Running Circles Around the Enemy

God wants you to teach your children 2 main things: (Joshua 4:20-24, NKJV) God’s Word. (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV; Deuteronomy 11:19-20, NKJV) Discipline. (Proverbs 23:13-14, GW; Proverbs 22:15, NIV) Your monument will be the lives that have been changed. (3 John 1:4, NKJV)...

God is faithful even when we are not faithful. (Psalm 18:16, NIV; Proverbs 24:16, NIV) God wants to focus on our faithfulness, not our failures. (Luke 15:11-14, 17-32, NKJV) God is faithful when we are caught doing things we should not be doing. (John 8:3-11, NKJV) He...

We will pass through the waters. (Isaiah 43:1-2, NKJV) You don’t have to fear, but you do need to fight. Passing through the water is seasonal. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV) When we pass through the waters, we all remember that most of the time it’s seasonal. What we don’t...

There’s a prayer to pray. (Joshua 13:1, NKJV; 1 Chronicles 4:10, NKJV) Jabez asked God to bless him and to bless him indeed. Jabez wanted God to enlarge his territory. Jabez wanted God’s hand upon him because that would keep him from evil and pain. Why God granted...

Don’t despise your insecurity. The greatest trap is to be insecure about your insecurities—relax and own it. Owning is the first step to conquering it. Take a risk and talk about it. Talking about it with a wise and trusted friend helps keep our insecurities at...

Imposter Behavior. You pose as someone or something that you perceive as better than the real you. While the real you is imperfect, it is the best you. Work in progress but you can’t make progress if you don’t give yourself permission to be the real you. Defensive...

Learn to walk by faith. (Joshua 3:15-17, NKJV; 1 Corinthians 10:11, NKJV;2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV) Keep your mind on the Lord and His power, not the problem. (Isaiah 26:3-4, NKJV) Ask God to increase your faith. (Luke 17:5, NKJV) Look to Jesus not people, places or...

The power and purpose. The purpose of the power is to witness. (Colossians 1:29, NKJV, CEV, AMP) Christ was the only way to live. God’s Word was the only way to wisdom. God’s plan and purpose was to bring honor and glory to God. The right rest can be a weapon, but...

There are 2 Sanctifications: Positional sanctification – happens at salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. Progressive sanctification – happens as we become more and more like Jesus as the Holy Spirit prompts us. Being saved and serving by the prompting of the...

Be teachable; Your goals are reachable if you are teachable. (Psalm 37:23-25, NKJV; Psalm 32:8-9, NKJV; Proverbs 21:29-31, NCV; Proverbs 28:14, NCV; Proverbs 29:1, NCV) North (nearness or staying close). (Psalm 73:23-24, NIV) Everything rises and falls on your...

Going places you have not gone. (Joshua 3:3-4a, NIV) Without Jesus and Him crucified we cannot go to new places and learn new insights. (1 Corinthians 2:1-14, NKJV) You don’t get your faith in man but in God. As you mature you learn, gain wisdom, and receive more...

The scarlet cord is a visual example of the blood of Jesus. (Joshua 2:17-21, NKJV) Just as we have never sinned, we have been acquitted. (Romans 5:9, NKJV; Ephesians 1:7, NKJV) When we are saved, the blood cleanses our conscience. But we have to learn to continue to...

True kindness is both words and actions. Jesus’ words were kind, encouraging, and challenging. Just because we challenge someone’s faith and action does not mean we are not kind. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is challenge someone’s faith that causes them to...

Kindness. (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV) Kindness means being more concerned with WHO a person is becoming than WHAT they’re doing. Kindness is expressed by listening. How do you know who to listen to and who not to listen to? You have to consider the source. You have to ask...

The art of waiting is based on your lifestyle. (James 5:16, NKJV, Proverbs 15:29, NKJV) The art of waiting is based on action. (Joshua 1:8, NKJV) Read the Word. Meditate on the Word. Spread the Word. Accept the Word to bring success. The art of waiting is based on...

The art of waiting prayerfully. (Joshua 1:11, NKJV; Isaiah 40:29-31, NKJV; Psalm 46:10-11, NKJV, CEV, 1 John 5:14-15, NKJV) If we know it’s His will we can pray expectantly, consistently, and accordingly to His word. The art of waiting is based on the relationship...

Questions: Are you being disciplined, pruned or scourged? Do you have fruit? If you have no fruit, you are being disciplined. If you have some fruit God wants you to have more fruit. Fruit leads to pruning which should lead to more fruit if you respond to pruning...

