Believe: One More Time

So many Christians are stuck in a rut. Ten, fifteen, or twenty years after they began walking with God, they are still struggling with the same sin, the same addictions, the same attitudes. Are you one of those Christians?

For a long time, I was. Bitterness and unforgiveness had taken root in my heart and it seemed no matter what I did, how much I prayed or what I told myself, I could not shake free from it. Being trapped like that eventually led to a place of discouragement and depression as well and I had no idea how I was ever going to overcome.

Living in the past was robbing me of the new thing God wanted to do in my present and for my future. I had tried and failed so many times in my quest to forgive and find peace and joy that I questioned if it would ever happen.

I was once told “past behavior is an indicator of future behavior”. If that were always true, I would have no hope of ever becoming more like Christ. My fallen nature and the choices I made in the past would continue to dictate how I lived my life and I would remain unchanged. The truth is, the power of Holy Spirit enables me to plow through every rut, move every mountain and conquer every sin.

Have you quit trying to overcome because you have tried and failed one time too many? Not seeing results when you are working towards something can really take the wind out of your sails. It can leave you feeling hopeless, discouraged and frustrated. Questions start to bubble under the surface: “what’s the point?” “Is God really going to help me through this?” “If I am more than a conqueror, why can’t I beat this?” “How many times do I have to fail before it just makes sense to give up?” “What are people thinking when I keep losing the battle?”

Victory over the barrier between you and the life you desire to live in Him is always worth fighting for. When you are weak, He is working in strength on your behalf. When you no longer know how to pray, He is interceding for you. When all you see from every angle is defeat, He is making a way out. When you are ready to give up, His Holy Spirit is breathing new life and perseverance to try one last time.

If you have been fighting for your marriage and you see no improvement in sight, stay the course one more day.

If that addiction seems to have you beaten, say “no” one more time.

If you are ready to give up on seeing that loved one saved, pray one more time.

If sin seems too powerful to defeat, resist one more time.

If you have been believing for a turn around in your finances, sow one more time.

If you have yet to see your dream come to pass, believe for one more day.

Then get up tomorrow and do it again. And again. And again.

One day at a time. One sin at a time. One craving at a time. One prayer at a time.

Your past does not have to dictate your future. God is doing a new thing. Forget what is behind and believe that just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it never will.

A Saturated Mind

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What is hindering you today? What is preventing you from receiving new life, revelation or purpose from God? What is your old wineskin?

Is it a mindset or an attitude?

If you are anything like me, this is likely the most frequent roadblock you encounter on your pursuit of the things of God. What you know to be true in your mind comes up against the truth of the word, and the battle begins to rage. From there, it is a matter not only of learning what the Bible says about your particular situation, but of allowing it to marinade and soak in until what you read in the Word and what you believe to be true are one and the same.

This has always been my downfall because my mind never rests. I am always thinking, pondering, trying to reconcile thoughts with reality. It can be exhausting, especially if the thoughts I am absorbed in are the wrong ones. I understand how difficult this step is and how relentlessly you must fight to overcome in your mind. I also know, however, how sweet the victory is when it is won.

If you struggle to believe the truth of the Word because you have a mindset or attitude that is in opposition to it, you will need to be even more aggressive in the battle to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. By any means necessary, saturate your life with the Truth. In my home, I have Scripture taped to doors, tables, and every other surface I will see often. It is on the inside of the cupboards when I open the door. It is on my nightstand when I lay down and when I rise. It is always before me. When I begin to struggle with something, I seek out the truth about it and find new verses to tape up.

If reading the Word is a daunting task for you, listen to it. Get online and allow the spoken Word to penetrate your soul. Listen to it over and over again. Listen to it while you work. Listen to it while you rest. Do not cease or ease up.

If you really want to see the power of the Bible at work, start agreeing with it. Don’t just read it, speak it out. Pray it. Stand firm on it by claiming the promises within it. Even when you do not really believe, you will get there if you begin to treat the Word like a source of life you cannot live without (because that is exactly what it is).

