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While Jesus was on earth, he performed miracle after miracle through signs and wonders and revealed the mysteries of God. Yet, his ministry on earth was only the beginning of all he intended to accomplish in his plan for redemption. Now he has given his Holy Spirit to empower and rest upon us, the church, to be his witnesses. He is still at work and accomplishing his plan in the world today through us.

This message was preached by Andy Hawthorne from The Message Trust on June 2, 2024.

Looking back on the past seven years in our church, it is evident that God has done great things amongst us. Throughout the journey, he has led us through seasons of exile and slavery into the freedom of sonship. We are fully convinced of God's nature and who he is. We see that the Spirit is creating a new witness in the church and we will testify of who Jesus is.

In the face of our fears, we are given the choice to either trust in who we know God to be or submit to an experience lesser than what he intends for us. Choosing him isn’t always easy and our decisions produce tangible outcomes in our lives. But when we do choose him, our minds are reshaped to help us walk in the fullness of God’s promise for our lives.

The way we perceive the world is the world we will create around us, and as human beings, our perceptions are naturally shaped by our life experiences. Although we are each entitled to our own experience, God invites us to see things from his point of view. As we allow our perception to be informed by his truth, we get to know him better and as a result, pass on an inheritance of truth to those around us.

How can we worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth? Worship isn’t just about singing songs together on a Sunday. Jesus’ invitation to worship the Father is to submit our minds to the truth of God by his Spirit whenever and wherever we find ourselves. In the face of circumstances, strongholds and the trials of life, we can worship him in realtime by allowing our minds to be governed by the reality of who he is.

How do we live like we know Jesus? James says, "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds...". This is only possible when we truly know Jesus, not just in concept but through first hand experience. The more we come to know him, the more he informs how we walk and think through every area of our lives. Until we consider every trial pure joy, there is still room for us to know Jesus better.