Spiritual Readiness for the Challenges of 2024
Summary
In the sermon delivered by Pastor Rod and Teacher Melvine Walker on December 31, 2023, titled "How To Be Ready For 2024?", the speakers focused on the spiritual readiness required to face the upcoming year's challenges. They emphasized the importance of edifying the spirit to handle the rapid changes and mixed seasons in the world. The speakers noted that the church has remained resilient even during the pandemic, and it is crucial to continue preparing for both physical and spiritual warfare.
The speakers compared the forthcoming changes to a downpour following a few raindrops, indicating that the intensity of challenges will increase. They discussed the concept of war, both external and internal, using the Marvel Comics' Civil War as an analogy for a nation's destruction from within. The importance of being prepared for war was underscored, with a focus on the survival of individuals and nations without access to basic necessities. The speakers questioned the congregation's faith, urging them to consider how their faith would hold up in times of crisis.
Love was highlighted as the greatest virtue, with the congregation encouraged to pursue it earnestly and to cultivate spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. The speakers explained that speaking in tongues is a way to communicate with God, while prophecy serves to edify others. They expressed concern over the lack of value placed on prayer within the church, contrasting it with the dedication seen in other religious traditions.
The presence of evil and the danger of complacency were also addressed. The speakers warned that evil is progressive and that the church must prepare for the end times rather than becoming comfortable with the status quo. They emphasized the need to decode the programming that influences perception and to choose faith over fear.
Finally, the speakers reiterated the importance of praying in tongues and prophesying for individual and church growth. They stated that these gifts will be crucial in navigating the challenges of 2024 and that the enemy's tactics of promoting fear and discouraging self-edification must be resisted.
Key Takeaways:
- Spiritual edification is essential for navigating the complexities of rapidly changing seasons and the blending of old and new challenges. As believers, we must be vigilant and strengthen our spirit man to discern the times and prepare for the spiritual warfare that accompanies physical conflicts. This readiness is not just for personal growth but also for the collective strength of the church. [40:38]
- The analogy of a downpour following a few raindrops serves as a warning that the intensity of life's challenges will not merely trickle in but arrive with overwhelming force. The church must recognize the ongoing war in both the physical and spiritual realms and prepare accordingly, ensuring that faith is not only professed but also deeply rooted and resilient in the face of adversity. [43:30]
- The sermon challenges believers to examine their faith in the context of American prosperity, questioning whether it has truly been tested. The speakers suggest that true faith must be able to withstand not just theoretical challenges but also practical hardships, such as the lack of basic necessities. This introspection is crucial for believers to understand the depth of their faith and their readiness for Jesus' return. [47:13]
- Love is presented as the foundational virtue upon which all spiritual gifts should be built. The pursuit of love is not a passive endeavor but an active quest that should be the primary focus of every believer. This love is the bedrock that enables the effective use of spiritual gifts, such as prophecy, to edify the church and advance its mission. [49:37]
- The importance of prayer, particularly praying in tongues, is emphasized as a means of self-edification that transcends formal education. The speakers lament the undervaluation of prayer within the church and call for a revival of this discipline to build up individuals and stir up spiritual gifts. This practice is seen as a counter to the fear and discouragement propagated by the enemy, empowering believers to face the coming year with divine strength. [55:35]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "How To Be Ready For 2024?"
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 14:1-4 (NIV)
> "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church."
2. Proverbs 22:3 (NIV)
> "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty."
3. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
> "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 Corinthians 14:1-4, what are the differences between speaking in tongues and prophesying?
