Community Transformation Principles

George Otis has traveled the world over the past 20 years to document communities that have been transformed by the Gospel. Through his observations, thousands of interviews, studying over 800 contemporary revivals and many historical examples, he has collected some principles and observations that reveal the patterns of God. Some of these below are taken from “The Journey to Transformation, Next Steps” by Intercessors for America.

Transformation Observations and Principles

1.      The process of salvation and transformation begins with hopelessness and surrender.

2.      The need for transformation depends on how we perceive our condition.

3.      Before transformation can occur, we must be persuaded that: 1) our present circumstances are desperate  2) time is running out  3) there is a lifeline or an opportunity to be grasped.

4.      Human history tells us that people don’t generally move until they perceive either an imminent crisis or an immediate opportunity.

5.      Desperation declares that our condition is not just broken and painful, but actually dangerous.

6.      If we sense that we have time, there will be no urgency for transformation.

7.      We must want deliverance, not just relief.

Transformation Questions

1.      What percentage of the Church do you believe is concerned about the condition of the Church and the community? Think about the community you live in.

2.      What do you believe is the perception of need in your community?

a.       Conditions desperate and unmanageable

b.      Conditions troubling but not unmanageable

c.       Conditions not perfect but stable and prosperous

3.      How do your perceive your own condition: desperate, time is running out, there is a lifeline or opportunity to be grasped?

Transformation Application

Based on your perception of your condition and the condition of your community, list some steps you can take personally, and some possible next steps to help those in your community to recognize that the condition of the community is desperate, time is running out, and there is a lifeline.

Begin to join together with other believers to pray for and expect community transformation. It may be you and your wife and family. It may be people from your church and other churches. It may be praying together with believers on your job. Allow God to transform you and then show you how to pray to transform your community

For more information on community transformation go to www.sentinelgroup.org or www.TransformingAmericaTroughPrayer.com or follow my devotionals on my website www.Equipping-the-Nations.org

Kingdom Authority

As we begin to practice the presence of God and become more sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, we will begin to notice a greater spiritual authority that comes out of our growing relationship with God.

In Genesis 1:26, “God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth.” God created us to have authority over the earth, but through Adam and Eve’s disobedience we forfeited our authority. Jesus, the second Adam, came to restore that authority for us through His death and resurrection.

When Jesus walked on the earth, He spoke with authority and took authority over demons and every kind of sickness and death. Even nature had to bow before His authority. Jesus promised us in John 14:12-14, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” He goes on to say the reason you will be able to do these things is because, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. (John 14:16)

In Luke 9:1-2, “Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Jesus gave the disciples, those who had committed themselves to follow Him, authority for a specific task: to preach the kingdom, cast out demons and cure diseases.

Jesus gives those of us who choose to allow Him into our daily lives the same authority for a specific purpose: to extend the kingdom by transforming lives. This authority is not limited for apostles, pastors, prophets, evangelists and teachers, but for every believer who has the courage to follow Him in submission and obedience. Ephesians 2:4-7 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, … has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 1:21 explains that this position we have in Christ is the seat of spiritual authority “far above all principality and power and might and dominion.” God wants to invest His authority in you to transform the lives of those around you, so that they can come to understand the “exceeding riches of His grace.” As you yield yourself to the Spirit’s control of your life, it will allow Him to demonstrate His power through you for His glory.

Andy Clark

Transformational Thanksgiving

The Bible warns us that one of the signs of the last days is that people will not be thankful. Romans 1:18, 21 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness ….because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

God has so blessed us that we can begin to take the blessings of God for granted in our lives. There is a growing sense of entitlement in our culture that, if we are not watchful, can begin to affect our relationship with God. Paul warns us that the result of this lack of thankfulness is that we become futile in our thoughts and our foolish hearts are darkened. The lack of thanksgiving results in a world full of greed, and corruption to the point of self-destruction. The tragedy of it all is that our thoughts are so darkened we don’t even understand that we are destroying ourselves and the future of our children.

The cure to this self-destructive trend in our society is transformational thanksgiving in which we purposefully begin to publicly glorify God and give Him thanks for what He does in our lives and gives to us. When was the last time you thanked someone at work, at home or in the market place for something simple he/she did for you? When was the last time you publicly thanked God and gave Him glory for something He helped you with on the job or at home, or something He provided for you?

We need to cultivate an atmosphere of thanksgiving. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Don’t just give thanks when things are going well or for the special things or special occasions,, but in everything give thanks. Thanksgiving should become a lifestyle that just flows out of us in gratitude to God.

Psalms 100:4-5 exhorts us to “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” The gateway to entering into the transformational presence of God is through thanksgiving. We need to take our focus off of our possessions, which we think we cannot live without, and put our focus on God, His goodness, mercy and truth.

In this world filled with grumbling, complaining, criticism and anger, we need to be salt and light by developing lips that continually give thanks and praise to God. As we give thanks and glory to God, it will begin to change our perspective on life and will begin to affect others around us and transform our environment. Thanksgiving will produce love, joy, peace, longsuffering and patience in our lives.

Purpose in your heart today to begin developing a lifestyle of thanksgiving, and you will be amazed at what God will do.

Andy Clark

Transformational Presence

Our failure to have transformational impact on our culture is because we have become so busy and self-sufficient that we have defrocked God of His Lordship and power in our lives. We think because God has blessed us and our nation that we are somehow okay. However, the blessings and prosperity of God in our lives is not what identifies us as the people of God. Our religious achievements with all our dedication, work, talents and technology has not transformed our nation.

What will transform our churches, families, community and nation is the transformational presence of God. In Exodus chapter 32 after Israel had angered God because of their idolatry, God told Moses, I’ll send an angel with you into the Promised Land. Yet, Moses who has just spent forty days in God’s presence replies, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." (Exodus 33:15-16) Are we satisfied simply with God’s provision and not His presence?

What identifies us as God’s people is the transformational presence of God in our lives. It was the cloud and fire of His presence that lead Israel in the wilderness. It was His presence that caused the enemy to tremble and brought them  into the fullness of His promises. It was the presence of Jesus in the boat on Galilee that brought peace to the storm and brought them to their destination. It was the presence of Jesus that healed the woman with the issue of blood with just a touch of His garment. It was the presence of Jesus with the two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus that caused their hearts to burn within them and sent them running back to Jerusalem with the good news.

It was the transformational presence of Jesus in the lives of Peter and John that healed the lame man at the gate beautiful. When the authorities arrested them for their good deed and for preaching about Jesus, it says in Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

Do people recognize that you have been with Jesus? Time in the morning and evening is important, but what is even more important is that we invite His presence into every area of our lives. It was when Israel became impatient with Moses on the mountain that they reduced God to a calf. Oftentimes, in our rush to do things in our way and in our ability, we reduce God to a powerless calf in our life.  A small God does not impose any threat to our lifestyle but He also has no power to carry us into the Promised Land.

Begin to develop a greater awareness of God. Give Him a greater place and authority in every aspect of your life, and His presence will transform your world.

Andy Clark