Notes I took as Steve Uppal spoke at Destiny:

David – everybody else is running from Goliath but David, about 16 years old with no formal warfare training, is asking what do I get if I take him down. David’s reflex response is suddenly something arises within him and he says this man is a disgrace and I’ll remove him!

1 Sam 17 David’s response to Goliath

1 Sam 30 Ziklag – David’s response to trauma: 

David and his men wept until they had  no more strength left to weep. David’s men start discussing stoning him. His own family had been abducted as well. Greatly distressed but he had a secret.

David found strength or encouragement from the Lord his God. It didn’t say he went to church on Sunday to get some help. Do you know what it is to strengthen yourself? Do you know what it is to encourage yourself?

David knew the power of getting alone with God gaining the supernatural power of God. 

The literal translation indicates a leaning in to God. When he was having a hard time standing up straight he leaned into God.

From the Diary of John Wesley

Sunday, A.M., May 5

Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.

Sunday, P.M., May 5 

Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”

Sunday, A.M., May 12

Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.

Sunday, A.M., May 19

Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.

Sunday, P.M., May 19

Preached on street. Kicked off street.

Sunday, A.M., May 26

Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.

Sunday, A.M., June 2

Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.

Sunday, P.M., June 2

Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me. 

God wants you to be mighty on the inside! He wants you to be strong on your inner man!

There is this inner well that exists within you and left untapped it leaves you weak on the inside. God wants you stronger in spirit than the outside. He wants your appetites for the things of the spirit to be stronger than the appetites for things on the outside.

Wesley was asked how he got so many people to “I set myself on fire and the world comes to watch me burn.”  Fires go out if you don’t work to keep the fire going. Unless you pay attention to keeping the fire burning every day it will go out.

We live in a culture that does only what it feels like doing. This won’t keep your fire burning.

Eph 3:16-21 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. NIV

When you first workout you don’t walk out feeling stronger. You walk out feeling exhausted. You later feel sore. “I tried situps!”

Jer 6:16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls… NIV

Don’t just drift through life never making course adjustments. Stand, look, ask, walk, find rest for your souls.

Pathways:

1.      Consecration

a.      Most Christians never come to a place of full surrender.

2.      Prayer

3.      Purity

Notes from the Leadership Conference yesterday:

My Notes:

MISSIONAL DISTRACTION LEADS TO MISSIONAL DRIFT 

1. Inspire 2. Empower =  2 realms 

Afternoon session = empower you with tools that will help you apply I this morning’s ideas!

Dollar 100/4 ways – The value of ur life is determined by how u divide it.

•        Measurable tools later M.Focus

1. MISSIONAL PURPOSE:

Ps 105:24  God causes His people to be very fruitful, and makes them stronger than their adversaries. 

We tend to focus on what we are achieving. God continues to focus on who we are becoming.

Grtst gift u can giv ur fam, friends & world = inspired & vibrant you! 

Makes sense & may even seem easy

Divorce b4 div / – grdual prog disconnectn God’s Wd / Perspctv

Pssible to pssess diminshd faith & nt realize WE R bettr if U R alive!

Spiritual depression results as we gradually grow cynical slowly losing fire as frustration & disappointment define u more than God’s abilities

Are you spiritually healthy?

Two people can be having exact same experience with 2 totally different responses! Faith / Ryan

A life you can live without him is not the life He’s called you to live so stop freaking out evry time u face the impossible. Invisible/Impossible

Diff between having a faith and living by faith – perhaps why Scriptre says we are examine ourselves to see if we’re in the faith 2 Cor 13:5

You were never created to live out a life that you could live without God’s help. (Essence of faith)

Faith mks things possible nt easy.

Stop asking God for easy get in a fighter’s frame of mind!

The pathway to purpose is filled w pain. If you focus on pain you’ll abandon purpose. If you focus on the purpose u’ll push past pain

Local pastor rapes multiple teens Bank dropped us. Fam’s came to pull kids out of school   Community rep 

Neg situat’ns can’t bring down unless let them in. Water never sinks a boat unless it gets inside the boat. More water just makes boat float higher.

Same reporter next year stood on our platform Humanitarian of Yr

Goliath defeat/promote

God wants to use ur disappointments & even ur enemies to promote you?

