Beliefs exercise for Church planting teams

What do we believe?  Not what do we say we believe, but what we truly believe deep down inside.  Sometimes its hard to acknowledge what we truly believe inside.  Identifying our deep beliefs is really important.  If we aren’t seeing the results we want, we need to look deeper than just at what we DO, we need to examine what we THINK and BELIEVE.

-          Do we truly believe movements of Jesus followers in our people group and location are God’s will and desire?

-          Do we believe they can and will happen?  Yes or no?  Why or why not?

-          Do we believe God wants to use us to release them?

-          What do we believe is necessary to see the release of a movement in our location?

Some Common answers to the last question:

-          Someone with more gifting and anointing than me is needed for a movement. I don’t have what it takes.

-          This place is too hard and the people too resistive to ever see a movement happen

-          If we had better believers with more talent and commitment, we could see a movement

-          Im content to just see a small church started here.  Its okay if we never see a true movement.

-          I need a bigger and better team and more financial support to see a movement happen here.

What we believe dramatically affects the results we see. What we declare and speak out makes a difference. How do the above common answers reflect false beliefs?  What scriptures do we know that say something different?

I encourage you to do this exercise with your teams.  Examine your beliefs.  List the answers to these questions. Try hard to answer honestly.  Then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to shine His light on these things. As he shows you some areas that are false, repent of false thinking that is not in line with God’s word. Choose to truly turn from them. Begin to declare the truth into your team, location and situation.

For example, if you said “this place is too hard and the people too resistive to see a movement happen” you might declare out the scripture “Jesus said- lift up your eyes and see the fields are ripe unto harvest!”  Or you might declare in prayer, “Father you are releasing movements in places much more difficult than mine, in places like Iraq and China.  I know you can do that among these people too. Your word says, Nothing is impossible for those who believe.”  You get the idea.

Stir up your faith by declaring the truth and getting rid of the wrong thinking (lies) we are so tempted to believe. 

As we reallign our minds and hearts with God’s truth and begin to believe the truth, His Kingdom and power will follow. We will see a change in our actions as well as our results.

Thankfulness Exercise- Remembering the Goodness of God

I’m stuck the last few days in Psalm 103.  I’ve been meditating especially on verses 2 and 5 which say “Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me…He fills my life with good things.  My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”-NLT

Being Thankful on a run together!

How important it is that we take time to remember THE GOODNESS OF GOD!  If you are like me, sometimes we forget the good things He has done for us.  We forget or don’t really think about all the ways He has filled our lives with good things.  Thanksgiving is a powerful weapon of spiritual warfare and truly important as we encourage ourselves in the Lord! 

Sometimes my husband and I find ourselves grumpy or complaining, especially when we feel tired and weary.  The problems seem large and overwhelming.  I wonder if they will ever be able to be solved.  Then we remember the goodness of God in my life and He renews our strength.  We’ve started doing what we call a Thankfulness Exercise.  Sometimes we do it while going on a walk or run together.  I ask him “What are you thankful for?”  He says one thing then asks me “What are you thankful for?”  We go on like that for 5 or 10 minutes and suddenly life seems better.  Take time to remind yourself of His Goodness.  Speak it out loud.  Let praise fill your heart.

Keeping ourselves encouraged in the Lord is SO KEY in having the strength to press forward toward Supernatural Increase, Greater Fruit, many generations of believers, and the release of hundreds of Movements.  He is good!!