James 3:3-12 (NIV) 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Words are Weighty
Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV) 36 I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 18:21 (NIV) The tongue has the power of life and death.


1. What we speak for: What we promote.
Proverbs 10:11 (NIV) The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.
The Message- The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well.

2. What we speak against: What we protest.
We can speak against ideas, we don’t speak against individuals.

3. What we speak loudest. What we personify
What we speak the loudest represents us most.

Romans 12:9-21 (NIV) 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Realities in Managing Tension
1- Just because its true doesn’t mean its not hurtful.
Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
“The need to verbalize is not more valuable than the people we are speaking of.”

2- Contextualize being Constructive
“Complaints & criticism only work in the context of being constructive.”
“Complaining is to the devil what praise is to God." ~Bill Johnson

3- Venting fuels
Proverbs 29:11 (NIV) 11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control

4- Respond don’t react
1 Peter 3:9(NLT) 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.

5. Understand Context
Example:
John 8:11
Jesus said “Go and sin.”
Jesus said “Go and sin no more.”

What we should be the loudest in our praise:
1. Praise Possess Power
Psalm 22:3 (NKJV) You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

2. Praise Produces Peace
Colossians 3:15-16 (NIV) 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
3. Praise Proceeds Victory

Putting Praise together:
1)His purpose- His good intention
2)His promise- His guarantee
3)His providence he is in charge

7daysofgratfulness: 1) no complaining etc 2) Everyday express gratitude 3) share gratitude.

Psalm 141:3 (NIV) Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Matthew 16:21-26 (NIV) 21 Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
At this momentPeter had revelation but no application.

Thinking is Critical!
Love the Lord with all our Mind (Mt 22:37)
We are to have the mind of Christ!(1 Corinthians 2:6, Philippians 2:5)
“The thoughts we agree with or justify are the thoughts that empower us.”
How you think is more important than how you feel.
Romans 8:5-9 (NLT) 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.

The Spiritual Mind
1-Think Differently
Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
-“We change our life by changing our mind!”
-We start & end with “What does God think?”

2-Leverage the Imagination
2 Corinthians 10:2-5 (NIV) 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Remember- It’s a Spiritual battle!
1. We Demolishing Strongholds: Mental arguments, fears, tensions, frustrations, world reasoning, anxieties.
2. Take thoughts captive
3. Yield them/Make them obedient to Christ.
“Faith is yielding human reasoning to God’s ability.”

We have to Change our “what if’s.”
Arguments- “Imaginative reasoning”
“The power to imagine will lock us down with fear or unlock our capacity to experience the impossible.”
Ephesians 3:20 (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.

3-Make up your mind
James 1:5-8 (NIV) A double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
“What you cultivate dominates”- Kris Vallotton

1 Peter 1:3 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.

Christmas is not bout presents its about PRESENCE.

“The greatest promise that God has for us has already been fulfilled.”
2 Corinthians 1:19-20 (NLT) 19 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

Luke 1:26-38 (NLT) 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Mary was Favored

Ephesians 1:4-6 (NLT) 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

Romans 5:8 (NIV) God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Mary was Overshadowed
Psalm 91:1 (NIV) He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Mary was Overshadowed to carry him so that can live under that same shadow so he can carry us!

Matthew 1:23 (NLT) “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
“He didn't simply come so that we could have a home in heaven but so that Heaven could have a home on earth!”


The Gift of His Presence means:
1. Residing Hope.
“I will be with you until the end of the age!” Matthew 28:20

2. Sustaining Peace
Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end.

3. Everlasting Connection

Romans 8:15 (NLT) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Poverty-We cant talk about wealth without talking about poverty…
Money is an indicator.
Matthew 6:21 (NIV) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Functions of a poverty mindset
1-Financial Greed
In the kingdom wealth is measured by our generosity.
2-Worry/Anxiety fear
“The poverty mindset reacts in fear of lack & always cautious of self preservation”
3-Selfishness with time
“The problem with the rat race is that even if you win you are still a rat.” -Lily Thompson
4- When we allow situations to dictate our behavior
Matthew 12:35 (NIV) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

We are Rich in Grace.

Ephesians 1:3-9 (NLT) 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure.

Walking in the wealth of Grace:
1. Live from a point of reference
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NLT) You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
“You can afford it!”
WE ARE CHRIST AMBASSADORS!(2 Cor 5:20)
2. Slow Down
3. Look around
4. Over-Deliver
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV) 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
John 1:16 (ESV) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

5.Remember this is worship
Romans 12:1 (NIV) I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1-2 (MSG) 1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 8:28-37(NLT) We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?(As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Understanding opposition:
1. Opposition will come
John 16:33(NIV) …”In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
2. Opposition will refine you but it does not define you
3. Opposition is an indicator.
“IN MORE CASES THAN NOT OPPOSITION IS AN INDICATOR THAT YOU ARE DOING THE RIGH THING.”

Realities in Releasing Dominion….

1.Positioned for Triumph

Romans 8:37 (NLT)Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Our victory is paid for!
1 John 3:8(NIV) The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Romans 8:37(NLT) WE ARE MORE than conquerors through him who loved us.

2. Practice of Prayer
Mark 14:38 (NLT) Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.

3. Posture of Praise
2 Corinthians 3:17(NIV) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
“Freedom is not found in the absence of opposition but in the Presence of Jesus!”
Isaiah 59:19 When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

4. Proper perspective
We must start looking at things through Heavens perspective.

2 Corinthians 4:8-, 17-18 (NLT) We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.…17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.