Ex 1:12 “more they were oppressed, more multiplied & spread…” 

Water hose under pressure shoots everywhere bc under pressure

When the enemy puts you under more pressure it will cause you to go further than you 

could have otherwise.

Life is not about a certain set of circumstances. Life is about a certain set of attitudes.

The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay. 

The same boiling water that softens potato hardens the egg. 

Coffee, eggs, carrots

Hebrews 12:12-13  So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong. NLV

MISSIONAL FOCUS:

MISSIONAL DISTRACTION LEADS TO MISSIONAL DRIFT 

1 Chron 29:19 give my son Solomon an uncluttered and focused heart so that he can obey what you command, live by your directions & counsel…” MSG

Quality sacrifices Quantity and Quantity sacrifices Quality. $1 = 4 Qtrs or 100 pennies. 

Trying to cultivate too many quality relationships defaults to higher quantity of 

lesser value relationships 

Prov 18:24  A man of too many friends comes to ruin…

Giving yourself personally to too many people & too many things will ruin your effectiveness.

Your yes becomes more powerful whn ur no becomes more regular

80/20 principle = 80% of all you do can be done by anybody! 

80% of remaining 20% = 16% can be done by ppl w resembling skillset. 4% of what u do can only be done by 1 person in the world = you. 

Nobody can grow spiritually for you. You alone are responsible to keep yourself motivated to obey God and to seek him. I am responsible to present a vibrant and inspired me to everything I give myself to. 

As a leader I can’t drag or droop = it’s contagious 

first in the home! 

Only I can be a husband to my wife and a father to my children! Ur family is part of your 4%!

I will actually answer to God for 4% more than the other 96% yet the other 96% tends to hold my perspective hostage.

Busy=4 lettr wd whn lack focus: Activity is not Productivity 

•        Jesus teaching – ceiling hole

•        Crowd – woman hem 

Most miracles = moments of interruptions. Stress blinds you to what God may be doing in a moment of interruption?

Margins / dude.com/resources

•        A budget creates the sense of having had a raise.

•        Time = Hours Project

STRATEGIC / TACTICAL!

•        Great sermons don’t repair broken systems.

SERMONS/CONTENT what say SYSTEMS/CONTEXT what do

Implmntn of any stratgic content wo 1st prpring cntextual atmsphr slwly strangle strtgy to death

Cheer Coach – few girls. “Did best I could with the attitudes they gave.” /vs/ Army of girls!

•        What happened? LDERSHIP!!!

•        Culture By Design/Default

Broken ppl advice: You’ll be stronger longer if you surround yourself with people who embody the characteristics of the decisions you hope to make.

Personal & Leadership!

We must cultivate an atmosphere that sustains the results we hope to achieve.

Because culture eats strategy for lunch we must develop at least 7 strategic reiterations to the culture we desire to possess. Culture by design / default.

STAFF: What are u struggling with in your department?

Searching for the easy answer causes us to overlook the underdeveloped systems that produce & sustain enrichmnt

Overall strategies of our greatest priorities should include a 

12 month rhythm: 

•        MEMBERSHIP: 

1.      Connect Card mention every week

2.      40 Day start to year

3.      Welcome to Fam meal Spring

4.      Discover Destiny after Easter, Back to School, End of year

5.      Get involved Sunday Fall

6.      5 most transformational foundations

7.      Sermon inclusion to make decision

•        GIVING

1.      Personal mtgs w new fams.

2.      Weekly mentions church

3.      Mo in review video 1st Sun

4.      Quarterly Giving letters

5.      First time giving letter

6.      Qtrly ldrshp report/convos

7.      Core Value message 40 days

8.      Fall Series on giving / pledges

Chris – youth takeover 20+ mic 

Sun after Easter & wk b4 conf 

Take away by developing 7 strategic reiterations as context that sustains content that has resonated with you.

God – soil/tree atmsphr/birds…

May God grant us wisdom to walk out our call 

Personally/individually and corporately/congregationally

More notes from Steve Uppal and Kirk Pankratz:

CHOOSE YOUR REALITY – DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY:

Steve Uppal

Invest in yourself!

