Breaking Through Resistance

Philippians 3:14 "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God In Christ Jesus" 

Even a dead fish can swim downstream.  Know why? There's no resistance!  How do you respond to resistance in your life?  When you decide to live in the "high calling", you will face opposition and resistance.  "…all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" 2 Tim3:12. 

So, if there's a "high calling", there must also be a "low calling". The high calling is a life lived on earth according to heaven's standards; it's seeing the kingdom of God manifestedthrough an individual's life. People who live in the high calling control their surroundings. By staying in their authority, they change the spiritual climate around them. 

Darkness cannot overpower light, light always expels darkness.  The brighter the light, the more darkness is displaced. This is how it is when we walk in the authority of God's kingdom.  We place our surroundings under its rule.  Jesus could eat with sinners because HE controlled the atmosphere. If you are stronger in God then the unbeliever is in the devil, you will control the atmosphere.  If the sinner is more dominant  in evil than the believer is in righteousness, the unbeliever will control the atmosphere. 

Again, when you decide to live the high calling, you will face opposition.  But you've already overcome because of the finished work on the cross.  Yet many settle and live for the low calling.  Why?  They don't want to face the resistance that accompanies pressing toward the high calling.  They would rather conform to their surroundings than change them with godly confrontation.  It's much easier to blend in than to stand out. 

The word "press" signifies an aggressive mentality that refuses to give up, rather than a "passive" mentality that follows the path of least resistance.  Keep pressing forward with the Grace of God and the power of the Holy Ghost.  Greater is He that is in you than what you are facing in the world. Break through the resistance!  Press toward the mark!  Start today!

Why is it Taking So Long for God to Answer My Prayer?

Daniel 10:12  "Then he said to me, 'Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words"' 

Day 1: Daniel prayed.  Day 10: Didn't see the answer yet.  Day 20: Still didn't see the answer.  Day 21: Angel shows up, Bam!  He sees the answer to his prayer.  Wow.  Have you ever prayed for something, and it came rather quickly, and then at other times it seems like it took a long time?  

Why does God answer some prayers in a short period of time, and some prayers in three weeks or three years?  Here's the problem with that question.  God answered your prayer the moment you prayed it.  However, we think God answered it when we see it with our own eyes.  God told Daniel, "from the first day…your words were heard, and I have come because of your words".  The variable is not God.  It says in John 4:24 that "God is Spirit", He moves instantly. 

So what happened?  In verse 13, it says, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days".  Your faith is like a bridge from the spiritual world to the physical world.  If you quit standing in faith to see the answer to your prayer because you can't see it, you can stop the manifestation.  What if Daniel had quit on the 20th day, right before the 21st day when he got his answer?  When we pray, we must believe that the power of God is released instantly on the first day that we pray. Period.  Expect to see it, no matter how long it takes.  Don't quit.  Every day is the "20th day" until you see it!  You're "21st day" is coming.  

I'm Perfect

Colossians 3:3 "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" 

When you begin to see yourself the way God sees you, your life will never be the same again.  When you became a believer, God no longer saw you as you with your old sin nature.  When He looks at you, He sees Jesus. You are now in Christ. 

Let me give you an example: if I take a ballpoint pen, and I place it in the middle of my Bible, and close the Bible, can you see the pen now?  No.  All you can see is the Bible. The pen is now completely hidden within the pages of the Bible.  In the same way, the moment you accept Jesus as Lord of your life, you are hidden IN Christ.  When God looks at you, He doesn't see all your flaws and imperfections and failures.  What does He see?  He sees His darling Son, Jesus! 

Colossians 3:3 says, in your new life you are "hid with Christ In God".  Because your life is "hid with Christ", having a blessed future is not based on how much you strive to be perfect, or how hard you work at changing yourself.  It's based on the person of Jesus. It's not about whether you deserve to be blessed, favored, and victorious. The real question is, does Jesus deserve to be blessed, favored, and victorious?  Yes!  And since I am hid with Christ, I am too!  How?  1 John 4:17 declares "As He is, so are we in this world".  He's perfect, therefore, in our born again spirit, so are we.  Say it out loud, "In Christ, I am perfect!" 

