Words that inspire...
“God’s Working in you How can You Lose?”
(Part 1)
You and I were born for great things that are our destiny. There’s
a Heavenly mandate that we be fruitful and multiply and that we subdue
the Earth. The role that we’re to play in establishing the Kingdom
of God on Earth is one of power, authority and dominion. We’re supposed
to make a difference every where we go. Our personality should emit the
love and the confidence of one who has been changed by the resurrection
power of Jesus Christ. God never intended a life of defeat, worry or frustration
to be a part of our day to day journey. We’re created for better
and higher things; Things that bring glory to His name and yet, many believers
are living far below their inherited rights. They stagger helplessly,
having minds filled with doubt, hearts failing for fear of the future,
characters crumbling under the weight of past failures, ears ringing with
negative, faith destroying words spoken in judgment over them. They flounder
in a sea of mediocrity, victims of ignorance, inner doubts and self condemning
words. This condition however is not hopeless. In fact each and every
one of us is only one moment away from overcoming victory. All we need
to do is look inside to the one that stands ever ready and ever willing
to lift us up from the crowd and set us on a mountain top. That is to
be the daily fare of the believer.
Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God which worketh in you both
to will and to do of his good pleasure.” KJV
The Amplified Bible says, “…for it is God Who is all the
while effectually at work in you {energizing and creating in you the power
and desire}, both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction
and delight.
Was there anything in there that talked about your defeat? Was there
anything in there that said you’re going to suffer long and wearily?
Was there anything in there that said you should be sad and afraid and
disturbed and concerned for tomorrow? Was there anything in there that
said you should be constantly building up a huge store house in preparation
for the devastation to come? Was there anything in there that said you
better have really good medical insurance? Was there anything in there
that said He’ll reward you according to your works? Was there anything
in there that said, He’ll bless you, that He’s pleased to
prosper you and that He’s excited about bringing his benefits in
your life, only if you’ve had a good track record?
No, and you won’t find that anywhere in scripture. Works are nothing
more than the fruit of the working of God on your heart. Works aren’t
what we do to be blessed; works are what we do because we’re blessed.
God, and I’ve said it before, is not the S&H green stamps store
where you must accumulate books of green stamps in order for God’s
rich blessings to flow to you. If that were so, the words “freely
flow” or “freely give” would have to be removed from
scripture.
If I went down the street to the S&H green stamps store, (This no
longer exists but, it used to be that if you went to the right grocery
store, and they gave out green stamps and you collected books you could
take those books and trade them in for toasters, coffee makers, vacuum
cleaners, even stoves and refrigerators or you could cash them in for
money.).
But let’s say I went down, ahead of you, and I had a box of S&H
green stamps to get a brand new freezer chest for you. I gave the clerk
the S&H green stamps, paid for the freezer chest, made it a special
gift for you and said, “All you have to do is go in, tell the clerk:
‘I’m here for my freezer chest’ than pick it up and
take it home.”
When you go, the man takes you to the freezer saying, “The freezer
chest is right there. Do you want help loading it?”
But you reply, “Well I’d like to pick it up but I can’t.”
The clerk, a little surprised, says, “Why not?”
“Well I don’t have any green stamps to pay for it.”
“What are you talking about, it’s already paid for?!”
the clerks shoots back.
You respond: “Well I don’t really deserve that.”
The clerk is dumb struck and says, “but it’s already your.
You don’t have to pay for it again.”
We’ll yeah but, you don’t know what my past is with Green
Stamps.
Now, I’ve got green stamps and I was collecting them real good,
but there was a patch of time when I stopped doing what was right in collecting
those green stamps.
As a matter of fact, at one point, I got so fed up I threw out some of
the green stamps that I had.
Come to think of it, For a while, I didn’t even believe in using
green stamps anymore.
I started going to stores that didn’t give out green stamps, …but
then I woke up one day and said, ‘that’s foolishness, I should
be getting those green stamps!’
So I started taking those green stamps again, but I don’t have enough
books to buy it now.
I’ll come back later, after I’ve worked harder and made more
trips to the grocery store. In a few years I might have enough stamps
to get this freezer.”
If you’re listening, you’ll hear somebody saying, “Well
that has no bearing on this what so ever, It’s paid for, pick it
up!” Well, who paid for it? Somebody else! And that’s how
God is about His blessings. God’s blessings are based on your current
situation not your past and that current situation is blessed! The price
has been paid, all your past sins and mistakes have been cleansed by the
blood. He’s not holding any of it against you. You don’t have
to earn His blessings, they’re a gift. So go ahead and take your
blessings, they’ve been paid for at the cross, you don’t have
to pay twice!
“Well what about my current lifestyle? What can I do about that?”,
you might ask. Shouldn’t I be more holy or something? I’ve
tried to make myself live right but, every time, I fail. How am I supposed
to change that?
In Philippians 2: 13, it says it’s God that’s working in
you. Here’s something you need to know; when God’s working
in you, He’s not acting for you. You’re not a puppet with
strings; He’s leading you to will and to do. It’s His guidance,
it’s His leading. God gives us the desire and the strength to do
what pleases Him. We must decide to do it, but the desire and the strength
to please Him is in us, it has been given to us before hand.
It’s not something you have to cultivate or work up. It’s
a free gift. It’s not in your own strength, although you’re
co-operation is required. It’s not your strength, your power, your
vitality, to accomplish or manifest these wonderful characteristics of
God and his benefits in and through your life. It’s in His strength
and in His strength alone that these characteristics and benefits can
be manifest. It’s God and God alone, working in you, energizing
you with His Word. He’s created within you, at your new birth, the
power, as well as, the desire to accomplish and act out his delightful
pleasure in and for your life. That’s what that means, “God
is working in you”. This is the strict Greek translation, what He’s
saying is: His power…, He has taken his power and placed it in you.
