We all face challenges and obstacles in life. We all have
dreams in our hearts and at times it looks like they’re not going to come to
pass. During these difficult seasons we have a choice. We can get negative and
discouraged and talk about how things are not going to work out, or we can
switch over into praise and thanksgiving which opens the door for God to move
on our behalf.
A lot of times people think, “I’ll have a good attitude as
soon as I get over this financial issue.” “I’ll give God praise when I get
through this tough time in my relationship.” But that’s not how faith works. As
long as we’re negative, discouraged and focused on our problems, it limits what
God can do.
You’ve got to give God praise FIRST, and then the
breakthrough will come. You’ve got to change your focus FIRST, and then things
will change in your favor. The instances are too numerous for me to name here
but even a cursory review of the successes God orchestrated in the bible show
that praise always precedes the victory.
Today, if you’ve been dwelling on the wrong things and
focusing in the wrong direction, switch over into praise and thanksgiving.
Begin to declare that God is good. Declare that He is faithful. Declare His
praises and you will open the door to victory in every area of your life!
Have you ever noticed that people tend to act differently
around those they think can do something for them – people who appear to have
status, wealth or influence in life? I believe that the way we treat people is
a test.
At times, God will bring people across your path that may
seem insignificant. They may not appear to be able to do anything for you, but
in reality, they are divinely linked to your destiny. They hold the key to your
promotion and increase. Will you treat them with respect and honor even if you
think they can’t do anything for you?
The bible says, “There is no power on earth that can make a
person important. God is the judge. He decides who will be important. He lifts
one person up and brings another down.” The truth is that the people we’re
playing up to or trying to win their favor, even if they can open a door for us
in the natural, they don’t necessarily hold the key to our destiny.
Because you see, promotion doesn’t come from them. Promotion
comes from God. And God will use the most unlikely people to open doors of
opportunity for you – a cashier or new neighbor, or maybe a seemingly
unimportant person at work. Let’s pass the test and treat EVERYONE like God put
them in our path, because He probably did. Remember, God is watching and
promotion comes from Him.
When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up the
right people, the right breaks and the right open doors. In other words, He
already had your “yeses” planned out. Yes, you can accomplish your dreams. Yes,
you can overcome that obstacle. Yes, your children can fulfill their destiny.
Yes you can succeed. YES is in your future!
The bible says, “The yes to all of God’s promises is in
Christ. And that is why we say “Amen” through Christ to the glory of God.” The
question is, are you going to say “yes” to God’s “yes”? Are you going to dare
to believe Him, to get into agreement with His promises?
Start right now by declaring His promises over your life.
Start declaring that He is good and that His plan will come to pass. Don’t let
doubt and discouragement distract you keep your eyes fixed on Him, because He
is faithful. His promises are always yes and amen. So say “yes” to His “yes”!
When was the last time you declared “I can” out loud? It’s
not something people think to do every day. In fact, most people tend to
magnify their limitations. They focus on their shortcomings. But scripture
makes it plain: ALL things are possible to those who believe.
That’s right! It is possible to see your dreams fulfilled.
It is possible to overcome that obstacle. It is possible to climb to new
heights. It is possible to embrace your destiny. You may not know how it will
all take place. You may not have a plan, but all you have to know is that if
God said you can – you can!
Today, I want to encourage you to begin to open yourself up
to possibilities in your future by simply declaring this scripture, “I can do
all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
At the stoplight, when you’re waiting in line, any time you
have a second, just quote this verse to yourself again. Let it sink down deep
in your heart. As you do, God’s word will transform you. Faith will rise up in
your heart and you will find yourself boldly embracing the blessings that He
has in store for you!
Do you need direction in your life today? Jesus said, “I am
the way.” Not only is He the Way to life in eternity, but Jesus is a Waymaker
here on earth. He is the way to everything you need in this life.
Do you need to know the way out of debt? Do you need to know
the way to have better relationships? The way to overcome an addiction? To live
in peace and joy? When you know Jesus, you have access to know the Way!
No matter what you are facing today, no matter what
challenges or obstacles are in your life, trust that He will make a way for
you. Even when you don’t see how, trust that He is working. Trust that He loves
you so much that He wants to strengthen and empower you to live in total
victory.
