Tim Ross’ Introduction
- This new series is based on the book and revelation that God gave Tim by the same name, “Upset The World“
- We will be getting the messages that birthed this book
Message Title: Upset the World
Acts 17:1-9 New Living Translation (NLT)
Paul Preaches in Thessalonica
1 Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. 3 He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” 4 Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.
5 But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. 6 Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers[c] instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. 7 And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”
8 The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. 9 So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.
God wants to upset your world in a way to live for Christ in a way that you’ve never lived before.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, upset us.
Paul and Silas are going around saying that Jesus is the promised Messiah. The prophecy that occurred 4,000 years ago. A prophecy that came to Mary, through Eve.
Could there be prophetic words that you’re about to step into for your life, given to your great, great, great grandmother? Could it be that there are promises she heard that would manifest in you?
We are to go make disciples of all nations. Translation, go upset the world.
This doesn’t entail anger/madness.
Upset: – overturn; destroy the power of; defeat; vanquish.
It simply means to turn over.
Has your life been turned over? Have you actually turned your life over to both the savior and to the Lord?
Are you ready to take an ‘L’? i.e. The Lord. Are you ready to take Jesus on as Lord, and voluntarily, through submission, let Him turn your life upside down.
Upset: – to disturb or derange completely; put out of order; throw into disorder. To defeat or overthrow and opponent that is more formidable, as in politics and war.
Where you have been losing, you are about to start winning because you’re going to allow Jesus to turn your life upside down.
Upsetting the world can sound daunting.
You can upset the world around you.
Each of us has an opportunity to upset somebody’s world. Family members, coworkers, etc.
In order to upset the world, there are three things you must do/be a part of/think about:
1. You Must Be Upset First
Illustration: Tim’s life was turned upside down when he was 19. He had regional fame as a battle rapper and had a little clout. He went to the club one night, partied until the morning, woke up, then went to church with his parents. He went since he loved his parents and thought it was the right thing to do since he lived with them. He showed up, went to Sunday school, then later, church started. He was there to do his typical routine, write raps, laugh at the ‘tongues speakers’, wait for church to end, then go out with his friends and go to popular places to eat and cruise around. Then later, get with any girl that wanted to get with him.
Then January 14th, 1996, his entire world was torn upside down. He was in the back of the church minding his business writing raps. He heard the Holy Spirit say, “you’re a sinner”, in a revealing, not condemning way.
Sometimes you need people in your life that will expose your blind spots. The Holy Spirit was kind enough to say this to him. On this day, with no altar call, it was like the Holy Spirit pointed out a mustard stain on Tim’s shirt. Tim looked at it, then the ugly cry came out. He was cool with doing his thing until he got a revelation that he shouldn’t have been doing what he was doing.
He was in the back row, sitting there, weeping. His life was being turned over by the Holy Spirit. He was balling. People were worshipping and had no idea. Tim didn’t want to give his life to Jesus at that moment. He still had shows to finish, girls to explain it to, porn addiction to be cleared out – but the Holy Spirit said, “you don’t get right and then come to Me, you come to Me and then get right.”
Tim stood up during testimony service (not even altar call). With everyone confused, he said, “I give up, I need to get saved right now.” That day, his life got turned upside down. Since that day, Tim is still upset 24 years later.
His homies didn’t want him to, nor did they think he could, give up shows, women, and status for Jesus. In fact, they bet $20 that he’d be back in six months. Since then, he buried some of them, had to write some of them in prison, and has had to counsel the rest of them, sometimes at 2/3 o’ clock in the morning. In these sessions, Tim could declare that their lives would never be the same if they accept Jesus, and that’s because he’s still upset. There’s nothing or nobody that can stand in your way when you’re upset to be who God has called you to be.
2. You Have to Let Go of Religion
This is to the lifelong church people. The people that go back 3-4 generations who love church. Is God good, or is it just the religious practice that you enjoy?
Acts 9:1-22 New Living Translation (NLT)
Saul’s Conversion
9 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.[a] So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
10 Now there was a believer[b] in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers[c] in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul stayed with the believers[d] in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”
22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
It was because of Saul’s religion, that he couldn’t see Jesus.
How many of us are doing things for God, without God? How many of us endeavor to do a bunch of big stuff for God that He never said He wanted to do through you?
Jesus talked to Saul directly, and his response was “who are you Lord”? Could it be that a lot of people love the church but don’t know the Lord of the church?
He may want to do something significant in your life and you may not even know Him.
Illustration: A man in his 70’s came to the altar and gave his life to Christ. Everyone there thought he was already saved. His son was also mind blown by this. He said, “no son, I’m not, I thought I gave my life to Christ in 1974, but I didn’t give my life to Christ, I gave my life to my denomination.”
Who are you Lord?
You might know assemblies of God, but not know the God of the assembly.
You might know Baptist, but not know the Lord of the baptism.
You might know Church of God in Christ, but not know the Christ in God’s church.
