Beyond Us

Framing Prosperity:

Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone. And as they pray on your behalf, they will have deep affection for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:10-15 (CSB)

1. Christ Paid for our Prosperity:

But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. Isaiah 53:5 (CSB)

• A Disciple: Whose life is devoted to making Disciples, someone who set free, to see others set free.

2. We are the work of His Hands, and made pure to build His House:

Poor afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with
stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your
battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of
precious stones. Isaiah 54:11-12 (NIV 1984)

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift, not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10 (CSB)

“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. Revelation 3:14-18 (CSB)

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone, rejected by people but chosen and honored by God 1 Peter 2:1-4 (CSB)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (CSB)

3. When their community is Holy and God is their Teacher, they won't even desire what the Word has to offer!

Then all your children will be taught by the Lord, their prosperity will be great! Isaiah 54:13 (CSB)

• Their prosperity is directly tied to who teaches them.

No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants,
and their vindication is from me. Isaiah 54:17 (CSB)

Words of Knowledge:

• We believe the Lord wants to heal someone suffering from complications from colitis.

• We believe the Lord wants to heal someone of an undiagnosed skin irritation or infection on their arms and legs.

• We believe the Lord wants to heal someone experiencing prolonged vasoconstriction in their eyes.

How to receive God’s Inexhaustible Resource in Difficult Times

1. Listen and Act: Revelation Waits for Reception and Reception is validated by Action.

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 1 King 17:7-11 NIV 1984

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NIV 1984

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NIV 1984

Practical Application: It takes faith to believe God and trust his Word, and it takes faith to trust those who work for God. Even if we fail you, the Lord, his Word and his principles, never do.

2. Believe and Receive: The Anatomy of Constant Supply

Practical Application: Nothing you currently have is worth more than he desires to give…but you will never know what he desires to give until you are willing to sacrifice what you have.

3: Moving from Provision to Provider: The Laboratory of Certainty

Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” 1 Kings 17:17-24 NIV 1984

Practical Application: Begin to sow from places where you feel lack. Give directly from the place where you feel insufficient and God will multiply his grace to you! Give to God your first and best and the rest will take care of itself.

Words of Knowledge:

We believe the Lord wants to heal someone suffering from tendinitis in their elbow.

We believe the Lord wants to heal someone with a corneal laceration.

We believe we saw homes that are experiencing chaos, and no one understands why. We believe the Lord wants to bring peace to these homes today.

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, or they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened. When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured. Mark 6:45-56 NASB 1995

Where You Think You Are Headed… Is Not The Final Destination

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. Mark 6:45-48 NASB 1995

Even though you are in the middle of the sea and Jesus is over on the other side.. BUT He still sees you… He’s always watching us… He sees us even when when we don’t see Him!

You can’t drift too far from Him! Don’t think he’s forgotten about you! Your circumstances are not too great for Him, your financial struggle, the size of your storm doesn’t matter to him, neither does the size of your boat. The storm is part of His creation and He has a plan to get you to a new place! We must only trust in Him!

Where You Think You Are Headed… Is Not The Final Destination

But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” . Mark 6:49-50 NASB 1995

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:2 NASB 1995

Jesus has victory over the brokenness, limitations, and expectations of a secular, fallen world.

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB 1995

Take courage it is I do not be afraid!!! Moments like these are designed for us to trust God in circumstances that seem impossible to us.

Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, or they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened. . Mark 6:51-52 NASB 1995

We get so caught up in the Legalism and traditions of things that we then leave no room for the creativity of The Holy Spirit to do a new work in us. We work hard to keep our money or have plans to spend it before we even get it.

When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to [f]the place they heard He was. Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured. Mark 6:45-56 NASB 1995

God wants to take us to another place that leads us to over abundance and blessings!

Words of Knowledge:

• We believe there are many people who are being impacted by the stresses of life and this is causing different issues within their bodies. We believe the Lord wants to heal people physically, mentally, and emotionally today of these issues, and He wants to bring peace to every stressor. He is calling us to a deeper level of trust in Him. We believe we heard this scripture: Luke 21:25-26 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

• We believe the Lord wants to heal someone with an umbilical hernia.