Mindsets and attitudes do not change in an instant. Often, they exist because what you have seen and heard has supported what you now believe to be true. Circumstances and life events have worked to form what is now your paradigm, skewed as it may be. The challenge of living according to the Word is that you may have to come to believe it before you will see it. Being rooted in the truth is about knowing that what is unseen is more powerful than what is seen.

For the next 30 days, take some time every morning to meditate on Scripture to combat a misguided mindset and see the freedom the truth will bring.

One Old Wineskin at a Time

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There is no limit to what Holy Spirit can do in and through you. New revelation is constantly available. Freedom from sin, addiction and bondage abounds every day. He is waiting to lead and direct your path. With the power and presence of Holy Spirit in your life, nothing is impossible.

Unless you get in the way. In order to receive new revelation, you must first be willing to have old mindsets and attitudes changed. For freedom from addiction and bondage to be realized, you must first learn to lean on the strength of Holy Spirit completely and be willing to endure pain in your flesh for the sake of breakthrough in your spirit. If you desire His guidance and direction, you must cultivate a lifestyle of listening to His voice and move when He says move.

It is time for a new wineskin. Jesus said that new wine is not suitable for an old wineskin. You cannot pour new revelation into a mind that is unable to contain or believe the truth. You cannot break free when in your heart, mind and soul you remain bound. You cannot follow His guidance and direction when you are too clouded by confusion and discouragement to truly hear His voice. You must adopt a new wineskin.

Begin by asking Him to reveal the old wineskin you are trying to pour new wine into. Trying to change yourself will only lead to frustration, hopelessness and defeat. Often times, when people hear a message like this one the first instinct is to go and try to right all the wrongs. You, like the rest of us, are a work in progress. You cannot wake up tomorrow completely renewed or free from everything that has hindered you in the past. Take one step at a time. Resist the urge to go on a fishing expedition, seeking everything you can find that might be responsible for why you cannot get free. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal what needs to be dealt with today. If you still don’t know, ask again tomorrow. Then wait. Wait for Him to bring it to the forefront. When you know, ask for the next step to overcome.

Take the first step, but let Him finish the work. A willing heart is the difference between those who find freedom and those who remain bound. When you are willing to face your wrong mindsets, attitudes and actions, Holy Spirit has something to work with. Just remember that in order for the work to be real and lasting, it must be His. Take the steps He guides you to take. Deal with the sin He reveals. Walk through the doors He opens. Cling to the truth He speaks to your heart. And trust Him to do the rest.

The Truth Will Set You Free?

Do you know someone who seems to have a clear, direct line to God? Someone who is able to discern His voice, understand His Word and follow His direction? That is the result of the work of revelation Holy Spirit does in born again believers who continually seek to know Him and to know about Him.

Revelation breaks bondage. When Jesus promised that the truth would set you free, He was talking not just about hearing the truth, but about truly knowing the truth. When Holy Spirit breathes revelation into a truth, it will forever change the way you approach things.

You may have grown up your whole life being told “God loves you”, but you still question it.

You know the Word says that you are more than a conqueror but you still seem unable to conquer.

Everywhere you turn, grace is being preached or taught and yet you are still unable to receive it and when you sin, you feel condemned.

The Word says that God provides new mercies daily, yet you have begun to think it is too late for you.

You have been taught that if you continue to sow and to work, you will reap a harvest. However, you are so tired and weary and you have seen so little fruit for your efforts that you are ready to quit.

Without revelation, the truth of the Word can often seem like an abstract concept; a promise that is there for others but not you.

Once Holy Spirit reveals something to you, you will be able to go from choosing to believe the true because that is what the Word commands to holding steadfastly to the truth because it is yours now. It is unshakable. You have been given a gift that cannot be taken from you.

