Miraculous Atmospheres | Pastor Brandon Goff | Mountain Movers Wk 3

Devotional

Day 1: Trust Creates an Atmosphere for God’s Miraculous Work

Trusting God opens the door for Him to move powerfully in our lives, far beyond what faith alone can accomplish. When we move from simply believing God can, to truly trusting that He will, we create an environment where miracles are possible and our spiritual maturity deepens. Trust is not just a feeling but a posture that welcomes God into every area—our families, our work, our worship, and our prayers. The more we trust, the more we see God’s hand at work, transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for the extraordinary. [00:59]

Matthew 13:57-58 (NASB)
"And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.' And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."

Reflection: Where in your life have you been relying on your own strength instead of trusting God to do something miraculous? What would it look like to invite Him to move in that area today?

Day 2: The Posture of Humility and Surrender

The way we approach Jesus—our spiritual and even physical posture—matters deeply. Coming to Him with humility, like the woman who wept at His feet, positions us to receive what only He can give. True posture is not about outward show but about the inward attitude of our hearts: awe, surrender, and expectation. When we lower ourselves before God, acknowledging our need and His greatness, we open ourselves to His transforming power and grace. [23:21]

Luke 7:37-38 (NASB)
"And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume."

Reflection: What is the posture of your heart when you come before God? Is there an area where you need to humble yourself and surrender more fully to Him today?

Day 3: Prayer as Coming to the King

Prayer is not about eloquent words or religious performance; it’s about coming honestly and consistently to Jesus, just as you are. Like the woman who brought her alabaster jar, our prayers are an offering—sometimes wordless, sometimes desperate, sometimes simply loving. God invites us to draw near with confidence, knowing that He welcomes us and delights in our presence. Consistent, heartfelt prayer creates an atmosphere where God’s presence and power are experienced daily. [20:36]

Hebrews 4:15-16 (NASB)
"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: When was the last time you came to God in prayer simply to be with Him, not to ask for anything? Can you set aside time today to just sit in His presence?

Day 4: Praise Welcomes God’s Presence

Praise is more than singing songs; it’s a declaration of God’s worthiness and a response to His goodness, regardless of our preferences or circumstances. When we praise, we shift our focus from ourselves to God, creating an atmosphere where He is enthroned and welcomed. True praise is costly—it may require us to step out of comfort, to give sacrificially, or to worship even when we don’t feel like it. But in that place, God’s presence becomes tangible and transformative. [28:13]

Psalm 22:3 (NASB)
"Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel."

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally praise God today, even if it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar? How might that change the atmosphere around you?

Day 5: Inviting Jesus to Work in Your Life, Not Just Sit at Your Table

There is a difference between inviting Jesus to be present in your life and surrendering to let Him work in you. The Pharisee was content to have Jesus at his table, but the woman longed for transformation. God desires more than a place of honor in our routines; He wants access to every part of our hearts, to heal, change, and mature us. When we move from indifference to intentional pursuit, we experience the fullness of life Jesus offers. [13:02]

Revelation 3:20 (NASB)
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."

Reflection: Are you content with Jesus being a guest in your life, or are you inviting Him to do a deeper work in your heart? What is one step you can take today to move from routine to real relationship with Him?

Sermon Summary

Faith is the starting point of our relationship with God, but trust is where our faith matures and deepens. Trust is not just believing that God can do something, but living with the confidence that He will move in our lives. This journey from faith to trust is what creates an atmosphere for God to do miraculous things among us. When we move beyond simply inviting Jesus to our table—when we invite Him to work in our hearts and lives—everything changes. The difference between the Pharisee and the woman with the alabaster jar in Luke 7 is not about religious knowledge or outward appearances, but about posture, honor, and a willingness to be changed.

The story of Jesus in His hometown reminds us that unbelief and indifference can rob us of miracles. When we become too familiar or casual with God, we risk missing out on what He wants to do. Trust, on the other hand, opens the door for God to move powerfully. It shifts our language from negativity to life-giving words, it enables us to love when it’s hard, and it leads us to generosity, service, and obedience. Trust is not about manipulating God or earning His favor, but about creating a welcoming environment for Him in every area of our lives.

The woman with the alabaster jar demonstrated three key ways to create an atmosphere for God to work: prayer, posture, and praise. Her prayer was not just words, but action—she came to Jesus, bringing her best. Her posture was one of humility and honor, positioning herself at His feet, recognizing His authority and her need. Her praise was extravagant, pouring out costly perfume as an act of worship, not for her own preference, but because of who Jesus is. These three elements—prayer, posture, and praise—invite God to move in our lives, to change us, and to do what only He can do.

