Notes from Graham's Recession BusterTeaching

Number one sign of a religious spirit is passivity.

We are bombarded with negativity, and as the church we have listened and have been impacted with so much negativity it forms our thinking.

We have underestimated the ability for a believer in partnership with the Holy Spirit to overcome any obstacle in his path.  We have borrowed thought patterns... we echo what the world proclaims around us.  We need to learn how to develop the supernatural lifestyle.  It is not about signs and wonders that is the consequence of the supernatural lifestyle.  The supernatural lifestyle is where we get to the point when we speak like God, think like God and act like God.  We are heaven's expression on earth.  We are on the earth exactly like God is in heaven.

The Lord is always getting us to see as he sees.

Moses Illustration

Moses could not have stepped into his supernatural role as a deliverer unless he saw himself as God sees him.  Exodus 7:1... see I have made you as a God to Pharaoh.  There are levels of power, influence, and productivity that will lift you above the opposition that resists you.  The Holy Spirit will turn problems into promises and creates prophecy out of passivity.


What is the keyword in this passage:
 The Year of the LORD's Favor
 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
       because the LORD has anointed me
       to preach good news to the poor.
       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
       to proclaim freedom for the captives
       and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]

 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
       and the day of vengeance of our God,
       to comfort all who mourn,

 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
       to bestow on them a crown of beauty
       instead of ashes,
       the oil of gladness
       instead of mourning,
       and a garment of praise
       instead of a spirit of despair.
       They will be called oaks of righteousness,
       a planting of the LORD
       for the display of his splendor.

The keyword is: instead.

When we learn to move in the opposite spirit, we move into the heaven's economy.  We must learn to live in the expectancy of his favor.  What is favor?  It is bias ... it is prejudice.  In every conflict between you and the enemy or wicked evil, he is biased and in favor for his people.... for his beloved.

What if in every situation we encounter in this life, the Holy Spirit is training us to live underneath the favor the smile of God?  What if God wanted us not only to live in his favor, but to become favor?  This favor it is written on your heart and comes out of everything that you say and do.  You do not just act in favor but you become favor.  Jesus is the living embodiment of favor... God has put us in Christ so that we are guaranteed of his favor.  So that in a time of lack we might not just survive, but thrive because of the place we are in Christ.

Heaven is not in a recession.  God has abundance, the enemy has a budget.  What a fabulous opportunity for the Lord to teach us to become what we are designed.  This is life!

This is our moment to become a visual aid for what heaven is like.  To do violence the kingdom of darkness.  The enemy is going growth... he can no longer afford to corrupt the nations... he is running out of cash.

Why does the enemy use intimidation?  Because it's cheap.  You can send one person to affect a nation.  David and Goliath.  The whole nation is held in ransom because one man brings an intimidating message.  If ever there was a moment to invest and to give more it is now he is God refuses to be out given.  We move we live in the opposite spirit.

Intimidation effects a nation until there is one person who stepped forward and demonstrate intimacy.  Your intimacy with God intimidates the enemy.  Worship makes the enemy nervous.  The enemy is depressed by praise and rejoicing.  The Lord is not looking for laborers for the harvest... he said pray for the laborers, he is looking for worshipers.

This is the time to upgrade our worship.  Intimidation works until someone comes along and can't be intimidated, because they're too busy being fascinated by God.  Problems do not bring intimidation but intrigue because we get to see the answer God is bringing.  Jesus is the one who reveals these ways of God.  We draw all of our resources and pictures from Jesus.

What if the situation you find yourself right now is the training to help you discover the riches and provision God has for you right now.

What is the reason God made man?  Let us make came in our own image.  Let's make people... and then train them to be like us!  So that nothing overwhelms them, nothing overpowers them, they get stronger and stronger with each trial and persecution.  And then to top it all off, we will give them the Holy Spirit and put them into Jesus who is all things, and holds all things together.

The keyword in Isaiah 61 is: instead.  It is displacement.

God is so biased toward you it is unfair.  So people who look at us and are so impacted with the goodness and grace that God has for his people that they declare: It's Not Fair!

We should be living examples of what God's favor is.  That is why healing, physical and relational is what God wants us to give away as an example of his character.

When God looks at you, he sees way more than what you or anyone else can see.  Vengeance is whatever the enemy has done against you not only will God heal and restore you, but he will extract vengeance and give you a Ministry in the very area that you have suffered loss and pain from.  Whatever you are a victim in you can become an authority in.  Revenge is you can set someone else free from the very bondage you were in.  That is pay back.  What ever has become a threat will become a provision.  You can turn the tables on the enemy.

Instead means in place of... an alternative can happen.  When the enemy has a purpose, the Lord has a purpose... instead.

We get to learn to live in the instead.

Illustration: one God has a different house for you... instead.

Instead means that the father has something better.  Instead of being overwhelmed what we are now we can be overwhelmed with what Jesus is creating in us.  No weapon formed against you can prosper.

Every curse proclaimed against this God promises to turn into a blessing.  When you receive a prophetic word, it is God's promises of what he will do instead of what circumstances you encounter.  God will use the enemy to point to your provision.

What ever we are threatened, think about what's provision is coming which is part of our inheritance.  Move toward the problem and position yourself for a blessing.  Because you have the mind of Christ.

The ultimate revenge against the enemy is that what ever he imposes against us makes us stronger.  We take the very thing the enemy is using against us and turn around as the left and against him. Turned into our advantage.  This is overcoming and this is more than conquering.  David killed Goliath with his own sword.


Every evil purpose becomes a blessing.  Favor will produce vengeance.  Every curse becomes a prophecy.  Every area of defeat I will turn to victory.  Everything against you I will turn into a promise.

The whole earth will one day notices the bride of Christ in all of her glory.

What if pastoral Ministry is getting people to see what the instead is?

Instead of intimidation been the rule we can come bold.  We are learning to move in the opposite spirit.

All of God's promises are yes and amen... what does that mean?  You don't have to work at getting in to that place, you have to work at staying there.  That is called: staying there... abiding.  Our role is never trying to get into a place, we must learn to stay in that place.

Husbands and wives, practice this together.  Families practice this together.  Groups of friends, practice this together.  Businesses, practice this together.  Holding people accountable to the promises and provision is the best kind of accountability.  The keyword is: instead.

Write a list of everything that is against you... keeping you from your destiny right now.  Number each one.  Defects in your personal character.  Ask the Holy Spirit to create another list of the opposite promises.

What is the prophecy over this promise?  The second list becomes your only list.  If we want to know what the Lord has for us in this season... it is on and in this list.  Promise, prophecy, and blessing will be attached to everything on the second list.

This list becomes of permission to believe in the promises of God this season.  We will become everything on the list because each item carries yes and amen.  This is the will of God for you.  As we get together with friends, we will compare what is on our list.  We will have copies of our friends list.

What's next on our list?