Relational Mentoring

Relational Mentoring

Wisdom can be measured – Let’s define “mentoring” as the impartation of wisdom to achieve measureable results in life and the marketplace. Having a bunch of facts (information), knowing a subject well (knowledge), and connecting the dots on how and why things work (understanding) is a long way from “wisdom” - doing something that bears ministry fruit and multiplies finances. Wisdom is the real-world application of knowledge and understanding and it can be easily “measured.” …number of people saved, increased wealth, etc. The goal is real results, not just more head knowledge.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Prov 11:30

The wealth of the wise is their crown… Prov 14:24 NIV

I want to distinguish relational mentoring from teaching, preaching, coaching, consulting and counseling. Let’s define relational mentoring in terms of the seven-step process below.

1. The mentor tells us how (we ask questions and get confused)

2. We watch the mentor do it (and say that looks easy enough and we can’t wait to try)

3. The mentor watches us do it (we screw it up, give up, and try again while the mentor points out areas to improve, and repeats 1 and 2 as often as necessary. Their example and words inspire and encourage us.)

Note: Most of us are in need of mentoring for a reason. We are inclined to sabotage our own success; we also need help overcoming our poverty mindset or spiritual bondage. Teaching us how and getting the revelation is still one big step away from implementation.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; 2 Tim 2:25 KJV

4. We do it by ourselves (and check back with the mentor periodically for adjustments; maintain the relationship)

5. We do it by ourselves and prosper (We feel the applause of our mentor; "well done")

6. We become mentors ourselves and start to equip and disciple others to measurable results

7. Return to step one

By contrast, let’s ask ourselves, “What is non-relational mentoring?” Answer – Preaching! It can motivate us to try, but we’re all programmed from years of going to church to lose that motivation about the time we hit the parking lot after the meeting. It’s common to talk about putting a discipleship or training series on a DVD to change lives. Can you see the oxymoron? It takes 7 “relational” steps to make a disciple and accomplish real change… our attempts at mentoring people in the church or the marketplace usually consists of the first step plus a charge for the material or an offering.

Fellowship is working together - We think of fellowship as chatting after a meeting, having friends over, retreats, etc. It’s prone to be shallow and, although it does communicate acceptance, it doesn’t change lives. Biblical fellowship that does change lives is built around sharing a common purpose and working together to produce something. Local churches are in a huge transition right now because our “traditional” purpose has been to grow the church. The church has been a totally introverted institution that exists for its own self-propagation; thus, shallow fellowship. We are beginning to understand that our real purpose on earth is expanding the Kingdom into the other six mountains of our culture. The real purpose of the church is to equip the saints to do ministry (Release Kings.) Our progress is measured by our impact in our culture; not just Sunday morning attendance.

If we incorporate the concept of mentoring into our fellowship, what does it look like? Fellowship in the Greek (Koinonia) means partnership, participation, or benefaction, and the root word (koinonos) means sharer or associate. That sounds more like working together than having tea, doesn’t it? Don’t partnership, participation and association sound like a business relationship? I’m simply suggesting that the kind of fellowship that mentors, comes by working together; maybe even 40 hrs a week doing business together as a practical learning environment. In this kind of fellowship, mentoring occurs in the production of goods and services, and wealth is created (on the job training.) Viola! We have received wisdom – measureable in profits and changed lives!

Availability – “Successful” mentors often grow, get too busy to be available to their followers, and then degenerate back to preachers and teachers and become mediocre because they can’t get beyond step 2. Mentoring that changes lives is personally available and invested in seeing the follower meet or exceed the ability of the mentor. Teachers are easy to find – turn on the TV or walk into any book store. Fathering mentors who walk us through change to measurable fruit are harder to find.