Steve’s challenge that came to breakthrough when he told his family:

1.      You didn’t have to live with this that long.

2.      Never be too proud to ask those around you to pray for you.

People are coming to you but they only come to you when you’re choosing to live in the fullness of who God’s you to be. Once you live in this you become like a magnet to draw people to you.

Ps 18:19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. NIV

You can’t see it right now but in the spirit every person in this room is clothed with something and this creates a force field around you. It can either attract that which is born from darkness or light.

God has a plan for you. The enemy has a plan for you.

The awareness of God is what will transform your life not the awareness of yourself.

Joshua 1:1-2 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. NIV

1.      It’s a New Season

a.      Moses got them out of Egypt experiencing supernatural provision of food, water, clothing, etc. Mountain shaking, revelation coming…

b.      New season, same hot sun, same tents, etc notice everything looked the same even though God said it was different.

c.       Divine assistance.

Arise and go over. You’ve known my provision but you’ve never advanced the Kingdom. It’s time to break into a new dimension of taking territory.

God said, “I’m found better than I’m presented.” Don’t take people’s search away from them pastor! Seek me and I’ll be found. 

God is awaiting for a generation that will come after him in a search. Christians from days of old would fast and pray and chase after God!

Christians who are full of the spirit and growing in who they are in Christ will change the world!

Session 2:

WHEN ORDER WAS RESTORED 

THE BLESSING WAS RELEASED:

Steve hurt his back and when order was restored the blessing was released.

Judges 13 – angel appears telling 

Judges 13:12  When your words come true what is to be the child’s manner of life and what is his mission ESV

•        How should he be raised and what should he do? NET

•        What kind of rules should govern the boy’s life NLT

Manner of life isn’t usually seen. We are fascinated with the fruit not the root. God says make sure you have habits, routines and disciplines that go really deep.

Don’t sacrifice the manner of life for the mission of life. Don’t get so involved in the public stuff that you miss the private stuff.

If you neglect your manner of life it will end up derailing your mission in life.

Aim for Health:

1 Tim 4:7-8 – train yourself to be godly physical training is of value but godliness…

People are seeking shortcuts. If you want to be fruitful in life there isn’t a shortcut. 

8 Qualities to help you in your manner of life:

1.      Keep the first commandment in first place.

a.      When you start with the wrong button on your shirt you get to the top and realize you have to undo everything to get it right.

b.      What if I got up and said I’m not qualified to speak today because I’ve broken a commandment. People would think adultery but what if it’s the 1st commandment and I have to say I’ve lost my love for Jesus because I’ve become to consumed with trying to build my ministry.

2.      Be gripped by vision

3.      Be established in your identity

4.      Embrace pain

5.      

Jesus is our bread! Spending time with him brings nourishment to your life.

Relationship – Revelation – Revolution – Reformation

THINK LEADERSHIP:

6.      

7.      N

8.      

9.      

Kirk Pankratz

It sounds simple but its not normal. Valued people produce valuable work. 

In 3 years he awakened a level of leadership in a few erratic disciples to transform generations of people beyond them.

Are we committed or interested? There is a big difference. Almost all of us are interested in being the Christian, parent, leader, etc we were meant to be. We’re all interested in reaching great heights. The question is are we committed to what it will take to grow to reach that place.

Interested people who aren’t committed lack fortitude when things aren’t easy.

795k churches – In 2019 almost 500k will have a transition in their senior leadership. Many of those transitions will be the result of discouragement and distraction.

1. Am I getting the fruit where it counts?

•        Leaders aren’t called to hold a title or hold down the fort. We’re called to make a difference.

•        Awareness of fruitfulness is an important part of leadership.

2. Am I keeping my motives right?

•        Our heart should be to ask how we can bless those who are following our lead.

People don’t leave a company or an organization. People leave a leader.

70% of people have a change resistant personality. The majority of people hate change.

Highly gifted people can easily resist change and hinder progress around them and even in their own lives.

Why people resist change:

1.      Pride – “It doesn’t need to be done”

2.      Fear – “I can’t do it”

3.      Rebellion – “I won’t do it”

4.      Laziness – “I don’t care enough to do it”

a.      Laziness is often the result of lack of vision

5.      Ignorance – “I don’t know enough to do it”

Change is inevitable. It comes about by wisdom in advance or by crisis in the moment.