Study God’s word so you can know His love for you. So you
can learn His promises and fight back against the enemy, using God’s words as
your weapon. There are over 7,000 of God’s promises in the bible but if you
aren’t receiving them and using them to defend yourself against the enemy’s attacks,
it’s like having a million dollars in the bank but walking around homeless and
hungry.
Today, I want to encourage you to open your heart and
receive all that God has given you through a personal relationship with Jesus.
His is the way, and He has made a way for you to live in victory in every area
of your life!
The bible says that God ALWAYS leads us in victory. Isn’t
that awesome?? That means no matter what’s going on in your life today, no
matter what’s happening in the world around you, no matter what anybody says,
you should be continually hopeful and encouraged because God promised that
victory is on the way!
You don’t have to wait for everything to be perfect before
you decide to celebrate what God is going to do in your life. Praise is putting
action behind your faith. That means if you’re in physical pain, start planning
what you’re going to do when you get delivered from it. If you lost money,
start planning your getting-out-of-debt party. If someone left you, start
making room in your life for the BETTER person God has for you.
When things don’t look good in the natural, remember, we
serve a supernatural God. With God leading you into victory, you can always
plan for increase. You can plan for restoration. You can plan for a comeback,
and you can plan for success because He is leading and guiding you to a future
of abundance and triumph!
Friends, throughout life fear will come knocking at the
door, selling you the worst case scenario. Fear tells you, “You’re going to
lose your job. Your marriage is over. Your business is falling apart. Your
child is never going to get on the right track. It’s all downhill from here.”
When those thoughts come, you don’t have to buy in. You
don’t have to accept those thoughts. Here’s the key: when fear knocks, let
faith answer the door. Don’t give those thoughts of fear time to take root.
Don’t let them intimidate you. Answer back immediately with declarations of
faith.
You have to learn to talk back to the enemy, “God said the
number of my days He will fulfill. God said His plans for me are for good and
not evil. God said what’s meant for my harm He will turn around and use to my
advantage.”
If you’ll keep an attitude of faith, it’s like keeping the
door locked on an intruder. Fear has no right in the life of a believer.
Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Remember, the battle
is in your mind. The enemy is after your thoughts. Don’t give him the time of
day; and when fear knocks, let faith answer the door!
Today, I want you to declare with me that a shift is coming.
Whatever you need – a shift in your health, a shift in your finances, or a
shift in a relationship. It may not look like anything is happening in the
natural, but we serve a supernatural God.
The bible says, “You will succeed in whatever you choose to
do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.” I want to declare that over
each of you today! The enemies you have seen in the past, you will see no more.
The addictions or bad habits that have held you back are being broken in Jesus’
name.
I believe that God’s favor is being released in a new way for
you today. There’s a shift of acceleration coming your way. This shift means
going beyond where you could go on your own. This shift has your Provider doing
as it says in the bible and blessing you exceedingly, abundantly above and
beyond. What should have taken you years to accomplish, God is going to do in a
split second!
Now our attitude should be, “God, I’m ready. I’m taking the
limits off of You. I’m enlarging my vision. I may not see a way, but I know You
have a way. I declare I’m coming into this shift!” Open your heart and mind to
this truth. Believe for a supernatural shift coming your way. Receive God’s
promises and watch for the increase God has in store for you!
When you go about your day, are you looking for God’s favor?
Do you expect His goodness to overflow? Many people wake up and just believe to
make it through the day, but God has so much more in store for you!
The bible says, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given
to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” What
He has laid out for your future is more than you can imagine! He’s arranged for
your life more than you’ve ever even dreamed of!
I believe that if you will take hold of this truth by faith,
you will see supernatural doors begin to open. You’ll see promotion like you
haven’t seen before! But remember, what you seek, you will find so be sure
you’re on the look-out for God’s BEST.
No matter where you are in life, no matter what’s happening
around you, start looking for more of God’s favor. Don’t settle for where you
are. Don’t settle for just barely getting by. Believe that God is good, and He
wants to do more in and through you. Seek Him first, and He will pour out His
supernatural favor upon you!
Settle in because this is a longer one than usual, but I
feel it’s extremely important that you really absorb every word today. As a
believer, you are a child of the King, a prized possession, an heir of God. You
are not ordinary. You didn’t come off an assembly line. You weren’t
mass-produced. You are an original design. Nobody else in this world has your
fingerprints. You are a masterpiece!