You might know Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, but not know that the world was assembled in Pentecost in Acts 2.
Who are you Lord?
You’re world may feel upset right now, but it’s because Tim wants you to step out of the skin you were born into, and step into the skin you were to be born again into.
During Saul’s conversion, “they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one”
Could it be that you’re having a revelation that your friends aren’t having? It might be God saying it’s time for you to separate from that relationship.
God could be upsetting your world next to someone whose world is not upset at all.
God may be trying to call you closer to Him.
“I’m trying to call you closer to Me, but you’re trying to drag them with you.”
Paul couldn’t convince them to see, even though they heard what they heard.
They couldn’t see who Saul saw, even though they heard.
When you’ve been living a crooked life, in God’s grace, He will put you on straight street.
When you get your life turned upside down, you don’t wait to proclaim Him. You don’t need a degree to proclaim Him. Our testimony is enough. When you know that you were blind, and can now see, down and now up, trapped, and now free – something changes on the inside of you, and your testimony comes out.
You know you were lost and now you’re found. You know that you’re new and you’re convicted to refrain from doing the things you used to do.
People start to wonder what changed about you. Tasha was always smoking, Tony was always stealing. Now she’s getting revelation and he’s tithing. Your life can turn upside down.
Saul, now Paul, didn’t come to arrest them. He was turned upside down.
Religion is not an issue for God, the absence of God is.
God hated their religious practices, even though He told them to do them, because He was absent from them.
If you go on date night without your spouse, it no longer benefits you or your spouse. When you come to church to be in God’s presence, that’s good religion. If you’re willing to come whether God is present or not, that’s bad religion.
There was nothing wrong with Saul being a Pharisee, the issue was, not having Jesus in his life.
3. You Must Let Go of Your Independence
Luke 5:1-11 New Living Translation (NLT)
The First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Some of us need to just say, “but if you say so” when God tell us to do or say things. We don’t need to know why He tells us to do things like move, break up with people, sell our cars, etc.
Jesus told them to do something that was against their expertise. Before they knew it though, they were overflowing with fish.
You think God will have to beat you up? No, He will bless you up.
He blessed Simon Peter so good, that he was reminded of his own sin (verse 8).
“The way I just blessed your business, I will let you be a blessing to people.”
A business owner just had the greatest day of business, and his response to that level of blessing was “I quit”. He would rather have the person that blessed him than stay with the blessing.
God wants you to fall in love with the “blesser” and not just the blessing.
God is trying to turn you upside down. From heaven’s perspective, God is trying to turn you right side up.
The world is upside down. Heaven orients us to go in the right way.
God wants to upset your world and do it in a way that causes you to be permanently changed.
Tim is turned up because he’s a believer.
Tim spent the last 24 years in a partnership with the Holy Spirit to know whether or not he should upset people, whether it be by praying for them, buying groceries, giving them a word, etc.
Tim has signed over his declaration of independence and is totally dependent on God.
God upset Tim’s world, will you let him upset yours?
Prayer and Altar Call: Thank you Lord for giving us an opportunity to go on a journey to find you, receive you, and turn our lives upside down. If you’re not saved, open your mouth and confess that Jesus is Lord and God raised him from the dead. Repent and turn away from the way you were living your life. Receive him as Lord of your life, not just savior. We will celebrate in the kingdom with you.
- Text ‘Saved’ to 918-992-7623 for resources and content to help you on this journey.
Get “Upset the World” the book and study guide for additional insight and support:
Get “Relationship Goals” the book and study guide today for relationship support:
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SUMMARY NOTES
In order to upset the world, there are three things you must do/be a part of/think about:
- You Must Be Upset First
- You Have to Let Go of Religion
- You Must Let Go of Your Independence
Link to full Video: TBD
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Abby Olurin Dames
I love Jesus, my husband, Will, my toddler daughter, Sola, and the beautiful friends and family in our lives. Me and Will are from the Bahamas, but we currently reside in Austin, Texas. We joined TC Nation as online members of Transformation Church in 2017 when we moved to Austin from Miami, Florida. In 2020, we also happily took on a more active role with the E-Fam of Elevation Church by fellowshipping with other married couples and were pleased to have the opportunity to join TC Beta Belong Groups. I believe that representing God doesn’t have to be done in “traditional spaces”. After listening to Pastor Mike's sermon, "Who's the Minister Here?", it became my mission to shed light on Christ in all arenas, including, but not limited to, corporate America, marketing, technology, and finance. I'm not perfect, but I'm progressing. I am a marketer, but first, I am a Christian, and the aim of this blog is to publicly share my sermon notes as a form of stewardship. I hope that these message notes can bring clarity to anything you may be seeking and help you to experience the peace and glory of Jesus Christ. I'm happy to pray for you as well if you ever wanted to shoot me an email. The effectual fervent prayers of many of you have helped countless circumstances in my life and in the lives of those around me. Thank you! Also, for any Amazon specific links that you see, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
