Worship, Intercession, and Waiting on God's Strength

We gathered as family on this fifth Sunday to do the simple, eternally important things: worship and intercession. I invited us to move closer, not just in our seating, but in our hearts—to close the distance between where we are and where God is drawing us. Before a single song, we lifted our hands and made space for the Holy Spirit, setting our expectation that the God who has kept us all week is present and ready to move. We named Him as big—bigger than our fears, our needs, and our limits. That confession was not hype; it was alignment. When we right-size God, our problems take their proper place.

We practiced the holy exchange: bringing our weakness, weariness, and worry into the presence of a limitless God and receiving His strength. We leaned into the promise that those who wait on the Lord renew their strength—they rise, they run, they don’t faint. Waiting wasn’t passive for us today; it was an active posture of trust, an open-handed “yes” to God’s timing, God’s power, and God’s way. Together we decided to worship like heaven does—without hurry, without pretense, without quotas—because worship is what we were made for and where we become most ourselves.

I asked you to make it personal. Not a crowd moment, but a Jesus moment—to talk to your Savior about the week you just lived and the week you are walking into. We didn’t rush the silence; we honored the whisper. In that space, God met us—drawing us close, exchanging heaviness for hope, and renewing strength for the road ahead. My prayer is that what we practiced together becomes your pattern tomorrow: draw near with expectancy, declare who God is, exchange what you cannot carry, and wait well. He will meet you there.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Draw near with holy expectancy Expectation is not wishful thinking; it’s trust that God is already present and active. When we move closer—in body and in heart—we signal hunger, and God loves to meet hungry people. Expectancy sharpens attention; it tunes the soul to notice grace in real time. Come ready, and you’ll find He was ready first. [24:16]
• 2. God is bigger than your limits Naming God’s greatness is not denial of pain; it is the refusal to grant our limits the final word. When we confess His power, fear loses its authority and options multiply where we saw none. Worship re-sizes our world—God becomes large and our obstacles small. Faith grows in the space created by that re-sizing. [26:05]
• 3. Exchange weakness for His strength Grace invites a trade: honesty for help, emptiness for fullness. Bring the part of you that is tired, confused, or discouraged, and hand it over. Strength does not arrive as adrenaline but as steadying presence and durable joy. This exchange can become a daily practice, not a rare moment. [52:36]
• 4. Wait on the Lord together Waiting is not inactivity; it is intentional consent to God’s timing and God’s work. In the waiting, roots go down, clarity grows, and strength returns. Community waiting teaches us to borrow each other’s faith when ours runs low. Those who wait find they can run again—and not burn out. [53:55]
• 5. Turn worship into personal dialogue Worship is more than songs; it’s conversation where you bring specific stories, sins, and needs to Jesus. Speak plainly, listen carefully, and let the Spirit translate your groans into prayer. Intimacy is built in these unhurried moments. What starts in the sanctuary reshapes your Monday. [71:16]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [18:10] - Church-wide Ugly Sweater Party
• [19:13] - Donuts and Cocoa Invitation
• [19:58] - Giving and Stay Connected
• [23:27] - Call to Gather Close
• [24:00] - Ready Hearts for Worship
• [24:16] - Expectation for Blessing and Miracles
• [24:44] - Open Hands, Open Hearts Prayer
• [25:07] - Remember God’s Daily Goodness
• [26:05] - God Without Limits Declaration
• [52:36] - Exchange Weakness for Strength
• [53:55] - Waiting on the Lord Together
• [69:36] - Stand and Keep Worshiping
• [71:16] - Make It Personal with Jesus
• [72:15] - Silent Reverence and Invitation

1. In Isaiah 40:28-31 what two promises does the Lord give to those who are weak or weary? What images does the passage use to describe the result of waiting on God?
2. Read John 12:32. What does “lifted up” mean in this verse, and how might that connect to the worship action the speaker invited the congregation to do before singing? [24:44]
3. The sermon describes lifting hands and “right-sizing” God by naming His greatness. What words and phrases from Psalm 147:5 and the sermon help shape that practice of naming God’s greatness? [26:05]
4. The speaker invited the church to “exchange weakness for strength.” Which phrases in Isaiah 40:29–31 match that exchange, and which line in the sermon made that connection most clearly? [52:36]

1. How would a person living under regular stress interpret the promise of Isaiah 40:31—would they hear it as immediate relief, long-term endurance, or both? What in the passage points to each option?
2. How does lifting up Jesus in John 12:32 function as the means by which people are drawn to him—does the text suggest a public witness, an inward worship posture, or both? How does the sermon connect the act of lifting to being drawn to Jesus? [24:44]
3. The sermon says naming God’s greatness does not deny pain but refuses to let limits have the final word. How does Psalm 147:5 support that approach theologically, and what tension still remains when someone is suffering?
4. The sermon links waiting with renewed strength and community support. How does waiting “together” change the dynamics of Isaiah’s promise—what does community add that private waiting might not? [53:55]

1. Draw near with holy expectancy: This week, pick a time each morning (5–10 minutes) to pause, declare that God is present, and ask God to make you alert for one specific way He might show up. When will you do that, and what will you look for? [24:16]
2. Name God’s greatness aloud: Identify one fear or limit you’re facing. Practice a short declaration (two sentences) that names God’s greatness over that specific issue and say it out loud each morning. What will your declaration be? [26:05]
3. Exchange weakness for strength: Choose one area where you feel worn out (physical, emotional, spiritual). How will you practically hand that over to God this week—through a simple prayer, asking a friend to pray with you, journaling it to God, or another action? Commit to the specific step and when you will do it. [52:36]
4. Wait on the Lord together: Arrange a 20–30 minute time this week to meet with one or two group members to wait in prayer—no agenda, just silence, short prayers, and listening. Who will you ask, and when will you meet? [53:55]
5. Turn worship into a personal dialogue: At least once this week, during a song or quiet time, speak to Jesus about one concrete story from your week (a success, a failure, a fear, a joy). Write down what you tell him and any impression you receive. When will you set aside that moment? [01:11:16]
6. Make a habit of “right-sizing” your problems: For one specific problem this week, list practical next steps you can take (actions you control) and then write a one-sentence confession of God’s power over it. How does naming God first change the list of next steps? [26:05]