2. How does Proverbs 22:3 relate to the concept of being spiritually prepared for the future challenges mentioned in the sermon? [39:44]
3. What does Ephesians 6:12 suggest about the nature of the battles we face, and how does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on spiritual warfare? [43:30]
4. In the sermon, what analogy is used to describe the increasing intensity of life's challenges, and how does this analogy help us understand the need for spiritual readiness? [42:32]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize the pursuit of love before spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 14:1? How does this align with the sermon’s message about love being the foundational virtue? [49:37]
2. How can the concept of prudence in Proverbs 22:3 be applied to the idea of preparing for both physical and spiritual challenges in 2024? [39:44]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between physical and spiritual wars, and how does Ephesians 6:12 support this view? [43:30]
4. How does the sermon challenge the congregation to examine their faith in the context of American prosperity, and what practical hardships are mentioned as tests of true faith? [45:01]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current spiritual practices. How can you actively pursue love and cultivate spiritual gifts, especially prophecy, in your daily life? [49:37]
2. Considering the analogy of a downpour following a few raindrops, what steps can you take to strengthen your faith and be prepared for sudden and intense challenges in 2024? [42:32]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of praying in tongues into your spiritual routine to edify yourself, as suggested in the sermon? What might be some practical steps to start this practice? [55:35]
4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of decoding the programming that influences our perception. What are some ways you can become more aware of and resist negative influences in your life? [39:03]
5. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant challenge. How did your faith hold up, and what can you do to ensure your faith is resilient in future crises? [45:01]
6. The speakers mentioned the undervaluation of prayer within the church. How can you personally contribute to a revival of prayer in your church community? [56:31]
7. How can you actively choose faith over fear in your daily decisions and interactions, especially in the face of uncertainty and potential crises in 2024? [39:44]
This guide is designed to help your small group delve deeper into the themes of spiritual readiness, love, prayer, and faith as discussed in the sermon. Use these questions to foster meaningful discussions and encourage practical applications in your lives.
Devotional
Day 1: Fortifying Spiritual Resilience
Spiritual edification is the bedrock for facing the complexities of life's rapidly changing seasons. Believers are called to vigilance and spiritual strengthening to discern the times and prepare for the inevitable spiritual warfare. This readiness is vital for personal growth and the collective strength of the church. [40:38]
Ephesians 6:13 - "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
Reflection: How can you actively strengthen your spiritual resilience daily to prepare for the challenges ahead?
Day 2: Anticipating the Deluge of Trials
The intensity of life's challenges will surge, akin to a downpour following initial raindrops. The church must recognize the ongoing war in both the physical and spiritual realms and prepare with deeply rooted and resilient faith. [43:30]
James 1:12 - "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to ensure your faith is resilient and prepared for the intensifying challenges of life?
Day 3: Testing Faith in Prosperity
In times of prosperity, the depth of one's faith may remain untested. True faith must endure not just theoretical challenges but also practical hardships, such as scarcity. This introspection is crucial for readiness for Jesus' return. [47:13]
1 Peter 1:6-7 - "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Reflection: How does your faith stand in the face of comfort and prosperity, and how might it be tested in scarcity?
Day 4: Pursuing Love as the Foundational Virtue
Love is the foundational virtue upon which all spiritual gifts should be built. The active pursuit of love is the primary focus for every believer, enabling the effective use of gifts like prophecy to edify the church. [49:37]
Colossians 3:14 - "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
Reflection: How can you actively pursue love in your daily interactions to build a stronger foundation for your spiritual gifts?
Day 5: Reviving Prayer as Divine Strength
Prayer, especially praying in tongues, is a means of self-edification that transcends formal education. A revival of this discipline is needed to build up individuals and stir up spiritual gifts, countering fear and discouragement. [55:35]
Jude 1:20 - "But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit."
Reflection: How can you incorporate the discipline of praying in tongues into your daily routine to build divine strength for the coming year?
Quotes
"Evil never is stagnant; it always goes further. The system is designed to make you feel that everything is normal, everything is okay." [37:36] (Download)
"A prudent man sees danger and prepares. This is why it's your fear or your faith which one will you choose because they're both being presented to you." [39:44] (Download)
"You got to know how to decode what you're being programmed to see. Amen." [39:03] (Download)
"A nation is not destroyed from without; a nation is destroyed from within." [44:17] (Download)
"We must edify our spirit man this year; this is going to be one way that we're going to be able to handle the coming seasons and the rapid changes that will take place in the world that we live in this year." [41:50] (Download)
"When it rains, there's only a few drops before the downpour. There's war in the world right now, and if there is a war in the natural, it started in the spirit realm." [43:30] (Download)
"These are the two gifts that will manifest this year in your life: tongues for edification and prophecy for edification; one is edifying yourself and the other one is edifying the church." [52:59] (Download)
"He who speaks in a strange tongue edifies and improves himself... it says that he that prays in an unknown tone in the spirit edifies, improves himself." [55:35] (Download)
"Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love, make it your aim, your great quest. Oh, and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments, the gifts, especially that you may prophesy." [48:02] (Download)
"But on the other hand, the one who prophesies, who interprets the Divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching, speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation." [50:24] (Download)
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