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Small Gatherings
2024 - The World is Drastically Changing
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REFRESH: And because of those excessive, aggressive, and oppressive changes, small groups need to be an essential part of our life, especially when you consider the future events that are coming our way. There is a lot of tension out there and that tension seems to be hitting us on all fronts, — mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually. The world is radically changing making it difficult for most of us to just get through the day. And so getting into an upper room environment really helps as we connect with each other beyond the regular three pats on the back that we have been so accustom to.
In our busyness, as we try and connect the dots, we have isolated ourselves as we take on all of life’s challenges. It really is vital that we start to connect with one another, pray with one another, as we enter into a whole new season that the Lord has for us. Sunday may not be an option for many, but a home group gathering during the week may be ideal when you think about where the Lord is wanting to lead us and how He's wanting to empower us.
It's in that small setting, that small gathering, as to the New Testaments original design, where we can find strength, encouragement, peace, and a covering that is needed from the ongoing spiritual warfare that is hitting us from all sides. We need to enter into that resting place where those paradigm shifts can take place, — allowing us to see the spiritual warfare that has been strategically designed to come against us from a whole different perspective. It’s in this resting place where we get to see the provisions of the Lord manifest before us as we trust in Him. Our God is an awesome Father, and He always makes a way for us.
That Much Needed Experience
It’s when we gather for all the right reasons, that Holy Spirit can release that upper room experience that we so desperately need. As we commit to being in one accord, honoring one another, serving one another, while walking with a genuine love, and showing a true regard for one another, that Holy Spirit can be released on a whole new level as to Gods original design.
It’s at this very place where the commanded blessing comes upon us, where restoration begins to have its way, — which is the very reason why Jesus came. With that, — comes the angelic who are wanting to partner up with those who have aligning themselves with unity, allowing those much needed divine appointments to manifest as the Kingdom of Heaven lands all around us with all of its surprises. The whole idea is to go from those sporadic visitations, to a place of where we are constantly dwelling in the presence of God.
Something That Jesus Exemplified
As a home group carves out an Ekklesia model similar to the one that Jesus modeled, it too will have the ability to creatively change that part of the world that we find ourselves in. It will change us as a people, and it will change our community as we know it. Plus it will create all kinds of attention that will pull us into the harvest field as the Kingdom starts to demonstrate itself all around.
How we functioned in the past is not going to cut it when you think about where the lord is wanting to lead us. And neither will a gathering operating in a top down autocratic system give us the needed results that Holy Spirit is looking for when it comes to the releasing of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Small gatherings or home groups need to open up a way where everyone is involved, where everyone contributes to help paint that much bigger picture as to what God is doing in our midst. All the ministries with their unique personalities all adding to paint a more complete picture can only benefit a team as it moves forward.
We need to get away from what we have been so programmatically accustom to. It's not about getting out of the box, it's more about getting us to think outside the box which will include everyone to somehow play a part in what Holy Spirit is releasing. Having that entrenched "inside that box mentality" needs to shift into something more functional. The whole plan is to transition us from being an organization to where we become an organism. And for many getting out of the box may be the only answer. Somehow need to get past all the walls that hinder us from walking in our fullness, — both personally and corporately.
A Model Designed to be Empowered
Every small group environment needs to embrace the true character of Jesus if it plans to walk in its fullness. As Holy Spirit continually testifies of Jesus in the character of Jesus, so do we also need to be following that same model as Holy Spirit empowers us. Character and power work hand in hand, — as it defines us on how we need to move forward.
Holy Spirit was release by the Father to give continuation of the ministry of Jesus. What Jesus modeled both in ministry and character is what we need to be walking in. The Ministry of the Holy Spirit is to release us into a whole new way of moving forward. What Jesus exemplified is what we need to demonstrate through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is this very model that the Lord is wanting to breathe incredible life into. As we engage with what has been released, it is important to understand the season that we are presently in. Understanding the season will help us move in the direction that we need to be going, and it will give us all kinds of clues on what the battlefield actually looks like.
The battle is the Lords and not ours. Which is the very reason why we all need to get on the same page with what the Father is doing. Getting on the same page helps release those stratagies on how the Father does business. Jesus, in the gospel of John, prays that we become one as they, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. That much needed oneness, makes us complete, and it empowers us to go the distance.
We also need to allow the Holy Spirit to initiate every meeting as he begins to direct the flow of that meeting. We also need to prepare ourselves to engage in the very part that Holy Spirit has given us to play. Our God has molded us, and He has uniquely gifted us and equipped us. We now need to step into the operating system that He has laid out for us. We need to play our part and engage.
Learning to Function as a Team
We need to learn how to function as a team and the perfect birthing place for any teamwork is in that small group environment where the defining of character and accountability is huge. Everyone should contribute at some level. Everyone has been designed to contribute. According to who we are in him, and how He has equipped us — that part that that has been entrusted to us needs to come into play at every gathering. We all have a piece that helps complete that bigger picture.
We need to honor one another and create that safe place as we move forward as a team. Our God has uniquely designed each and every one of us, and we need to allow the needed room for people to step forward. Walking in humility needs to play a big part in all of us as we practice what it is to be a team.
Holy Spirit will set the tone, then we just need to flow. It’s when connecting all the dots on how a home group needs to function that "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done" will now have the ability to powerfully land on all levels as it demonstrates the goodness of God.
Once the Ekklesia Model is established in a home group — it can now be duplicated! Those around you now see a functioning 5 Fold Model as to its original New Testament design. A team, a Kingdom, along with the angelic, all working together, coming up with some amazing Kingdom results as it goes beyond the walls and into the community. You now have a working model that is easily transferable, — for within dwells honor, accountability, and servant-hood.
References to Help set the Tone
Philippians 2:1-4
“If there is any fellowship that we share in the Spirit, any comfort of love, any great depth of affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition, strife, or vain deceit, but with an attitude of humility being neither arrogant nor self-righteous, regard others as more important than yourselves. Do not only search out only your interests, but search out the interest of others also.”
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the same Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”
Romans 12:3-8
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
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EkklesiaRising.com / JesusMinistries.ca