Ground Zero: Part 1
I. Holy Spirit has Established Us
a. As the House of His Glory
i. Sermon Series
1. Hearing the Voice of God – How to Hear, Discern, and Bear the Burden of His Voice
2. Connecting with God Daily – Secret Place & 12 Disciplines
3. Spiritual Fruit – The Fruit of the Spirit
4. Spiritual Gifts – Gifts of the Father, Son, and Spirit
ii. Identity and Culture
1. Our governance structure, vision, values, standards of leadership and unique characteristics
iii. Our New Name
1. We are East Gate, for we are indeed the House of His Glory, and the place where Heaven touches Earth
Genesis 28:17 New King James Version
17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”
b. Holy Spirit isn’t done establishing us
i. Laying hold of His glory is just the beginning, now we will be transformed by His glory, into the image of His glory
2 Corinthians 3:18 New King James Version
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [a]by the Spirit of the Lord
ii. There is going to be an explosion of the presence of God in our lives that will spread throughout our city and beyond!
c. As I was speaking with Holy Spirit this week about this explosion of His presence He told me that the families of East Gate were going to be Ground Zero
i. The point of contact, on the Earth’s surface, of an exploding nuclear bomb
ii. The starting point of something
d. We just ended our series on spiritual gifts in Ephesians 4
i. Ephesians is such a great book for new believers because it breaks down what new life in Christ looks like
1. Our inheritance in Christ
2. Our new life and identity in Christ
3. Our calling and destiny in Christ
4. How we have been equipped for spiritual warfare in Christ
ii. In the middle of this amazing book Paul also gives believers the very first context for their new lives in Christ
1. The Home
e. This was always God’s plan
Genesis 1:27-28 New King James Version
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that [a]moves on the earth.”
i. God created the world, and from this point forward, everything He did within it would be done in partnership with families
1. Adam and Eve’s family
2. Noah’s Family
3. Abraham’s family
4. Moses’ Family
5. David’s Family
6. Jesus’ family
7. Your Family
f. East Gate, Holy Spirit is about to get ALL up in our family business.
i. His desire is to correct some things so that He can heal things, in order to prepare us for even greater things
ii. Over the next three weeks, out of Ephesians chapter 5, we are going to speak to three family dynamics
1. A man’s biblical responsibility to his wife and children
2. A woman’s biblical responsibility to her husband and children
3. Children’s biblical responsibility to their parents
g. Before we get into those responsibilities, Holy Spirit wants you to know that He sees each and every one of you along with your individual situations and circumstances. He wants to speak to you directly today and set each of you up for success
i. Holy Spirit told me to address two groups of people today
1. Those hopeful and excited to hear God’s heart for their families and make changes for the better – you all go last
2. Those fearful and hesitant to hear God’s heart for their families and dreading what they are convinced will only set them up for more disappointment
II. To the Fearful – 2 Things to Know, and 2 Things to Do
Hebrews 12:9-13 New King James Version
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no [a]chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
a. Holy Spirit wants to correct and heal so that we can all be partakers (partners/a part of) of His holiness
i. His heart is NEVER to throw past failures and shortcomings in your face
ii. He only addresses/exposes what He is going to bring break-though, freedom, or healing to
1. He is doing this for your profit/benefit, and to ensure you are not left out of what He doing, but made a crucial part of it (ground zero)
b. He wants you to know that yes, chastening (correction mistakes and curbing passions/tendencies) will not seem joyful, but painful; but afterward will yield fruit to those who are trained by it
i. Correction most often is for things done in the past, very recent or long ago, and the past can be very painful to examine
1. The past belongs to Jesus – He purchased it with His blood
2. If any person or thought is taking you to your past apart from the blood of Jesus, you have the responsibility to remind everyone involved that your past belongs to Jesus now
3. The blood of Jesus speaks better things than the blood of man
Hebrews 12:24 New King James Version
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
ii. The fruit: peaceable fruit of righteousness
1. Peace and right standing in relationship to God and those within your family
iii. Those trained by it
1. High level athletes have extra coaches, who they pay out of pocket, to correct them
a. Correct their mistakes, and curb their passions/negative tendencies
2. Correction is NOT failure, it’s the path to greatness
c. The two things that Holy Spirit is calling you to do
i. Strengthen your hands and knees – Keep showing up for worship and the word
1. Hands which hang down – the discouraged, I have no more strength, I can’t do this anymore
a. Worship will strengthen your hands
b. Judah – yhuda (H3063) yada (H3034) – praised and throw, shoot, cast
c. Worship God with hands lifted and see how He takes the battle from your hands, and fights while you only stand
2. Feeble knees – fearful, it was so hard already, I am too afraid to move forward
Job 4:4 New King James Version
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you have strengthened the [a]feeble knees;
a. His word will strengthen your knees
b. Listen to what is preached and allow the word of God to cultivate faith in you
c. Listen for what Holy Spirit is saying to you and to your household
ii. Make straight paths for your feet – keep it simple – obedience = success
1. Everything we are going to discuss is straight forward and simple. Don’t partner with the lie that its complicated and make excuses as to why you can’t obey Holy Spirit’s leading. It may seem difficult and complicated, but it’s easy and simple in His presence.
a. We define success as obedience, not desired results
b. Testimony of marriage that was on the verge of divorce until they connected with God in the secret place together.
III. To the Hopeful – 1 Thing to Know and 5 Things to Do
Ephesians 5:17-33 New King James Version
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of [a]God.
a. Wisdom is understanding the will of the Lord
i. You cannot make wise decisions for your family apart from understanding the will of the Lord, for your family
1. When is the last time you asked Holy Spirit for His will for your family?
b. Don’t be drunk with wine, be filled with the Spirit
i. Anyone who has walked through inner healing knows that when Holy Spirit starts digging into the past the temptation to self-medicate can be intense
1. Alcohol, drugs, porn, sex, work, food, entertainment, etc…
ii. Don’t self-medicate and numb what hurts, be filled over and over with Holy Spirit and allow Him to heal what hurts
1. Your daily connection with Holy Spirit in the secret place is the only way forward
c. Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
i. Sight and Sound - David and His mighty men
ii. This alone will have a deep impact on your family and culture of your home
1. Phil and Abbey Bortz and Psalm 132:1-5
Psalm 132:1-5 New King James Version
132 Lord, remember David And all his afflictions; 2 How he swore to the Lord, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: 3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, 5 Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
d. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord
i. Your personal worship unto the Lord is going to be a place of break through
ii. Worship is intimacy with the Lord and draws His presence near
1. You don’t need to be in church with the worship team
2. You don’t need to be alone with the right playlist
3. In your heart/mind sing His praises and worship Him
e. Give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
i. Gratitude is a superpower and a gamechanger
1. It keeps your eyes on the good God has done and is doing in your life
ii. Complaining draws the presence of demons in the same way worship draws the presence of God
f. Submit to one another in the fear of God
i. Hypotasso (G5293)
1. To position troops under your command for maximum success
2. To take a voluntary attitude of responsibility and cooperation
ii. Submit not because they are worthy, capable, respectable, etc… but because you fear God
IV. A Quick Refresher and an Invitation to Respond
a. A Quick Refresher:
i. For the fearful/hesitant
1. Just keep showing up and keep it simple (success – obedience)
ii. For the hopeful/excited
1. Be spirit filled, speak psalms, worship in your heart, give thanks, and submit
b. The Invitation to Respond
i. Come forward if you are willing to give God your yes, even if it’s a weak and scared yes
ii. Come forward if Holy Spirit is convicting you and calling you to repentance
iii. Come forward if you need to be filled again with Holy Spirit