• We believe the Lord wants to heal someone who has lost their taste because ofCovid.

• We believe the Lord wants to heal the numbness and pain in someone’s upper right leg (possibly related to MS).

• We believe the Lord wants to set people free of feelings of worthlessness and loneliness.

Our needs vary from season to season, but the question remains, “Do we have enough, in the moment or for the future?”

God's kingdom isn't built on scarcity. It is built on Faith, Trust, Obedience, and Generosity.

The Bible addresses the human mindset of scarcity, whether physical lack, emotional emptiness, or spiritual hunger and contrasts it with the mindset of the Kingdom of God, which reflects hope, trust, and contentment.

What mindset were you raised in? Abundance or Poverty?

You can have a generous mindset in one area of your resources and a scarcity mindset in another. God wants us to be generous in all areas and with all our resources.

When we see God as our Provider, we move from scarcity thinking to generosity thinking, from worldly thinking to Kingdom thinking:

• Reordering where we place our trust.
• Becoming a neighbor to those around us.
• Placing what we have into Jesus' hands so it can become more than enough.

1. God is Our Provider

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25-26 ESV

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 ESV

Key Truth: The kingdom of God doesn’t run on scarcity. The Father knows, the Father cares, the Father provides. Seek first His kingdom.

Name one anxiety, time, talent, or treasure. Pray Matthew 6:33 over it. This week, take one ‘first and best’ step in that area.

When God has our trust, He also gets our treasure, because our hearts follow our treasure.

Trust doesn’t stay theoretical, it shows up in our budgets and behaviors.

2. Generosity Becomes Compassion Expressed

Principles that influence generosity:

• Contentment is learned; it is not personality or luck (Philippians 4:11–12)
• Faithful with little → entrusted with more (Luke 16:10–12).
• Once our hands open to God, they will open to others.
• As we offer what we have, we find the pattern of God’s Kingdom: Little in our hands becomes more than enough in God’s hands. (Feeding of the 5000: Matthew 14:13-21 (ESV); Feeding of the 4000: Mark 6:36-44 (ESV))
• Jesus was teaching the disciples Kingdom abundance.
• Obedient giving prompted by the Holy Spirit releases God’s abundance: “Keep a small ‘ready-to-bless’ fund to respond when the Spirit nudges. when the Spirit nudges.
• As we offer what we have, we find the pattern of the kingdom: little in our hands becomes more than enough in His.
• Compassion opens our hands. Jesus multiplies what we place in His

3. Surrender Releases Multiplication:

Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” John 6:5-9 ESV

Have you ever thought to yourself: The need is so great and my ability is so small, what good would it do?

Lessons We Learn About Surrender:

• Need tests our application of truth, and reveals our understanding.
• Need doesn’t overwhelm God.
• Lack doesn’t constrain God.
• Size doesn’t impress God.
• Obedience moves God.
• Multiplication happens as it leaves our hands.

Jesus Himself is our sufficiency The Bread of Life.

“Seed principle”: “What’s kept stays one; what’s sown multiplies.”

Words of Knowledge

• We believe the Lord wants to heal someone who is having pain in the joint of their right jaw.

• We believe the Lord wants to heal a mom who has received a diagnosis of placenta previa.

• We believe we heard the Lord saying that there are some here today who are really struggling with their identity in Christ. You feel like you are struggling to find purpose. The Lord wants you to know that you do not have to be afraid; He has redeemed you, and you are His son or daughter. He has good plans for you; rest in the assurance of His promises for your life.

• We believe the Lord is reviving old dreams, prophecies, and anointings today. We feel like the Lord wants His sons and daughters to prophesy over these areas that seem to be dead places and command them to live again. The season that was, is no more and He is doing new things. Begin to recall and decree the words that were given to you long ago for this season and the ones to come given to you long ago for this season and the ones to come.