I Timothy 4:14-15
“Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.”
2 Timothy 1:6-9
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”
Don’t neglect the gifts and prophetic words that have been spoken over your life. Just like you would never forget the Lord your God—never forget what He has given to you and spoken over you! Acknowledge Him in all your ways and never stop acknowledging the good plans He has for your life. Use the gifts, step into more, exercise yourself in His ways, and others will see your progress as you grow deeper and deeper into the things of God!
“Stir up” — Hebrew 5782 ‘ûr Arouse, awaken, stir up, excite, rise up, incite, arouse to action, open one’s eyes. The word is used 75 times in the Old Testament and is also the same word used to describe an eagle stirring up its nest and a musical instrument being awakened or warmed up for playing.
The Spirit stirs us for action. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jesus, and after He was baptized, He was driven into the wilderness and tested forty days. Satan tested Him, but He overcame by the Word, and when He emerged from the wilderness He came out, “in the power of the Spirit,” and the news about Him spread throughout the region. When the Spirit of God stirred—it was time for Jesus to enter His earthly ministry. There are times the Spirit of God will come upon you specifically to accomplish a certain task. The purpose of His stirring is to move you into action!
Let EVERY believer be moved to a place of action - making the maximum impact in building God’s Kingdom. God is faithful to awaken and re-awaken the giftings, callings, and passions He placed in you.
Psalm 108:2 “Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.”
Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”
Isaiah 51:9a “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old.”
Are you ready to be stirred by the Spirit of God for Kingdom action? Has there been a time in your life that He moved on you to “Stir up the Gift of God?” What did it produce? Has the Spirit stirred something within you that you’ve neglected, rejected, or gotten lazy with? Are you ready for a second chance? Are you willing to stay hungry and thirsty for the moving of the Spirit in your life? What are you expecting it to produce?
Romans 12:3–13 KJV “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”
Declaration: “I commit myself to Your awakening. I give you permission to stir my heart and my life for your Kingdom purpose. As you have given my grace, I give my ALL to the giftings that build others up.”
Equipped and Empowered - You Were Born for This!
Ephesians 2:10 KJV “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Philippians 2:13 KJV “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Esther 4:14 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
His Kingdom stands strong when we build the church, and it grows wide when we reach the lost. This requires us to learn how to steward and utilize the gifts He has uniquely given to each one of us. Oh, that we would know how much He has freely given to us!
We are called to various realms of influence, both in the church and out. These can range from business, government, community work, social work, education, marriage, family & parenting, missions, and more…In ANY realm of influence you’re called to - walk in your gifts, and demonstrate the power of the Spirit! You don’t have to be in a church service to operate in spiritual gifts. God will give you a word of knowledge on the job that leads a coworker and his entire family to salvation!
Don’t ever think your gift is so small it can’t be used to further the Kingdom. Be faithful in the little, and He will make you ruler over much. Start with what you know and what you have, as you remain steadfast, it will multiply. Learn to trust Him completely. HE will bring it to pass!
How does knowing that you were “born for such a time as this” shift your perspective about the season you’re in right now? Where do you sense God calling you to bring your “supply” whether in your church, your city, your workplace, or your family? How does that contribution strengthen the Body of Christ? How can you cooperate with what God is already working in you — instead of striving in your own strength?
Declaration: “I know that I was born for such a time as this. I have been predestined for your glory. I will not reject or neglect any of the gifts you’ve placed on my life. I will be faithful with the little, I will bring my supply, I will be moved by Your Spirit!”
Stirred by the Spirit to Build
Haggai 1:12–14 “Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD. Then spake Haggai the LORD’s messenger in the LORD’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,”
The Lord didn’t just stir up the spirits of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, He also stirred the spirits of the people, and then the people came to work on the House of their God.
The River Northwest is building the Lord’s House. We are building a house naturally and spiritually. The Spirit is stirring us up to see His plans fulfilled in Kitsap County, and in the nations of the earth. Countless souls will come into the Kingdom of God through THIS HOUSE!
What is the building material of the Lord’s House? It’s souls. It’s people.
People are the temple of the Lord. The Bible says we are living stones (1 Peter 2:5) fitted together by the power of God, love of God, and Spirit of God.