You will begin to believe that the promises of God are there for you. Formerly impossible situations will lose their intimidating hold over your heart and mind and you will have the boldness to step out on the truth.

You will begin to see God move in exciting ways as your faith is increased. When you act in faith on a promise of God because you know it to be true, amazing things happen. They may not happen overnight, but your new ability to wholeheartedly believe the truth will give you the perseverance to endure the wait and not to be shaken in the meantime.

The Word will come alive again. If the Bible has become dry and without meaning, it does not mean that there is something wrong with you or that the Word is not worthwhile. It merely means that you need to seek revelation into the truth of the Word. It may be that a passage you have read a thousand times will come to life in a new way and change your mindset. It may be that Holy Spirit will lead you to a verse that will provide an answer you have been asking for. Whatever form it takes, revelation will give you power for everyday life and to overcome in difficult seasons.

If you are dry, stalled or without direction, ask Holy Spirit for revelation today. Then, take the truth you have been given and walk it out.

Holy Spirit Who?

True awakening begins not as a big, sweeping move of God, but as a quiet renewal of individual hearts. If you are seeking revival in your church or town but have not yet experienced it in your life, you will likely be disappointed. If you truly desire radical transformation, the time has come to get reacquainted with Holy Spirit.

The misconceptions about the third member of the trinity run so deep and so wide that many teachers and preachers shy away from this topic all together. However, it is a lack of solid teaching that has led to dry and powerless churches on one end of the spectrum and overly emotional and flaky churches on the other. Not only do we seem to lack revelation into who Holy Spirit is, we seem to also lack revelation into who He is not.

I love the church. It is not my intention to attack, but to bring attention to those things I believe are hindering our ability to walk in the fullness of everything God has promised us as co-heirs with Christ. When we are willing to have our hearts and minds changed and renewed with the truth of the Word, we come to see the vital life that is missing from our faith as a result of not seeking relationship with Holy Spirit Himself.

Holy Spirit is not a feeling. His presence is not there simply to create an emotional high to carry us through from week to week. When Holy Spirit shows up in our midst, it is for a purpose. As we get to know Him more intimately, we come to understand the significant role He plays in our growth as believers.

Holy Spirit is not a substance. Sometimes we refer to Him almost as a drug. The language we use indicates our need for a periodic fix rather than a consistent, dynamic, life-giving relationship. Communion with Holy Spirit breathes new life into our hearts, minds and spirits much in the same way as conversation with a good friend lifts us up and energizes us. To assume that we can neglect this practice for long stretches and then expect Him to “fill us up” when we are dry is a sign of spiritual immaturity and irresponsibility.

Holy Spirit is not distant or aloof. He is the promised Counselor sent by Jesus to lead, guide, teach and comfort us. It is Holy Spirit who indwells the hearts and lives of the children of God. When we hear the voice of God, it is Holy Spirit who is communicating with us. The roles He fulfills in our lives are many. He is such a precious friend and growing in knowledge of and relationship with Him will strengthen our faith, renew our passion, and change our life.

Holy Spirit is not an it. He is a person of the trinity, just like God the Father and God the Son. Lack of understanding has led us to separate and objectify Him but just like our Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit longs to know and be known by us.

This week I will be focusing on who Holy Spirit is. I encourage you to ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Seek understanding and revelation. Ask Him to speak. Study the Word to learn for yourself who He is and how important He is to you.

Why Bother?

It is day three and I hope you are beginning to sense a small stirring in your Spirit for more of God. If you continue from here, it will eventually grow to overflowing. However, maybe you still have no desire to ignite your passion for Him again. Perhaps the question in your heart is: Why bother? I am quite content with life the way it is.

I could write forever and never be able to adequately cover all the reasons to press into God, so I will just focus on a few:

He is pursuing you with all His heart. Often times, we think that spending time with God is work. We forget that He has already laid the foundation for a beautiful and fulfilling relationship. He is longing for you to sit at His feet. He wants to hear what is on your heart and he desperately wants to share what is on His. Just knowing that Creator of the universe has chosen you is reason enough.

