Troy A. Brewer's Blog, page 260

ARE YOU PURSUING THE POWERFUL?

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

Sin and death have taken such a toll on My beautiful creation – especially on My crowning achievement, man. I have turned back the clock with the gift of redemption. You are not powerless. Pursue Me and be renewed. 

PURSUING THE POWERFUL

God totally blesses pursuit. That’s why I’m in pursuit of my Kingdom purpose and identity. I’m in pursuit of Biblical worldview because I’m constantly recognizing I want to see things the way God sees them, not the way the world does. 

Those things don’t just happen. Nobody is going to do it for you. You have to go after it. Whenever you find you’re out of sync with that, Boom, get right back in line again. 

I’m in constant pursuit of a powerful, productive life. I have a strong conviction concerning my private life. When I’m by myself, I’m constantly monitoring what I’m thinking about, how I’m communing with God, what I’m letting into my life – all those kinds of things. 

I have to pursue that. I want my public life to show I have a very strong private life with King Jesus. That’s why I’m in constant pursuit of living a Spirit-filled, Kingdom life.

A life full of the Holy Spirit is a life full of power. I do not want to live a powerless life. I’m living in this day, right now and Jesus is alive right now so this is what I’m going to do:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. – Psalms 121:1-2

The same voice that created the universe are the same hands that broke bread, healed the sick and were nailed to a cross so I could pursue a powerful life – not a pathetic life.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES PRAY FOR RAIN – REVIVAL

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TAKE OFF YOUR MASK

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

What I have for you is better than what I have for your neighbor. Likewise, what I have for them is better than what I have for you. I take you very personally and would never give you leftover gifts, identity or purpose 

TAKE OFF YOUR MASK

It’s time for a reality check: if you’re not real about boldly pushing into the Promised Land, you’ll put on masks and pretend you have everything figured out. You’ll also think you don’t have faith. 

First, there is a real danger to putting on the church mask – that you’ve got it all together, worked out and prayed up. You pretend you’re a spiritual superhero when you’re really the guy being shaken down by the perp in broad daylight.

Can I tell you something? You can only keep up the super-Christian act for a short while before people start to figure you out. Stop comparing yourself to others – their walk, gifts, and maturity. Comparison kills!

You have to go through the process, develop, and go after the things of God for you and my friend, it’s not a competition. It is a race, but everyone who makes it across the finish line – no matter how long it takes or how ugly the race was – gets the same victor’s crown.

And if you decide you don’t have faith because you’ve been playing the comparison game and losing, you’re dead wrong. 

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” – Hebrews 11:1 

Faith is when you know God and the good things He has for you. When you go after what you hope for, you’ll begin to see exactly how God works for you. It’s the evidence you can point to and say, “I know Jesus is for me because He’s already done this, and this, and this in my life.”

I call that an inventory of faith. Do you have an inventory of faith? Have you trusted Jesus and stepped into Promised Land believing for Jesus to show up? If not, take off your mask and make up your mind to step across that border. Better things await.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES TIMELINES

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HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FIRST LOVE?

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

You are made in My image. When I see your heart break for the least of these, I see Myself. The resemblance runs deepest when you lift up the fallen or show your generosity to those who don’t expect it. You are My mirror.  

BETWEEN THE FATHER AND SON

Jesus wants us to find our position in the Kingdom. He wants us to line ourselves up with this definition of love:

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” – John 15:9

Before God created anything, the thing that coexisted, or abided, was the Father’s love for the Son and the Son’s love for the Father.

That’s first love. First love is not your love for the Father when you got saved. When Jesus revealed Himself to John on the Isle of Patmos, He was telling the Church of Ephesus that they had fallen – or more accurately – had removed themselves from a place they were never suppose to leave. 

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” – John 17:20

What was that place? Unity. Communion. Abiding. 

Jesus said the Father loved Him “before the foundations of the world.” The Church of Ephesus had left the place of first love – the positioning between the Father and the Son. 

The Ephesian Church got out of alignment with the love the Father has for the Son and the Son’s love for the Father. Believe me, standing in a place between the Father and Son means the Father sees Jesus when He looks at you and vice versa.

Can you picture that? It’s the place of first love and it’s where you were designed to be. Have you lost your first love?

FROM MY SERMON SERIES PRAY FOR RAIN – ALIGNMENT

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GIVE YOUR SITUATION TO JESUS

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

When you serve others, you look like Me. When you serve those who despise you, you act like Me. Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

GET JESUS INTO THAT SITUATION

Have you ever heard me say, “Serving is power because serving is demonstrating Jesus”? Well, I’m going to say it again today. 

First, you get Jesus into any situation by serving Him in that situation. If you don’t learn anything else here today, that right there will change your life. We have to learn how to let certain things impact us. 

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. – James 5:16b

What does it mean when it says “effectual fervent?” It means passionate – you’re passionate because you’re taking it personal. You let things affect you and when you do this, you get Jesus into that situation.