Causes of discouragement: Looking at yourself. Looking at your own goals. Looking at your hopes and dreams. Looking at your drive and desires. Discipline is about sin while pruning is about self. When Christians don’t understand the difference, they can get...

This promise is for you today. (Joshua 1:5-9, NKJV; Hebrews 13:5-6, NKJV) Enjoy all that God is doing. Whatever God calls you to do and wherever God calls you to go, you are going to prosper. (Joshua 1:7-8, NKJV) What you do on a day to day basis and in your private...

Dry up whatever is stopping you from going forward. (Joshua 13:1, NKJV) You are only old when God tells you that you’re old. The Lord can remove your problem. (Joshua 4:23, NKJV) The water of the Jordan is a type of impossible problem you might be facing. (Joshua...

The greatest need for everyone is relationships. (Mark 12:30-31, NKJV) Relationship with God. Relationship with your mate. Relationship with your kids. Relationship with friends/staff. When we get these out of order, we have disorder. The #1 most important need in...

There is great reward in serving the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV) Service is an act of Love. Jesus came to serve. (Matthew 20:28, NKJV) When Jesus healed the sick, made the blind to see, fed 5,000 people, He served and showed His love. His death on the cross was...

Every Invitation, every opportunity, every relationship, and every major purpose. It costs you giving your time and energy. Leadership is influence and the greater the influences you have for Jesus the greater influence you will have for the church. God does not want...

Song of Songs 2:15, NKJV The longer you avoid the problem, the bigger the problem gets. Pain is part of the progress. Often, the difference between where you are and where God wants you to be is the pain you’re willing to endure. Remember the reason to confront the...

There is a big difference between feeling inadequate and feeling inferior. To feel inadequate means to feel the lack of necessary qualities. Inferiority - lower state of dignity, value or worth. Reasons why many people feel inferior. Consistent disapproval: some...

Feedback is ongoing, correction should not be. Feedback is to help each other grow. Correction is to change wrong behavior. Questions to ask when giving and receiving feedback: Am I doing this out of love? Do I have peace about it? (Colossians 3:14-15, NKJV) Do I want...

Transparency: (Philippians 1:10, WNT, TLB) The state or property of a body by which it suffers rays of light to pass through it, so that objects can be distinctly seen through it. When the clay is broken or cracked, what’s on the inside comes out. (Isaiah 64:8, NKJV)...

U – Understands people. To understand the mind of a person, look at what he has already achieved. To understand the heart of a person, look at what he or she has dreamed of becoming. 2 basic reasons why relationships fail: Fear – causes us to erect barriers....

An influencer has: I – Integrity with people. Once trust is betrayed, moving to the top of the ladder is out of the question. It is always easy to do right when you know ahead of time what you stand for. A crisis reveals the character. N – Nurtures people. Nurturing...

Learn to push through fears. (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV) Depend on the Spirit, Power, and Love of God by controlling your mind. Make the choice to obey in spite of how you feel. (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NKJV) As Christians, we have learned that we can’t make decisions based on...

Everybody has influence. What you do with the influence you currently have will determine whether or not your influence grows more. And you have far more influence than you realize. You influence people everyday through your smile, conversation, email, voting, etc. In...

Trust. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV) The right trust brings confidence and security that brings about a boldness and refuge. Trust is earned over time. When we learn to trust over time, that trust results in loyalty. Time + Trust + Loyalty = Intimacy. God wired us to have...

Learn to know Jesus better and better. (2 Peter 1:2-8, TLB) This is the true way to have everything we need and live a truly good life. This is a result of what God does through His power and promises. Work hard to be good. (Genesis 2:9, NKJV; Genesis 2:17, NKJV)...

Trust. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV) The right trust brings confidence and security which brings about boldness and refuge. Trust is earned over time. When you learn over time to trust, that trust results in loyalty. Time + trust + loyalty = intimacy. God wired us to have...

Choices we make. We make choices every day. Choices start before we open our eyes. It’s a choice to open our eyes. Life is made of choices. The kind of life we live is due to the choices we make. The clothes we wear are due to a choice. The food we eat is due to a...

Beware of the “fatal mistake.” If you fail, stumble or fall, get back up and try again. In our leadership practice, we all make mistakes, but the “fatal mistake” is when you give up quit trying. It’s tough to lead now, more than ever. It’s appropriate to acknowledge...

