Behold The Glory

Introduction

About myself

Youth Pastor

Student Life Director

When I was praying and reflecting on what to share, I felt compelled to address a topic that would resonate well, particularly with Gen Z.

Out of all the possible topics to discuss, the one that stood out the most was "The Mind."

Someone once said, “Satan is a headhunter, your mind is his battlefield, your imagination is his trophy.”

Whatever controls your imagination, controls you.

The mind is a big topic for Gen Z

Worldly influences through technology and social media

Access to all kinds of unfiltered and harmful information

Music, movies, and pop culture that can so easily make the wrong thing seem so appealing.

Mental Health Epidemic

Statistics say:

42% of Gen Z has a diagnosed mental health condition

90% struggle with anxiety

78% struggle with depression

20% PTSD

Our own insecurities and negativities that we are constantly battling against.

All this to say......there is a lot of outward pressure on our mind.

This pressure can feel crushing, overwhelming, impossible to escape.

What do we do with that? How can we live as a Christ follower with all that pressure?

Scripture

I want to read a verse that many of you might be familiar with.

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Three things I want to highlight and clarify

Don’t do This (Conformity)

Do This (Transformation)

This is How (Renewing the Mind)

So let’s break that down a bit.

Conformity - Has to do with external

It has to do with outward actions

If you act one way with your youth group friends, and the complete opposite way with your School friends, that is conformity.

This outward pressure dictates your thoughts and actions

The Bible is saying don’t do that…don’t be conformed to this world.

In fact conformity is not the answer at all.

Even if it is conformity to the church

Conformity, even to the church, is still and outward form of pressure that will crush you. It can’t be maintained.

If all I’m ever doing is conforming....I haven’t gotten to the heart of the issue.

Conformity doesn’t do anything for you and I.

It’s just an external pressure point....that’s why we need to be transformed.

Transformation - Has to do with the internal

It is an internal pressure (or power) that results in outward action.

When a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, it doesn’t just pretend to be a butterfly with external features,

As hormones change and genes are activated on the inside, it produces something on the outside.

While conformity uses pressure from the outside....transformation is The Holy Spirit releasing power from within.

That is transformation.

Renewing of the Mind

When we have submitted ourselves to God by faith, he changes our destiny in an instant, but He changes us day by day.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face

Speaking of a relationship

beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image

Transformation takes place from beholding the glory of the Lord

We are transformed as we allow the Spirit to reveal Christ through the Word of God.

from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

We don’t have the pressure of perfection, we have empowerment for the process.

Renewing the mind is a process, but as we submit to the process by beholding the glory of the Lord

Bible Reading

Prayer

Being an active part of the Church (the Body of Christ)

We begin to change.

That’s why Summit is such a life changing experience for so many people.

It’s not Summit that changes people, it’s the inward work of the Holy Spirit.

Summit just creates that environment that gets rid of the common pressures and distractions of the world, to give space for individuals to “behold the glory”

And as they Behold the glory, they begin to change.

Because this outward pressure is not met with an inward power.

Basketball Analogy

Let me show you how this happens.

Get one volunteer who is good at basketball.

Give 15 seconds to showcase best dribbling skills.

As soon as the ball touches your hands, start dribbling.

As the outward pressure is put on the basketball, there is not enough inward pressure or power to counteract.

What happens is the basketball is deflated, and it can’t operate or be used in the way that it was intended.

But lets try this again

This time with an outside source, giving power from within.

As person is pumping the basketball

This is what happens as we behold the Glory

Every pump is one degree of glory to another.

Closing

The pressures of the world that are creating this battle in your mind, don’t have to be the end of the story.

God has power available to you and I

It’s not limited to youth camps and conferences

It’s not limited to Worship nights

It’s not limited to Sunday morning Church

It’s not limited to Bible Schools.

Why?

Because you and I can Behold the Glory everyday.