This Is Church Week 13: Painful Praise Part 2

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_______ Opening Story

Grandpa’s tools in dad’s garage.

He offered me and Ryan first crack at them.

He sent a whole list of tools we could have if we wanted them.

I responded with…what does it say about someone if they don’t know what 75% of those things are!

I didn’t get any of those tools!

It does no good to give a gift to someone who doesn’t intend to use it.

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Recap from last week.

Peter has gotten a reputation as the guy who can heal people.

To such a degree that people are bringing their sick and lame out into the streets so that his shadow will touch them.

We talked about the fact that the apostles were meeting the prevailing needs of the day.

Maybe for us it’s healing maybe it’s something else…it’s really about staying close to the Father and sensitive to Holy Spirit!

We closed last week by finding in verse 18 that the high priests and his officials had become filled with jealousy because of the notoriety of Peter and the apostles.

Ultimately this was prevailing truth from last week…as we keep growing adversity will keep coming.

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Cookie cutter mindsets…miss miracles

Today I want us to start out by remembering this fact…

as sure as adversity may be…the scripture were about ro read reminds us that so too is the faithfulness of God.

For every onslaught of adversity there is a measure of grace in our time of need.

Look at the proceeding moments from their arrest based on the jealousy of the high priests.

Acts 5:19 NLT

19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,

God performs a miracle again!

It is worth noting that this miracle looks different than any of the miracles we’ve seen up to this point.

Last time the miracle was the reason of the counsel…followed by the response of the people.

This time it’s the malfunction of prison doors and the tour guiding ability of an angel!

We have to understand that there is diversity in God’s economy!

As long as I have a preconceived idea of how God is going to meet my need…My need probably won’t get met.

Just this week I had a breakthrough in my life…it came through a means I wouldn’t have thought it would.

I felt prompted to reach out to an old ministry connection and we had a powerful call together that has changed a lot of things for me internally.

IF YOU TRY TO PUT GOD IN A BOX…YOU’LL BE LEFT WITH JUST A BOX.

God may meet your need through a random deposit…or an increase in hours.

God may meet your need through a miraculous touch…or a methodical treatment plan

God may meet your need through a reinvigorated marriage…or a disciplined date night routine.

The key is learning to give God glory no matter which miracle method he uses!

Sometimes the miracle makes sense. Sometimes the miracle blows minds. In every instance, the miracle is done by a God who deserves glory!

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What is impossible?

An important factor in this miracle is how beyond natural possibility it is

We let logic dictate our moves.

Rarely will logic and God’s will coexist.

We love to quote the verse about walking by faith and not by sight.

But we almost never actually live in that world.

It’s a beautiful concept but a frustrating reality.

There are impossibilities that demand our ignoring.

We stay stagnate in what God called us to based on the impossibility that stands in front of us.

But God shows us that unmoveable prison doors are subject to the visitation of the divine.

IF HE CAN OPEN PRISON DOORS…HE CAN HEAL MY TRAUMA

IF HE CAN OPEN PRISON DOORS…HE CAN PAY MY BILLS

IF HE CAN OPEN PRISON DOORS…HE CAN PROVIDE US WITH A CHURCH BUILDING

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The miracle is for the risk taker.

Acts 5:20–21 NLT

20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” 21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial.

The apostles experience a miraculous deliverance from prison and are immediately given the task to go back to where they were arrested.

God is less concerned with our safety than we like to think.

Christianity has degraded to being one of the most boring lifestyles.

We are simply the belief system of those who live in the neighborhood with the white picket fence

We invest well

We have country club memberships

We die peacaeably.

Miracles are rarely given to those who are pursuing comfort!

Miracles are not for those commited to staying where it’s safe.

The angel breaks the apostles out because God knew they were crazy enough to keep preaching even though it just cost them their freedom!

The directive of God was to GO BACK TO THE SAME PLACE THAT JUST HAD NEGATIVE RESULTS.

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Go back where you got hurt

What areas are we not experiencing miracles because we aren’t willing to go back to where we got hurt?

God won’t give you friendships if your afraid to go back to vulnerability

God won’t give you a fulfilling church experience if you are afraid to trust again

God won’t give you a financial miracle if you are afraid to trust with sacrificial giving and generosity

God reserves miracles for those who are willing to live radical lives on the other side of them.

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Living a startling lifestyle

Acts 5:25 NLT

25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”

Our boldness is starting to the adversary.

Our enemy understands he will have to take an L from time to time.

But when he takes an L and you come back and say run it back…so I can beat you again.

I want to live life in such a way that I have days that are startling to the devil!

When I keep showing back up for friendships in spite of being hurt

When I keep coming back to God in spite of being disappointed.

When I keep believing for great things in spite of trying seasons.

When I keep preaching the gospel in spite of people not responding!

God grant us the capacity to live startling lives for our adversary.

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Solidified convictions

Acts 5:28–29 NLT

28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” 29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.

This passage shows us that adversity doesn’t destroy us it actually matures us.

Just a couple weeks ago we saw a similar circumstance where they stood in front of the counsel and asked the question “should we obey God or you?”

Acts 4:19–20 NLT

19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

This time Peter states clearly…we must obey God rather than any human authority.

Adversity solidifies our convictions

You don’t know what you believe until you’ve had to withstand adversity.

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Trust God’s plan

Acts 5:38–39 NLT

38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

At some point we have to learn to trust God with the outcome.

That doesn’t mean that the outcome will always make sense.

But at the end of the day…If it’s God’s will we can’t stop it.

IF YOU DIDN’T BUILD IT WHY DO YOU THINK YOU CAN BREAK IT.

IF YOU DID BUILD IT…DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME TRYING TO PROTECT IT!

There is a level of invincibility when you are in the perfect center of God’s will.

David Livingston said “I am immortal until my work is done.

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Don’t praise through…Praise for.

Acts 5:40–42 NLT

40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. 41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

The apostles didn’t praise him through their pain…They praised him for their pain.

If you want to know how to become a perplexity to the enemy…learn to praise God for your pain instead of through it.

Cameron Curry story

There is something freeing when you come through tragedy and somehow still hang on to your faith.

Job 23:10 NLT

10 “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.

We can’t have gold without testing

We can’t have glory without suffering

We can’t have God without persecution

So because I want to be pure gold…Because I want to reflect his glory…Because I want to be close to God.

I will not simply praise him through my painful seasons…I will praise him for my painful seasons.

A catastrophic blow to the enemies plans for your life is when we learn to offer a painful praise.