Thrive.Church Weekly Message

[John 15:10-11] When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. [11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Jesus wants you to have joy that ___________________.

[Philippians 2:3-4] Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. [4] Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Nothing will kill your joy faster than ___________________ yourself to others.

Joy comes when my focus is on ___________________.

[John 10:10 ESV] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

A Joyful Christian is a ___________________ Christian.

You don't need to be ___________________ to have joy.

You can't tell if you have joy until you face ______________ ______________.

[Philippians 2:5-11] You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. [6] Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.

A ___________________ person is not a joyful person.

[Hebrews 12:2 NIV] fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

There is joy in the ___________________.

The devil can't ______________ your joy...but you can _______________ it up.

[Isaiah 58:11] The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

God wants His joy to be like a _________________ in your life.

[Philippians 2:17-18] But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. [18] Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

[Acts 16:6-7] Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. [7] Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.

God's “_______” is as good as His “_______.”

God wants you to have joy _______ ______________ ________.

[Philippians 1:3-6] Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. [4] Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, [5] for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. [6] And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

I can have joy knowing that God always ______________ what He ______________.

A mark of a mature Christian is how we respond to ___________ ___________.

Happiness is ______________, but joy is ______________.

[2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV] Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Don't let the things you can't control, ___________________ you.

[Philippians 1:12] And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. [13] For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. [14] And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear.

Happiness happens by ______________, but joy happens by ______________.

[Psalm 119:143] As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.

Our joy is found in ______________ alone.

[Philippians 1:20-23] For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. [21] For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. [22] But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. [23] I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. [24] But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

[Zechariah 4:6b NIV] 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

The Holy Spirit is not a higher power, He is ________ _________________ _________________.

[2 Corinthians 3:17] For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

There is no freedom _______________ from the Holy Spirit.

[Colossians 1:13-14] For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, [14] who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

The Holy Spirit will _________________ you of sin.

[John 16:7-8] But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. [8] And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

The awareness of our sin should lead to _________________.

[1 John 1:9-10] But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. [10] If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

[James 5:16] Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

We confess to God for _________________ and we confess to each other for _________________.

We must REPENT and turn from our sin.

[Matthew 4:17] From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."

Repentance may require _________________ some _________________.

[Romans 8:12-14] Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

[1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11 NLT] There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. [5] There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. [6] God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. [7] A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. [11] It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

If you are following Jesus you have been given a __________.

Spiritual gifts are given for us to serve ________________ and point the way to ________________.

[Romans 12:4-5 NLT] Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. [4] Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, [5] so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

We are called to use our gifts to serve the Lord in __________.

The church is not ________________ without your gift.

[2 Timothy 1:6] This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.

The more we use God's gifts the more they _______________!

[Ephesians 4:11-12] Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. [12] Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

God wants to use you to accomplish His __________ on earth.

[1 Corinthians 13:1-3] If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. [3] If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

We are never to use God's gifts in a way that is ____________.

3  Questions to Help Discover Your Gifts

Does it ________________ you?

Does it come ________________?

Do others ________________ it?

Life is a journey and God has given us the ________________ we need to navigate it.

[John 16:7-8, 13-14] But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. [8] And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. [14] He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

What seems “_____________” may not be God's _____________.

Many people want the Holy Spirit's guidance but won't stop to ________________ to Him.

[John 10:27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

If you are in God's Word, seeking to be led by the Spirit, and listening for His voice, you ________________ be led down the ________________ path.

Circumstances aren't a ________________ way to discern God's Will.

[Jeremiah 17:9] "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Your ________________ aren't a reliable guide.

The Holy Spirit will ________________ contradict Scripture.

[Psalm 119:105] Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

The more ________________ you have in your heart, the more the Spirit will ________________ to you.

God's ________________ is found in God's ________________.

When the Spirit guides us we must be willing to ______________.

[Luke 11:9-13] "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] "You fathers--if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? [12] Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! [13] So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

God is not trying to ________________ His path from you.

[1 Corinthians 4:20] For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power.

The Holy Spirit is the One who breathes the _____________ into our ____________________.

[2 Corinthians 3:13] We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.

The Holy Spirit will never _______________ those who put their faith in Jesus.

[Acts 1:4-5] Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. [5] John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

The Holy Spirit wants to ____________________ your life.

[Acts 1:8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The Holy Spirit is always pointing the way to ____________ through ____________________.

So many are living a Spirit-___________ life, but God wants us to live a Spirit-___________ life.

Experiencing the ____________________ of the Holy Spirit begins with an awareness of His ____________________.

[2 Timothy 1:7 NIV] For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

God wants you to live a life ________________ of the Spirit.

[Romans 8:11] The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

The same ____________________ that raised Jesus from the dead is available to every ____________________!

Continue to celebrate Thrive's Anniversary with the sermon from January 17 of this year, a week before we started this weekly podcast.

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Prayer is the simple __________ of talking to God.

Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, As we forgive those who sin against us.  And do not lead us into temptation But deliver us from evil.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Daniel ________________ hid his faith, even if it meant punishment.

The resilient person will _______________ at all times.

James 5:13-16 (ESV)

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

The point is for you to pray _____ ___________ because you know that God is ____________ to answer.

Bring all things to God in prayer and let him guide you, don’t _______ _______ _______________ without asking God.

Romans 8:26-27 (NLT) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we do n’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Romans 8:34 (ESV) Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Continue to celebrate Thrive's Anniversary with the sermon from January 10 of this year, 2 weeks before we started this weekly podcast.

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When we fast we give up something we _____________ to focus on something of greater _____________.

Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get

God usually shapes you over _____________ periods of time by using things that seem _________________.

Fasting helps us to control our _______________.

2 Kings 7:3-7 Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. “Why should we sit here waiting to die?” they asked each other. 4 “We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.” 5 So at twilight they set out for the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there! 6 For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. “The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!” they cried to one another. 7 So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, as they fled for their lives.

So many people are waiting for _____________ to move, but He's waiting for _____________ to move.

Fasting strengthens your _____________________ with God.

Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?

If you don't learn to direct your _________________ they will begin to direct you.

Matthew 5:6 CSB Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Fasting teaches us how to control our _______________.

Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Fasting will unlock spiritual _______________ in your life.

Continue to celebrate Thrive's Anniversary with the sermon from January 3 of this year, weeks before we started this weekly podcast.

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Philippians 3:12-16 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

Resilience is the capacity to ___________________ quickly from difficulties.

Resilient people are good at choosing where they focus their ___________________.

We need to see our ___________________ as an opportunity to learn.

James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

God wants you to have ___________________.

Resilience is the ___________________ between the problem taking you out and it making you ___________________.

Resilient people ___________________ in all circumstances.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

You may get ___________________ down, but you don't need to ___________________ down.

The very thing that was meant to ___________________ me just made me ___________________.

Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

You are equipped with a resilient ___________________.

Celebrate Thrive's 7th anniversary by listening to the first sermon. Entitled "Thrive: God's Word". The Audio was remastered using a CD recording. There are some imperfections inherited from the original source material. Better audio starts at 1:37

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