For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; 1 Cor 4:15 NKJV

Multiplying mentors – How can mentors retain their personal availability through growth to mentor hundreds or thousands? The best ones learn to duplicate themselves so they not only have sons, but the sons have sons too (grandchildren). It’s easy to multiply steps 1 and 2 through books, CD’s, webinars, websites, FAC pages, and newsletters, but everything grinds to a halt at step 3 unless a real, live, communicating person is available to answer questions and discern problem areas. In the absence of that “live mentor,” many students give up on change and stop short of becoming Kings or Christians, or traders, or musicians, or business owners, etc. Didn’t Jesus multiply his personal ministry through the 12, then the 72? He clearly spent most of his ministry focused on those 12. That’s because 12 is about the number we can personally mentor and maintain some semblance of availability.

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples… Luke 12:1 NIV

A relational mentor is a person we can talk to about our failures and successes. And if they don’t hear from us, they will ask how we’re doing and check on our progress… by measuring it! What does that feel like? If feels like being loved by a father; a reflection of being loved by the Father.

Measure the mentor – How do you find a great mentor? Just find someone whose fruit can be measured. Are people getting saved? Are Kings being released? Is wealth being multiplied? Pretty easy, isn’t it?

How do you know when you’ve graduated from step 5? People are getting saved. Kings are being released. Wealth is being multiplied. Pretty easy, isn’t it?

Said another way, “If my disciples haven’t made any disciples, then I haven’t either."

Releasing Kings through step 3 - God is inviting His people to explore their hearts desires, find their mountain, and experience new levels of fruitfulness in ministry, finances, and fun. My dream is to take the intimacy of a great prophetic counselor who touches hearts and combine it with the skill of an equally great business mentor (already prospering in his field). That mentor would connect real world performance (often dollars) with the wisdom that leads to holistic change; everything from heart to performance. The student gets both the heart and the details; natural and spiritual. We put an end to the dualism that has kept Kings out of our cultures. I am just starting to see these "priestly / Kingly" mentors. God is doing something brand new and it's exciting.

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John and Sue www.Releasing-kings.com

Answer the Call

Answer the Call
By James Ryle www.truthworks.org
“And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” Colossians 4:17

answer the callHave you ever been in a place where the phone kept ringing and nobody answered it? In moments like that it seems everybody is busy with something else, assuming that somebody else will answer the call. But nobody does.

After awhile it can get to be quite annoying. There is something irritating about an incessant, unanswered call.

Over the years I have noticed a similar thing in the lives of many people – a call that is not being answered. A call from God. Busy with so many other things, and sure that the call is for someone else, many loose themselves in trifling moments and miss the momentous opportunity to answer the call of God on their lives.

One of the greatest fears people face is having lived a meaningless life; a life that didn’t matter; a life that made no difference. It is a dreadful thought that haunts even the most accomplished of individuals.

Indeed, few things could be more unsettling than to get to the end of one’s life, cast a cautious glance back over time and discover what has been suspected all along, “My life didn’t matter!” Each of us long to know that our lives counted; that we accomplished what we were put on this earth to do. We want to maximize every opportunity, seize the day, and live life to its fullest.

Yet, in an odd contradiction, nothing is more common than unrealized potential. Most of us settle for far less than we are capable of being, and of doing. On the one hand we want our lives to count; on the other hand, we seem far too willing to become marginalized into mediocrity. Our only hope is to answer the call of God upon our lives.

Abraham traveling into the unknown, Joseph remaining faithful in Egypt, Moses crossing the Red Sea, Joshua conquering the Promised Land, David slaying a Giant and becoming a King, Isaiah telling his visions, Zechariah telling his dreams, Daniel in the Lion’s den, Nehemiah rebuilding the Walls, Zerubbabel rebuilding the Temple, Simon Peter leaving his fishing nets, Paul preaching the Gospel, John writing the Revelation ~ each one answered the call.

They heard God’s voice and followed Him with trusting hearts. And now it’s your turn.

From Wisdom to a "Longing Fulfilled"

From Wisdom to a "Longing Fulfilled"

Just do it – I’m in a personal season where the Lord is pruning a few bad ideas out of my head. My church and pastoral heritage left me with some baggage regarding how we release Kings. My bias has been to focus on teaching people how. That shows up in our web site, books, newsletters, conferences, etc. This revelation of marketplace ministry is profound and foundational. I get calls and emails all the time from those touched by it. But there is a growing enthusiasm in my heart for the practical side because of my own experience with mentors. We’ve emphasized “revelation” and underemphasized “wisdom.” And we’ve got a false idea in our heads that wisdom and revelation are approximately the same thing. They are not! Having a bunch of facts (information), knowing a subject well (knowledge), and connecting the dots on how and why things work (understanding) is a long way from “wisdom” - doing something that bears ministry fruit and multiplies finances.

Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God… 1 Cor 1:30 NIV

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Eph 1:17 NIV

Wisdom is what you do – We all know opinionated, educated and sermonic people who have little direction or purpose in their lives and no finances. They aren’t doing anything themselves. My “pulpit oriented” background actually helped produce some of these “pew paupers.” What is most scary is that one of those people is me! As a previous pastor learning the Kingly lifestyle, the Lord and other people (mentors) adjust my theology and perspectives often… I feel like a recovering alcoholic! My theology is just beginning to show up in my checkbook and my job / business / ministry.

We’ve all heard, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Most of us have no clue what that means. I want to suggest that in means purpose – God has scared us into doing something outside the church in the marketplace. Said positively, it means all those sermons are finally bearing some fruit in action that expresses our real purpose in life (our calling or destiny). For 98% of us, "full-time ministry" isn't on the church staff; it's in one of those other six mountains out in the marketplace.

Biblical wisdom is knowledge and understanding applied in our life via our work and business and ministry in the marketplace. How do I get wisdom?

Ask for it – Solomon asked for wisdom and understanding (1Kgs 3) and James tells us if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it and God will generously supply it (James 1:5). Unfortunately, our emphasis on revelation causes us to hear these verses and think that wisdom comes just like revelation. It doesn’t! Wisdom comes in the context of verse 2-4. Listen to this!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV

Wisdom does come from God. It is part of our relationship with Jesus. You might even say Jesus is our wisdom. However, we receive it in the caldron of real life experiences; in perseverance and trial and work and failure and starting over and patience. That doesn’t mean all old people are wise. It does mean people that have learned how to get things done have learned some lessons through life experiences that go far beyond knowledge. When you are cornered and don’t know what to do, wisdom is a belief that an answer exists and knowledge of where to get help – who to ask. When we ask God for wisdom, the answer comes back through a person.

Humility – Wisdom is not haughty or loud. It’s a still, small voice that must be listened for. I want to suggest that the way God imparts wisdom is most often through another person… a mentor. Those folks with experience are quietly available if we look for them and if we are willing to learn from their experience and receive their adjustments. Wisdom doesn’t come in a prayer closet. It’s more likely to show up on the floor of a factory. A teacher can tell us facts, but a wise man can show us how to do something. Huge difference!

…but with humility comes wisdom. Prov 11:2 NIV

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Prov 15:33

rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Prov 9:8 NIV

A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed — without remedy. Prov 29:1 NIV

He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. Prov 13:18 NIV

Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Ps 141:5 NIV

The fruit of wisdom is Life – What does wisdom look like? Listen…

For whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and receives favor from the Lord. Prov 8:35 NIV

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Prov 11:30 NIV

People who know how to get things done have “Life;” a certain vitality that springs from doing what they enjoy, and operating out of their heart’s desires. We might call it entrepreneurial, creative, and industrious. They are not servants, plugged into another man’s vision; they have their own dream. They have the favor of the Lord. Even through difficulties, they prevail and conquer. That life is contagious. They are a Tree of Life to others. Their inspiration sparks the same spirit in those they touch. They don’t just lead people to the Lord so they can sit in pews, these Kings put new disciples in touch with their purpose and destiny and spark their enthusiasm for building the Kingdom in the marketplace.

The second aspect of life and vitality and enthusiasm is health and long life. People who have learned to be productive, enjoy life, feel the satisfaction of accomplishing things and feel the voice of the Father saying, “well done.” It’s a healthy lifestyle that causes us to live longer.