It’s so important to get this down in your spirit. When you
do and when you begin to see yourself as God created you, you will start to
understand your real purpose and your God-given destiny. You will be able to
reach your highest potential!
Right now you may not like who you are. You might wish you
were attractive in the way the world judges appearances, that you had a better
personality or that your metabolism worked a little faster. Maybe you’re
self-conscious about a physical attribute or perceived imperfection.
I want to encourage you beyond what YOU see in the mirror.
Right now, begin to change any negative opinions you have of yourself. Stop
focusing on your flaws and comparing yourself to someone else. God has made you
unique and special just the way you are. When you understand this, it brings
new opportunities, new relationships and new levels of God’s favor!
Your value doesn’t come from what you look like, or your
job, or who you know. Every morning, remind yourself that you are God’s
creation. Declare, “I am not average. I am not ordinary. I am a masterpiece!”
God created everything about you on purpose: your looks,
your skin color, your height, your personality, your talents and gifts. If you
see yourself as strong, talented and valuable, then that’s the way other people
will see you. But if you see yourself as “less than,” not talented and not
valuable, then that’s the way others will see you, too.
Choose to start loving yourself in a healthy way, being
proud of the person God made you to be. That’s what David did in Psalm 139. He
praised God for making him in an amazing way and declared that what God had
done was wonderful. Be bold enough to say, like David, “I’m amazing. I’m a
masterpiece.”
It’s up to you to get in agreement with God and realize how
much He loves you and how special He made you. Join me in believing for God’s
favor in your life. Join me in praying that doors of opportunity will swing
open and that you will see your dreams and desires come to pass. I declare over
you new seasons of opportunity, growth and victory!
Did you know that when you compare yourself to others or
wish you were like someone else, it’s like saying God just didn’t do a good
job? It’s actually like saying, “God, why did You make me subpar? Why did You
make me less than?” Realize today, God didn’t make anyone inferior.
David said in the bible, “I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full
well.” God didn’t make any person to be unfulfilled or have success always be
out of reach. No, you are a masterpiece! You are fully loaded and totally
equipped for the race that’s been designed for you!
There are gifts and talents that God crafted especially for
each of us. And that’s why something may seem really easy for one person but
the same task might be a fierce struggle for another. If you will embrace and
develop the anointing God has put on your life you will find a peace and
comfort like never before.
Today, let your attitude be, “I may not look like someone
else or have the job that someone else has. That’s okay. Nobody will ever be a
better ME. I’m anointed to be me. I’m equipped to be me!” Remember, it’s easy
to do what you are equipped to do. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to be
like someone else. Accept who God made you to be, and embrace the blessings and
achievements He has prepared for you!
Everyone goes through seasons of waiting. A lot of times,
people just sit back and wait for God to do everything. But, you have to
remember to do your part and make preparations. The bible says, “...Prepare the
way for the Lord...”
You have to talk like it’s going to happen and act like it’s
going to happen. Some people might say, “Well, what if I do this and it doesn’t
happen?” But I say, what if you do and it DOES happen? And even if things don’t
turn out the way you thought they should’ve, you’re still better off living
your life positive and hopeful than you would to go around negative and
discouraged.
Not just that but when you don’t get what you thought you
wanted, trust the Creator of the universe. He always has your BEST interest at
heart. If you didn’t get what you asked for, know that it’s probably because
God knows that would be settling and He has something BETTER lined up for you.
I love what David said in the bible, “God, my times are in
Your hands.” He was saying, “God, I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but I
know You know what’s best for me.” I want to encourage you to go out today
expecting good things. And even if it doesn’t happen the way you thought or
through who you thought or at the exact time you thought, don’t go to bed all
disappointed. Go to bed trusting that you’re one day closer to seeing God bring
your dreams and desires to pass!
God loves you and He wants the best for you! He desires for
you to have every blessing and every promise declared in His word. This is what
the bible calls His favor. At some point in our lives, even if we didn’t
recognize it, we have all experienced God’s favor. It is simply His undeserved,
unearned, unexplainable goodness in your life.
God’s favor causes you to reap where you haven’t sown. His favor
protects you, promotes you and opens new doors. His favor takes you places you
could never go on your own.
