Kingdom Encounter Part 8: Intuitive
As followers of Jesus, how can we live a life that intuitively reflects the Kingdom of God? Pastor Zoe Hatcher explored this question in the final message of Open Arms Church’s Kingdom Encounter series. By reflecting on scripture and personal stories, she unpacked how believers can bring the Kingdom of God into their daily lives through faith, trust, and obedience to the Holy Spirit.
Let’s dive into her teaching, examining how we can embrace prayerful rhythms, surrender our plans, and embody the Kingdom life.
Moving with the Rhythm of the Kingdom
Pastor Zoe Hatcher began her sermon by recapping the series’ core teachings. The Kingdom of God is not just a distant ideal but a reality we are called to bring into our communities. “We first move into the neighborhood as Jesus did,” she said, referencing John 1:14, where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Just as Christ physically entered our world, believers are called to live among others with the heart and posture of Jesus.
One of the key themes Zoe emphasized was the need for an intuitive way of living the Kingdom life. This intuition, she explained, is akin to how we instinctively breathe or get dressed in the morning. “What if we could live the Kingdom life in an intuitive way, as natural as breathing?” she asked.
To cultivate this kind of life, Zoe stressed the importance of trust. “For us to live this life of Kingdom encounter every day intuitively, we must learn to trust God, to lean on Him in faith, being certain that His Holy Spirit is faithfully working in and through us,” she said.
Scripture Calls Us to Trust
Zoe grounded this teaching in James 4:13–17 (NIV):
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
This passage reminds believers to hold their plans loosely, allowing God to direct their steps. “Are you willing for your plans to be interruptible?” Zoe challenged. “Are you ready to surrender everything—your life, your career, your ambitions—to God’s plans?”
A Personal Testimony of Faith
Pastor Zoe shared a deeply personal story to illustrate what it looks like to live in surrender. Early in her marriage to her husband Josh, God began prompting her heart about having children, even though they were both still in college. Initially resistant, Zoe sought confirmation through prayer and waited for God to speak to Josh as well.
“Eventually, God began to work on Josh’s heart too,” Zoe recounted. “It seemed like everywhere we turned, God was reminding us that children are a blessing.” When they finally surrendered to God’s timing, they were blessed not just with one child, but twins.
Through this story, Zoe demonstrated the fruit of trusting God’s plans over her own. She asked the congregation, “What would it look like if we held our lives and plans loosely, open to the Lord, saying, ‘My life is not mine; it’s Yours’?”
Embracing Prayerful Rhythms
Living the Kingdom life also involves cultivating rhythms of prayer. Pastor Zoe pointed to the example of the early church in Acts 4:23–31. After Peter and John were released from prison, they returned to their community and immediately engaged in united prayer.
“Sovereign Lord,” they prayed, “You made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them… Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness” (Acts 4:24, 29, NIV).
Zoe highlighted how this prayer acknowledged God’s sovereignty and invited His power to work through them. “The early church knew that prayer wasn’t just a discipline—it was their lifeline,” she said.
Prayer Fuels Boldness
The church’s response to persecution wasn’t fear or retreat; it was boldness. They prayed for courage to continue proclaiming the gospel despite opposition. “When life gets real, do we turn to prayer like the early church did?” Zoe asked. “Or do we try to handle things in our own strength?”
Zoe encouraged the congregation to develop their own prayerful rhythms, seeking God daily for guidance, strength, and boldness. “Prayer aligns us with God’s will and reminds us that we are not alone in this mission,” she said.
Surrendering Control to God
Returning to the theme of surrender, Pastor Zoe challenged believers to let go of their need for control. “I know it’s hard for planners like me,” she admitted. “But we must learn to trust that God’s plans are always better than ours.”
She emphasized that surrender doesn’t mean living without intention or preparation. Instead, it means being open to God’s leading and willing to adjust when He redirects us.
Living in Rhythm with the Holy Spirit
The Kingdom life is not about striving but about walking in step with the Holy Spirit. Zoe likened it to dancing with a partner. “We have to let the Holy Spirit lead,” she said. “It’s about moving in rhythm with Him, learning to live His way every day.”