Think Responsibly

Romans 12:2 (Amplified Bible) - "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs] but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]."

Especially around the holidays, you hear the phrase "Drink Responsibly" or "Don't Drink and Drive".  It's an effort to convince people to stay off the road when drinking.  I can't tell you how many stories I've heard lately about car accidents caused by drunk drivers, it's so selfish and beyond dangerous. 

However, to "Think Responsibly" is the most important principle of our lives.  Why?  Proverbs 23:7 tells us that our whole life, and how we perceive other people and ourselves, is summed up in "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he".  Your life is a product of your thinking.

Just like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol, the "negaholic" is addicted to negative thinking.  Positive thinking is a principle of the Word of God.  It's thinking the best, the Word, in negative situations, it's a confident expectation of good. 

"Negaholism" is something that can only be combated with one thing, the Word of God.  We must be in a constant, and I repeat, constant state of renewing our minds.  Here are four types of Negaholics...

Attitudinal Negaholics:  they are successful people who are drivenVerbal
Negaholics:  they are hopeless, helpless and unable to change their negative statements about themselves, others, situations, and just about everything.
Behavioral Negaholics:  they try so hard that you don't want to fault them, but self-sabotage is written all over them.
The Perfectionist: they have high and unreasonable standards, anything short of perfection is unacceptable. 

Let's make a commitment to be transformed in our minds by the Word of God.  Let's get rid of any negative thinking patterns and replace them with positive expectations of good, which is the Word of God. 

My Pillow

Mark 4:38 "And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master carest thou not that we perish?" 

Have you heard the pillow commercial on TV and Radio with a catchy jingle that says, "For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world, mypillow.com".  Now, I’m not endorsing "My Pillow", but I love the concept. You probably didn’t know that My Pillow is the official pillow of the National Sleep Foundation.  Founder, Mike Lindell, tells the purpose behind the pillow, "When I invented My Pillow, my dream was to help as many people get a good night's sleep as possible". 

In Mark 4:38, it says that Jesus was in the back of a ship sleeping on a pillow in the middle of a storm. I think most of us would be busy bailing water out of the ship, or screaming for help!  Not Jesus, He's asleep on a pillow in the middle of the storm.  It was the peace that was already on the inside of Him, that allowed Him to sleep through a storm.  It was that same peace that was spoken out of His mouth, "Peace, be still", that calmed the storm.  Jesus shows us a picture of restful increase.  His sleep was evidence of his trust, faith and rest that "all is well".  

We have that same peace, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, on the inside of our born again spirit, that is to be exhibited in our actions and our words. When we rest He works, but when we work He rests.  More happens when we rest, than when we don't rest.  So grab your grace pillow, lay your head down, and rest on the promises of God.  

Grace that Laid the Golden Egg

Deuteronomy 8:18 "Remember the Lord your God, for it is He that gives you the power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers as it is this day" 

One of Aesop's Fables, called The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg, is about a man and his wife who owned a very special goose. Every day the goose would lay a golden egg, which made the couple very rich. "Just think", said the man's wife, "If we could have all the golden eggs that are inside the goose, we could be richer much faster".  "You're right", said her husband, "We wouldn't have to wait for the goose to lay her egg every day". So the couple killed the goose and cut her open, only to find that she was just like every other goose. There were no golden eggs inside, and now they had no goose and no more golden eggs. 

In Deuteronomy 8:18, the Word of God speaks about where your wealth comes from.  Let's use this fable to better understand this scripture.  Please pay close attention.  

In this scripture, what would represent the golden egg?  Money, wealth, riches?  No.  The golden egg is God's favor and the power to get wealth.     

Who would be the goose?  Who would be the one producing the golden eggs?  You, with all your hard work, talents, and good business sense?  Those are all important, but no, it's not you. It's the blessing of God on your life, and your covenant with Him.  