The key to taking hold of this fully is that you have to stay
connected to Him, stay in fellowship with Him through prayer, worship and reading
His word. Let Him direct your steps and mold your character. As you pour
yourself out to Him, He will pour out Himself on you! He’ll pour out His grace,
mercy and supernatural favor on every area of your life.
Today, I want you to start trusting that God is indeed
working behind the scenes on your behalf. Trust His word that says He has a
prosperous plan for you and a future full of hope. Set your heart and mind on
Him and join me in declaring that in the coming days and weeks ahead, God is
going to unleash His unprecedented favor on you — favor like you’ve never seen
before!
Do you see every day as a blessed gift from God? Many times
when we hear this, we may be tempted to brush it off and say, “Yeah, yeah, I
know. Every day is special.” But it truly is! God has already ordered blessings
for you. He’s already orchestrated the right opportunities for you. He’s
already made the right connections for you. On top of that, the air you
breathe, the food you eat, and the sunshine on your face are all part of the
great blessing that God gives us daily.
Remember, we’re not promised tomorrow, so why waste a single
moment living life defeated and depressed? Our attitude shouldn’t be, “I have
to wash the car,” or “I have to work out today.” It should be, “I get to wash
the car God has blessed me with,” or “I get to train and develop this amazingly
complicated body into what I want.”
Friends, instead of dreading the day or parts of it I want
to encourage you to start thanking God for it. Someone somewhere is
fighting for their very next breath.
Someone somewhere has loved ones hoping against hope that they make it one more
day. Be thankful for this day. Thank God for every blessing He’s prepared. There
are blessings that you could be cheating yourself out of simply by not looking
for them! Count your blessings and watch Him multiply them exceedingly all the
days of your life!
Are you comfortable in your own skin? In other words, do you
recognize yourself as the treasure God made you, or are you constantly looking
for approval and comparing yourself to a neighbor, co-worker or friend? Do you
try to out-dress them or out-perform them? Are you always looking for ways to
one-up others?
The bible says, “God has made us what we are. In Christ
Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good
things he had already planned for us to do.” Friend, it’s time to let all of
that go.
Comparison is a distraction. Comparison is a thief. It
steals your time, energy, focus and joy. You aren’t here to impress anybody;
you don’t have to prove anything, because you are God’s special workmanship. He
created you WITH a purpose and FOR a purpose. You are empowered and equipped to
do everything He’s called you to do.
If you will choose to stay free from a spirit of UNhealthy competition
and just run your own race in life, not only will you enjoy your life more, but
you’ll see your gifts and talents come out to the full. You’ll see His blessing
and favor in a greater way, and you’ll move forward into the life of success He
has in store!
I had someone tell me not long ago that he was really hoping
to get this big contract. He worked in sales. He went to meet the owner of this
very large company and he walked into the meeting very nervous, very uptight.
The owner smiled and said, “My wife said to tell you hello. You both went to
high school together. She said she always liked you. She told me before I left
the house, ‘You make sure you’re good to him.’ ” And he was. He gave him that
contract.
Friend, you don’t have to worry about your future. You don’t
have to try to make things happen in your own strength. You can go through the
day in peace because God knows exactly what you need. In your future, He’s
already lined up the right people, the right breaks, and the favor you’re going
to need down to the second, down to the exact moment.
Like that owner’s wife, God will cause you to come in on
cue. And if for some reason it doesn’t work out, don’t get all discouraged.
Don’t get depressed. That just means that God has something better in store. It
means He has a bigger opportunity in your future. The bible says He orders your
steps, so keep your faith and trust in Him.
God promises that there are set times in our future, but He
doesn’t tell us when they will be. Your set time may be tomorrow at 9:47am. This
Thursday you could get the phone call you’ve been waiting for. This weekend
could be when you get a good break that thrusts you to an amazing new level.
My question is, do you trust God enough to believe that your
set times of favor are coming? Are you willing to wait with a good attitude?
Are you willing to get a new perspective and let God do the necessary work in
you? He’s only trying to prepare you for a greater level, and to ensure you’ll
be able to handle it competently once you get there.
The bible says, “Yes, the good news was told to us just as
it was to them. But the message they heard did not help them. They heard it but
did not accept it with faith. Only we who believe it are able to enter God’s
place of rest.” Remember, that set time is already in your future. Don’t let
the negative thoughts or people talk you out of it.
