How we react is fundamental to our developmental process. Development is our focus. Everything at Freedom Church is designed to get you in purpose moments so God can work in you and through you. We want to see you take potential and turn it into purpose.

Here is the issue though: most peoples reaction to development is that they have taken some steps in the process. Shouldn’t people be happy with that and recognize that? The people that have been there for the process, definitely. The people that have gotten to know you since the change, they should see you develop too. Your development is a continuous process and that development is for you and others.The development that has taken place is a reminder that you can grow and overcome. The development that will take place is so others can have the inspiration to get up and move forward in development in their lives.

How does this tie into how we react?

Here is the little thing for today: It’s never the action but the reaction that makes the difference.

Our reactions are essential to our role in kingdom building.

“It's not the situation, but whether we react negative or respond positive to the situation that is important.” - Zig Ziglar

Our reactions are everything. It's not the person's actions but our reaction that separates if we have a good day or a bad day.

Our reactions are exponentially more powerful than the action.
When the genocide in Rwanda took place, this is some of the worst possible action you can imagine to happen in a nation. There was an opportunity for fast, swift, and vengeful justice but they chose Gacaca (Gachacha). They were willing to show mercy on those that were willing to be repentant. This reaction was one that saved the nation from falling into to complete ruin and allow Rwanda to move forward and rebuild stronger.
Biblical Appeal:
- Soft answer turns away wrath
- Love covers a multitude of sin.
- Treat others how you want to be treated.

Most people aren’t stunted in their growth because of evil actions done to them but ungodly reactions as a response.
Our reactions are intended by God to bring restoration, but you are robbed of that opportunity when you allow your reactions to flow from justice, revenge, or selfishness.

How do you react when you mess up? Are you beating yourself up, putting distance between you and God, or feel so stuck in that you believe that this is the best you can do? Do you stay in the frustration or do you get up? How do you react when someone that has done you wrong has problems? Do you beat them up?

Proverbs 24:16-18
16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

How do you react when sin is knocking on your front door?
1st Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

How we react in the different moments of life matters. This is one of the reasons that leadership, self improvement, business, and other teachers talk about the importance of knowing how you are going to react before the situation happens. Our reaction is an important part of the battle.

3 Influences of Reaction

1. The Past
The past will cause us to over react to hurts, fears, or traumas that haven’t been processed in a healthy manner.
I was in a car accident a few months ago and I was hit on the drivers side. There is a temptation because of that hurt to make my left side when I am driving more of a priority, but if I do that I am simply setting myself up for a future accident on the right.

Hurts will lead us to over react to a healthy behavior that was misused in the past.
For example, in a past relationship a leader would correct me about anything he thought I needed to change and develop in. This in and of itself is okay because I had given him permission to do so. The issue came when it turned into public shaming, being held accountable for decisions that I didn’t make, and being the fall guy. If I didn’t deal with this, I could easily react to every development moment as a slight. That’s what the enemy wants. If he can keep me satisfied with the development that has already taken place then I won’t take the next step to continue to where God wants me to be. It is too easy to treat a new friend like an old enemy if we allow the past to drive our reactions.

2. Present circumstances
Have you ever been struggling in an area of life and as you are struggling you have a friend that has a win in that area? The enemy likes to come in a plant a thought there, why not you? Why wouldn’t God help you in this area? Are present circumstances can keep us from pursuing God because we don’t feel heard, we don’t like the current answer, or we would have to deal with a past hurt that is impacting current situations. If we aren’t careful, we will let a temporary circumstance in the now have a permanent spiritual impact in the future.

3. Blind spots
Blind spots, I think, is the most difficult influence to deal with, simply because you don’t know it’s there. A blind spot could be environment you were raised in, a generational curse you don’t know that you are walking in, a soul tie that hasn’t been broken, or and I don’t mean to be mean here but just dumb decision making. This is why it is so important to have people who can speak into your life in it. Pastor Jason spoke about this a few weeks ago, you are one eye, your squad is the other eye. When you come together you get a complete picture.

Understanding these influence on your reaction is important because the enemy is trying to get you to lose. So, if he can shape your reaction through one of these influences he is going to. An important part of mastering your reaction is to know who you are.

First off, you’re a son/daughter.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:4-7 ESV

So a simple question to pin down our predetermined reaction would be, How does Jesus respond to this?

You’re a new creation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Knowing that we are a new creation and the old has past away, we get to determine that in each situation we are going to react out of our new nature. That new nature comes with the ability to walk in the freedom of Christ. We are not bound to the old chains, we get to fight from freedom not for it. What does this look like? That means when temptation is running at us we can easily choose faithfulness to see God become the strength in our weakness in that situation.

This why baptism is such a big step to take in your walk with God. Baptism is the physical representation of a spiritual work in your life. You are burying the old nature, meaning the old nature no longer has authority over you.

You’re an ambassador.

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 ESV

The United States have ambassadors to countries all over the world. In each embassy they have a picture of our president on the wall. And that ambassador is acting on behalf of the president in that country. We are the ambassador for the kingdom of God on this earth and have been directed to carry out the work of reconciliation. How can we complete that work if we are misrepresenting God in our daily actions. How would like it if some one cut you off in the river bottom coming from Dayton, you the get revenge by bottle necking 90 and get in front of them as your staring at them waving you hands and having a mini meltdown in your car, just for both of you to end up at church together. Would that give that person the right view of who we represent or who you are as person?

The thing that will help you operate in a kingdom mindset from the jump is by making a proactive decision on how you are going to react.
How do we proactively decide what our reactions are going to be?

