“…when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). It doesn’t say we and our own efforts are effectively working in us, it says the Word of God that we trust and believe is doing the work—regardless of what our senses or other people are saying!
“I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction” (Deut. 30:15). What are YOU speaking today? If it’s flu season, we’re not participating just because it’s coming around. If people are coming down with some new ailment, we’re not participating because we know in whom we have believed! And we are confident that He is able to do super abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is working on the inside of us! (Eph. 3:20)
When your body or your circumstances are speaking to you and trying to tell you that they are superior and have the upper hand, you need a revelation of the God-power Paul speaks of in Ephesians 6:10 that dwells within you; a power whose purpose is to infuse you with an excessive dose of inward strength!
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. Why? Because regardless of what we may be seeing or feeling, God’s Word is the TRUTH on the matter!
Truly selfless love toward others is only possible when you’re confidently trusting in God’s promises that you are already taken care of by your Lord. If you really believe you are totally provided for, then you will naturally switch your thoughts to others!
How much does God love you? Isaiah 49:16 says God loves you so much that He has engraved your name on the palm of His hand. Matthew 10:30 says He loves you so much that He knows how many hairs are on your head. Psalm 56:8 says He loves you so much that He saves your tears in a bottle. Jeremiah 31:3 says He loves you with an everlasting love—an undying, endless love!
God does not condemn us! God gives us access to His righteousness, His freedom, His Zoe kind of life for our world and everyone in our world. He erased the certificate of debt which listed all the rules we failed to follow with its decrees that were against us—destroying it and nailing it to the cross! “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies” (Zephaniah 3:15).
In Psalm 23 we discover that Jehovah Rohi, God our Shepherd, leads us beside the still waters and causes us to lie down in green pastures, because He is our GOOD shepherd and is always with us and guiding us. He delights in doing us good! (Jeremiah 32:41)
If your life feels like a twisting highway full of potholes with no guardrails, remember that your vehicle has two types of glass. The smallest ones are for looking behind you, and the big windshield is for looking forward. Keep your eyes focused through that one and you’ll successfully pass through whatever road you’re traveling!
Our greatest days are just ahead of us as we navigate through the rapids on the river of life. We will all go through some rough water, but must stay focused and steady. The boat was designed for the rapids. That’s where it performs its best!