It's God's super on your natural that makes you supernatural regarding your finances. It's the blessing of God that causes things to happen financially that can't be explained or seem impossible.  It's the blessing of God that gives you insight and wisdom beyond your ability and expertise.  It's the blessing of God that positions you for breakthrough and promotion.  It's the blessing of God that causes "whatever you put your hand to" to prosper. Do you see it?  He's "the grace that laid the golden egg!"

Unzip Your New Self

Ephesians 4:24 NIV "And put on your new self created after God in righteousness and true holiness" 

The other day I needed to make a copy of a document, so I placed it on the copy machine, pressed the button, and boom there was an exact copy of the document.  It didn’t change any of the words, everything was exactly, perfectly the same as the original, absolutely no difference at all. 

Similarly, if I wanted to see exactly what my born again Spirit-filled spirit was like, I know what I could do.  I could place the pages of my Bible on the copy machine and that's exactly what my spirit would look like. My born again spirit is an exact copy of what the Word says.  You have a new you! 

Ephesians 4:24 says that your new self was created in righteousness and true holiness.  That's awesome.  I often think, if I could zipper open my body and see into my spirit, I would see righteousness and holiness.  You and I are an exact grace copy of the Word of grace and favor.  Inside of you and me is health, abundance, purpose and victory.  John 6:63 says, "The Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life".  The life of God Himself is on the inside of you!  You're a grace copy!  Time to unzip your new self!

The GOOD News Gospel

Romans 1:15-16 "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." 

What did Paul say he was going to preach at Rome? The "gospel".  So, what is the gospel?  It's not "good advice".  It's not "good ideas".  It's not "good steps".  No, the Gospel is simply good news.  

In Romans 1:15, Paul didn't say "I'm going to preach scriptures" or "I'm going to Rome to preach some good advice, or 12 easy steps to victory".  Good advice is good, and so are good ideas and any other information that will help us to succeed.  However, the reason that Paul was so direct about defining the gospel, is because He goes on to say in verse 16 that the gospel is the power of God!   

It's the power of God unto salvation.  The Greek word for salvation is the noun soteria or sozo, containing every promise that God has ever made to man.  When you hear a message at church or on the radio or TV, you'll know it's the gospel if it contains the good news of salvation.  If it's filled with condemnation, tradition, someone's opinion, legalistic rules, a list of do's and don'ts to earn salvation and right standing with God, you can be sure it's NOT the gospel.  If you want the power of God in your life, fill yourself up with the gospel, the almost too good to be true news!  

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Ecclesiastes 10:20 "No, don't even make fun of the king, even in your bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said" 

Have you ever heard someone say, "loose lips sink ships".  Did you know that this phrase was coined as a slogan during World War II, as an attempt to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. This was one of several similar slogans as part of the campaign's basic message - "careless talk costs lives". 

So what does this mean to you and me? It means that unguarded talk may give useful information to the enemy!   In other words, victory in our public life really begins with what we say in our private conversations at work, at home, and with our friends and family.  

We need to make sure that what we pray lines up with what we say.  We can't pray in agreement with God's Word in one area, and then try to be politically correct and speak contrary to the Word as we go about our day, it won't work. Our words need to work for us and not against us or what we're praying for.  

So Much More

I have to say, Romans, chapter 5 has some of the most amazing truths in one portion of scripture.  Four times Paul uses the term "much more" in reference to a believer’s life after the cross…

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him - Verse 9

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many - Verse 15 

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ) - Verse 17 

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: - Verse 20 

God has called you to so much more.  You serve a much more God.  Much more opportunity in life, much more forgiveness toward others, much more favor on your job, much more restoration in your family.  Much more than you ever had before.  Much more than you will ever need.  So much more.

Short and Sweet Gospel

Here's a great trivia question to ask if you want to sound really smart, "What's the shortest verse in the Bible?”…drum role please…the answer is John 11:35, "Jesus wept".  History's greatest preachers have always proclaimed a simple gospel with few words and much power.  

Paul brought the Kingdom of Heaven to the pagan city of Corinth with nothing more than a five-word Gospel, "Jesus Christ and Him crucified", backed up with the power of the Holy Spirit!