Through me (wisdom) your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. Prov 9:11 NIV

Long life is in her (wisdom) right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Prov 3:16

For they (commandments of the wise) are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Prov 4:22 NIV

The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave. Prov 15:24 NIV

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life. Prov 13:14 NIV

The fruit of wisdom is favor and wealth – People who are wise enough to pursue their purpose and obtain it, attract wealth. Kings create and produce things that bless people so much we gladly pay for them. Kings are rich in every way. Kings have cups that overflow in integrity, character, ministry, products, services, honor, and wealth.

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom... Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Prov 3:13-16 NIV

I love those who love me (wisdom), and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. …bestowing wealth on those who love me (wisdom) and making their treasuries full. Prov 8:17-21 NIV

A longing fulfilled – All of us have longings in our heart that yearn to find expression. I used to equate them with lust and repress them. No longer! God placed desires in my heart that serve as motivation to pursue the Kingdom first and let every blessing follow. We understand how entrepreneurs and artists are fueled by deep desires… that’s us. As Kings, God is inviting us into the desires of our hearts. Wisdom is simply the mentor who has done it before and can hold our hand until we have the diligence to excercise the same skill.

He who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Prov 13:11-12 NIV

A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Prov 13:19-20 NIV

What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted. Prov 10:24 NIV

The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Prov 13:4 NIV

I found another one – There are plenty of teachers in marketplace ministry (a good thing), but not that many fathers. We are prone to link the concept of fathering to church apostles. The real fathers for Kings are mentors who can give us the wisdom to go out and get something done. They aren’t found in pulpits. They are already out in the marketplace. They can teach us how to come up with a great idea, write business plans, manage cash flow, multiply finances and convert money into ministry around the world. Wayne Thomas is the most recent interview; a great example of a mentor who has a career-long reservoir of financial and management experience in large and small businesses (CPA and CMA). Wayne and Marlene are the perfect balance of spiritual maturity and business expertise with a heart to release Kings.

I think you’ll also enjoy getting acquainted with Andrew Ferguson and David Tinney. I believe there are hundreds and thousands more mentors like these being raised up by God in this hour… to release Kings. God is building the Kingdom by satisfying the longing in our hearts. It's His longing, too.

I received a recent email expressing a little frustration about the difficulty in finding a mentor. We’re looking for folks with experience in our field who are spiritually mature and who are willing to take the time to help us. It is a unique skill set, but I believe we can find them when we start looking. Our Interviewing Kings page was designed with that in mind. I’m not pretending to have them all listed. But I am alerting us to a current reality. Mentors are available by divine appointment when you are ready to seek them. God will provide one… start looking. "When the King is ready the mentor will appear."

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John and Sue www.Releasing-kings.com

Goals That Overflow

Goals That Overflow
I Will Give You What You Have Not Asked For

Fish or fisherman – We all have desires and aspirations. Some of us even have goals written down. Why is it that some people seem to have an ability to create wealth and others don’t? There is even a political movement that concludes this scenario is unfair and wealth should be “redistributed.” I want to suggest that it is much more benevolent to teach people how to move from poverty to wealth; giving to the poor is Biblical and appropriate in some circumstances but it reinforces poverty and is never a long-term solution. Continuing to give wealth to the poor without teaching them to multiply money themselves is the modern equivalent to slavery. It keeps people in bondage. This newsletter is simply about one aspect of the Gospel… the good news of how and why you can turn poverty into prosperity.

What if? – It’s OK to have a focus on meeting your personal needs and those of your family. Imagine the bills are all paid and you’re wish list for house, car, hobbies and business are fully funded and your personal needs for the rest of your life are covered. Now imagine more money comes; first an extra $100k comes. What would you do? Think about it? Now imagine an extra $500K comes in… What would you do?… now $1M. What would you do?... now $5M. What would you do? Now $10M… What would you do with money if it no longer had value to you personally?

The good news - At some point all our needs are met and we run out of ideas on how to get rid of the money. That’s where the Kingdom comes in. Here’s the secret (really, it’s the gospel), wealthy people always have a purpose for wealth that is bigger than their personal needs. It’s “poverty” that is focused inward in a selfish way. If we can’t honestly come up with any reason for wealth beyond our personal needs, our hearts will naturally sabotage our attempts to multiply finances. Jesus said it this way:

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt 6:31-34

The nature of poverty is that its inward focus is self-defeating. The nature of a prosperous business is simply to find a need in someone else’s life and fill it. Can you see that successful business and ministry are the same thing? It is only our cultural bias that separates them (dualism). Opportunities for spiritual ministry and financial increase are found together when that wall comes down.