You also have to determine how less than positive things affect you. For example, how your haters affect you is on you. It’s not on anybody else. 

That’s been a hard lesson for me because I really want to win people over. Trust me, there’s a lot of people you just cannot win over so stop beating yourself up trying. 

By the way, you’re fighting the wrong battle if you’re trying to win your haters over. Your job is not to get them to love you. Your job is to demonstrate the love of Jesus to them. When you do that, the results are not yours – they are the Lord’s.

Serve the Lord. Demonstrate Jesus and be passionate about it. You’ll have real power in your life to love those who hate you and to overcome the obstacles life throws at you. I guarantee it.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES SERVOLUTION

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JESUS WILL MEET YOU THERE

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

I Am a good Father. I know your faults and failures. I understand your needs. Come into the living room. Sit and talk in My presence. Only there can I give you right standing and victory.

JESUS WILL MEET YOU THERE

Seeking proves you want it. What is it? The Kingdom! The Kingdom of God is where Jesus rules and reigns. When you seek the Kingdom, you’re also seeking the King. 

As a Christian, the most important thing you can do is seek the heart of King Jesus. 

“But Pastor Troy, you don’t understand. I need to get cured of my disease or addiction. I need better relationships and my finances are a mess. I need more faith and understanding of the Bible, and I want to speak in tongues. If Jesus cares about these things, shouldn’t I be talking to Him about them?”

Well, yes and no. Yes, Jesus cares about all those things and more. But this is the key to answered prayer: When you seek Him and the right standing He gives you, you’ve qualified for upgrade.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

You see, seeking qualifies you for the thing you’re looking for. A seeker is somebody who pays attention to spiritual things. It’s somebody who looks for the Kingdom and goes to the next level in everything they do. 

God meets people in the place of seeking. Here’s an example: Any time that you see Jesus say, “Lo” in the Old Testament, He’s saying, “Look for Me.” When He says, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the ends of the earth.” He’s saying, “Look for Me when you get off your map.” 

Jesus will meet you in the place of seeking – when you’re out of your element and your comfort zone has been left in the dust. Is this where you are today? If you’re not, get off the couch. Go after the Kingdom. Jesus will meet you there and add all these things that you need.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES FIRST THINGS

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QUANTITY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

My love, My time and My attention are deeper than the ocean and higher than the heavens. These things are limitless. You can have as much as you want. Put out your hands…

QUANTITY OF RELATIONSHIP

You qualify for higher revelation and deeper experience as you conform your life to the image of God’s plan. How does that work? Relationship quantifies you for intimacy. 

“Don’t you mean ‘qualifies,’ Pastor Troy?” No, I do not. You see, intimacy is quantifiable and increases with deeper knowing. With the quantity of relationship, you get the quantity of intimacy, revelation, knowledge, or secret experience. BOOM!

“Well, Pastor Troy, it seems to me some people experience God in different ways than other people.” Yes, they do. “Well, that brings me to the conclusion that God loves some people more than others.” Can I just call “baloney” on that?

Here’s what’s real: Some people have a different relationship with God than other people because relationship quantifies you for intimacy. 

Some people really go after a deep relationship with The Lord while some are okay with just having real estate in heaven. While being saved is great, it’s just the first word of a great big book testifying of the goodness of God and the identity, purpose, and destiny He’s given you.

Are you happy with the first word of the story? Or do you want to write a great big glorious ending that will have the Lord smiling and saying, “This is My beloved son and I’m so happy with Him”?

You decide what quantity of relationship are you going to have with Him. But remember this: You don’t go to the ocean that is Jesus with a teaspoon. Believe me, you want to jump into the deep end of that experience. 

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  – John 17:3

FROM MY SERMON SERIES PRAY FOR RAIN – INTIMACY

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STICK TO HIS PLAN

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

You are My beloved and I Am yours. I laid down My life for you, My bride, to make you spotless. I Am preparing your dream home and future in paradise. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED

Not only is your life a really big deal and needs to be lived well, what’s real is, you need to live your life well prepared for your big finish. Read that again and let it sink in. 

What I’m saying is this: Not only can you live an epic life instead of a nominal life, you can live your life toward an epic finish. You can live purposefully knowing you’re going to pass something down that wasn’t passed down to you – or at least a better version of what was passed down to you. 

You can and should live your life being determined to finish well. Do you know if your finish is going to glorify the Lord? If you don’t, you’re not being intentional in this area. Here’s the bottom line: You don’t randomly finish well.

People who finish well are bound and determined. They plan out how they’re going to finish this race called the Christian life. God already has a plan for you to finish well. We all know this verse:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Though He has this glorious plan, it’s up to you to partner with Him – to purpose yourself – to fulfill His plan. It doesn’t happen just because God wants it to. His gift of free will extends way past salvation. You have the freedom to go your own way, and many people do.

But is that the best life? I highly doubt it. How can what you plan for yourself be better than God’s plan to give you a sound mind, hope, and a future? He even promises His plan is good. Be determined to finish well. Stick to His plan. You won’t be disappointed.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES EPIC

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BE SET FREE!