1. Put the Kingdom First
Your decision to build the kingdom or defend yourself will determine if you build a bridge or burn it.

How do we hold people accountable but don’t crush their potential? Its a lot like disciplining our kids, we discipline out of a set rule that is already in motion, not just when we are irritated and frustrated. There are moments I don’t want to discipline my kids because they were just having fun but if I don’t keep them accountable they will be persuaded in any direction.

Truth without grace you dry up, grace without truth you blow up, and truth and grace you grow up. We put the kingdom first by giving both truth and grace. And when we do this we make way for restoration to happen. Truth alone leads to broken relationships, grace alone leads to compromise, but truth and grace lead to restoration.

Restoration is a foundational kingdom principle. In everything we should be looking for moments of restoration to take place. Restoration isn’t about you, its about the kingdom. When we look at restoration in the Bible we see that every time that restoration happens it is to bring glory to God and magnify who he is.

Are you okay with doing the work of restoration, even if you don’t get the fruit of restoration?

You won’t be able to see restoration played out in your life if you are more concerned with justice and balancing the scales. If you are worried about your justice then you are focused on building your castle and not the kingdom. God has place you around the people in your life for a purpose. So everything we do needs to point back to Him. Remember, we are an ambassador for the kingdom that has be given the ministry of reconciliation. So if we are experiencing things breaking in our life, then we need to pause and reorient around the kingdom and ask God to show us what we aren’t seeing so we can provide opportunities for restoration.

So let's get practical: what does it mean to put the Kingdom first?
Simply, you treat them based on the potential of who God wants them to be not based on a current short coming.In relationships or moments where it is unfair to you take the time and gain wisdom and counsel from your squad. Then make sure that you are treating the person as a son/daughter of God. And then engage.

“I hope that either all of us, or none of us, are judged by the actions of our weakest moments. But rather, by the strength we show when, and if, we're ever given a second chance.” - Ted Lasso

It is a more peaceful life to treat people based off the best version they could be rather than to constantly look for how they are going to disappoint you.

2. React out of your Core Values
We all have a set of core values either written down or that we naturally walk out. We see this in out schedules, priorities, and attention.

In our family honesty is a big family core value. We want to be honest in our relationships, finances, and mindsets. Any time I say something and it doesn’t happen how Allie thinks it is going to she says “Daddy, you lied. You know who you are being like? The devil.” Now this was a funny moment but it reminds me of a few things:
- The more intentional I am in teaching my kids foundational truth the more likely they are going to think about in their lives and make decisions around those truths.
- I want a culture in my family that we are all held accountable to the same rules. So I don’t want to set culture that allows me an out and lack of accountability.

When you take time to define your core values then you have the support of them when you go to react. It takes practice, intentionality, and accountability to make sure that you use your core values when you react.

For example, here at freedom we have our core values on the wall.
- Jesus is our message
- People are our priority
- Development is our focus
- Unity is our pursuit
- Team is our structure
- Excellence is our standard
- Generosity is our privilege

These core values drive everything we do as a church. In every situation these core values drive our actions and reactions. Your core values drive your reactions. So if you have a core value of generosity then in everything you and your family does you will be generous.

Take time and determine your core values so that you have a set standard you can operate from. Our core values should point to putting the Kingdom first in our lives. Take some time and look at how spend money, that will tell you a lot about what you prioritize in your life.

3. Choose the Benefit of the Doubt
Proverbs 17:9
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 19:11
Good sense makes one slow to anger and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Colossians 3:13
13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Here is a quick test if you give the benefit of the doubt or not:
- Is it always the other drivers fault?
- When your spouse has a tone when they speak to you, do you think they need to chill out or do you ask are they okay?
- Are people always out to get you?

This is where we need to remember the influences of reaction. Are those influence from yesterday driving your reaction today? Choosing the benefit of the doubt is choosing to give grace to the known or unknown person that you wish would be given to you. Because we are ambassadors of the kingdom it is our obligation to walk in the spirit of God to show people the grace and mercy that was shown to us. When we react harshly or out of frustration we more in line with the reaction of the enemy because we begin to accuse of others.

I have been through a lot of issues in my family. Issues where I have be the one that hurt someone and have been hurt. In the moments where I begin to feel like someone is coming at me I have to choices running at me: Faithfulness to God or Faithfulness to my desire. In that moment I need to have my reaction predetermined that I am going to use self control, that I am going to extend grace, and that I am going to view the person through a lease of their potential.

When we refuse to give people the benefit of the doubt we show that our deepest internal motives are selfish. Now that is harsh so let me break it down.
- I am not talking about our initial thought here. We are going to face moments where there is injustice. And we will recognize it as such but we have to be able to put all of that into the perspective that the person we are dealing with is a soul that needs to encounter the goodness of God.
- Our goal in reactions isn’t to limit the feelings we are processing but to allow God in His lordship to guide us so that we are always reacting out of His spirit. So when we choose to react out of the injustice and give the persona piece of our mind when it is unnecessary, then we are choosing selfishness.

The goal with controlling our reactions is to reflect God and be the light of the world.

Today you might be in a place where you are not reacting out of a kingdom focus. That’s okay. Everyone is working on it. So today I want to give you an opportunity to encounter God down at the altar, to engage with Him and pray an ask that he would break any of the influences of your reaction. Today we need to encounter His lordship, we need Him to take priority in our life and allow the kingdom to be first.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?

How does he want you to respond?