: Waiting on God is not wasted time; it is a period of transformation. In our fast-paced world, we must learn to embrace waiting as a time of preparation and alignment with God's divine timing. [01:55:44]
4. The Church as a Movement: The early church was a movement, not an institution. We are called to be flexible and ready to follow God's leading, even if it means stepping into the unknown. This requires leaving behind comfort and tradition to embrace God's new direction. [02:00:05]
5. Prophetic Realignment: Encounter Church is entering a new season of movement and expansion. This prophetic word calls the church to step into this new era with bold obedience, leaving behind old mindsets and embracing the fresh wind of the Spirit. [02:14:44]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:28:46] - Introduction and Personal Story
- [01:31:25] - Prophetic Encounter with Brent Douglas
- [01:32:51] - The Journey of Connection
- [01:35:07] - The Calling of Ministry
- [01:37:38] - Move with the Cloud: Introduction
- [01:44:13] - Understanding God's Glory
- [01:47:49] - The Rhythm of the Cloud
- [01:50:41] - The Cloud as a Formation Tool
- [01:53:31] - The Lost Art of Waiting
- [01:55:44] - Waiting is Transformation
- [01:57:43] - Wisdom in the Waiting
- [02:00:05] - The Lifting of the Cloud
- [02:14:44] - Prophetic Word for Encounter Church
- [02:19:19] - Personal Prophecies and Impartation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Moving with the Cloud
Bible Reading:
- Numbers 9:15-23
- Exodus 40:34-36
- John 1:14
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Numbers 9:18, what determined the movement and encampment of the Israelites in the wilderness? How does this reflect their reliance on divine guidance? [01:37:38]
2. In Exodus 40:34-36, what was the significance of the cloud covering the tent of meeting, and how did it affect Moses' ability to enter? [01:44:13]
3. How does John 1:14 describe the manifestation of God's glory, and what does it imply about the presence of God among His people? [02:00:05]
4. What role did the cloud play in shaping the Israelites into a prophetic community, according to the sermon? [01:47:49]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between waiting on God and spiritual transformation? How does this challenge our modern understanding of waiting? [01:55:44]
2. How does the concept of God's glory as the "sum total of His attributes" challenge common perceptions of spiritual experiences? [01:37:38]
3. In what ways does the sermon describe the church as a movement rather than an institution, and what implications does this have for how we live out our faith? [02:00:05]
4. How does the prophetic word over Encounter Church call for a shift in mindset and action? What does this mean for individual members of the church? [02:14:44]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was calling you to wait. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? How can you embrace waiting as a time of preparation in your current season? [01:55:44]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking God's glory beyond superficial experiences. What steps can you take to invite the fullness of God's presence into your daily life? [01:37:38]
3. Consider areas in your life where you might be holding onto comfort or tradition. How can you be more open to following God's leading, even if it means stepping into the unknown? [02:00:05]
4. The sermon calls for bold obedience and leaving behind old mindsets. Identify one mindset or habit that you feel God is asking you to change. What practical steps can you take to align with this new direction? [02:14:44]
5. How can you contribute to your church being a movement rather than an institution? What specific actions can you take to support this vision in your community? [02:00:05]
6. Reflect on the idea of being discipled by God's presence. How can you cultivate a lifestyle that is more attuned to the rhythm of the cloud in your personal spiritual journey? [01:47:49]
7. The sermon mentions the importance of prophetic realignment. How can you discern and respond to God's current movement in your life and community? What might be holding you back from fully embracing this call? [02:14:44]
Devotional
Day 1: Divine Guidance Through the Cloud
The cloud in the wilderness was more than just a guide for the Israelites; it was a divine instructor, shaping them into a prophetic community. This journey was not about reaching a physical destination but about being transformed by God's presence. The cloud's movement dictated their direction, teaching them to rely on divine timing and instruction rather than personal comfort or logic. This narrative invites us to consider how we are being discipled by God's presence in our own lives, emphasizing the importance of obedience and trust in His guidance. [01:47:49]
"And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night." (Exodus 13:21, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own logic rather than seeking God's guidance? How can you begin to trust His divine timing today?
Day 2: Seeking the Fullness of God's Glory
God's glory is the sum total of His attributes, not just an experience or a feeling. When we seek His glory, we invite the fullness of God into our lives, moving beyond superficial experiences to embrace the weightiness of His presence. This challenges us to deepen our relationship with God, seeking to understand and experience His attributes in their entirety. As we pursue His glory, we are transformed by His presence, becoming more like Him in our daily lives. [01:37:38]
"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 40:5, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally seek the fullness of God's presence in your life this week? What steps can you take to move beyond superficial experiences with God?
Day 3: Embracing the Transformative Power of Waiting
Waiting on God is not wasted time; it is a period of transformation and preparation. In our fast-paced world, we often equate waiting with stagnation, but in God's kingdom, waiting is a vital part of our spiritual growth. It teaches us surrender and aligns us with God's divine timing. Embracing waiting as a time of preparation allows us to be transformed and ready for what God has in store for us. [01:55:44]
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel like you are in a season of waiting? How can you embrace this time as an opportunity for transformation and preparation?
