eNews || 15 November 2023
THE AIR WE BREATHE
Dear eNews friends and church family,
So many young people (and others) are deeply concerned about the air we breathe. This concern has been the catalyst for protests, legislation, and infrastructure changes around the globe. — God is concerned too!
Have you ever thought about this?
At the dawn of creation, God took 5 days to get the atmosphere right before he put mankind on the planet. The atmosphere around us is critical to sustain life.
We know that our physical atmosphere does at least 4 things:
Enable us all to breathe and live.
It sustains flight.
It protects from the dangerous radiation of the sun.
It regulates temperature.
BUT what about your spiritual atmosphere? The environment around your home, your marriage, your relationships, and even the atmosphere around the church when you turn up on a Sunday. — Have you ever walked into a house or an office where you just know that even without speaking a word, there has been an argument between people in there?
The tension is palpable because, fundamentally, “atmosphere” is spiritual.
Do you remember what James said?
For where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
James 3:16
If you are finding confusion in your life, then likely you have an “atmosphere” problem. The atmosphere is always created by someone. In Genesis 1, God created the earth’s atmosphere. What atmosphere are you creating around your life?
Fear?
Worry?
Criticism?
Gossip?
OR
Faith?
Love?
Encouragement?
Light?
You can create the atmosphere around your life by design or by default. It happens by default when you allow a negative critical atmosphere to stay and make its home wherever you are — when God intended for you to take control of it!
Get the strife out of your life, and let the fresh cool air of faith, gratitude, and thanksgiving rise! When we get the atmosphere right, we can all breathe and live, we are protected from slanderous gossip, and we -and our young people are empowered to fly.
It’s no coincidence that the Hebrew word for Spirit is Ruach which means breath. It is the same in Greek, where we have Pneuma -- also meaning, “breath.”
Now the Lord is the Spirit (breath) and where the Spirit (breath) of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17
You may not be aware, but many people put in a great deal of effort to get the atmosphere right in their church on a Sunday. At Destiny, our intercessors pray, our tech teams work on the sound and the light, the stewards give a warm welcome, having got the rooms ready, and our hospitality team wants you to feel the love of God. The preacher prepares his heart even as he prepares the word. The ministry team comes filled up to minister healing and salvation. Both our Kids teams and our Youth team prepare weeks ahead to get the right kind of atmosphere fully functioning across the campus so that all our children can fly on the wings of faith.
TOP TIPS ON CONTROLLING THE ATMOSPHERE AROUND YOU:
DO read and monitor the atmosphere around your mouth, your words, your relationships, your team, your life, and your work.
DO invite the Holy Spirit to breathe His breath on it.
DON’T allow the devil to hijack it and stir up strife.
DON’T stand back when God wants you to stand up.
We thank God that even after the end of last week’s meetings, people came to Christ in the hospitality suite around coffee. The meeting was over, but God wasn’t done! We continue to trust Him to breathe His breath into the atmosphere of our house.
Have a great week and come to Church expecting on the weekend - DON’T leave your faith at home!
Love you family,
Pastor Andrew Owen
Founding Senior Pastor
Destiny Church