Only God can move your mountain. Have you ever been told that you should seek God only for His face and not for His hand? What about being told that even if He never does another thing for you, sending His Son to die for you should be more than enough for you?

That is a mentality that has robbed the church of a sense of desperate need for God. It is NEVER wrong to cry out to God to step into your situation and help you overcome. He already knows that everyday we are lost without Him. Everyday, we need a fresh encounter with Him. Everyday, we need Him to lead us, guide us, protect us and provide for us. Don’t be afraid to let your desperation show. Just be careful never to take Him for granted. Love Him both for who He is and for what He does.

God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Spiritual blessing far outweighs any pleasures of the world you may have to sacrifice to whole-heartedly pursue Him. When God rewards, it is eternal and it is priceless. Seeking God with everything you are will make you stronger, wiser, kinder and more powerful. Your life will be marked by the power and presence of Holy Spirit. Everyday will take on new meaning and you will be forever changed. Your reward may not be material, but it will be infinitely worth possessing.

He is worthy of your unwavering devotion. This is where I could go on and on and on. Everything about God makes Him worthy of your worship, your praise and your love. He is faithful. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is powerful and able to defeat anything in your life that is holding you back. He is merciful and offers you day after day of new beginnings and opportunity. He is your Healer. Your Provider. Your Deliverer. Your Savior. Your Rock. Your Shelter. Your Guide. Your Hope. Your Everything.

Why bother? How could you possibly not bother?

Burning Ones

Just over a year ago, I started teaching a Bible study with the women of my church. I had just began attending the church the previous year and I was excited to get involved. My desire has always been for revival. To see the people of God fully awakened so that they can reach their communities with a fresh revelation, renewed passion and undeniable power.

I thought that teaching this Bible study was the beginning of something big. In my heart I believed that God was opening a door for me to bring change far greater than I realized. My heart was burning with a message I knew would revolutionize lives and advance the Kingdom.

After the first three weeks, my heart sank. I was so disappointed with the lack of desire. They did not seem to receive what I was saying. The ground felt so hard and dry and I did not know how to begin to till it. Was I wrong about this Bible study? Had I imposed my own agenda and desires on a group of women who did not share the vision in my heart? Was I hoping for something that was not going to happen in this place, at this time, with these people?

After Bible study the third week, I went out to the parking lot, sat in my van and cried out to God. I asked Him if I had misunderstood the calling on my life. I thought I was called to prepare the way for revival in this nation. How could I ever do that if I could not even get through to a group of five women from my own church?

I will never forget the words Holy Spirit spoke to my heart that day: “You ARE a revivalist. But where there is no hunger, there can be no revival”.

From that moment forward, I have seen revival differently. So often, we want a big, dramatic, sweeping move of God. But we are not hungering after Him, seeking Him on our faces, crying out for more of His presence. We do not acknowledge our complete and total dependence on Him. Our lives and churches are full of compromise and complacency. Our hearts remain unrepentant of sin and we choose momentary satisfaction over the crucifixion of the flesh that leads to eternal pleasure.

We are not desperate.

The next week, I walked in to Bible study with a brand new revelation. Rather than trying to jump from being dead to the things of the Spirit to being revived and awakened, we had to spend some time stirring up our hunger for GOD again. The group of women, which has nearly tripled in the last year, are completely different now. God took us seriously when we asked Him to renew our hunger. It is our responsibility to continue to stir up our desire for Him even when we do not feel like it. When we feel dry and we do not even want to seek God, it is crucial to press in and ask for Him to make your heart burn hotter.

You can get your hunger back.

Even if you do not long for His presence the way you used to, you can work with Holy Spirit to fan the flame that once fueled your every move. If you have no desire for more of God, begin by asking for desire. A willing heart is more than enough for Him to work with.

