ARCI 2021 Jan 3: 2021>> Year of Renewal & Divine Distinction. Renewed in Christ with a spirit of Excellence.

2021 >> Year of Renewal & Divine Distinction

>> Teaching & Sermon Notes >> ARCI: January 3, 2021

~~ SESSION II
We are for signs and wonders… Isaiah 8:18

• Signs are for direction 
• Wonders
• >> A pointer to the wonderful Creator

>> All the amazing things that the Spirit of the Lord does through us should point back to Christ Jesus

Spirit of excellence brings Distinction & Promotion

>> Daniel had an excellent spirit >> Daniel 6:3 (NKJV)

• Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.

>> A diligent and skillful man will stand (be placed) before kings >> Proverbs 22:29

Promotion comes from doing more than required or expected

• Above the standard or norm for the position
• Demonstrating that one can be given more responsibility
• The highest positions that one can obtain, especially in governing circles, are given the name His / Her Excellency
• …They are considered to have attained or reached a level of excellence and hence promoted to the highest level
• … Being the Head of State, Head of Government, Governors, Ambassadors 

7 Success Principles for 2021

1. Recognize the supremacy of God

• Psalm 14:1 >> A fool says that there is no God
• Proverbs 3:6 >>  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
• Proverbs 16:3 >>  Commit your works to the LORD, And your plans will be established.
• Psalm 55:22 >>  Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
• Psalm 37:5 >>  Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
• James 1:5 >>  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
• Philippians 4:6-7 >>  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
• …Why one gets peace when they have prayed for something…God has answered (looking into it, sorting it out)??

2. Bring divine order to ones life 

• Exodus 19:10-11,17
• Kingdom protocols
• Knowing the ways of God
• >> He made known His ways to Moses…Psalm 103:7
• >> The thoughts & ways of the Lord are not (like) ours …Isaiah 55:8

3. Exercise dominion

• Genesis 1:28 >> be fruitful, multiply and have dominion
• King-dom >> Kings’s dominion
• Don’t complain about a situation, exercise dominion authority and change it

4. Observe the law & power of unity

• Living in harmony brings about God’s blessing and life everlasting >> Psalm 133
• One can put a thousand, 2 can put 10,000 to flight >> Deuteronomy 32:30
• “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! >> Genesis 11:6 (NLT)
• He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. >> Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)

Love is the bond of unity

5. Principle of preparation

• Luke 14:28 >> Counting the cost

6. Principle of focus & perseverance, plus determination to achieve

• Matthew 6:24 >> can’t serve 2 masters
• Philippians 3:13-14 
• …  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
• …I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 9:24 >>  Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!

6. Law of compensation

• Galatians 6:9 >>  So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
• >> Love
• Faith >>  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

~~ SESSION I
We thank God for making it through 2020

• A year that was indeed of breakthrough & divine magnification
• Unknown  >> I am broken for Christ to be magnified
• Christ in me trying to breakthrough my heart & life
• …and manifest the glory of God in me & through me
• A treasure in an earthly vessel 
• Like Gideon 300
• … the pots had to be broken for the light to shine & the army magnified in the eyes of the enemy. 

>> If something has not positively changed spiritually in you life last year…

• >> A growth and maturity process of some kind
• >> A fruitfulness & multiplication of some kind

Jaribu upambane na hali yako

• …for the Lord rebukes & disciplines the ones He loves >> Revelations 3:19
• … pruning is for fruitfulness >> John 15:2

Tests resulted in testimonies @ ARCI

• Who gets….
• …married in 2020
• …a job,
• …paid out of the blue,
• …a house without requiring rent…

Picture 

• The majesty of an eagle is contained in the egg
• The greatness (full potential) of a tree is contained in its seed
• Similarly >> …Christ in us the hope of glory

Colossians 1:24-27 (NIV)

• ²⁴ Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 
• ²⁵ I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 
• ²⁶ the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 
• ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Basically

• There is usually a suffering, a tribulation >> Job or Joseph
• a sifting process like for Peter
• or pruning process >> John 15 
• A resistance and endurance training process

>>Jeremiah 12:5 >> …if you have run against mere men and one is tired

• …how do you expect to contend against the horses??

>> Matthew 11:12 

• And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

… so that we can contain & produce more fruit>> capacity to contain the fulness of His Spirit … & manifest His fruit 

• From the initial seed of greatness in us
• >> Christ in us the hope of glory
• >> there is a hope in each and every one of us (in Christ) for the Glory of God to manifest

Romans 8:19(NKJV)

• For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

It requires

• For me to get out of the way and allow Christ to shine in me & through me
• After breakthrough and magnification of Christ in my life
• Christ Himself will Renew & Distinguish me
• >> Colossians 1:27 
• …The glorious riches of the mystery of Christ in me the hope of Glory made manifest to the world

Renewal

• an instance of resuming something after an interruption.
• the action of extending the period of validity of a licence, subscription, or contract.
• the replacement or repair of something.
• >> Made whole again
• >> Holy
• >> Image & Likeness of Christ

Distinction

• a difference or contrast between similar things or people.
• excellence that sets someone or something apart from others.
• >> Set apart and usually above for recognition & glory

Romans 8: 28-30 (NKJV)

• 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 
• 29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 
• 30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Set apart in Christ to manifest His glory

• Not to mistake it like 2020
• Where I thought it was all about me
• My breakthrough & my magnification 

2021 >> The year of Renewal & Divine Distinction

• After Christ has managed to breakthrough (breakout…as contained in an egg) & be magnified in me
• I allow Him to become Lord (King / Ruler) of my life
• He starts renewing and distinguishing me for His kingdom & glory

2 Chronicles 16:9a (NKJV)

• For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

Romans 8:19(NKJV)

• For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

• For we are God’s handiwork (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
• >> Renewal aspect >> going back (restoration) to what we were originally made to do

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

• I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
• >> Distinction aspect >> His works are wonderful in me and through me

As we start the year of Renewal & Distiction

• We can declare Psalm 23
• The Lord is my Shepherd…

>> I agree for Him to take control over all aspects of my life

• I agree to be subject under His King-dom >> for Him to have Kingly-Dominion over my life
• … for Him to Renew & Distinguish me for His Kingdom & Glory