It’s time to move beyond minimum effort and indifference. God is looking for people who will trust Him deeply, who will welcome Him not just into their routines, but into the very core of their lives. When we do, we create space for Him to work miracles, to transform us, and to use us for His glory.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust is the journey that matures our faith, moving us from simply believing God can act to living as though He will. This shift from faith to trust is where our spiritual growth accelerates, and where we begin to see God do the miraculous in and through us. Trust is the ceiling that lifts us beyond small thinking and shallow worship. [00:18]
2. The atmosphere of our hearts determines what God can do in our lives. Unbelief and indifference create barriers to God’s work, while trust and honor open the door for His presence and power. When we treat God casually or compartmentalize Him, we limit His impact; but when we honor Him in every area, we invite transformation. [03:18]
3. The difference between inviting Jesus to our table and inviting Him to work in our lives is profound. One is content with His presence as a guest, the other longs for His transformative power. True spiritual maturity is found in the willingness to let God change, stretch, and challenge us, not just to be present in our routines. [13:02]
4. Prayer is more than eloquent words; it is the act of coming to Jesus with our needs, our gratitude, and our love. Like the woman with the alabaster jar, our actions can be prayers—bringing our best, seeking His presence, and drawing near with confidence because of what Jesus has done. Consistent, heartfelt prayer creates an atmosphere for God to move. [18:03]
5. Our posture—both physical and spiritual—sets us up to receive from God. Humility, honor, and expectancy position us for blessing, while indifference and pride close us off. Extravagant praise, regardless of our preferences or circumstances, shifts the atmosphere and welcomes God’s presence, reminding us that worship is about Him, not us. [23:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - Faith vs. Trust: The Journey of Maturity
[01:26] - The Cost of Trust and Spiritual Growth
[02:02] - Jesus’ Homecoming and the Atmosphere of Unbelief
[03:18] - Missing Miracles: The Danger of Self-Reliance
[04:36] - Trust and the Power of Life-Giving Language
[05:23] - Trust as the Foundation for Love and Generosity
[06:11] - Trust, Obedience, and Welcoming God
[07:15] - The Alabaster Jar: Trust and Atmosphere
[09:40] - The Woman’s Approach: Humility and Honor
[10:39] - Jesus’ Rebuke: Honor and Heart Posture
[13:02] - Table Guest or Life Changer?
[14:42] - The Importance of Honor and Authority
[16:39] - Indifference and Ineffectiveness in Faith
[17:51] - Three Keys: Prayer, Posture, and Praise
[22:50] - The Power of Posture
[26:24] - Extravagant Praise and Worship
[29:19] - Moving Beyond Minimum Effort
[30:39] - Faith, Trust, and the Invitation to Transformation
[31:54] - Salvation Prayer and Commitment
[32:49] - Prayer for God to Work in Our Lives
[33:25] - Celebration and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 7:36-39, 44-48 (NASB) — 36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,
38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”
...
44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

Matthew 13:57-58 (NASB) — 57 And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”
58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Hebrews 4:15-16 (NASB) — 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Observation Questions

In the story of the woman with the alabaster jar (Luke 7), what actions did she take to show her honor and love for Jesus? How did her actions differ from those of the Pharisee? [10:39]
According to Matthew 13:58, why was Jesus unable to do many miracles in His hometown? What does this reveal about the atmosphere needed for God to work? [03:18]
In Hebrews 4:16, what invitation is given to believers because of Jesus’ role as our high priest? How does this relate to the idea of prayer as described in the sermon? [20:36]
The sermon describes the difference between inviting Jesus to our table and inviting Him to work in our lives. What is the key distinction between these two approaches? [13:02]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the woman’s posture and actions (humility, honor, and extravagant praise) created an atmosphere for Jesus to forgive and transform her, while the Pharisee’s indifference did not? [10:39]
The sermon says that trust is the journey that matures our faith, moving us from believing God can act to living as though He will. How does this shift in mindset affect the way we approach God and our daily lives? [00:18]
What are some ways that unbelief and indifference can “rob us of miracles” in our own lives, as seen in Jesus’ experience in His hometown? [03:18]
The sermon highlights prayer, posture, and praise as keys to creating an atmosphere for God to move. How might each of these look practically in a believer’s life today? [17:51]

