Embracing Freedom and Purpose in God's Presence

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Preparation in the Wilderness

In the wilderness season, God prepares us for future challenges, equipping us in seemingly mundane moments. This time deepens our dependency on Him, teaching us to trust beyond the fruits of our labor. Like David, who unknowingly trained for his future battles while tending sheep, we are being prepared for what lies ahead. This season is not about the visible results but about the inner transformation and reliance on God that it fosters. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that our identity is not tied to our achievements but to our relationship with God. [04:46]

"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." (Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV)

Reflection: What mundane or challenging situation in your life might God be using to prepare you for future growth? How can you embrace this season with trust and openness to His work?

Day 2: Balancing Humility and Confidence

We are called to hold the dual reality of humility and confidence in tension. Recognizing that we are nothing without God, yet understanding that we are here because He has sent us, allows us to step into His promises with both humility and boldness. This balance helps us to walk in our calling, acknowledging our worth in His sacrifice and our purpose in His plan. It is a reminder that our identity and value are rooted in God's vision for us, not in our own achievements or failures. [07:14]

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to balance humility and confidence? How can you invite God to help you hold these in tension as you pursue His calling?

Day 3: Understanding Our Worth Through Sacrifice

Our worth is not determined by our past failures or insecurities but by the price Jesus paid for us. We are called to agree with His vision for our lives, stepping into the roles He has prepared for us. This understanding shifts our focus from self-doubt to the assurance of His sacrifice, reminding us that our value is rooted in what He has done, not in what we achieve. It is an invitation to live out our calling with the confidence that comes from knowing we are deeply loved and valued by God. [09:16]

"For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:20, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding your worth through Jesus' sacrifice change the way you view yourself and your purpose? What steps can you take today to align your life with His vision for you?

Day 4: Guarding Against Ego and Worthlessness

While acknowledging our dependence on God, we must guard against allowing our ego to blind us to His guidance. Our successes are not solely our own but are a result of His calling and provision. Walking with a sober mind means recognizing that we are here because He has sent us, and our achievements are a testament to His work in our lives. This awareness helps us to remain humble and dependent on Him, avoiding the pitfalls of both worthlessness and ego. [28:33]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways might ego or feelings of worthlessness be affecting your relationship with God and others? How can you cultivate a sober mind that acknowledges His role in your successes?

Day 5: Saying Yes to God's Plans

We are called to move forward with faith and purpose, not waiting for perfect conditions but trusting in God's presence and provision. As we step out in faith, He will part the waters before us, and we must carry the lessons of the wilderness with us. This journey requires us to remain humble and dependent on Him, embracing the calling He has placed on our lives. It is an invitation to say "yes" to His plans, trusting that He will guide and provide as we pursue His purpose. [23:56]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith? How can you say "yes" to His plans today, trusting in His presence and provision?

Sermon Summary

In this new year, we are invited to embrace a season of freedom and joy, recognizing that the presence of God is with us continuously, not just during moments of worship. As we step into this new chapter, we are reminded of the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing His presence to guide and empower us in every aspect of our lives. This year, we are called to move beyond mere resolutions and instead focus on living with purpose and intentionality, making decisions that align with God's calling for us, regardless of the challenges or fears we may face.

Reflecting on the past year, many of us have experienced a wilderness season, a time of transition and change that has prepared us for the battles ahead. Like David, who unknowingly trained for his future battles while tending sheep, we have been equipped during these seemingly mundane times for the challenges that lie ahead. This season has taught us to rely on God, severing our identity from the fruits of our labor and deepening our dependency on Him.

As we move forward, we must hold onto the dual reality that we are nothing without God, yet we are here because He has sent us. This humility and confidence must coexist, allowing us to step into the promises God has for us. We are reminded that our worth is not determined by our past failures or insecurities but by the price Jesus paid for us. Our value is rooted in His sacrifice, and we are called to agree with His vision for our lives, stepping into the roles He has prepared for us.

In this journey, we must guard against the pitfalls of both worthlessness and ego. While we acknowledge our dependence on God, we must also recognize the danger of allowing our ego to blind us to His guidance. We are called to walk with a sober mind, understanding that our successes are not solely our own but are a result of His calling and provision.