Peter needed only twelve words to declare the good news, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ".  Three thousand believed and were saved the same day. 

John only needed seven words to announce the end of the old Covenant and the bringing in of the new, "Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ".  

Jesus needed just nine words to reveal himself as the answer to all our searching, "I am the way, the truth, and the life".  

Or how about Anna Bartlett Warner’s words to a simple song known throughout the world, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so". 

It’s just that simple.  The Gospel of grace is always short, and it’s always sweet!

Thank God for My Clogged Drain!

1 Thessalonians 5:17,18 - "Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" 

During this Thanksgiving season, K-Love Radio has been giving listeners an opportunity to share on the air what they are thankful for.  I heard a great story last week after I has just dropped my wife off at work.  You see, she missed a step coming down the stairs a couple of weeks ago and broke a bone in her "driving foot".  Hence, I have become her temporary designated driver. 

I was getting a bit annoyed at all the driving back and forth…until I heard the story from a woman that said, "I'm calling in today to give thanks for my clogged drain".  Huh?  It really got my attention!  She went on to say that for two years she was homeless.  During that time, she declared 2 Samuel 7:1-7, that "no longer will you move from place to place but the Lord will build you your own house".  And He sure did, she now had a home of her own.    

That's a godly perspective folks!  In everything she gave thanks.  When she was homeless, when she was standing on the Word of God, and when she had her own home, clogged drain and all! 

Our Alarm System

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  Romans 8:1 ESV

I'm so glad God blessed us with built in "alarms".  We have negative emotions that tell us that something is wrong with our thinking.    We have symptoms when there is something wrong with our body.  We even have godly spouses, friends and parents to show us things we are too stubborn to receive from God on our own!

But there's one more thing that may not be so obvious.  It's a "condemnation meter".  It looks like a fuel gauge on your dashboard, but it works in reverse.  When the needle is on "Empty", that's good.  According to Romans 8:1, God says there is NO condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.  If you're born again, you have received the gift of NO condemnation. 

When you give place to condemnation, the needle begins to move away from "E" and guilt and fear set in.  If you give place to guilt and fear, the needle moves again and destructive habits set in.  Condemnation is now at dangerous levels!  Condemnation is at the root of all fear, anxiety and destructive habits.  The answer, resist all condemning thoughts, accusations and lies with the truth of God's Word. Warning!  Resist ALL condemnation.  

No Trespassing!

Gen 15:11 (The Living Bible) – “Some vultures came down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away”

One Sunday I was dosing off while watching a football game after church, when I heard a commotion in my front yard.  A Pit Bull had gotten loose from one of the neighbor’s fenced in yard, and had wandered onto our property.  He was met face to face with our dog Benny, an oversized Yorkshire Terrier.  I knew that all that dog needed to do was position his jaw a certain way on Benny’s body and things would be quite serious.  On the contrary, it was Benny that had the Pit Bull on the run and was nipping at his tail and chasing him off our property.

In Genesis 15:11, Abram had laid out a sacrifice as a sign and a response to his covenant with Almighty God.  As he did this, some vultures tried to “trespass” on his sacrifice, but Abram “chased” them away!  That’s exactly what we need to do when the devil tries to come on our “property”.  Drive those “vultures” off of what belongs to you through the finished work of the cross.  You do this by exercising your authority through speaking the Word of God over your family, your teenager, your body, your bank account, your thought life and whatever else it might be.  Jesus said, “I have given you power…over all the power of the enemy”!  Declare today, “No Trespassing!”, in Jesus’ name.

Recipe for a Miracle

Acts 8:5,6 "Then Philip [the deacon not the Apostle] went down to the city and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did"

Miracles are awesome, they are for today, they are for each of us, and not just a select few.  What is a miracle?  A miracle is the intervention of God, through a person, in the normal course of nature.  How do miracles happen?  The way I see it, you have to have the right recipe.

First it says in Acts 8:5, Philip, the deacon, not the Apostle…I like that because Philip was simply serving in the church.  If you’re a person who serves, you’re a candidate for "interventions in the regular course of nature".  You don’t have to be a preacher or a famous minister.  Philip cleaned, served, waited on people and he saw miracles that changed a city. 