Do not approach the next 40 days like any other blog entry or devotional.

If you truly want to get your zeal for God back, press in. Every day, before you read this, ask Holy Spirit to speak to you. Ask for renewed hunger. Be willing to fight for what you have lost. Get desperate again and don’t relent until the fire that once burned when you first knew Him is out of control.

Together, let’s become His burning ones.

 

 

Paralysis By Fear

Yesterday at Bible study, we were discussing fear and how it can poison our hearts and paralyze our lives. Fear, if it is allowed to take root and have control, will rob you of opportunity, freedom and fulfillment. However, it is one thing to know about fear and a completely different thing to know how to conquer it.

Breaking free from the power of fear in your life is not easy sometimes. When you have been living afraid of something, letting go of it can be a battle. But it is battle that you have the authority to win in Christ. When you shatter the hold fear has over you, you will never live the same again. First, though, you must be willing to face it and defeat it:

Understand the distinction between feeling fear and being afraid.

In Joshua chapter one God commanded Joshua not to be afraid. To be strong and courageous. He promised him that he would never leave his side. He did not tell him that it was wrong to feel fear. Feelings do not have the power to dictate who you are or what you do unless you give them that power. To say that feeling fear is the same as being afraid is to say that feeling lonely is the same as being alone. Or that feeling insecure is the same as being inadequate. Sometimes feelings are just that: feelings. Don’t give them more power than they deserve and you won’t end up bowing down to them. In some cases, all it takes to be free from fear is a choice to do what you need to do even if you are fearful doing it.

Recognize the lie behind the fear.

The truth will set you free. Any thoughts that are causing you to remain bound are not rooted in the truth; they are lies. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the lie that is fueling your fear. If you are afraid of being alone, have you forgotten God’s promise never to leave you or forsake you? If you are terrified of failure, have you believed a lie that you have to be successful by the standards of others in order to win the approval of God and man? If you are scared that you are not going to be able to pay your bills or provide for your family, have you bought into the lie that God does not care enough to take care of you? Have you forgotten that He is you source and your provider?

No matter what the fear is, there is a lie at the root of it. Dig it out so you can move forward.

Search the Scriptures to find the truth.

Just as light defeats darkness, lies are conquered by the truth. Most of the time, it is not our lack of prayer, Bible reading or time with God that is responsible for our fear (though sometimes it is), it is a lack of understanding about what we believe to be true. Once you have identified the lie, you have almost won the battle. Any mindset that sets itself up in opposition to the truth of God’s word is built on a foundation of sand. Once confronted with the truth of His promises, it will crumble.

Do you believe you will always be bound by addiction? Seek the truth about God’s promises of freedom and victory.

Do you believe that you have messed up too completely to start again? Cling to the promises of grace and mercy.

Have you resigned yourself to always being sick? Search the word for the promise of healing.

Repent and stand firm.

It is not feeling fear you need to repent for. It is living in it. Believing the lie instead of having faith in God and in the power of His Word. Find your truth, choose to agree with it and stand firm on it until breakthrough comes.

Stop feeling guilty for feeling fear. Recognize the lie, seek out the truth, repent for not believing God and start standing in faith. Your deliverance is on the way.

What other ways do you know of to overcome fear?

Whose Fault is It?

What is your excuse for sin?

I know that when I choose to satisfy my flesh above choosing to walk in the power and promise of the Spirit to overcome evil, I always have a “reason”. Justification for what we have done seems to come so easily and is really nothing more than our way of convincing ourselves that our actions and choices are beyond our control, that we are being influenced by something greater than we are able to withstand. We make statements that not only contradict the Word, but also nullify the power of God to help us resist:

I really struggle with this issue.

I have an addiction.

I am not convicted about this, so it must be ok.

It is covered by grace.

I prayed about it and I believe God is saying I am permitted to do this.

It is not affecting anyone but me.

I have tried to be obedient, but it is just too hard.