This kind of life requires faith, humility, and a willingness to listen. “Are we willing to make the shifts God is calling us to?” Zoe asked. “If we do, our lives will not only change, but they will reflect His Kingdom in powerful ways.”
Drawing from Acts 17:22-31 (NIV), Pastor Zoe reflects on the Apostle Paul’s encounter with the people of Athens and the profound lessons it offers for modern believers. She challenges her audience to consider how they, too, can listen to God’s voice, adapt to their circumstances, and prune away distractions to follow His lead.
Embracing Holy Spirit-Led Conversations
Pastor Zoe began by unpacking Paul’s powerful speech at the Areopagus. In a city filled with idols, Paul found common ground with the Athenians by referencing their own altar inscribed, “To an unknown God” (Acts 17:23). He then introduced them to the true Creator, explaining that, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands” (Acts 17:24).
Using this passage, Pastor Zoe emphasized the importance of engaging people where they are—both physically and spiritually. Paul modeled this by using cultural references, even quoting their poets: “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Pastor Zoe posed an essential question: “Are we willing to let God creatively move us in the moment to speak to people in ways they understand?”
She urged her audience to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide their interactions, reminding them that evangelism isn’t about personal comfort or preferences but about meeting people where they are. “It’s not necessarily about what we like and what we’re comfortable with because we know Jesus. It’s about allowing the Holy Spirit to show us the way to reach others,” she said.
Navigating Change Through God’s Guidance
Drawing a parallel to Paul’s adaptability, Pastor Zoe reflected on her church’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic—a time of unprecedented disruption. She recounted how they prayerfully sought God’s direction as they navigated rapidly changing guidelines. With creativity and reliance on the Holy Spirit, they found new ways to minister, such as outdoor worship and online gatherings. “We never stopped preaching the Word of God,” she declared.
This season became a time of spiritual refinement for the church, leading them to reevaluate longstanding traditions and programs. Inspired by the book Letters to the Church by Francis Chan, they embraced a period of pruning. Pastor Zoe explained, “The way we were doing things was wonderful then, but they didn’t fit anymore in a completely new era. God called us to pack light for the journey.”
This metaphor of packing light resonated deeply. Just as travelers shed unnecessary baggage to navigate difficult terrain, believers must release anything that hinders their spiritual journey. “Not everybody likes change,” Pastor Zoe admitted, “but when God says, ‘Drop it and run with me,’ we trust Him.”
Developing the Discipline of Listening Prayer
A key practice for living the intuitive life, Pastor Zoe explained, is Listening Prayer. This discipline involves intentionally asking God two simple questions:
- “Lord, what do you want me to know right now?”
- “What do you want me to do?”
Pastor Zoe shared how she incorporates these questions into her daily journaling and Scripture reading. She encouraged the congregation to quiet their minds and hearts, making room to hear God’s voice. “It’s just that simple,” she said. “Quiet your mind, and when you begin to hear a response—whether it’s a word, an image, or a sense—press in and ask Him for more.”
To demonstrate, she led the congregation in a brief moment of silence, encouraging them to listen for God’s voice. “If we truly believe that God is living and active today, then why aren’t we applying it?” she asked. She challenged everyone to write down what they hear from God, as a way to remember and act on His guidance.
Creating Space for God
Pastor Zoe acknowledged that making time for quiet reflection can feel impossible amidst the busyness of life. However, she reminded the congregation that God empowers believers to prune distractions and create margin. “If you’ve crowded out all the room to hear from God, ask yourself some hard questions: What am I doing with my time, my energy, my resources?”
She shared that her clearest moments of hearing God come during hikes or runs in nature—times when the noise of the world is replaced by the sound of creation. She encouraged others to identify their own “listening places” and prioritize time there.
Zoe said: “The most simple adjustment we can make is to cut out the things we don’t need. Start saying no to the things that don’t align with what God is calling you to do.”
