Thrive.Church Weekly Message

A life of taking ground in our faith is not a life               of adversity, rather it is the                      of having gone through adversity with our eyes fixed on God.

[Daniel 1:5, 8-9 NET] So the king assigned them a daily ration from his royal delicacies and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. [8]  But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. [9] Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. 

God can do the ______________ when your aim is to please him.

[Daniel 2:14-18 NET] Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. [15] He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. [16] So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. [17] Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. [18] He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 

[Proverbs 2:6 ESV] For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.  

We gain ground by                       God for wisdom.  

[Daniel 3:16-18 NET] …“We do not need to give you a reply concerning this. [17] If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. [18] But if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

[Daniel 6:10-11 NET] When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.  [11] Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God.

Through Daniel’s life he cultivated a _________ of prayer and ____________ .  

[1 Thessalonians 5 NIV] Rejoice always, [17] pray continually, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

[Proverbs 4:20-27 NIV] 
My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
[21] Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
[22] for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.

[23] Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
[24] Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

[25] Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
[26] Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
[27] Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

[Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (let’s gain ground!),[2] 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. [3] Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  

The daily habits that we ___________ determine the ___________ of our life.

[Jeremiah 29:11] For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

[Judges 6:1-5] The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. [2] The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. [3] Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, [4] camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. [5] These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.

Pressure doesn’t just shape ________________ it shapes how you see ________________.

[Judges 6:11] Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.

God doesn't call who you ________________ but who you are ________________ to be.

[Judges 6:12] The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!"

God doesn't wait for you to have ________________ to give you a ________________.

[Judges 6:13] "Sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, 'The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites."

What you believe about ________________ will always shape what you believe about ________________.

[Judges 6:14] Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!"

When God chooses someone he _________ what they ________.

You have all the ________________ that you need right now!

[Judges 6:15-16] "But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!" [16] The LORD said to him, "I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man."

Our identity shouldn't be in _________-confidence it should be in _________-confidence.

[John 15:5] "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

[Hebrews 11:33] By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them.

[Jeremiah 29:11] For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Christmas is the beginning of your CALLING.

[John 8:12] Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."

God's Light wants to work THROUGH you.

[Matthew 5:14] "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

You are not just saved from the DARKNESS, you are sent INTO it.

Darkness is not your ENEMY, it is your ASSIGNMENT.

[Matthew 5:14-16] "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. [15] No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Faith was never meant to be INVISIBLE.

[Matthew 5:13] "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

The light grows in COMMUNITY, not in ISOLATION.

Light shines through your STORY not your PERFECTION.

[Revelation 12:11a] And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.

The light has come TO you so that it can move THROUGH you.

[Matthew 28:18-20] Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

You will never take ground with your ____________ if you haven't taken ground in your ____________.

[Numbers 13:32-33] So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. [33] We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"

You can take people out of ______________ in a moment, but it takes a long time to get the ______________ out of people.

God wants us to experience __________________!

[Psalm 34:3 ESV] Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

What you __________________ in your mind will __________________ your life.

[2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Your mind is the territory the enemy fights __________________ for.

[Joshua 1:6-9] "Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. [7] Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. [8] Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. [9] This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Meditation is filling your mind with _____________________ until it changes who you are.

[Numbers 13:16] These are the names of the men Moses sent out to explore the land. (Moses called Hoshea son of Nun by the name Joshua.)

Taking ground in your mind requires __________________ while still __________________.

[Joshua 3:15a] It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks.

[Romans 8:28 CSB] We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

[Philippians 4:13 WEB] I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Christmas is the moment where the _____________ breaks the ___________________.

[John 1:9] The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

When God reveals His _____________, nothing stays the _____________.

[Micah 5:2] But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.

God is never _____________.

[Luke 2:6-7] And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. [7] She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

God didn't _____________ for us to come to Him.

[Philippians 2:6-7] 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.

Everyone is _________________ at the ________________.

[Isaiah 59:2a] It's your sins that have cut you off from God.

God’s solution to ___________________ is a Person.

[Luke 2:8-10] That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. [9] Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, [10] but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

God reveals His Light to the ones the world _____________.

[Luke 2:15] When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

[John 1:12] But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Every superhero has a _________.