Hearts – Why does this work? Your heart was designed by God to bless others; to bless the nations in fact. If that dynamic is missing then your heart is really working against the goals you may set in your mind. It doesn’t mean your personal needs go wanting. It means your cup was designed to continually overflow so that your personal needs are never part of the equation. You live continually in a place where your anointing and your finances are far beyond your own needs… “Immeasurably more”… “a river of delights.”

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Ps 23:5 NIV

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, Eph 3:20 NIV

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; Ps 36:8-9 NIV

Delight the Father – When our hearts do what they were designed to do (bless the nations) the Father gets so delighted that cups start running over. Solomon had his own needs met and simply asked God to give him wisdom to be a good leader. God got so excited; He gave Solomon what he had not asked for in both wealth and honor. I hear that prophetically for Kings right now. “I will give you what you have not asked for.”

I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 1 Kings 3:12-13

Solomon was the wealthiest man on earth. Did he feel guilty about it? No… the context was blessing a nation. He led the most blessed nation on earth. God really takes care of those that take care of His business. Wealth and anointing flow toward Kings with those desires in their heart.

Leadership – Leadership is simply the same phenomena. Wealth and anointing and people flow toward Kings that have a vision to bless people, build the Kingdom, and bless the nations. All of us have hearts that are designed to get excited about blessing people. When someone designs a great way to do that, we are all happy to help that person. They become a “leader” because they are greatest in serving or blessing people; finding a need and filling it. That’s why leaders make money too. God delights in them.

Get Started - Write you goals down for 2010 and carry them with you. Put them in the past tense as though they had already been acheived. Read them to yourself out loud serveral times a day. The generousity and Kingdom orientation we've dicussed in this newsletter do open a door in the Spirit for your blessing. But, it's not majic! Your initiative is still required to work, start the business, or make the investment. Your efforts will be blessed.

Recommended Reading – Living On The Third River by Craig Hill describes the principles in this newsletter. Special thanks to Dan Gaub for sharing these concepts in his seminar.

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John and Sue www.Releasing-kings.com

Your True Colors

Your True Colors
By James Ryle www.truthworks.org

“You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.” (James 1:3, The Message)

During a pregame talk with the Colorado Buffaloes some years ago I asked the question, “What do you get when you squeeze a lemon?” Of course the standard answer fired back from coaches and players alike, “Lemon juice!”

But what nobody knew that morning was that I had filled the lemon with ketchup. When I squeezed it tight and the red liquid oozed over my hand, they were all taken back.

“You’re wrong,” I then said. “The actual answer is that you get whatever is inside it.”

At that point I had them right where I wanted them, and then asked, “So, what’s inside you? What are we going to see when pressure puts the squeeze on you?” The answer is the same to the lemon question; we will see whatever is in you.

The great C. S. Lewis said, “A sudden provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man. It shows what an ill-tempered man I am.” James tells us in his letter that “under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.” Maybe this is why the Lord provides so many wonderful opportunities for us to be squeezed.

The origin of the phrase “true colors” comes from naval parlance back in the days when pirates sailed the high seas. Vessels would always fly on their topmast the flag of their country of origin. But pirates were notorious for hoisting the flags of different nations so as to gain an advantage against unsuspecting vessels. However, under no circumstance would any honorable Captain ever fly false colors. Thus, the phrase “true colors” indicates authenticity in both motive and manner.

The Lord wants to make us truly authentic men and women, but to get us there He has to squeeze out the other stuff – and He will do so with unrelenting pressure until there is nothing left to ooze.

So, you been feeling squeezed lately?