Here's 3 simple ingredients for a miracle life:

1.    Attitude!  What is your attitude when you have an seemingly insurmountable problem?  Is it "I have a huge problem" or "I have an opportunity for God to come through"?

2.    Look to Jesus for instructions, almost all of the miracles in the Bible involved a human being's participation.

3.    Don't rush!  Learn to wait to hear the voice of God.  Don't move too soon, but don’t be afraid to make a mistake either. 

Like Philip, there is a miracle-lifestyle waiting for you.  God has other's in mind when he called you to your job, your family, your church, your city, so go for it!

Pole Vaulting and Grace

Mathew 5 21-22 "You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment; But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:"

I really enjoyed the summer Olympics.  One of my favorite events to watch is Pole Vaulting.  Can you imagine running full speed down a runway, jamming a flexible pole into a hole in the ground, holding on for dear life, propelling yourself into the air over a 16 or 17 foot bar, and landing on a cushion.  What?!!  In Rio, after many successful vaults, it came down to Sandi Morris of the U.S. and Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece in the Women's Pole Vault.  Stefanidi won the gold because Morris' leg simply brushed the bar 16'3".

In Mathew 5:21-22, Jesus does something very interesting.  He quotes the law from Exodus 20:13 in saying, "Thou shall not kill".  Then, just in case people dismiss this commandment because they wouldn’t even think of killing someone, He actually raises the bar, to show their need for a Savior.

He said, "That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment ".  What?!!  If you're angry with someone, you have broken the law?  Yes, that's what He said.  This was just another way of proving that keeping the law is impossible.  He knew that eventually everyone is going to miss it, brush the bar, and it's going to topple over.

What is the answer?  Grace.  Grace pole vaults you OVER the bar, and gives you what you need to overcome in every area of life.  Even if you have less misses than someone else, according to the law, if you miss it once, you are guilty of the whole law.  Not with grace.  God knew we would miss it, that's why He provided a Savior that would take upon Himself all our sin, past, present and future.  He took what we deserve, and freely gave us what we don't deserve…grace.  And grace sends us soaring!  Enjoy!

Are You Listening to TSN? (the Ten Spies Network)

Deuteronomy 1:28 "Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there."

We need to choose how much time and attention we give the news on TV, radio, internet or any other source.  By nature, the world disproportionally reports more "bad" news than "good" news.  According to what we hear, we might think that this world is the worst it's ever been! 

In Numbers 13, God sent out twelve soldiers to spy out the promised land, and see for themselves the abundance and prosperity that awaited them.  As proof, in verse 23 it says that they cut down a cluster of grapes that was so big it took two men to carry.  Glory to God!  They returned from the promised land after forty days to "report" on what they witnessed.  They said in verse 27, "Surely it flows with milk and honey, this is the fruit".  In other words, the land was full of good things to enjoy.

But then, in verse 28, TSN (the Ten Spies Network) added to the report from their perspective, "Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there."  TSN gave every reason why they couldn't possess the promised land.  They focused on all that was wrong, on every obstacle, every challenge, and they concluded this doesn't look easy.

That's the same report we are hearing today..."The earth is falling apart", "the economy stinks", " we're all going to lose our jobs", "the world is in a terrible place".  But there were two other spies that saw the same thing as the other 10 men saw, but reported differently.  In Numbers 13:30, Caleb said four things that that contradicted the TSN report:

 "Lets go up at once".  
We can do this!  Let's go right now! Don't delay!  It's waiting for us!
 
"And possess it".  
Take it!  It's finished!  Done!  Healing, health, prosperity, just take it
 
"We are well able".  
We can handle these situations!  It's not as big as you think!
 
"To overcome it".  
Caleb didn't deny that there would be things to overcome, but in the new covenant of grace it's already overcome for us! 

You are more than a conqueror through the finished work of the cross.  Which would you rather give your time and attention to, TSN or the almost-too-good-to-be-true news, the Gospel of Jesus Christ?