TLDR;
Pastor Michael Todd introduces the "Triggered" series, focusing on finding Christ amidst life's challenges and triggers. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging personal triggers and traumas to enable transformation rather than succumbing to negative reactions or "crashing out." The sermon encourages self-awareness, seeking God's presence, and participating in a seven-day prayer and fasting period for guidance and change. It highlights that triggers, when addressed with Christ, can become starting points for transformation, urging the congregation to pause, reflect, and invite God into their struggles to avoid being controlled by their triggers.
- Introduction of "Triggered" series, focusing on finding Christ in difficult situations.
- Emphasis on acknowledging personal triggers and traumas for transformation.
- Encouragement to seek God's presence and participate in prayer and fasting.
- Highlight that triggers can be starting points for transformation.
Introduction to Triggered Series [0:00]
Pastor Michael Todd welcomes the congregation back from his sabbatical and introduces the new series, "Triggered: Finding Christ in the Crash Out." He announces upcoming events, including seven days of prayer and fasting starting tomorrow night at 6:30, both online and in person, to refocus and invite God's presence for the rest of the year. He also mentions the V4 Conference and the "We Outside" tour featuring Transformation Worship, Todd Dulaney, and Kiki Sheard. The series aims to address how individuals handle triggers, urging them not to fall into traps.
Prophetic Assignment and Cultural Climate [3:07]
Pastor Mike shares that the message was confirmed 78 days prior, highlighting its prophetic nature given the current sensitive and divisive cultural climate. He notes the increase in division, angst, worry, and pain, which the enemy is using to break people's trust in good. He emphasizes the need for Christians and the church to actively participate in finding solutions rather than passively commenting. He expresses that this series could be transformative, requiring personal work and honesty about inner struggles.
Acknowledging the Weight of Current Events [6:45]
Pastor Mike acknowledges the tragic events filling the news, such as assassinations, stabbings and mass shootings, and inhumane experiences worldwide, emphasizing that these are real-life situations, not just social media content. He urges the church to recognize that current events resemble the Book of Revelation, with wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes. Despite the heaviness, he encourages everyone to find rest in Jesus, referencing Matthew 11:28, and to allow Jesus to teach them with humility.
Understanding Rest and Burdens [11:15]
Referencing Matthew 11:28, Pastor Mike explains that Jesus offers rest to those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, which is different from sleep and involves finding peace in the soul. He clarifies that coming to Jesus doesn't eliminate burdens but makes them lighter, either by providing more strength to carry them or ensuring they don't weigh one down. He cautions against carrying unnecessary burdens, urging self-reflection on whether the burdens are too heavy and not aligned with God's will.
Introduction to Triggers [16:54]
Pastor Mike introduces the concept of triggers, explaining that everyone has something that can provoke a different version of themselves. He defines a trigger as something that sets someone off, leading to a crash out, which is doing something crazy or uncharacteristic. He notes that triggers are unique to each individual and can lead to immediate reactions. He provides both a simple and a psychological definition of triggers, emphasizing that they are often linked to past traumas.
Triggers and Trauma [23:22]
Pastor Mike elaborates on triggers, explaining that every trigger is attached to a trauma, even if unrecognized. He illustrates this with examples like a child taking the last of the juice triggering a parent due to past scarcity. He emphasizes that being constantly triggered prevents resting in God's peace. He also notes that freedom from certain things is often just avoidance, and triggers related to those things can still cause a crash out if not confronted with Christ.
Crash Out Definition and Consequences [29:49]
Pastor Mike defines a "crash out" as a sudden, uncontrollable burst of anger or impulsive action with negative consequences, often stemming from burnout or feeling overwhelmed. He stresses that it involves surrendering reasonable emotional control and can indicate mental health struggles. He distinguishes between explosive and implosive crash outs, the latter involving internalizing emotions and engaging in self-destructive behaviors. He warns that unaddressed triggers lead to crash outs, causing alienation and preventing one from fulfilling their purpose.
Triggers in Relationships and Church [33:20]
Pastor Mike uses personal examples, such as his reaction to his wife's breath, to illustrate how triggers can quickly lead to negative reactions. He explains that triggers are often linked to unaddressed traumas and can cause people to act out of character. He also discusses how triggers can affect one's relationship with the church, causing some to avoid it due to past hurts or negative experiences.
Transformation Through Addressing Triggers [43:59]
Pastor Mike suggests that triggers are not meant to be places of crashing out but starting points for transformation. He explains that by addressing the underlying trauma attached to a trigger, one can change their character and response. He uses examples like lateness, financial requests, and lack of appreciation to illustrate how triggers are connected to deeper issues. He emphasizes that cultural ideals often clash with Christ's principles, leading to tension and potential crash outs.
Pause and the Path to Transformation [52:12]
Pastor Mike introduces the concept of pausing between a trigger and a trap, urging listeners to acknowledge their triggers to avoid being deceived. He explains that triggers can lead to traps, causing individuals to sabotage their future. He emphasizes that the place of one's most sensitive trigger can also be the place of their most sacred transformation. By dropping down into the trauma and seeking God, one can find an intersection that leads to true change.
Self-Awareness and God's Question [1:01:49]
Pastor Mike stresses the importance of self-awareness, stating that the enemy wants to keep people in the dark, while God wants them to live in the light. He references God's question to Adam, "Where are you?", not to know his location, but to see if Adam was aware of his state. He urges listeners to acknowledge their triggers and the traumas they are attached to, emphasizing that transparency about triggers brings empathy and transformation.
Inviting Christ into the Crash Out [1:08:30]
Pastor Mike emphasizes that the sermon series is for those who have crashed out, are in the middle of crashing out, or are headed for one, and asks if Christ is with them in it. He explains that God sends Jesus to be in the crash out with them, but He will not act until invited in. He uses the story of the disciples in the storm to illustrate that one can have Christ on their boat and still crash out until they invite Him in.
Call to Transformation and Prayer [1:12:11]
Pastor Mike calls on those who are triggered and desire transformation to lift their hands, leading a prayer acknowledging their need for God's help. He encourages listeners to invite Jesus into their specific situations, such as financial, family, or emotional pain, and to transform their lives. He announces a seven-day prayer and fasting period, urging listeners to pause and seek God's presence.
Concluding Remarks and Invitation [1:17:59]
Pastor Mike concludes by emphasizing that the goal is to live consecrated lives, not to crash out, and to transform into an image that looks like Christ. He invites listeners to join the seven days of prayer and fasting, share the content with others, and consider financially supporting the ministry. He also extends an invitation to those who have never accepted Jesus to do so, sharing his personal testimony of transformation through Christ.