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

I have loved you with an everlasting love. I Am your Redeemer who brought you up – up out of captivity. Your freedom is My great reward and I Am Yours. 

THERE’S A STRING ATTACHED!

Your Father God hates to see you in bondage. He doesn’t want you chained to your past, your circumstances, your critics, or your own DNA. He wants you set free. Jesus puts it this way:

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

Now, when the world sets you free, there are strings attached. The world is crying out for the government to give them free this and free that. It’s so tempting to grab those things but the government will enslave you in the midst of promising you freedom. 

I’ll tell you who the very first socialist was. It was Judas Iscariot. He looked over at the woman pouring out perfume on Jesus and he said, 

“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” – John 12:5

While that sounds good at first, you have to realize his motivation. Keep reading. 

This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. – John 12:6

Here’s the truth: he’s a socialist. Socialists say they want to help the poor, but they steal from the rich, keep it for themselves, and control the poor with the promise of better things to come. My friends, that’s not freedom. That’s a carrot that you’ll never get a bite of and it’s dangling right in front of you.

Stop chasing the carrot. There’s a string attached! The string is what ties you up and keeps you from following King Jesus with a whole heart. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 

FROM MY SERMON SERIES PRAY FOR RAIN – NEWNESS

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MIRACLES, MANNA AND MERCY

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

Blessed are those who believe and have not seen Me. Did you know My angels and all of Heaven marvel that you have not seen My face, yet you have faith? You are not looking for a sign but rely on My Holy Spirit to speak into you. Your faith makes Heaven smile.

MIRACLES, MANNA AND MERCY

A very influential Bible scholar once said, “Our mind cannot find a comparison too large for expressing the super-abundant mercy of the Lord toward His people.” I cannot tell you how much hope that gives me!

That’s something we can’t explain – His mercy. It’s undeserved, unmerited, and unlimited. It’s ultimately personal and unexplainable. It’s the New Testament version of manna.

 “And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as the frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was…And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” – Exodus 16:14-15, 31

Manna is the Hebrew word for, “What is that?” In Spanish, you would say, “Que pasa?” These people didn’t know what to do with food that falls from the sky so they asked the basic question and it stuck. Every day for 40 years in the wilderness, they ate it and couldn’t describe what in the world was keeping them alive. The just knew it was miraculous.

Have you ever been in a wilderness experience with God where you didn’t know what was going on? All you knew was God was sustaining you and you didn’t have any way to explain it? That’s manna. 

Manna – or God’s unwavering mercy – always happens right before you go into the promise. So, if you’re experiencing that right now, there is a day the manna will cease and you will cross the Jordan. Now, it’s not a bad thing to have the manna cease – to have His mercy cease over a certain area of your life. That means you’ve got your act together and no longer need it.

Where are you seeing God’s super-abundant mercy in your life? Be intentional and get your act together in that place. Manna is awesome, but it’s not God’s best for you. Constantly needing His mercy and the miracles that come with it means you’re a mess. 

His best for you is you getting into alignment for your assignment. Que pasa? Step toward the Promised Land and you’ll find out.

FROM MY SERMON SERIES THE INDESCRIBABLE GIFT

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DEMONSTRATING JESUS

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

Looking at you is like looking in a mirror. I Am so pleased when you give to the poor, when you love the unlovely and when you testify to My goodness. Your demonstration of My love speaks more to the lost than you know. I see Myself in you.

DEMONSTRATE JESUS!

You get Jesus into any situation by serving Him in that situation – even if that situation is a big old mess. Here’s what I mean:

If you want Jesus in your thought-life, serve Him in your thought-life. Make a list of distractions or ungodly thoughts that ensnare you and refuse to go there. When one of those unwanted thoughts – say anger, lust or self-pity – pop up, don’t panic. Simply have another thought!

If you want Jesus in your want-life, serve Him in your want-life. Some people call this “delayed gratification” but the Bible calls it “self-control.” You have to know what’s good for you and what’s not. You have to understand timing.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

By the way guys, you do want Jesus in your want-life. You also want a holy want-life. Otherwise, you’ll always want things that will kill you. 

If you want Jesus in your finances, serve Him in your finances. That’s all about tithing from your income, sowing extra money into Kingdom projects and being what I call a crazy-cool giver. It’s about stewarding your money and not blowing it on your want-life. 

If you want Him in your marriage, serve Him in your marriage. Get up every morning determined to love your spouse more that you love yourself. Be faithful, respectful, kind and selfless to that person. Speak words of identity and destiny to and about them, and never, never tear them down. 

I can go on and on, but that leads me to the ultimate conclusion and it’s this: Serving is power because serving is demonstrating Jesus. Do you want to the power to overcome the mess in your mind, your money and your marriage? Demonstrate Jesus! It’s really that simple. 

FROM MY SERMON SERIES SERVOLUTION

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