Empowered Faith: Choosing Joy and Self-Ministry

Devotional

Day 1: Faith in Action

Faith is not a complex theological concept but a simple action. It is about taking steps, however small, to do things we couldn't do before, thereby glorifying God. This perspective demystifies faith and makes it accessible to everyone. Faith can be as simple as raising our hands in worship or stepping out of our comfort zones. It is about coming with expectation, knowing that God has something special for each of us. By taking these small steps, we demonstrate our trust in God and open ourselves up to His work in our lives. [02:58]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: What is one small step of faith you can take today to demonstrate your trust in God? How can you act on it immediately?

Day 2: Experiencing God's Ever-Present Mercy

God's mercy is not just renewed every morning but is a constant, ever-present reality. We can experience His mercy in its fullness at any time, which should encourage us to seek His presence continually. This understanding helps us to never let our experiences outweigh the goodness of God. Instead, we are urged to always seek more of His presence, knowing that His mercy is available to us at all times. This constant mercy is a source of comfort and strength, reminding us that we are never alone and that God's love for us is unwavering. [33:34]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: How can you remind yourself of God's ever-present mercy throughout your day? What practices can you incorporate to seek His presence continually?

Day 3: Ministering to Ourselves

Just as we are called to be first responders to others, we must also learn to minister to ourselves. Recognizing the indicators of spiritual or emotional distress and responding appropriately is crucial for our spiritual health. This involves being aware of our own needs and taking steps to address them, just as David did when he strengthened himself in the Lord. By ministering to ourselves, we ensure that we are in a healthy place to minister to others effectively. This self-care is not selfish but necessary for our overall well-being and spiritual growth. [36:33]

1 Samuel 30:6 (ESV): "And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

Reflection: What are some indicators in your life that signal spiritual or emotional distress? How can you respond to these indicators to minister to yourself effectively?

Day 4: Choosing Joy in Rejection

David's life teaches us the importance of choosing joy and strengthening ourselves in the Lord, especially in times of rejection and distress. This prepares us to seek God's guidance effectively. Despite facing rejection from his family, his king, and even his own men, David knew how to find strength in the Lord. By choosing joy and focusing on God's goodness, we can overcome the negative effects of rejection and align ourselves with His will. This choice to find joy in difficult circumstances is a powerful testimony of our faith and trust in God. [49:56]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV): "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Reflection: How can you choose joy in the face of rejection or distress today? What steps can you take to strengthen yourself in the Lord during these times?

Day 5: The Power of Thanksgiving and Praise

Giving thanks and putting on the garment of praise are powerful tools for overcoming spiritual heaviness, depression, and anxiety. These practices help us to minister to ourselves and align with God's will. By focusing on what we are thankful for and praising God, we shift our perspective from our problems to His greatness. This act of thanksgiving and praise not only uplifts our spirits but also invites God's presence into our lives, bringing peace and joy. It is a practical way to combat negative emotions and stay connected to God's love and power. [51:54]

Isaiah 61:3 (ESV): "To grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."

Reflection: What are you thankful for today? How can you incorporate praise into your daily routine to combat spiritual heaviness and align yourself with God's will?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today's service was a powerful reminder of the simplicity and action-oriented nature of faith. Faith is not a complicated concept; it is simply taking action, even in small ways, to do things we couldn't do before. This can be as simple as raising our hands in worship or stepping out of our comfort zones. We are encouraged to come with expectation, knowing that God has something special for each of us.

The sermon also delved into the concept of God's mercy and how it is new every morning. This is not just a daily renewal but a constant, ever-present reality that we can experience in its fullness at any time. The importance of never letting our experiences outweigh the goodness of God was emphasized, urging us to always seek more of His presence.

A significant portion of the message focused on being "first responders" to ourselves. Just as we are called to minister to others, we must also learn to minister to ourselves. This involves recognizing the indicators in our lives that signal spiritual or emotional distress and responding appropriately. David's life was used as a powerful example of this. Despite facing rejection from his family, his king, and even his own men, David knew how to strengthen himself in the Lord before seeking God's guidance.

The sermon concluded with a call to action: to choose joy, to put on the garment of praise, and to minister to ourselves effectively. This is crucial for overcoming rejection, hurt, and any form of spiritual attack. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's will and open the door for His blessings and guidance.

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Key Takeaways

1. Present Mercy**: God's mercy is not just renewed every morning but is a constant, ever-present reality. We can experience His mercy in its fullness at any time, which should encourage us to seek His presence continually. [33:34]
3. Ministering to Ourselves: Just as we are called to be first responders to others, we must also learn to minister to ourselves. Recognizing the indicators of spiritual or emotional distress and responding appropriately is crucial for our spiritual health.

4. Choosing Joy in Rejection: David's life teaches us the importance of choosing joy and strengthening ourselves in the Lord, especially in times of rejection and distress. This prepares us to seek God's guidance effectively.

5. The Power of Thanksgiving and Praise: Giving thanks and putting on the garment of praise are powerful tools for overcoming spiritual heaviness, depression, and anxiety. These practices help us to minister to ourselves and align with God's will.

### [33:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:58] - The Simplicity of Faith
[33:34] - God's Ever-Present Mercy
[35:03] - Expectation and God's Plan
[36:33] - Being First Responders to Ourselves
[39:32] - Dealing with Rejection
[41:05] - The Power of Forgiveness
[44:48] - Honoring Gifts and Anointings
[46:29] - Rejection in Familiar Places
[48:22] - Cultivating Ministry in Rejection
[49:56] - The Rock Tumbler Analogy
[51:54] - The Power of Thanksgiving
[55:42] - David's Rejection and Strength
[58:25] - David's Rejection from His Men
[60:37] - David's Strength in the Lord
[63:02] - David's Strategy and Wisdom
[66:46] - Ziglag's Destruction
[69:24] - Strengthening Ourselves First
[71:18] - Inquiring of the Lord
[73:06] - Choosing Joy and Ministering to Ourselves
[75:21] - Dancing Away Depression

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 30:1-6 (NIV) — > "David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them but carried them off as they went on their way. When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God."

2. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
> "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

3. Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)
> "and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor."

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Observation Questions

What actions did David take when he found Ziklag destroyed and his people taken captive? ([01:08:29])
How does the sermon describe faith in simple terms? ([02:58])
What are some indicators of spiritual or emotional distress mentioned in the sermon? ([36:33])
How did David respond to the rejection and distress he faced from his own men? ([01:09:24])

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean that God's mercies are new every morning, and how can this understanding impact our daily lives? ([33:34])
How can the concept of being "first responders" to ourselves help us in our spiritual and emotional health? ([36:33])
Why is it important to choose joy and put on the garment of praise, especially in times of rejection and distress? ([01:10:03])
How does David's example of strengthening himself in the Lord before seeking God's guidance apply to our own lives? ([01:09:24])

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent situation where you felt spiritually or emotionally distressed. How did you respond, and what could you have done differently to minister to yourself? ([36:33])
Think about a time when you experienced rejection. How did you handle it, and what can you learn from David's response to rejection? ([01:09:24])
How can you incorporate the practice of giving thanks and putting on the garment of praise in your daily routine, especially during challenging times? ([51:54])
Identify one small action you can take this week to step out in faith, even if it feels uncomfortable. How can this action help you grow spiritually? ([02:58])
In what ways can you remind yourself of God's ever-present mercy throughout your day? Consider setting a specific time or activity to reflect on His mercies. ([33:34])
How can you be more aware of the indicators of spiritual or emotional distress in your life, and what steps can you take to address them promptly? ([36:33])
Share a personal experience where choosing joy and thanksgiving helped you overcome a difficult situation. How can you apply this practice in future challenges? ([01:10:03])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Faith is just an action. That's it. When you decide to do something you couldn't do before. Guess what that is? Faith is just an action. It's saying, you know what? I wasn't able to bend over like that before. I'm going to try it. I wasn't able to turn my leg that way before. I'm going to do it today and give God the glory. You know what? I have never been able to do that or do this or dance or raise my hands or get out of my chair. I'm just going to do it today. It's an action. That's all faith is. Don't overcomplicate it." [02:58] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "When people figure it out, hey, you mean I can forgive this person and it doesn't mean that I'm saying what they did to me was right? Absolutely. It doesn't mean that. When I caught on to that revelation, I forgave everybody. But until then, I thought this way. I thought, well, I didn't do nothing wrong to deserve that. I was a victim. I didn't deserve that. I didn't deserve that. So no, I'm mad at them. I'm never going to forgive them because I didn't do anything wrong." [41:05] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "David found strength in the Lord, his God. So what did David do? He strengthened himself. He ministered to himself first. He didn't get on his knees and pray to God. He didn't ask God, should we go after him or not go after him? He didn't go to the men and accuse the men. Have I not done all this stuff for you? Do you not owe me your allegiance? He didn't do any of that. He didn't confront them. He didn't yell at them. He didn't get angry and bitter with them. The first thing he did was he ministered to himself. He strengthened himself." [01:09:24] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Do you know how to put on the garment of praise to deal with the spirit of anxiety? Do you know how to put on the garment of praise to deal with the spirit of depression? Do you know how to put on the garment of praise to deal with the spirit of suicide? Do you know how to minister to yourself? David found strength in the Lord first." [01:10:38] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "When you dance, sickness has to go. Listen, there's things that dancing, baptizing removes that other things cannot." [01:15:21] (91 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "I woke up with these two things in my heart this morning. I want to share them with you real quick. Maybe they'll minister to you as I ponder them and they've ministered to me. Two things I woke up my heart with is his mercy is made new every morning. The other thing is, is his mercy made new every morning or has his mercy already been fulfilled for us on the cross and we can experience in its fullness every single day? It does every hour, every night, every evening, every morning." [33:34] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "You know, Jesus couldn't go back into his hometown because people were so filled full of disbelief because they watched him grow up as a kid. You know, Jesus couldn't go back into his hometown because people were so filled full of disbelief and they couldn't receive the miracles. He says, the Bible says he could do no miracles there. So a person is without honor in his own hometown. I see this a lot and I see people experiencing rejection where they grew up." [46:29] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "David rides back to Ziglag and it's on fire. Some enemies, the Amalekites, came in to David's town while he wasn't there. Destroyed it. Took your, imagine if your kids were taken, your wives. Everything you owned was taken. Now check this out. You ready? Look at all the rejection David's experienced. Right? Let's look at this betrayal." [01:06:46] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "David's two wives had been captured, Ahenom and Jezreel, and Abigail and the widow of Nabal of Carmel. Here it is. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of killing him. What? His 600 men, now he's being rejected by his 600 men that he has fought for, lived with, that owe him allegiance? You mean now his 600 men of great stature? Men of valor are talking about killing him? Hold on a second. That's not it. Each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. Now check this out. This is it. But David found strength in the Lord, his God." [01:08:29] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "How many people when they get rejected automatically as a first responder have a default in them that chooses joy? Or the minute you experience rejection, you automatically choose, I'm hurt, I'm withdrawing, I'm going to lash out, I'm going to bite your head off. How many people can minister to themselves properly?" [01:12:38] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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