Applying the Intuitive Life
Living the intuitive life requires surrender, adaptability, and trust. Pastor Zoe’s message, rooted in Paul’s example and her own journey, offers a practical roadmap: engage others with the gospel in ways they understand, rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance, and create space to listen to God’s voice. It’s a life that isn’t always easy, but as Pastor Zoe reminded her congregation, “When we let God lead, He takes us on journeys we never imagined—and they’re always worth it.”
Understanding the Kingdom of Heaven: Treasure and Commission
As Pastor Zoe Hatcher concluded her message on embodying and living out the Kingdom of Heaven, she brought the congregation to a powerful reflection on the cost, joy, and mission of Kingdom living. She explored key biblical truths, grounding her message in Scripture and practical application, inviting everyone to participate in God’s work with a heart of surrender and purpose.
The Treasure of the Kingdom
Pastor Zoe turned to the parables of the treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great price, as recorded in Matthew 13:44-46 (NIV):
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
These parables highlight the incomparable value of the Kingdom of Heaven. Pastor Zoe challenged listeners to ask themselves, Are we willing to give up everything to live the Kingdom life? She pointed out that the man and the merchant in the stories didn’t hesitate; they acted with joy, seeing the treasure and pearl as worth every sacrifice.
“Sometimes,” Pastor Zoe said, “we let our lives get cluttered—with distractions, possessions, or even our own plans. But Jesus is asking us to sell everything, not out of obligation, but out of joy because we’ve found something infinitely more valuable.”
She encouraged the congregation to reflect on what they might need to release to embrace the Kingdom fully, explaining that the cost is always overshadowed by the reward: living in the presence and purpose of God, and sharing that life with others.
Sent Out with Peace and Power
Pastor Zoe closed her message with a powerful call to action, rooted in John 20:21-22 (NIV):
“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'”
Here, Jesus commissions His disciples, much like He commissions us today. Pastor Zoe reminded the congregation that the Kingdom of Heaven is not only something to seek and treasure but also something to share. “We’re not just recipients of the Kingdom,” she said. “We’re ambassadors of it. We are sent, just as Jesus was sent, to bring the Kingdom to everyone around us.”
She explained the significance of Jesus breathing on His disciples, an act foreshadowing the full empowerment they would receive at Pentecost. “It’s the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,” she said. “This same Spirit lives in us, giving us peace and the ability to carry out the mission of the Kingdom.”
A Call to Listen and Obey
To embody the Kingdom, Pastor Zoe emphasized the importance of listening to God and moving in step with Him. This involves setting aside dedicated time to hear His voice, seeking His guidance, and responding with obedience.
She shared how many of Open Arms Church’s microchurches were birthed out of this intentional time of listening. “During our encounter weekends,” she said, “we set apart time to ask the Holy Spirit, ‘What are you calling me to do? Where are you sending me?’ And out of those spaces, we’ve seen incredible Kingdom work—people stepping into their God-given purpose to bring the Kingdom to their communities.”
A Time of Commissioning
Pastor Zoe invited anyone feeling a nudge from the Holy Spirit to step forward for prayer and commissioning. Just as Jesus sent out His disciples, the church was called to step into their unique roles in advancing the Kingdom.
In her final moments on stage, Zoe reminded everyone of the power of community in this mission. “We’re not sent alone,” she said. “We’re sent with the Holy Spirit and with each other, united in purpose and love.”
As the worship team began to play, Pastor Zoe encouraged reflection and prayer, inviting individuals to surrender fully to God’s call. Whether through anointing or a simple prayer of commissioning, the service ended with a profound sense of sending.
Living the Kingdom Life
Pastor Zoe’s message serves as a reminder that the Kingdom of Heaven is not only a future promise but a present reality we are invited to live out today. It’s a treasure of immeasurable worth that compels us to joyful sacrifice, a mission that calls us to action, and a relationship with God that empowers us through His Spirit.
As the congregation left the service, they carried with them the commission Jesus gave His disciples: to go into the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and bring the Kingdom to others.
The question Pastor Zoe leaves us with is one we must all answer: What is God calling you to release, embrace, or do to live out His Kingdom today?
