God is NOT waiting for you to make a mistake so He can put a calamity or sickness on you. It’s the devil who walks around like a roaring lion, seeking who he can devour (1 Peter 5:8)! The devil is the one trying to pervert the Word of God with evil schemes and tricks, trying to convince you that what Jesus has already done for you isn’t enough, or not really for you. Stop listening to him and focus on what God says instead!
When Peter walked on the water, he may have been surrounded by gale force winds and waves, but it didn’t matter as long as his eyes were focused on Jesus and his mind remained controlled and untroubled. We can only control what we see and what we think. If we live our lives circumstance-driven we will never see the results of faith that we desire!
Train your thoughts on JESUS! Change your words to what GOD says! The scriptures are clear, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).
Many fail to receive what God has already given to them because they believe what their natural senses and other people tell them, instead of believing what God tells them in His Word!
Character is forged in the arena of temptation. We are all tempted to be arrogant, selfish, lustful, and angry, as well as other destructive forces that can work on our soul. The legacy of a man or woman is the character in which they handled their temptations.
Never let someone else tell you who you are! Just as Jesus found Himself in the scriptures, you can find yourself in the scriptures too. And when you do, you will discover who you are and who you are called to be!
Many believers are asking God to do what He already told THEM to do. “Lord, send Your Spirit! Lord, send your angels to save my family! Lord, SEND…” But Jesus told us in the gospels, “As I have been sent SO I SEND YOU….Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (John 20:21; Mark 16:15 author’s emphasis).
When we know who Jesus is, we know who we are. And when we know who we are, we know what we can do. This is why mountains, obstacles, troubles, and anything else that keeps us from being the best that God made us to be can be removed when we speak!
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)!