Application Questions

The woman with the alabaster jar brought her best to Jesus, even though it was costly and risky. Is there something valuable or vulnerable in your life that God is prompting you to bring to Him? What would it look like to do that this week? [26:49]
The sermon challenges us to move beyond minimum effort and indifference in our relationship with God. Are there areas in your spiritual life where you have become casual or compartmentalized? What is one step you can take to honor God more fully in that area? [29:41]
Trust shifts our language from negativity to life-giving words. Think about your conversations this past week—were they more life-giving or life-taking? What is one practical way you can speak more life and faith into your home, work, or friendships this week? [04:36]
The difference between inviting Jesus to our table and inviting Him to work in our lives is a willingness to be changed, stretched, and challenged. Is there a specific area where you sense God wants to transform you, but you’ve been resistant? What would it look like to surrender that area to Him? [13:02]
The sermon describes prayer as simply coming to Jesus, not just with needs but also with gratitude and love. How can you make your prayer life more consistent and heartfelt this week? Is there a specific time or place you can set aside to “come to the King”? [18:03]
Posture matters—both physically and spiritually. What is your usual “posture” toward God in worship, prayer, or daily life? Is there a change you want to make to show more humility, honor, or expectancy? [23:21]
Praise is about who God is, not our preferences. Next time you worship (at church or alone), how can you focus more on God’s worthiness rather than your own comfort or preferences? [27:31]

Sermon Clips

Unbelief creates an atmosphere. And he looks and he goes, Jesus, it says, Jesus didn't do many miracles there. Think about this. They missed on miracles because of the atmosphere of unbelief. Can I ask you a question? Very blunt. Today's going to be very blunt because I just don't have a ton of time. But here's the truth. How many miracles of God have we missed in our life because we'd rather do it ourselves? How many miracles of God have we missed over our kids? Because I'd rather trust my parenting than his grace. [00:03:12] (32 seconds) #UnbeliefBlocksMiracles

I'm not talking about building a way to get God to show up. I'm not saying if you build this atmosphere in your life, it gets God to show up and you've won. That's called manipulation, and the Bible calls manipulation witchcraft. So we're not dabbling in that, but what we are doing is going, you know what, God? I trust you, and because I trust you, it's going to lead to a lifestyle to where you're welcomed into every room that I'm in. You're welcomed into every environment in my life. You're welcomed into my parenting, into my marriage, into my prayer. Into my worship. You're welcomed into my workplace. [00:06:19] (38 seconds) #TrustWelcomesGod

Are you asking Jesus to your table or are you asking him to work in your heart? Because it's two completely different things. The Pharisee was perfectly fine with Jesus never asking, never working on him, never changing him, never elevating him, never maturing him. Never changing him. Never making him better. In fact, the Pharisee was perfectly fine just going, hey look at me, I go to church. Hey look at me, Jesus is in my life. I pray when I need something. Hey look at me, I open my Bible when that pastor asks me to. It's a brand new large print. It's an NASB Bible. It's amazing. It's beautiful. Look at it. The Pharisee was perfectly fine showing that off. But the woman was not. She needed a work of God in her life. [00:12:16] (42 seconds) #WorkInMyLifeNotJustPresence

Do you want me at your table or do you want me to work in your life? Because one is a journey of a lifetime. The other is just a moment of presence. One is, I'm okay with you just showing up, but don't you ask me to get better? Don't you ask me to get healed? Don't you ask me to be positive? Don't you ask me to give? Don't you ask me to serve? God, don't you dare ask me to love somebody I don't agree with. That's showing up at the table. But when I want him to work in my life, it's God. Will you take me everywhere you want me to go? I'll walk with you. I'll follow you. I'll do what you say. I'll follow your word. God, wherever you want, that's what I want because, God, I want you to work in my life. [00:13:07] (42 seconds) #TrustCreatesAtmosphere

When indifference sets into our faith, ineffectiveness will define our faith. When indifference sets into our faith, where I'm indifferent about Jesus showing up, I don't have to worship. It's fine. I don't have to pray. It's fine. I don't have to read the Bible. It's all good. It don't matter. It's just Jesus. It's just church. [00:16:39] (23 seconds) #PrayerSetsAtmosphere

What if prayer to us was, I'm coming to you, Jesus. I'm not going to Facebook. I'm not going to friends. I'm not going to anything. I'm going to you first. Prayer is coming to Jesus and going, hey, it's me again. Hey, I need some direction. Or watch this. This is crazy. Hey, God, I don't really have anything. I just want you to know I love you. Thank you. How powerful of a prayer would it be? [00:18:56] (30 seconds) #AllInForGod

If we want to see God in our lives consistently, we need to be at his throne constantly. If we want to see God move in our lives consistently, on a consistent basis, in miraculous ways, can I tell you something? We need to be at his throne constantly. [00:22:05] (17 seconds) #LifeGivenForJesus

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