The way you know that you’re really believing is when you
have rest on the inside. You’re at peace. You may see no real evidence of it
but you know the answer is on the way. You trust that God is working things
out. Today, I want to encourage you to put your faith and trust in Him and
enter into rest. Know that He is good and He’s arranging things with your best
interest at heart. Believe and declare it with me, your set time of favor is on
the way!
I’m sure you’ve heard of Billy Graham. I just want to share
something that I pray gives you hope, encouragement and peace where maybe
you’re not feeling all of those things today.
Back in 1949, Billy Graham was traveling the country,
holding meetings in large auditoriums. He was having success, but he wasn't nationally
known at the time.
That summer, he conducted a meeting in Los Angeles in a big
tent. A gentleman showed up by the name of William Randolph Hearst. Mr. Hearst
owned newspapers all across the country. He was so touched that night that he
sent a message to all of his publishers to write favorable articles about Billy
Graham.
The next week, the whole country was talking about this
young minister. He came to national prominence practically overnight because of
the influence of one man. Billy Graham didn’t ask for it. He didn’t act
differently because he knew the man would be there. He was just doing what God
led him to do, and God blessed it.
It could have taken Billy Graham his whole lifetime to gain
that kind of respect and credibility, but God used ONE man to show him favor
and it opened doors that took Billy Graham to a new level. And the good news is
that God has set you up the same way.
He has divine connections lined up for you that will open
doors that you couldn’t open on your own. People who will show you favor even
though you didn't ask. They will use their influence to make you look good.
They're ordained by God to accelerate His plan for your life.
Friend, rest assured that the right people are already in
your future. It's just a matter of time before they show up. If you will focus
on God and commit to being the best you know how to be you will experience this
type of accelerated, unsolicited favor. When you do everything you can do, God
will show up to do the parts that you can’t.
If God made everything happen right away, or whenever we
wanted it to happen, it wouldn’t require anything of us. We would miss the
opportunity to grow, because we grow in the difficult times. We grow when our
faith is being stretched, when we have to believe even when we don’t see any
reason to believe, when we stay in faith even when our mind or other people are
telling us we’re wasting our time, when we give God praise but we really feel
like complaining. That’s passing the test.
The bible says, “We don’t want you to be lazy. We want you
to be like those who, because of their faith and patience, will get what God
has promised.” When you practice faith and patience every day, your faith is
not only increasing, your character is not only being developed, but you are
one day closer to seeing the promise come to pass.
Today, don’t give up on a promise just because you’ve been
waiting a long time. Dig your heels in. Put on a new attitude. God is saying,
“Every promise I’ve spoken over you, every dream I’ve placed in your spirit,
even the secret petitions of your heart, the dreams you haven’t told anyone
about, I still have every intention of bringing them to pass.” Stay focused on
Him. Obey His instructions, let Him direct your steps, and you’ll begin to see
your life move forward into greater blessing and success!
Sometimes we can be more aware of what other people think
than we are of what God thinks. But people don’t determine your destiny. People
can’t stop God’s plan for your life. People may not approve you but no worries
– God approves you.
Remember that people don’t equip you – God equips you.
People don’t anoint you – God anoints you. When you come to the end of your
life, you don’t have to answer to people – you’ll answer to Almighty God.
Friend, don’t let what some person says or does make you
feel less than or unworthy. You’ve been handpicked by the Creator of the
universe! And even if you don’t feel like it, you’re lacking nothing for the
season that you’re in right now.
Today I want to confirm something for you. What you have in
your reserve right now is exactly what you need. When you dedicate it to God
and do what He tells you, He’ll bless and multiply what you have and use it to
take you further than you ever dreamed!
Have you ever wanted to do something really great? Maybe you
had a big dream; maybe you believed you could start a business. Maybe you
wanted to lose some weight or go back to school. Now, it’s been so long you
think maybe you heard God wrong – you tried and it didn’t work out. The loan
didn’t go through. The medical report wasn’t good. Now, the “never” lies are
playing in your mind... “I’ll never get well.” “I’ll never get married.” “I’ll
never accomplish my dreams.”
