Tory Farina

The night before a fight...

 I wonder if a boxer feels the way I feel right now. I have had my notes done since Thursday or at least 90% done. It is a topic I feel like needs to be talked about and although my experience level in the area is low my spiritual authority as the leader of the church warrants me to share from Gods word about this area. I am learning a lot personally about how to parent and am in the beginning stages of laying down the rules for little O. She is beginning to understand what NO means and what don't touch means. So we are giving her boundaries so she doesn't grow up to be a spoiled and out of control adult.

Right now I am about to re look at my notes... The ending needs work... the beginning needs refinement... I watched myself this week on video and am frustrated that I do some fo the things I do... Little things. Timing things and rabbit trails that at the time I think are valuable and Worth saying but I realize more is not better or retained. I am working to get to at most a 30 min. message. That means less than 5 pages of notes. I am at about five but need to be at about 4 pages. That is hard to do because there is a lot of good stuff to throw away.

So I am nervous. Praying for my neighbors... Wondering if this message will change someones life... Isnt that the point? I am a little agitated... I hope I sleep tonight... thinking about the visitors that will hear this and praying that they see Gods love in it.

I feel like I am preparing mentally to fight... to bob and weave... thinking about delivery and timing... processing the whole event and trying to run through how it will feel and look and be tomorrow. Saturday's are a big work day for me... most of the work happens inside of me... The lump in my throat proves that.

In a way I am going into battle tomarrow. The enemy doesnt want strong families. Each person who helps HPC with its mission is in a fight. We are going to win tomarrow! Get some rest and be prepared I feel a KO brewing.

RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT

I was challenged this Sunday. I hope you were as well. Nate talked about our role in praying down Gods blessing and Protection in other peoples lives. What a good message for us to hear. SO often we think that we are all alone in this world or we don't realize our role in someone else's life. E and I were talking about it last night and she told me a story of a person that she prayed for everyday for a year. Se said besides me this person received more of her prayer effort than anyone else has had. That person had a total heart transformation and is still over a decade later serving the Lord.

Who are you praying for? I have been taking time each night to pray a little different for Olivia. I have found myself praying prayers of protection and against the attack of the evil one. I am realizing that I need to pray for you with a deeper passion and energy. Elizabeth and I have been commissioned by God to lead this church. We are responsible ultimately for the spiritual health of the body. I have prayed for you in the past and do regularly but I have been moved for you in a deeper way. Praying for freedom from addictions, health in marriages, That you would find the right mate, That God would show up in your life, that you would reach your God given potential... I am expectant for God to do some big things this summer in High Point. Pray with me... Go deeper in God... Seek him and he will not disappoint.

I am not what I would call an intercessor... Elizabeth is and we laugh at how different each one of us approaches prayer. But I am a person of prayer... I feel that I am being challenged to go to a place in my prayer life I have not been to in a long time if ever. I feel a drawing towards fasting and seclusion from things in this world that might distract me from what God wants to do... I am challenged.

My prayer is that God would transform me and that I would grow in knowledge of Him... That I would live out the example of prayer in our home, church and life. I ask the Lord for wisdom in how to lead you and this church. I pray that he would set you free from the snares the enemy has laid out for you. I ask for His favor and pray that he would find favor in my seeking of him.

Maybe you were challenged as well... Think about next steps... Ask God to teach you how to pray as the disciples did. Be a Seeker... And Step out in action... You Can DO IT!

Chris Hodges Notes from last night!

Taking Territory - Facing Kings

April 15th, 2008 by Chris Hodges

The first night of the ARC “All Access” Conference went great! It was so good to see old friends and meet new ones from all across the country. Hats off to my team who (once again) did their job with such excellence.

Last night I shared out of Joshua 1 about the battle of church planting. When you decide to take territory (new cities and new churches), you will have to face and defeat “kings” along the way.  Joshua was only in chapter 12 (verse 9-24) and he had already faced 31 kings! 

Here are some of the “kings” I’ve had to face in the first seven years of planting our church:

• The King of Demonic Attack. My family and I are facing this “king” right now. At every major threshold of this church plant, the enemy has attacked someone in my family.

• The King of Rejection. It’s amazing how the enemy can use one negative email or letter to take away from all of the positive things that happen every week.

• The King of Loneliness. Even with people all around, there are times when you feel all alone. That’s why relationships should be intentional. We all need affirmation and accountability.

• The King of Temptation.  As blessings increase, temptation also increases.  Then comes the shame and the guilt.

• The King of Discouragement.  The first four kings will produce this one.

There are three things you can do to overcome “kings” in your life and ministry.  The first is the power of the Holy Spirit. Our battle isn’t natural - it’s supernatural and you will need the greatest tool Jesus ever gave us to plant churches - the Holy Spirit. You’ll also need to be honest with yourself, God, and others.  If you keep it in, it will destroy you.  And finally, you’ll need to humble yourself.  A man on his face can never fall from that position.