Carrying on here with my notes from the Graham Cooke ‘Keys to the city’ conference – ideal discussions for Ivy Grow Groups for the weeks ahead.
Discussion:
Which of those four types are you, usually?!
Read aloud Colossians 3:1-16
Discuss – what strikes you most from the passage today?
What do you think Colossians 3;3 means when it says you have died?
Graham said…
The world is going to be changed not by demonstrations of signs and wonders, but only when we are a people who are loved by Jesus and know exactly who they are and how to bring peace and love wherever they go. (see John 17:21). How does that happen?
Never start with the negatives. Jesus didn’t just Jesus died AS you – and took it to the grave with him. He took everything negative that was against you and nailed it to the cross. You can’t learn to trust the Lord if you’re dealing with the negative. The Holy Spirit doesn’t deal with the negative,
Good pastoral ministry is not about raking over the past/present – but dealing with our present/future. People should go to the see prophets first before the counsellor. Get some words from God about the future He has in mind for you. Then the counsellor says ‘This is who you are becoming and that’s what we’re going to work with. Because the old you is dead!’ The Father sees you different. He doesn’t see what’s wrong with you. He’s dealt with that!
Discuss: In what ways is this approach different to what usually happens in churches and other therapeutic models?
God sees what’s missing and is committed to give us all that’s presently missing. The Holy Spirit is a genius at life! He loves to tell you who you are – and what’s next on the journey. You’re in Christ – and one of his names is wonderful, so what does that make you!?
You can’t say, ‘Jesus is wonderful but I’m rubbish.’ That’s just religious nonsense. Stop it!
Discuss: In what other ways do our words contradict God’s Word to and about us?
The Holy Spirit loves teaching you how to walk in newness of life. When he puts his finger on a part of your life that’s not working, he’s saying ‘That’s the site of your next miracle. Give it to me, so I can give you this INSTEAD.’
It’s always about the exchange. The old stuff for the new.
(This reminded me of the words in ‘My Glorious’ – great song- listen here)
The way you think is the key to your transformation. He wants you to replace your present stupid thought with a really wise one! An exhilarating one! This is how you have the mind of Christ, who has never had a negative thought! Thinking is about perception, and language. It’s all to do with understanding who I really am and how to position myself for that.
Our problem?
We want new BUT we think old.
You need to get an upgrade! What if there are unclaimed upgrades for you? If you have been living for the old, you have them stacked up – and heaven is not a storage facility. He’s not storing it all up for then. Ask for the upgrade NOW.
The pre-Christians around you need you to get your upgrade. Evangelism is easy when we’re living in abundance! Your radiant idea of Christ then gives you a radiant idea of yourself and that gives you a radiant idea of your community. That’s glory! Not when you die – NOW!