Well my friend, declare with me that today is the day to get
your fire back! Today is the day to get a new perspective! The bible says, “That
is why I want you to remember the gift God gave you… Now I want you to use that
gift and let it grow more and more, like a small flame grows into a fire.”
The Creator of the universe has already set the completion
date for the dream He’s placed in your heart. And, just because it hasn’t
happened yet doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen. God has already lined
up the right people, the right breaks, the right answers – everything you need
is already in your future.
The key to taking hold of this though is that you’ve got to
shake off the doubt; shake off the discouragement. No matter how long you’ve been
believing for it, what God promised you He still has every intention of
bringing it to pass. So keep standing firm, keep believing, keep hoping and
keep moving forward. Get your fire back and EXPECT Him to fulfill every dream He placed
in your heart!
Some of the things you may be praying about, if God were to
remove them right now, you wouldn’t be prepared for where He wants to take you.
You’ve got to let God do the work in you. In other words, be kind to the people
who aren’t treating you right. Keep being your best even though you’re not
getting the credit. Have a good attitude even though you may not be or have
what you want right now. Pass these tests so you can move up to the higher
level God has planned for you.
Paul prayed in Colossians 3 that the people would have the
strength to endure whatever came their way. He didn’t pray that God would
deliver them instantly or remove the difficulty. He prayed that they would have
the strength to go through it with a good attitude. Paul understood this
principle, that God uses the tough times to get us prepared for the next level.
It’s like making your muscles work better. You don’t just
hope muscles into being stronger. You don’t just speak it or wish it or think
it into being. You have to TRAIN your muscles to be stronger. It takes
resistance to cause development. There’s a process and long lasting results
never come through quick and easy ways.
There’s a reason we have schools and boot camps and grad
programs and training classes. You need to get prepared for the greater station
in life before you can take possession of it. You have to grow and build and
develop so that when you do reach that position God designed you for, you will
have the character and fortitude to keep it.
If you’re in a difficult situation today I want you to be
encouraged by that, because God is trying to do a work in you. Surrender to
Him. Surrender to His process. Don’t allow stubbornness or pride or impatience to
take away your grand promotion. Obey God’s instructions and He’ll not only promote
you but He’ll take you to a bigger and better place than you ever imagined!
In the Old Testament, God spoke to the people about
rebuilding the temple. In Haggai it says, “The people said, ‘The time has not
yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house,’ even though Cyrus had ordered it
eighteen years earlier.”
Notice that through Cyrus, God had told them to rebuild
eighteen years before, but they were still saying, “It’s not the right time.
Let’s do it later.” I can imagine that in the first year they thought, “Let’s
not do it now. We’re busy.” Second year, “It’s not convenient. Let’s do it some
other time.” Eighteen years later, they were still putting it off.
What happens when we don’t do what God is asking us to do?
Verse 6 says, “You have sown much but reaped little. You’ve earned your wages,
but you’re putting them in a bag with holes in it.” Verse 7 says, “Consider
your ways.”
Friend, don’t try to fill a bag that has holes in it. You
won’t be able to get ahead. You won’t be effective. What’s the answer? Consider
your ways. Be quick to obey. Don’t wait to pursue that dream. Don’t wait to
forgive. Don’t wait to change your undisciplined behaviors and bad habits.
Don’t wait to RE-commit to your New Year’s resolution(s).
I want to encourage you – do it today! Don’t waste any more
time. Know that God has an amazing plan for you, and as soon as you decide to
obey His directions and strategy for you the sooner you will move forward into
the life of blessing He’s prepared for you.
Do you feel like you’ve wasted so much time, or it’s been
wasted nonetheless? Friend, God knows how to make up for years you’ve lost in
your life. No, you can’t relive your past, but God can make the rest of your
life so rewarding, so fulfilling that you don’t even miss what didn’t happen in
the past.
You may feel like you wasted years in a relationship that
didn’t work out. But God can bring somebody into your life so great, so fun, so
friendly, so attractive that you don’t even remember the years that you’ve
lost.
You may have spent years on a job that turned out to be a
dead end. You were working your way to the top; things didn’t turn out like you
had hoped, and now it looks like there’s a big waste of time. You may not see
how you could ever get to where you want to be, but don’t believe those lies.
God knows how to make up for lost time.