Giant Number Two - "Feel Good"

Giant Number Two - "Feel Good"
By Bob Mumford www.lifechangers.org

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3

The Feel Good Giant seeks to control our emotions, mind, and heart. This Giant has kept more people from freedom than anyone can imagine. Feel Good involves avoiding pain or discomfort at any cost, is fully committed to personal pleasure or gain, and is given to the senses or is sensual. This Giant is the epitome of what Scripture identifies as sensuality, causing us to seek gratification of the senses in such a manner that it controls us, effectively becoming our governing force. Feel Good operates on the pure pleasure principle. It is the source or first cause of all compulsive and addictive behavior. Our whole society is quickly moving toward addictive and compulsive behaviors that, directly or indirectly, will eventually touch all of us. The individual has trained himself to respond to whatever gives him pleasure. Anyone controlled by substance abuse understands both the authority and the power of Feel Good.

Modern psychology and cultural preoccupation with feeling good are the source of much of our anxiety. Our society is rooted in feeling good in one way or another. This Giant is why we sit in front of the television like “couch potatoes”—we want to escape reality and feel good. Feeling good must be guarded and protected; it cannot be disturbed. We do not want to hear what God may be saying because, not only will it bother us, but, it may not feel good. Entire religious movements, individual churches, and particularly doctrinal emphases are constructed on the premise of feeling good. The Feel Good Giant gives us the sense of actually ceasing to exist if we do not feel good. It may be okay to be wrong if we can just continue to feel good. We may even consider that impossible choice of refusing to look good in preference to feeling good because feelings have now become the ruling force. Preservation of Feel Good is worth risking anything, because immediate gratification is the insatiable goal. However, there are not enough drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping, attention, or sex to satisfy this Giant. This is called the universal law of reduced return: the more Feel Good is used, the less results are produced, leaving us in increasing pain and frustration. The frightening truth is that God has not designed us to feel good all the time.

I have repeatedly watched powerful men and women of God lose their ministry and marriage for a sexual encounter with someone else’s spouse. Someone once said, “The chase is long, the expectation great, the pleasure momentary.” These are descriptions of an immature personality that is ruled and directed by hedonism, which is the philosophy of pleasure or the pleasure principle. We all know that sometimes our feelings lie to us. When we are in a situation that makes us uncomfortable, we can move toward freedom in the Kingdom of God by opposing the demand of the Giant Feel Good.

Analogous conduct of Feel Good: happiness, entertainment, fun, comfortable, pleased, pleasurable, gratification, satisfaction, diversion, and recreation.

QUESTIONS & THOUGHTS
• Explain why Feel Good can become a governing force.
• In what ways has your life been motivated by “I feel like” rather than facts of a situation?
• What has Feel Good cost you?

Manage Your Destiny

Manage Your Destiny

Fundamentals - The difference between servant and King is like a structure with a foundation that starts with our heart’s desire. When things go against us in life it’s wise to reassess that foundation. We all “labor to enter into rest.” The sweet spot in life is when building the Kingdom is fun; our heart and God’s heart are both on the same path. We feel the favor of God, the wind is in our sails, divine appointments flow toward us, ministry happens, people are blessed, and finances grow in abundance. In short, life is a lot of fun.

What if it’s not fun? Kings engage in big dreams, take big risks, and engage the enemy in big battles. It’s not too surprising to experience seasons when things are not “peachy.” Kings are typically blessed with a level of tenacity that gets them through challenges. That perseverance can be good and bad; good if the foundation is in order and bad if the Lord is really knocking on our door to make an adjustment. Sometimes we try to wear optimism when it’s just a cleverly disguised form of denial; an excuse to maintain the status quo when change is needed. All of us are currently at a self-imposed station in life that is exactly where our attitudes and actions have led us! If we want a different result in the future then it’s time to tweak the foundation or we just end up with more of the same… for years at a time.

Laying that foundation, or checking up on it once in awhile, goes through a discreet series of steps that you and I can "manage" to make sure our Kingly foundation is on the Rock. This progression is the birth process for a level of creativity that will lead us into managing our destiny instead of “hoping and praying” things will go well... and whining when they don't.

