Conceptual Framework
1. There’s more in you.
- a. What’s already in you?
- b. How do I know there is more?
- i. I can do more than I think.
- ii. Other people put a demand on it.
- iii. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all I ask or think.
- 1. Ephesians 3:20 (He does it according to the power working in us)
2. Put yourself through a process that stretches you.
- a. “Danielson” thinking. Wax on Wax off. Little Things prep you for big things.
- b. Something doesn’t just sit still and get stretched. You’ve gotta move
- c. “Systems” in your life should “routinely” stretch you.
- i. The environment you create for yourself…
- a. God’s loves a contrite spirit. (A CRUSHED AND BROKEN SPIRIT) Ps. 34:18, and
- Ps 51:17
- b. God wants to break you!
- c. How does it feel to be broken?
- i. How do you know when you’re broken?
- 1. When the pieces of you don’t fit the way as smooth as they used to.
- 2. When the shape of you doesn’t look the same.
- 3. When you realize just how much of a mess you are… and you just wanna “sweep” you up.
- 4. 1 Cor 11:24 Jesus stretched too the point His body and His spirit were broken!
4. Starts w/ a Crazy Decision
- a. Getting in the cage is INSANE.
- b. Insane Faith is hinged on an Insane Belief in an “Insane God”.
5. Run for Him w/ all you have (seek 1st the kingdom)
- a. What’s getting in the way?
- b. BURN IT, Break it, trash it, leave it on the altar… stop playing with it. Romans 12:1 (Living sacrafice)
6. Cry Out!
- a. Allow the Fear of God to cleanse and purge you!
- i. The Fear of the Lord is Clean
- ii. The Fear of the Lord is as a sweet smell
- iii. The Fear of the Lord is Holy!
- b. A passionate cry is more real than anything else.
- i. The Blind man crying out for Jesus.
- c. BE what you claim to be.
Background Resources
Stretching Verses
Moses had to stretch for His hand. Normal moving of his hand wouldn’t create the results but he had to STRETCH to see God move! Everytime Moses Stretched God moved with him!!!
Exd 3:20
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
Exd 7:5
And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
Exd 7:19
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and [that] there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in [vessels of] wood, and in [vessels of] stone.
Exd 8:5
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
Exd 8:16
And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
Exd 9:15
For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
Exd 9:22
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
Exd 10:12
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, [even] all that the hail hath left.
Exd 10:21
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness [which] may be felt.
Exd 14:16
But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea.
Exd 14:26
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
Key Verse:
Mat 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Challenging Questions (for me) –
Where are you not stretching yourself? Why?
Why don’t you have “insane” faith? Is it because you depend more on your intellect than putting trust in God?
Do you have a vision from God?
If you aren’t believing on Him, then you probably don’t truly believe IN HIM!
What Crazy thing are you doing to cry out for God in your life?
Plan
ACTUAL PLAN
Point and StretchHow far behind you can you point?
Can you point a little bit further?
Tie back – There’s More in you!
Stretch us God
Everyone line up outside. How far do we reach? Now everyone spread out and stretch as far apart as you can? How far do we reach? Can we make it a little bit further?
Tie back – There’s More in you! Other People put a demand on it.
Hold your breath
Stretch… there’s more inside you. Walk through the expanding your time process.
Tie Back – There is a process for stretching yourself. It may be different for some people but there is always a process.
What are the things that keep us from holding our breath longer?
Ask the teens. Why? Internal or external problem?
Rubber band Snapping
How far will your rubber band stretch without breaking?
How far do you think you can stretch without breaking?
How do you know that’s as far as it will go?
Why not be broken? Pull until it breaks.
What does it feel like when it breaks?
It stings, it hurts, it’s a sudden release of major pressure.
Tie Back – God is looking for someone who will be broken. Because he can use broken people. But the only way to become broken is to truly stretch! (Last 4 points of CF)
Summary & Call to Action
Insane change starts with an insane Faith
Believe God for something that will break you!
Examine my heart played by Ricky and an Altar call!
Altar call is an opportunity for an “insane” consecration!
Finalizing
Everyday we need to cry out to God to break us. Not just tonight. What are you going to do tomorrow to ask God to break you!
2 comments:
I'll send my team here to help report on the fallout from the lesson and let ya know how it goes!
WOW WE HAD A FreAKIN AWESOME NIGHT!
God moved in such a spectacular way! We saw some of the hardest kids in class broken and "SQUALLIN'"! There were teens lying on their face before God crying out to him to stretch them.
One girl, a 7th grader, who is always distant and often silly was sitting there and SUDDENLY broke and began sobbing uncontrolably. God was moving awesomely.
As I rode the bus home, I sat amazed as I watched a young man on the edge of tears for more than half the trip home. I was able to talk with teen after teen that shared with me what it felt like for them to be in the presence of God!
One teen said "when I "fell" (he was slain in the spirit) it just felt like I was a feather or something..."
Another kid, who's only been coming for about 3 weeks said, "I just felt like I could fly! I was sure I was gonna take off any second"
It was truly incredible to see God begin to break kids without any ministry at all! Several of the kids God began to deal with their hearts before they even made it down front with the altar call!
Another young man talked about how at first he was afraid. Not of the things of God but as much of the commitment it would take to maintain what God was asking. But then when he finally gave in God shook up what was inside of him and he broke radically!
It's the greatest reward to see God do stuff "without you". I know I had my part in the actual "lesson" but God did things WAY BEYOND MY PAYGRADE!!! If you know what I mean!
It was a radical night and all the Glory goes to GOD!!!
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