TCA-YWAM Austin     January 7, 2018 Topic:  “Did You know YOU ARE A FREEDOM FIGHTER” (Compiled by Jon Dorris) (Permission granted for anyone to use freely)   I want to tell you a story today   -1ST “Did you know YOU ARE A FREEDOM FIGHTER for Christ?”           -YOU ARE!   -The Story is about a young man that was a lot like you guys. b/c           -He grew up in your average Christian home   -Cunningham’s visit to King – “Do you know why Norway went from poorest nation to wealthiest nation (per capita)?” -ONE MAN STARTED IT! -Here is the true story they told the King. +   -Hi name is Hans Nielson Hauge   -HE BECAME A FREEDOM FIGHTER at a young age   -Han’s was a Poor Farmer   -Lived in late 1700’s in Norway   -Norway was one of the poorest nations on the earth then   -Age 25, Hans had a SUDDENLY from God           -all of a sudden Jesus’ Cross made sense and he accepted it by faith           -He started reading his Bible. (DEVOURED IT)             -Saw God’s blueprint for all of life   -“My nation of Norway MUST LEARN THE BIBLE – LIFE BLUEPRINT”   -Hans spent the next 8 years trying to get a Bible to every home in Norway (800,000 people)   -He encouraged his people to help each other grow in God’s Bible truths   -He planted over 1000 Home Groups studying and applying the Bible together           -They grew closer to one another, and God, and PRAYED TOGETHER   -Many could NOT READ   -So he started schools   (today 100% literacy rate)   -Q – Does this sound like a FREEDOM FIGHTER to YOU?   -In Bible, He saw God’s laws for CREATING WEALTH   -He saw how God designed the MARKETPLACE to work   -He saw God’s will for how ALL parts of SOCIETY and CREATION work   -So he began businesses and helped others do so           -On 1 site he built: a PAPER MILL, a STAMPING MILL, a FLOOR MILL, a BONE MILL, a TANNERY, and a FOUNDRY   -Hans never said:           -“I do not know how to do this_____________”           -“I cannot do this ___________, it is too hard”           -“I am just a young NOBODY, how can I make a difference. -RATHER he let God align his thoughts with God’s thoughts in the Bible           -AND he always pushed through all OBSTACLES until he found SOLUTIONS   -Hans learned to talk like God talks:           -“Nothing is impossible with God”           -“I can DO ALL THING in CHRIST, who strengthens me”           -“Together, we can do more than we ever dreamed”   -Q – Does this sound like a FREEDOM FIGHTER to YOU?           Q-You can adopt this “God attitude” TOO can’t you? ABSOLUTELY!   -Hans ended up writing 33 books on God’s Bible BLUEPRINT for LIFE           -He 1st had to learn how to print and bind books.           -He printed and distributed these Bible blueprint books all through Norway (200,000 books)     -Hans encouraged his friends (his spheres of influence) to study the Bible and get to know God   -He encouraged them to go do what Jesus encouraged all of us to do.   Matthew 9:35-10:1  35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.   -Q – Does Hans & Jesus sound like FREEDOM FIGHTERs to YOU?           -Q – Can you do this too? ABSOLUTELY!   -Hans created a movement of growing number of Norwegians following Christ like he was.   -Before Hans, Norway was run by RULERS who took the wealth for themselves and left the people very poor with NO FREEDOMS.   -In 1814 Hans’ Followers DESIGNED a FREE Democratic Government and wrote a NEW CONSTITUTION and got it IMPLEMENTED IN NORWAY   -Norway became one of the FREEST Nations on earth   -Q – Does this sound like a FREEDOM FIGHTER to YOU?           Q-Can you do stuff like this? WHY NOT??? -Q- What are you PASSIONATE ABOUT?           -THEN CHANGE THAT AREA OF SOCIETY with God’s BLUEPRINT! -Q- What is STOPPING YOU?           -PUSH THROUGH IT !!!           -YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRST           -ITS YOUR CHOICE         -GUEST WHAT – Hans discipled his Nation with 1 ACT OF FAITH in God at a time. -Q – Can YOU do this? ONE ACT AT A TIME?           -SURE YOU CAN           -Q –Why? BECAUSE YOU ARE FREEDOM FIGHTERS   -Q – Do you think we should READ OUR BIBLE?   -Q – Do you see why we keep encouraging all of us to read and live it?           -Let’s help each other do this           Let’s DO THIS THING   -God is wooing you to GET TO KNOW HIM and His BIBLE   -Hans kept going DEEPER with God in the Bible = the BLESSINGS from his life just kept growing.   -Hans effect on the people around him WAS ENORMOUS.   -The character of people’s lives changed FOR THE BETTER   -Hans CHANGED his nation.   -He found himself being a NATION BUILDER,   1 ACT AT A TIME   -Picture your sphere of influence.           -What influence can you become there?           -God wants to LOVE ON people around you THROUGH YOU -Q – Will you LET GOD LIVE THROUGH YOU?           -Ask Him to. -God wants to bring FRESH HOPE to people through YOU.           -Will you let Him?           -Tell Him so.   -All the good things we are and have COME FROM GOD           -Hans would say USE WHAT YOU HAVE and INFLUENCE THOSE AROUND YOU FOR CHRIST       -Q- Do you want to do this also?           -Tell God you do           -Ask for His help   -Hans learned that God’s way was for us to WORK TOGETHER and with Him.    -The Norwegians DID JUST THAT   -Now Norway is:           -the RICHEST NATION (per capita)           -One of the FREEST NATIONS on earth           -They send our MORE MISSIONARIES (per capita) than all nations.           HANS CHANGED HIS NATION – YOU CAN TOO!   -Q – Does this sound like a FREEDOM FIGHTER to YOU?   Invitation:   -If you want God to use you to be His influence on those around you, please stand up. -If you want be God’s FREEDOM FIGHTER tell Him in your heart.   Let me pray for us.