#1 Heart’s Desire – The Kingdom lifestyle begins when we give ourselves permission to pursue our heart’s desire. Self discipline is good but you cannot make sacrifice a lifestyle – that’s religious bondage. You have to enjoy what you do and have fun at it. Jesus endured the ultimate sacrifice but his motive was the joy set before Him (Heb 12:2). It was one lousy day followed by a party for the rest of eternity!

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Ps 20:4-5

You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. Ps 21:2-3

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4

Here’s the first foundation stone for life in the Kingdom; Go shopping for the will of God inside the desires of your heart! Give yourself permission to get totally excited when you find those desires. Run after them with all of your heart. Fervent prayer that avails much is rooted in strong personal desires. Do you have any? Strong feelings are the seed bed for the nest step - imagination.



#2 Imagination (the eyes of your heart) – The second step is dreaming about how you want to see your heart’s desire manifest. You have to see your dream in your heart and mind. Paul prays that the “eyes of your heart may be enlightened.” We “picture” in our mind the desire of our heart. Without that “vision” of how we want the future to go, we are prone to perish (Pro 29:18). Take the time to meditate, daydream, imagine… it’s key to creativity and an integral part of how faith works. What do you want your future to look like?

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance… Eph 1:17-18 NIV

We get what we focus on. If our eye is good, the whole body is full of light. But when the eye (focus) is bad the whole body is full of darkness that produces evil (Lu 11:34). Jesus counted "looking" as adultery because he understood thoughts produce actions. Lesson learned; manage your focus; manage your thought life. ...think on these things (Phil 4:8). Use the power of your thought life to produce the fruit you want.

#3 Affirmation – Learn to put your dream into words and in a journal or prayer diary. We devoted an entire newsletter to this step in Use Your Words that is well worth reading. Confessing the desire of our heart is a huge reinforcement to our faith and an important step in the creative process. We believe, therefore we speak. Affirmations are self-talk. Praise is God-talk for giving and granting our personal desires; a natural expression of our words that is very powerful.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 KJV

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak 2 Cor 4:13 NIV

Caution: make sure your words have roots in the foundation of your heart’s desire and in the heart of God's desire. Affirmation is the 3rd step – not the first. Godly desires conceive to expand the Kingdom just as lustful desires conceive to produce evil (James 1:14-15). It is possible to use words and imagination to build a tower of Babel and have God working against you – that’s when it feels like life isn’t flowing in your direction.

#4 Proclamation – Hearing our own words express our heart’s desire resonates in our spirit with what God is doing. When it dawns on our hearts that those desires really are rooted in God’s will, a whole new level of boldness and authority comes into our lives. We don’t just confess those desires, we speak things into existence creatively the way God does. Notice the power of words in the verses below. Proclaiming, releasing, and binding with the spoken word are the keys to this Kingdom lifestyle. It’s like getting the keys to dad’s car!

…the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Rom 4:17

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." Luke 8:24-25 NIV

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24 NIV

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matt 16:19-20 NASU

#5 Creation (work) – Many believers think God is going to perform miracles for them. He does, but we have to realize that “signs follow” our initiative. The final step in this process is action; sometimes referred to as work. However, for Kings this process of working to create something feels more like recreation than work because it’s all about manifesting the desires of our heart! It's what we naturally want to do and enjoy doing. Get it? It’s fun!!! Work and wages are for servants; creation and recreation and profits are for Kings. The joy of the Lord really is our strength. God delights in this final step of bringing things into reality with us because He knows the connection with joy.

In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:23-24 NIV

In the Greek, ask means "to require" or "a demand for something due" and is also translated as “desire.” Aiteite is the same word used in James 4:2, “You do not have, because you do not ask (require of) God.” Jesus paid the price for life more abundantly. Your inheritance is due to arrive the minute you step out because Jesus already paid for it. Possess your land. It will please your Father and you will have fun doing it. Too often “asking” stops at a beggar's request and becomes “faith without works.” The balance is asking plus initiative and work… get out there and do it.
I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates — all the Hittite country — to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 "Be strong and courageous... Josh 1:3-6 NIV

Let these five steps lead you through a Business Plan.

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John and Sue www.Releasing-kings.com