Today I want you to embrace the truth, that God is about to
accelerate things! God can bring opportunities back across your path that you
thought you missed – that will thrust you years ahead. It may not have happened
the first time, but God will always give you another chance. He’ll make up for
the lost time and bring you out better and stronger than ever before!
Before we are promoted in life, before we can be moved
ahead, we have to be prepared. Sometimes it’s a spiritual preparation,
sometimes it’s a physical preparation, sometimes it’s a mental preparation, but
we all go through seasons of preparation.
Too often, people miss their appointed time simply because
they’re not ready. They haven’t prepared. They look around at others and think,
“Well, so-and-so is more qualified than I am.” No, if you’ll get ready, if
you’ll outgrow where you are, then God will make room for something greater.
Don’t worry about who’s in line in front of you. The bible
says, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but
few chosen.” You just keep growing, learning and getting prepared, and the
right doors will open.
The fact is that God may not want you to have your
supervisor’s position. That may be too low for you. God may be about to thrust
you right past them into a whole new level. And don’t chase after your ex – God
may have moved them out of the way in order to make room for your RIGHT person.
You just be faithful to let Him develop you into the person He designed you to
be.
Today, choose to open your heart and mind to the great
things God has in store for your future. Choose to be faithful and prepare. Don’t
look to the left or to the right, but keep your eyes on God and He will take
you further than you can ever imagine!
The bible says, “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor
God with your body.” Like it or not my friends, your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit, and we’re supposed to honor the Lord with our bodies. How do you
do that? You take care of it. You respect it. You treat it as valuable. You use
your body to bring Him glory.
When you stand strong against temptation, you are honoring
the Lord with your body. When you take care of yourself by exercising, getting
the proper nutrition and a sufficient amount of sleep, you’re honoring the Lord
with your body. You‘re saying, “Lord, thank You for this gift of life. I‘m
choosing to take care of myself so that I can serve You with my whole heart,
mind and strength.”
As we move forward in this new year, don’t give up on your
resolutions to be healthier, stronger, and have more peace. Let this be an
encouragement for you to stay on track with good habits. As you honor the Lord
with your body, you will be strengthened and empowered by His peace. You’ll be
able to stand against temptation and embrace more of the good things He has in
store for you!
I believe with all my heart that this year God’s people are
coming into a shift. It’s the second month of a new year and if nothing has
begun to turn around for you so far then I can imagine you’ve lost or are
losing the hope you had built up for 2014.
Here me out, for those who have been faithful and honored God,
I declare that He’s going to put you in a position that you couldn’t have
gotten into on your own. The bible says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those who
live right.” Keep being your very best and trust that He’s working behind the
scenes right now, lining up favor and honor for you in a fresh, new way!
I declare that still in your future for this year, doors are
going to open for you that have not opened before. Things that should have
taken you years to accomplish, God is going to do in a split second. I declare
you are coming into a season of accelerated blessing!
Suddenly, a dream will come to pass. Suddenly, a promise
will be fulfilled. Suddenly, the negative situations are going to turn around.
Now, you have to do your part – BELIEVE and declare these promises with me.
Then get ready for the surpassing greatness of God’s favor! Take heart today my
friend because 2014 is still in the process of becoming an exceptional year for
you!
All throughout scripture, God has promised to be your
Protector, Defender, your Strength, your Shelter and so much more. It says in
Psalms, “In peace I will lie down and sleep because You alone, Lord make me
dwell in safety and confident trust.” Even when the storms of life come against
you, as long as you are dwelling in Him, you dwell in safety and trust – nothing
can take away your peace and joy… unless you let it.
What does it mean to dwell in the Lord? One of the
definitions of the word “dwell” means to keep your attention directed toward
something. The more you keep your attention directed toward God, the more you
will know Him, and the more confidence you will have in Him.
When you focus your heart and mind on the word of God and
declare His promises over your life, you are dwelling in Him. When you lift
your voice in worship and give Him glory and honor, you are dwelling in Him.
When you spend time meditating on Him and connecting with Him through prayer,
you are dwelling in Him.
Are you facing a difficult situation? Give your attention to
your heavenly Father. Do you need His peace and protection? Focus your heart
and mind on Him. As you dwell on Him, you will see His increasing goodness, and
you’ll learn to live in peace and victory all the days of your life!
