It Takes What It Takes | Dr Dharius Daniels | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

It Takes What It Takes

Dr Dharius Daniels

Change Church • Jan 28, 2024 • 40 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this message, Dr. Dharius Daniels addresses the reality of passive spiritual growth—the spiritual maturity that comes not from what we choose to do, but from what happens to us through unavoidable adversity. Drawing from Saul's road to Damascus encounter in Acts 9, Dr. Daniels highlights how God uses life's unexpected interruptions to shed inferior versions of ourselves. Believers are encouraged to navigate seasons of suffering by managing anger, guarding their words, adjusting their perspective, and accepting community.

Themes

Passive Spiritual GrowthPerseverance in AdversityTransformation and EvolutionSelf-Denial and Superior DesiresCommunity and Independence

Pastor's Points

1.

1. Address our anger

2.

2. Arrest our words

3.

3. Adjust our perspective

4.

4. Accept Ananias's assistance

Key Points

1.
Address our anger because unmanaged anger in response to suffering only complicates our trial and creates double the problems.
2.
Arrest our words to ensure that how we speak about physical or circumstantial pain does not create additional mental and emotional anguish.
3.
Adjust our perspective by asking God what He wants to fix or refine in us rather than focusing strictly on the inconvenience of the trial.
4.
Accept Ananias's assistance by letting God break false hyper-independence and leaning on community during times of crisis.
5.
Spiritual greatness carries a price that cannot be discounted; as Coach Nick Saban noted, success is rented, rent is due every day, and it takes what it takes.
6.
Active spiritual growth comes from chosen disciplines like prayer and fasting, while passive spiritual growth comes from adversity that chooses us.
7.
Self-denial is suppressing an inferior desire in order to possess a superior desire that you want more.

Sermon Moments

“Nick Saban's advice on success: 'If you want to be great, you don't have many options. It takes what it takes.'”

“Success is not owned; it's rented, and the rent is due every day.”

“Self-denial doesn't mean you don't want something; it means you want something else more.”

“Active spiritual growth is what you choose to do; passive spiritual growth is what chooses you.”

“The Christian's victory isn't tied to always avoiding the furnace, but overcoming what you cannot avoid.”

“Saul was knocked off his horse because it is hard to hear hard truths when sitting on a high horse.”

“You are not in a tweaking season; you are in a shedding season.”

This Week

Identify an inferior desire you are currently harboring and intentionally suppress it to prioritize a superior spiritual goal.

Reflect on a current source of frustration and manage your emotional response so anger does not push you into making poor decisions.

Audit the words you speak daily about your challenges, eliminating defeatist speech and declaring God's truth instead.

When facing an unexpected hardship, ask God in prayer: 'What area of my life are You trying to refine through this?'

Commit to standing firm in faith during difficult times, declaring that you will live and not die to see God's work fulfilled.

Reach out to a trusted Christian friend or pastor ('Ananias') to receive help and break any habits of hyper-independence.

Stay consistent with active spiritual disciplines like daily prayer, Bible study, and corporate worship even when going through painful seasons.

Remember This

True spiritual evolution often occurs on the other side of adversity we did not choose, as God uses life's painful interruptions to refine us for our ultimate purpose.

A Challenge for You

May God give us the wisdom and resilience to extract valuable spiritual assets from seasons of adversity, declaring that if we sow in tears, we refuse to miss out on reaping in joy.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.