We’re fitted together and built upon each other, creating a habitation for His presence to dwell. And oh the glory we experience when we are unified and in our rightful place!
Let us always be conscious of God’s presence, and wholeheartedly pursue it.
BUILDING HIS HOUSE FIRST - it is more blessed to give than to receive. Reflect on your priorities. Are you putting His Kingdom first? Or are you striving to build your own house, in your own strength?
Putting His Kingdom first in every decision, relationship, and pursuit aligns us to receive His blessing on our own lives. The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and adds no sorrow with it. Seek Him first, and all these things shall be added to you!
Declaration: “Father, I align my heart with Yours! I choose to build Your Kingdom, Your House, and Your Will before my own. Let Your presence be seen and known in all I put my hand to. I live for Your glory alone!”
A Heart of Obedience
Isaiah 50:7 “For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.”
Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land."
You’ll never be fulfilled until you’re doing what God told you to do and being who God told you to be. God hasn’t called us to live outside of His presence, wisdom and ability. He said He would make His home in us. We’ve been called to be people of action, but we can’t act of our own accord. We act as we feel the stirring of His Spirit. When you spend time in God’s presence, your spirit will be stirred.
Every big decision Jesus made was permeated in prayer. Sometimes we do things without seeking the Lord’s intent, and then we find ourselves paying the price! Go where He wants you to go, do what He wants you to do, say what He wants you to say.
OBEY the call!
Jesus only spoke what He heard the Father say and did what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). The words of God are only fulfilled in our lives through our obedience. God is blessed by your "yes" when you choose to go all in! You will not regret it.
Declaration: “I set my face like a flint to step out by the Spirit of God. My heart, mind and body are willing and obedient. I will permeate my decisions in prayer and only do what I see my Father doing, and say what I hear my Father saying.”
The Call to Kingdom Impact - Both in and out of the Church
God has a plan for each and every person in the Body of Christ to make a Kingdom impact. A community focused on the heavenly vision will be focused both inward AND outward. Fulfilling the vision will require many laborers. God needs anointed, Spirit-filled vessels to do the work of the ministry. This includes both committing to building the House and to reaching out the people around them.
Churches FAIL when they FAIL to equip people for the work of the ministry.
Every believer should be fulfilling God’s purpose for their life. God has placed giftings and callings within each one of us. He created us for worship and fellowship with Him first and foremost. Secondly, He created us to serve, give and make an impact on the people around us. We are called to manifest the life of Christ everywhere we go. We are to manifest God’s Kingdom, speak the truth in love and demonstrate the gospel in power!
Breaking Timidity
Luke 4:18 KJV “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised.”
Romans 10:14 KJV “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
Shyness is timidity. It’s a demonic spirit of fear. You can be BOLD!
God hasn’t called us to be weak or timid. He has called us to be strong and mighty - in Him. Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. When you step out of the church’s four walls you’re there, that’s your personal mission field.
Fear and timidity are not your portion. The Spirit of the Lord has anointed you to GO and make an impact where He has placed you. If you really want to make an impact, get filled with the fire of God! His fire will cause you to step out in ways you NEVER would in your own strength.
Declaration: “Holy Spirit, fill me with your FIRE and boldness! I will not shrink back. I will speak, move, and act with Heaven’s authority!”
Closing Prayer: "Lord, stir up every gift within me by Your Holy Spirit! Let the fire of Your presence burn away complacency, fear and doubt. Awaken every dormant seed of calling, every prophetic word spoken over my life, and breathe fresh wind upon it again!
I will not neglect or reject what You have given me. I will not sit idle or grow lazy in the things of the Spirit. I arise and take my place! I choose to move with You, Holy Spirit, step by step, glory to glory, strength to strength.
Let Your power flow through me to touch lives, to heal, to proclaim, to deliver, and to build Your Kingdom on earth. Stir me, Lord, until every gift is aflame for Your glory! Stir me until every word You’ve spoken over me is fulfilled in my obedience!
I declare I am awakened. I am anointed. I am appointed for such a time as this. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach good news, to set captives free, to open blind eyes, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor! I yield myself completely to You Holy Spirit.
Move, speak and manifest Yourself through me. Let revival begin in me, and let it spread through me!”