City Transformation – What do we mean?
By City Transformation we are primarily talking about spiritual transformation resulting in the discipling of large populations of the city, and eventually leading to transformation of all spheres of daily life.
We are talking about winning souls, discipling them in the faith and seeing their lives transformed.
So the bottom line – City Transformation is simply the transformation of the lives of people in the city.
Why Discuss and Engage in City Transformation?
This is part of fulfilling the Great Commission in our day.
People dwell in cities and hence Cities are now an important “mission field”.
Just two hundred years ago only 3 percent of the world's population lived in cities. Today half does.
The Key To City Transformation is You!
Transformed people transform cities
1, City transformation will take place when every believer is involved in City transformation
2, City transformation will take place when every believer is transformed, equipped and empowered to engage in city transformation
3, City transformation will take place when every believer engages in city transformation starting with their circle of influence
4, City transformation will take place when we combine efforts into a strategic movement that is planned and executed with divine wisdom and leading of the Spirit
5, City transformation is primarily a spiritual effort and hence we must begin by leveraging our spiritual resources given to us in Christ.
Tools for City Transformation
Here are tools, resources or methods that all of us believers can use/exercise to see city transformation – that is, to see people saved and disciple, in our city.
1, Personal Lifestyle
2, Communicating The Gospel
3, Demonstrations of love and power
4, Prayer & Intercession with Fasting
5, Ground level Spiritual warfare
TODAY’S SERMON : Transforming The Marketplace
We mentioned:
3, City transformation will take place when every believer engages in city transformation starting with their circle of influence
Our circle of influence encompasses atleast 2 areas:
1, Our social sphere of influence – the place(s) where we spend most of our time engaging with people, i.e. the marketplace or some other “mountain”
2, Our geographic sphere of influence – the place or area where we live/reside physically
We will address 1 today and 2 next week.
Our social sphere of influence is the place(s) where we spend most of our time engaging with people, i.e. the marketplace or some other “mountain”.
Society can be broadly divided into “Seven mountains” or seven pillars, spheres of influence, etc. These are:
The mountain of Family,
The mountain of Religion,
The mountain of Business,
The mountain of Government,
The mountain of Arts & Entertainment,
The mountain of Education,
The mountain of Media
To see our city transformed, we must have believers positioned in all of these mountains – being salt and light – having influence and impact for the Kingdom of God.
Isaiah 2:2,3
2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Like many other Biblical passages, there is a literal and spiritual fulfillment of Isaiah 2:2,3. The spiritual fulfillment happens through the New Testament Zion (the Church) and the literal fulfillment happens through literal Zion (Israel).
The “Mountain of the Lord’s House” used by Isaiah and Micah 4:1,2 and that in Hebrews 12:22 (“Mount Zion”) all indicate the term “mountain” is used of an assembly of God’s people. God’s people – the House of the Lord, the church of the first born, the general assembly of the saints, will be established on top of the other “mountains” and “hills” and people will be drawn to it.
Four Step Process to transform your sphere of influence : EXPLORE, ENGAGE, EVANGELIZE, EQUIP
1, EXPLORE your sphere of influence
(you may have one or more spheres of influence)
‘Spy out the land’ – see what the terrain is like. Identify the challenges and the opportunities.
When God was getting His people ready to enter the land He wanted them to possess – He told them to send a few people to ‘spy out the land’ (Numbers 13:1,2).
Seek God’s mind on how you can prepare yourself for the challenges and position yourself for the opportunities that lie in your sphere of influence.
Don’t ‘shy away’ from where God has placed you or the sphere/mountain that God wants you to engage in. For a believer, everything is sacred – it is ministry unto the Lord.
Sometimes as believers we are afraid of what we see – we are afraid of wealth, we are afraid of science and technology (knowledge), we are afraid of art, music, etc. Remember, everything in it original, undefiled state, belongs to God – whatever you see on your mountain – belongs to God. However, at present it may be in the wrong hands, it may have become defiled or it may be used for wrong purposes. But the original owner of all things (wealth, natural resources, knowledge, art, music, etc.) in its undefiled, pure state is God:
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.
Psalm 50:10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.
Haggai 2:8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts.
So don’t be afraid to step in to those areas where God has placed you or wants you involved.
God has provided for the redemption (recovery and restoration) of all things unto Himself – including all the mountains of society:
Colossians 1:16-20
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
You are His agent, His ambassador, His minister, to see the restoration of things in your sphere (mountain) to Himself.
2, ENGAGE your mountain of influence with the 5 tools we have discussed:
When the Lord Jesus died on the Cross, the world was judged. All the sins of the world were put upon Him and a verdict was announced. Satan will no longer have control of this world. A new government – the Kingdom of God had come. This government will continually increase (of the increase of His government there shall be no end Isaiah 9:7) and satan’s dominion on the earth will decrease. The Lord Jesus will draw all people to Himself.
Example of how to pray the Word for the Marketplace (illustration)
3, EVANGELIZE
This means leading people into a commitment to follow the Lord Jesus Christ
Receive from the Holy Spirit strategies for evangelism for your mountain/sphere of influence
Romans 1:16 Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 1:21-25 The Gospel is the message of the Cross. It is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
4, EQUIP
This means empower new believers to become disciples of Jesus and to be transformation agents for the Kingdom of God in that same sphere of influence. Teach them how to EXPLORE, ENGAGE, EVANGELIZE and EQUIP
Jesus told us to make disciples – baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things that He commanded us (Matthew 28:18-20).
Receive from the Holy Spirit strategies to disciple people in your mountain/sphere of influence Small groups, Life Groups, Invite to church