What I am doing is not that bad.

I am in bondage; I can’t help it.

The list goes on and on. You probably have your own justifying statements for the wrong choices you make. I have said it before and I will say it again: sin is sin. You can reason it, justify it, defend it or try to hide it, but you can not deny it.

When Jesus spoke to the woman caught in adultery in John 8, He did not ask her why she sinned.

He did not dig into her past or her family history to determine if she could be excused from her sin because of outside factors. He did not ask her if she had a sexual addiction or a struggle with lust. He simply said “Neither do I condemn you. Now go and leave your life of sin”.

There is no condemnation for sin.

Forgiveness and freedom are available for us all. We need not live in guilt and shame, but we must choose to turn from sin to truly walk in freedom.

Jesus never said it would be easy to overcome your sin.

If you keep trying and failing, it does not make you a failure. If you are weak, you are human. If you struggle because you desire to sin, you are at war with your flesh. If you continue to fight by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will win. If you begin to believe you will never overcome, you will quit and sin will have power.

The greater power is in you.

Does it hurt to say no to sin? Yes. If you are dealing with recurring sin, bondage or addiction, it will really hurt. That does not mean you are exempt from taking steps. Take the first step to turn your back on sin and the power of God will meet you. When you do your part, His grace will enable you to go the distance.

We all sin. Don’t just accept it as part of your life.

Sinning and making it right is one thing. Accepting it as part of who you are is another. Never quit fighting sin and seeking more of the Holy Spirit. If you do not grow weary and give up, sin will lose it’s power and you will be free.

What excuses have you heard (or made) to justify sin?

Dissatisfaction: The Key to Transformation

We have settled.

As the church, we are often guilty of being lulled into a state of complacency and spiritual slumber. We settle for good enough. We accept the way things are since that is the way they have always been. We are told that we must be content in all circumstances.

While we are busy settling, others are broken by overwhelming need.

Your world is full of need. There are people in your church who are in desperate need of a financial breakthrough. Healing is needed at every turn. The single mother in your social circle needs help so she can take time to rest and be rejuvenated. Marriages are on the verge of breakdown everywhere you look. People everywhere are desperately seeking the power and presence of God to transform their lives.

Need will always be part of life and part of the church. In the face of so much desperation, it is easy to throw our hands up in the air and say “There is no way I can help everyone”. Fortunately, you don’t have to.

You are not called to bring all the change.

You have been created to meet unique needs and accomplish unique dreams. God has given you everything you need not to change the whole world, but to change your world. It may be asleep right now, but within your heart beats a purpose that you were born to fulfill. Change is not about meeting every need you encounter. As soon as you begin trying to do it all, you will be exhausted and end up right back in a place of complacency and idleness.

What is the need that breaks your heart? What are you called to do to offer hope and healing to those in your world? If even this question is difficult for you to answer, then try this one: What stirs up feelings of discontentment, dissatisfaction, frustration or anger in your heart?

Every great change begins with a great sense of dissatisfaction.

The very thing that bothers you the most is likely the need you are called to meet. So often, we assume we are called to solve the problems that we have the means to solve. We help in the areas we know we are equipped to help in. What about the passion that burns in your heart that you are completely unqualified to pursue? What about the need you do not have the means to meet? What about the problem that is so much bigger than you?

Are you doing what you know you can do because it is safer than trying to do what you know you cannot do?

The impact you desire to make will be made when you begin to follow the passion in your heart regardless of your qualifications. Nothing you can do on your own is worth spending your life doing. That ache in your heart will never be satisfied by filling it with good works apart from the power, leading and equipping of the Holy Spirit. Every time you step out to do something you can not do on your own, God is free to show Himself strong on your behalf.

When the status quo is so far below the level to which God is calling us, it is time to shake off complacency.

It is God’s desire for you to set your sights way above what you are capable of doing so He can use you to do what you never thought possible.

What is the change you desire to make?