Learn to trust your leadership intuition and instincts at a deeper level. God has placed leadership intuition within you through the Holy Spirit. Learn to fully sense it, trust it, and act on it. Intuition and instinct have an important distinction. Intuition –...

Our purpose here on earth has alignment in heaven. Our purpose is very clear, to make disciples, which of course includes evangelism first. If we don’t first introduce someone to Christ and see that relationship begin, how can we disciple them? Our purpose as a...

In order to lead well, you must first be willing to follow. There is no leadership apart from followership. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) As Christians, our leadership starts with our ability...

Leadership is influence, everything rises and falls on leadership, everything.   Am I investing in myself? If you’re not investing in yourself, you don’t have anything to invest in others. This is a personal growth question. There are 4 types of people: The...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Set your values and pre-decide. If you don’t know your values as a leader, it’s like running a race without knowing the course. If you literally don’t know where to run, you can’t possibly...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. The world can be loud about sin, Journey Church is being loud about Jesus. If the world can be loud about sin, why can’t the church be loud about salvation? Sometimes we live too timid, too...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Isaiah 11:2, NKJV Burnout Results when we try to live in the flesh instead of following the Spirit. (Romans 8:12-15, NKJV) When you are burned out, you are fearful. (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV) In...

Do what you’ve been asked to do before you ask for what you want to do. It’s essential to allow your growth to catch up with your aspirations and give others room to see your value. It’s unwise to attempt to force this process. Thoroughly love what you’ve been asked...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Earn your voice. You have leadership voice. Your team, especially your boss, wants to hear what you think. But it’s wise to earn your voice in the process. When it comes to your leadership...

The harvest is still plentiful. Joshua had been a faithful servant to Moses and to the Lord. (Joshua 1:1-2, NKJV) Joshua, up to this point, served God by serving Moses. It was time for Joshua and the Israelites to move forward to a new place they had never been, yet...

Grace allows us to have peace that only come from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ in any and every situation. Grace is the desire and power to do what God has called us to do and do it with great Joy. Because of God’s grace we can have God’s peace in all things....

The crown of rejoicing for winning souls. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, NKJV; Philippians 4:1, NKJV; Daniel 12:3, NKJV; Proverbs 11:30, NKJV; 1 Corinthians 15:40-44, NLT The crown of life for enduring trials and tribulations. Do not get discouraged easily in the midst of...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. How to Have Peace in Any Situation: Saved + Total Dependence + Represent Christ in the Situation = Peace in the situation  How to Have the Abundant Life: Love God Promptly Obey God's Word...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything.  Level 1 - People listen to you because they have to. When people have to listen to you that’s the lowest form of communication and leadership. When those that are teaching and leading,...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Surrender: to become preoccupied & completely dependent upon Christ that reflect in our behavior. Lust: to become preoccupied with the wrong thing that leads to the wrong behavior. Lust...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Ephesians 6:10-18, NKJV   What are the wiles of the Devil? The devil is planning, strategizing, developing a specific and special (wile) just for you. The goal of this strategy is to take...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. If you determine how you will spend your time, you can be sure that others will decide it for you.  (Ephesians 5:15-17, NKJV, NLT2) Insights: Do you have a schedule? Without a scheduled...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Proverbs 21:20, TLB; Matthew 25:14, NIV The first foundation for financial fitness. The Law of Possession: Everything I have belongs to God. (Matthew 25:15, NRSV. You have to know what you...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Proverbs 26:1-28, NKJV; Proverbs 26;2, TLB   Example of Disloyalty (Absalom) 2 Samuel 15;1-6, NKJV Absalom - King David’s son Signs of disloyalty: When someone starts talking about how they...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Successful people master their moods. (Proverbs 25:28, TLB) They live by their commitments, not their emotions. Successful people watch their words. (Proverbs 13:3, NIV) They put their...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. As a church leader, I’m sure you love and care about people, but if you have been leading for more than one week, you have encountered a difficult person or two. We all can be difficult or...

Proverbs 27:1-27, NKJV  Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything.   If today was your last day what would you do? Important insight, those who love us will tell us the truth even if it hurts. Someone that is giving you...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Leadership is influence. One of the main purposes of influence is to speak up for those who don't have it. Psalm 72:12-14 ~ Solomon asked God for influence so he could use it to help the...

Leadership is influence. Everything rises and falls on leadership, everything. Is “good enough” an acceptable leadership idea? Or should you ALWAYS do the ultimate and “very best”? As a leader, you mostly have three cherished, invaluable resources: Time Finances...