Step Up

This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on September 25th 2022  by Benny. For the audio & video please click here. To listen to the worship please click here. 

One of the things God encouraged us in Dec 2021 is that God will fulfil your wildest dreams this year.

God said to us “Step Up”. We had 40 days of prayer and fasting, and these are the testimonies that came through those 40 days.

 As a church, God wants to give us a fresh revelation of His presence. The Rabbis knew the Word and knew how to get into it, they pause, and modulate the word, and the rock while reading. The Monks learnt to do this as well. We need to learn to pause on this Word presence. Presence makes you respond differently. The way God is coming to his church is here- God always has a solution to your problems.

So how does Step up happen?

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF A “HERE I AM” RESPONSE

When we go through testing? – Abraham stepped up to the test.

When God unfolds a dream for our lives? Gen31:11 – Jacob. An angel was telling him how to manage the business through a dream. When we say Here, I am to the dreams God has given us

When we cannot make sense of what is happening?  Moses and the burning bush.

When we are young/new/just about learning the ropes? 1 Samuel 3:4. Samuel learnt to say “Here, I am”.

 

JUST SAY “HERE I AM”

Say, “Here I am God to just capture whatever you are giving me in this season.”

God will use your “wildest dream” or “most fervent prayer” to work out. We all love “Jer. 29:11”, but how about stepping into it? In the NT Paul captures it in Eph 3:20 – Now to Him who is able to do, immeasurably than we can ask or imagine…”

All Abraham wanted was one son. But God had more i.e. Eph 3:20.

Jacob only wanted his business to prosper but God had nations coming out of Jacob.

 

 2. TO “STEP UP” AND OVERCOME THE STATUS QUO

Paul was going to bring the gospel to nations and gentiles. Paul is in Arabia for 3 years to be taught by the Holy Spirit. What did Paul do?

He was willing to learn afresh, He changed his residence (where he stayed, sat, behaved etc.) God gave him a fresh vision of where the whole of Asia Minor was impacted.

A. I want to know Him in my wildest dream So start dreaming. Some of you have stopped dreaming. Praying that your dreams will come alive and have the courage to dream again.

B. Teach me Your ways… Ask God to teach you His ways. Only that will last which is God’s ways

C. Shift “residence” …

D. Allow for your dream to get solidified

 

3. TO “STEP UP” AND OVERCOME THE STATUS QUO

 Rom 4: 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

  

4. TO “STEP UP” LEARN TO FLOW WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts start with the Holy Spirit. We need a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit so that we will live with radical Christianity.
In our Christian life, Become Risk-taker and do some Organizing

 How?

Take positions in the direction of your dream. The minute David was anointed his attitude shifted. His job is to take the tiffin to his brothers, but he goes and finds out what is happening on the battlefield and takes a position.

Growing in sensitivity to sense the moment of opportunity

God will show you the direction you need to go. We have the Holy Spirit in us, and HE will teach us as we talk to Him.

Prepare for the big day

Live like the dream will happen. There is power in declaring. Our daughter wanted to study in Ireland, and we started praying and declaring and now it has come to pass. God provided in an amazing way!

 

WHEN THE DAY COMES, GIVE IT YOUR ALL

•      RESPOND WITH “HERE I AM”

•      REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE “STATUS QUO”

•      FLOW WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

I was at a conference where we were given rice paper and told to write our dream and then eat it like Jeremiah ate the scroll. So like the story, I told you, I want you to take a piece of paper and write your dream (I am not asking you to eat it!). Trust God to bring those dreams to pass.

 Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.