Day 4: The Church as a Dynamic Movement
The early church was a movement, not an institution. We are called to be flexible and ready to follow God's leading, even if it means stepping into the unknown. This requires leaving behind comfort and tradition to embrace God's new direction. As a community of believers, we must be willing to adapt and move with the Spirit, trusting that God has already gone before us and prepared the way. [02:00:05]
"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs." (Mark 16:20, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you contribute to your church being a movement rather than an institution? What traditions or comforts might you need to leave behind to follow God's leading?
Day 5: Stepping into a New Season with Bold Obedience
Encounter Church is entering a new season of movement and expansion. This prophetic word calls the church to step into this new era with bold obedience, leaving behind old mindsets and embracing the fresh wind of the Spirit. As individuals and as a community, we are invited to trust in God's plan and move forward with confidence, knowing that He is leading us into a new and exciting chapter. [02:14:44]
"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." (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)
Reflection: What old mindsets or habits do you need to leave behind to embrace the new season God is calling you into? How can you step into this new era with bold obedience today?
Quotes
"According to Exodus 25 and 8, God instructed Moses. He said, And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst. The portable sanctuary, this tent of meeting, if you will, this tabernacle in the wilderness, was the dwelling place of the Shekinah glory of God. God, we've heard a lot of definitions of glory in the modern charismatic movement, but I want to give you a definition, a working definition this morning of God's glory. God's glory is the sum total of the weightiness of all of His attributes." [01:38:34] (44 seconds)
"Let me say it to you again. God's glory is the sum total of the weightiness of all of His attributes. God's glory is not goosebumps. God's glory is not thrills and chills. When God's glory, when we ask for His glory, we are asking for the sum total of the weightiness of all of His attributes to enter a place. When we're asking for God's glory, we're asking for the very weightiness of the Godhead to invade our space. When we're asking for glory, we're asking for God Himself to step into the room. I fear that we have reduced glory to an experience and not a person." [01:39:17] (54 seconds)
"The sum total of the weightiness of all of His attributes. It's not just His love. It's not just His justice. It's not just His mercy. It's not just His grace. It's not just His holiness. It's all of His attributes in one solid weight resting on a place. And the tabernacle in the wilderness was the very place on earth that that weightiness rested." [01:40:28] (36 seconds)
"And the children of Israel were there in the wilderness, having been removed from their place of bondage, having been removed from their place of slavery after some 400 years of not experiencing God's glory, they had the opportunity in the wilderness not just to camp around it, but to visibly see the cloud of God's presence on a daily basis. Jesus, oh, that we would have His glory. And so it says, and when the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in the camp." [01:41:04] (53 seconds)
"The cloud was an instructor. It was shaping the people into a prophetic community governed by the Lord's movements. See, the cloud was a command. It was not dictated. Their direction was not dictated by their comfort. Their direction was not dictated by their strategy or even by logic. Their direction was dictated by divine instruction. When the cloud moved, they moved. When the cloud stayed, they stayed." [01:49:31] (37 seconds)
"The cloud was a formation tool. Even in stillness, God was forming them. The waiting was not wasted, but was part of the transformation. And then the cloud was an invitation. God's presence was not something to admire from a distance. It was an ongoing call to follow. I think sometimes we stand back and we go, Wow, what an incredible move of God." [01:51:06] (31 seconds)
"Waiting is not wasted. See, the modern church equates waiting with stagnation. But in the wilderness, waiting was transformation. Waiting was transformation. Stillness teaches surrender. He leads me beside still waters. I think we've underestimated what that really means. I think sometimes we think, oh, God has me on a little collar and he leads me beside still waters." [01:54:24] (42 seconds)
"How about when I approach the still waters? It's there he leads me. In my stillness. In my waiting. In my allowing the process is where he leads me. By the still waters, he leads me. There is no wasted waiting. If you're in a season where you're waiting for the prophetic promise to come to pass, don't waste your waiting. See, you can waste your waiting. But waiting is never wasted." [01:55:07] (38 seconds)
"Impatience is one of the things the enemy uses most often to take us out of our call. Every time Israel moved ahead of God, disaster followed. Moses is on the mountain having a face-to-face encounter with God. And what did the children of Israel do? They got impatient and built their own God. The spies, rather than looking at what God was doing, came back and said, Oh, it's much too big for us. We're like grasshoppers." [01:58:34] (35 seconds)
"The destination is the journey oftentimes we view ourselves on a journey to the destination but the destination is the journey because God makes the man and God makes the woman in the journey we never arrive I don't care how great and prophetic you think you are you will never arrive until you die and even then you'll get to heaven you go wow this is a lot better than I thought it was I thought I knew something there's a reason the angels constantly cry holy holy holy because how could you not when you behold the glory of the one" [02:00:25] (45 seconds)
"Do we recognize the movement can I tell you I think by and large maybe this isn't true of encounter church but I think by and large we've lost our expectation and revival has become a theory rather than a reality I think by and large we have lost our sensitivity where the noise of the world has drowned out the voice of the spirit and I think by and large more than anything the church has lost their obedience to the cloud we prefer personal ambition over divine direction and my question to you this morning are we encamped where God has already moved on are we restless when he calls us to stillness and are we ready to move when he lifts the cloud this is your call this morning to prophetic realignment to recover the rhythm of divine movement to wait when he tarries and to move when he calls for in his presence we find our journey our formation our destination and it is time to move with the cloud again" [02:09:48] (76 seconds)
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