Craig Groeschel, pastor of lifechurch tv, game one of the most inspired messages at Catalyst. He talked about "Finding IT when you've lost IT." Craig recently wrote a book titled, IT. IT referes to the passionatate and vibrant movement of God with the church. There is something about churches that have IT. You know when they have IT. You know when they don't have IT. IT cannot be programmed or bought. God makes IT happen. You cannot create IT or generate IT on your own. IT is not a model. The upside of IT is changed lives. The downside of IT is it attracts leaders.
But if a church is going to have IT then the leaders need to have IT. I need to have IT. To be overcome and overwhelmed by the great power of God. If we as leaders do not possess IT, our ministry and the people we lead will never have it. So if we've lost IT how do we get IT back? Craig offered 3 prayers to pray for those who have lost IT and are looking to get IT back.
3 Prayers to pray when seeking to restore IT
1. God stretch me. We need to ask God to take us places where we are uncomfortable and are unknown. When God opens up an opportunity we need to be committed to obeying his voice. We need to be so intuned to God's voice that we hear him speak and lead in our lives and are courageous enough to follow where he leads. He will stretch us beyond what we believe is possible. The question is "what will stretch you?"
2. God Heal Me: We need to be freed from the addictions, hurts, and hangups in life that can distract us from God. This can be things like idolatry, people pleasing, work aholicism, addiction to adrenaline, vanity, eating, etc. Once we pray that pray we need to be willing to take the necessary steps to find healing such as talking to someone who can help. The question is "who or what will heal me?
3. God Ruin Me: We need to be broken, crushed before God. To come to the place where our hearts beat for the things that makes God's heart beat. We need to return to God with fasting, mourning, and weeping (Joel 1:13) before the throne of God until we get IT back.
Have you lost IT? Do you want IT back? Pray God stretch me, God heal me, God ruin me. And don't give up.
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