As we stand at the threshold of this new season, let us be willing to say "yes" to God's plans, moving forward with faith and purpose. We are not to wait for perfect conditions but to trust in His presence and provision, knowing that as we step out in faith, He will part the waters before us. Let us carry the lessons of the wilderness with us, remaining humble and dependent on Him, as we pursue the calling He has placed on our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Embrace the Wilderness Season: The wilderness season is a time of preparation, where God equips us for future battles. Like David, who trained for his future while tending sheep, we are being prepared in the mundane moments for the challenges ahead. This season deepens our dependency on God, severing our identity from the fruits of our labor and teaching us to trust Him in new ways. [04:46]
2. Hold Dual Realities in Tension: We must balance the humility of knowing we are nothing without God with the confidence that we are here because He has sent us. This dual reality allows us to step into God's promises with both humility and boldness, recognizing our worth in His sacrifice and our calling in His purpose. [07:14]
3. Value Determined by Sacrifice: Our worth is not based on our past failures or insecurities but on the price Jesus paid for us. We must agree with His vision for our lives, stepping into the roles He has prepared for us, and recognizing that our value is rooted in His sacrifice, not our achievements. [09:16]
4. Guard Against Ego and Worthlessness: While acknowledging our dependence on God, we must also guard against allowing our ego to blind us to His guidance. Our successes are not solely our own but are a result of His calling and provision. We are called to walk with a sober mind, understanding that we are here because He has sent us. [28:33]
5. Say Yes to God's Plans: We are called to move forward with faith and purpose, not waiting for perfect conditions but trusting in God's presence and provision. As we step out in faith, He will part the waters before us, and we must carry the lessons of the wilderness with us, remaining humble and dependent on Him. [23:56]
** [23:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Embracing God's Presence
[00:49] - New Year, New Season
[01:40] - Resolutions and Intentions
[02:53] - Reflecting on the Wilderness
[04:19] - Training for Future Battles
[06:13] - Vision for Our Community
[07:14] - Balancing Humility and Confidence
[09:16] - Understanding Our Worth
[11:28] - Celebrating God's Exaltation
[13:17] - Trusting in God's Provision
[16:44] - Taking Action in Faith
[19:25] - Moving Beyond Past Failures
[21:55] - Embracing Our Calling
[23:56] - Stepping into the Promised Land
[33:23] - Walking with a Sober Mind
[34:47] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Thank you for everything that you're doing in our city in our jobs in our our homes, Lord God I'm asking that this year will be marked by a great outpouring of your spirit Jesus come and baptize this city with your presence baptize this church baptize our hearts Lord with the great outpouring of your Holy Spirit we cannot do anything in this life without you lord but with you we can do all things God we thank you for what you are doing Lord and we just ask God that you would come and fill us again that you would fill us to overflowing." [00:34:00]

"In this Wilderness time that we're severed from our our fruit of our ministry the fruits of our life get severed and our identity actually gets challenged in this season we no longer get to to point to our relationship with God and the things that we do but we just get to be with him we have to learn to trust him in these difficult times when all of a sudden there's no fruit to point at anymore we have to learn to relate to the Lord in a new way that we didn't have to before." [04:46]

"We must balance the humility of knowing we are nothing without God with the confidence that we are here because He has sent us. This dual reality allows us to step into God's promises with both humility and boldness, recognizing our worth in His sacrifice and our calling in His purpose." [07:14]

"Our worth is not based on our past failures or insecurities but on the price Jesus paid for us. We must agree with His vision for our lives, stepping into the roles He has prepared for us, and recognizing that our value is rooted in His sacrifice, not our achievements." [09:16]

"While acknowledging our dependence on God, we must also guard against allowing our ego to blind us to His guidance. Our successes are not solely our own but are a result of His calling and provision. We are called to walk with a sober mind, understanding that we are here because He has sent us." [28:33]

"We are called to move forward with faith and purpose, not waiting for perfect conditions but trusting in God's presence and provision. As we step out in faith, He will part the waters before us, and we must carry the lessons of the wilderness with us, remaining humble and dependent on Him." [23:56]

"See the Lord's opinion of you is not as B based on your behavior as you may think Gideon is filled with fear he's hiding in the wine press he's he's got complete doubt that he there is no future from for him and the Lord calls him a mighty man of Valor he calls us based on his working in our lives not based upon our own our own works of righteousness he's calling us outside of our little tiny thinking and into the things that he has for us." [20:52]

"Your life was valuable enough for Jesus to pay for it with his life and so we sit here sometimes and we we look at our own shame and our failures and the things that we've done in our life and and we argue so to speak with the Lord we don't do it consciously but we argue with him by focusing more on our insecurities more on our weaknesses than we do on his blood than on his righteousness and the fact that he calls you worthy because not because of what you've done but because of what he has done." [09:40]

"There's this humility of heart that the Lord calls us into to actually move into though the next season that God has for us and unless we actually hold strong both of these things we will do nothing but stay stagnant in the season that we find ourselves in right now you see when we focus so much and and we don't remember that who you actually are in Christ the fact that you are called that you are equipped that you are anointed for the purpose that God has for you." [07:37]

"God wants a partnership with us in a way that's beyond our understanding he's wanted to pour His presence out in our lives so that that we can walk with him into this next Promised Land then and as we move our feet impossible things are going to happen as we move our feet barriers that are standing in the way of God's plan and purposes for our lives are going to be parted before us but we need to have a sober temperate mind as we're walking into what it is that God has for us." [32:51]

"There's this reality that we carry in the Kingdom where we just came through a Wilderness season with this intense reality that I'm wholly dependent on him but there's also this reality that just like Joshua and Caleb that when they were looking at the promised land they said look get up we are well able to take that land that is before us." [19:28]

"There's this beautiful thing of weakness that's going to keep us close to his heart but at the same time we just got to say yes there's not going to be some moment from on high where everything just aligns itself where where you're calling it's like it just came out of heaven and all of a sudden I'm just walking in this Promised Land out of nowhere it's not going to happen the reality is is we have to say yes to Jesus every every single day." [23:36]

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