If you get into a boat and just sit there on the river, you’re going to go wherever the current takes you. But if you want to go somewhere new and different, you have to put the paddle in the water and go against the flow!
Jesus is not only with the Christian but He is IN the Christian; yet many are full of fears and worries, gloom and doom—waiting for a bail out by something bigger or “better.” Only when you know and understand Who is both with you and in you, will you will rise to the new levels of confidence to walk in the position of authority you have been given!
When Jesus called Lazarus forth out of that tomb in John chapter 11, He said to the people, “Unwrap him and let him go.” Why is this important? Because many of us still wear the “clothes” of bondage to sin, sickness, disease, lack, fear, etc. But you and I have not only been brought back to life, we have been unwrapped and set free, and transitioned into a new kingdom where we now have the authority to change things!
What do you see in the midst of what’s going on in your world? What do you hear in the midst of a sickness, or a problem or something that’s coming against you? What do you see and what do you hear? How big have you allowed God’s Word to be inside you?
In the midst of your busy life, take moments that minister to your heart and your spirit. Maybe it’s gazing at a special picture, taking a walk on the beach, or just looking upwards at the sky. Special moments of inspiration and refreshing come when we stop and turn our attention to the beautiful landscapes of life!
We are not designed to continually handle hard struggles, difficulty, shame, lack, stress, and failures. Jesus said, “Come unto me and I will give you rest for your souls.” He also said His yoke is easy and His burden light (Matt. 11:28–30). If you’ve allowed the troubles and uncertainty of the times to pile greater and greater loads of care upon you, it’s time to come back to Jesus and make an exchange. “…Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1Peter 5:7).
The faith within us should roar out when we are pressured by the world, the devil, and all his agents of destruction. That’s why scripture doesn’t ignore the reality of trials or temptations, but instead tells us to use them as stepping stones to God’s greatest potential in both our lives and the lives of others (James 1:2-8)!
If you’re feeling like a captive on a boat that’s being hurled around because of someone else’s decisions or actions, don’t give in to anger and worrying! Remember, if you’re born again then Jesus is not only with you on the boat, He lives inside you! You are NOT powerless, you have the name of Jesus and His authority to speak to those storms!
Faith is a force that operates apart from the reality of our circumstances. Your present reality may be saying you are out of money, you are sick, you are unemployed, your children are lost—but faith operates in the reality of what GOD says about the situation!
The devil doesn’t have any power! He only has the ability to try to focus our attention on a thought or some temporary situation or report, in an attempt to twist and pervert the truth of God’s Word that God has already given to us. Deception is powerless against those who make it their business to learn the truth!
