UNLEASHING THE POWER OF THE CHURCH
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UNLEASHING HIS POWER THROUGH THE CHURCH: WE WERE BUILT FOR THIS! (PART 4)
GROUP AGENDA:
- Welcome & Fellowship
- Open in prayer
- Go over the lesson (Below)
- Ask everyone “What is one thing you learned today?”
- Encourage all to give on the app
- Ask P12 leaders in your group how their meeting went last week (and remind them to take attendance on Friday)
- Ask for prayer requests and pray
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE:
A GREAT LEADER PASSES ON WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED TO FAITHFUL PEOPLE WHO WILL ALSO PASS IT ON!
Two Questions a Great Leader Asks Themselves:
- WHO am I intentionally passing on the teachings I’m learning to? (The answer to this needs to be specific and intentional.)
- WHEN am I passion on this information to them?
2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT) – You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach (entrust) these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
Teach or Entrust (parathou): to set before someone in teaching, to set forth, to explain, to deposit, to entrust, to assign the responsibility for doing something to someone
Real leadership and growth doesn’t begin until you’ve passed what you’ve learned on.
The responsibility of teaching causes us to grow.
TODAY’S LESSON:
Last week, we started looking at how Jesus built the church. Jesus built the church. The church was not a man idea but a God idea.
1) JESUS BUILT THE CHURCH TO CONQUER AND NOT BE CONQUERED.
Can someone read Matthew 16:18?
Matthew 16:18 (NLT) 18. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock ‘’I will build my church’’, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
Conquer: overcome by force, subdue to win, obtain by effort, to be victorious.
Question – What was the Church built to conquer?
Jesus built the church to conquer and not be conquered, but he also built it to ADVANCE!
2) JESUS BUILT THE CHURCH TO ADVANCE
Who would like to read Matthew 11:12?
Matthew 11:12 (MEV) 12 from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has forcefully advanced, and the strong take it by force.
The church was not built to just survive, co-exist, retreat, and be complacent but to advance. God wants our families, marriages, children, grandchildren, businesses, minds, ministries, spiritual lives, cities, finances, influence etc., to advance.
Advanced: moved forward, made progress, increased in quantity, grew, took over, aggressively.
Force: (harpazo) to claim for one’s self eagerly (power of proclamation) energy (power of action) intensity (power of passion) power to influence (power to persuade) moral strength (power to transform) power of any body of persons combined for joint action (power of togetherness and unity.)
Question – What are some areas of your life that you need to advance? What “force” have you applied to these areas already?
A. THE FIRST COMMAND THAT GOD GAVE MANKIND WAS TO ADVANCE OR GROW.
Can I have a volunteer read Genesis 1:28?
Genesis 1:28 (NLT) Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it…
God not only commands us to be fruitful and multiply but He empowers us to do so. We need to resist the anti-growth spirit that convinces us to settle for the status quo or decrease.
Fruitful: (Parah) means to branch off, grow and increase.
Multiply: (Rabah) to become many, numerous, to make large, increase greatly, abundance
Fill: (male) means to be full, overflow.
God’s desire is to fill the empty places. The desire to fill and grow comes from Him – it’s a part of the DNA that He gave us.
The only one that doesn’t want us to fill, grow or advance is the enemy. Let’s make sure we don’t agree with him!
Question – How can someone actively resist the “anti-growth” spirit of the enemy?
B. THE EARLY CHURCH ADVANCED AND GREW DAILY
Who would like to read Acts 2:46-47?
Acts 2:46-47 (WE) 46-47. Every day the believers kept on gathering in the temple. They ate bread in each other’s homes. They ate their food gladly and with open hearts. They praised God. All the people respected them. Day by day, the Lord added to the church those who were saved.
Every day the Lord was adding to the church those who were being saved. Every time a soul is saved the Kingdom of Heaven is advancing.
The early church’s commitment to meet daily led to its advancement and growth. Because they were faithful, the Lord was faithful and many were saved.
Saved: (sozo) to rescue from danger, destruction, suffering and misery caused by sin, to restore to health, to save from the judgment of sin, to be set free from the addiction, torment and punishment of sin, to be forgiven of all sin and given the free gift eternal life through faith in Christ.
Question – As a believer and member of the body, what can you do to be more fruitful?
FINAL QUESTION: What’s one thing you learned today?
GIVING:
Proverbs 11:25 (NLT) – The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
There is nothing more refreshing than being part of someone else’s miracle. When we help others, through giving or serving or teaching, we will find our own lives enriched and prosperous. Take a moment now to give and be a part of someone else’s breakthrough.
How to Give:
- Open the App and click “Give.”
2. Change the fund to “P12.”
3. Set up your tithe on recurring giving