Then, He’s given you an intense desire to let Him accomplish, through
you, and act out, through you, delightful pleasures to bless your life!
That’s how much he loves us
Stop trying to work it up in your own strength and start listening to
the Holy Spirit, as he gently guides you in your actions. He’ll
accomplish it through you.. Not of you, not of me, not performance based
blessings. Gifts! Totally gifts!
(End Part 1)
Back to the Top
“God’s Working in You How
can You Lose?”
(Part 2) Galatians 2:20 says, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I live; yet not I , but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himself for me.
The first thing you’ll notice is it is no longer I who live but
Christ who lives in me. Is that not what the scripture in Philippians
2:13 is also telling us? It was Christ living in us that was able to will
and to do His good pleasure in us, through us and for us. Not you, Christ.
Oh But I’m not able. No problem, Christ is able. I don’t have
enough determination, that’s ok Christ does. I don’t think
I’m smart enough, no problem you have the mind of Christ and He
is. But I’ve always failed before, that’s alright just hook
up now and rest in it. He has the strength for both of you. Not only that,
he has the desire to and if you’ll look for it, the desire has been
given to you to want it and to do it too. Paul said, “…my
life in the flesh.” He’s trying to make a very distinct point
right here, did you notice he didn’t say my life in the spirit?
Every thing that’s going to be done to your spirit was done the
day you got born again. You were raised to newness of life, you were translated
into the Kingdom of His dear son, you were made an adopted child of God,
you were created a priest and a king unto God, there’s nothing more
to be done to your spirit except one day having it renewed with an incorruptible
body. So what Paul is talking about here is this life that I’m now
living. (I’m talking about my flesh life the one that eats, the
one that drinks the one that walks, the one that talks, the one that has
emotions, the one that has to deal with jobs, the one that has to deal
with families, the one that has to deal with friends and enemies, the
one that has to deal with challenges, the one that’s called to walk
from city to city, from village to village). My day to day life I now
live not by the power of my right arm, not by the determination that I
have, not by self discipline or self abasement, not by daily exercise
and powerful mental motivation. I live it by faith in the Son of God.
Paul was saying this fleshly life that you and I are struggling with to
try and get some happiness, to try and get some joy, to try and get some
success, to try and get some prosperity, which we’re working diligently
in the flesh to produce; God says the reason it’s not happening
for you is because you’re not doing it by faith.
What is faith? Faith is trusting that God’s word is true and it’s
true for you. So if you want to prosper, you step out and you ask God,
“God what is it that you want me to do?” and you get a divinely
inspired idea from God. An idea that can’t fail, an idea that has
with it great victory, great brilliance and amazing success. An idea that,
when put to work, will bring you accolades because the brilliance of its
working will be looked upon as something that flows so smoothly, so easily
and so effortlessly. And it won’t even be you that brings it to
pass. You’ll simply walk it out day by day, moment by moment and
if you, in faith, believe that God will bring His work to pass, it will
be impossible for you to fail. That is the only time the word impossible
applies to a believer, when it comes to failure. Anytime “impossible”
is used in your life or my life, in any situation (other than when speaking
about it not being part of your life), it’s a word you’ve
chosen to replace for the word Victory. It’s not a word that exists
in the believers vocabulary. God gives us wisdom. He gives us inventions,
he gives us ideas and he gives us promotions, based on the skills and
abilities He’s placed within us. Skills and abilities that we’ve
allowed him to cultivate and encourage.
Everyone’s success is different. Everyone’s victory is different
but to each of them it’s still success and victory. Not every one’s
going to be a Wall Street guru for Jesus. Some are going to be plumbing
gurus for Jesus, Construction gurus for Jesus, Homemaking gurus for Jesus.
What ever it is, if it’s a God inspired idea, given from the Throne
of the King directly to you and for you, it’s perfectly fit for
the life style that you desire with all your heart. He’s not a condemning
God. He’s not a judgmental God. He’s not a God that says,
“You got 2 scriptures out of 3 right, go get them all together,
come back and talk to me. Then we’ll see if I’m going to bless
you with the results.” No!! He’s a God that says, “I’m
so proud of you! You got 2 out of 3, that’s better than last time!”
We’ve got to eliminate this mentality that says, until we say the
magic word and rub the magic lamp just right it won’t come to pass.
You’re not going to get it done by your diligence or a confession
that’s based on nothing more that grit and determination. No, never!
That kind of believing;s not rooted in faith, not rooted in love and it’s
not rooted in grace.
The faith message isn’t a message that’s only beneficial
to those fortunate few who are disciplined like the drill instructor in
your Marine corps basic training program. No! It’s for the rank
recruit, whose heart, mind and enthusiasm are directed toward his goal.
Though he stumbles and falls through the obstacle course, makes mistakes
and occasionally has to go back and begin again, when he’s done,
his reward is the same! You need to understand that God and His mighty
power are always ready to work on our behalf. Always! If it’s not
happening in our life we are generally keeping it back because we are
holding ourselves guilty for one thing or another. God’s just standing
there, in us, waiting for us to be in agreement in our thoughts, in our
words and in the actions that we take. That’s how we come into agreement
with the Word of God. We put the Word in us so that it’s in our
thoughts. Then we make sure that these Godly thoughts we’re now
thinking become the only words that proceed out of our mouth, for they’re
the only ones that can be blessed. God blesses words but he only blesses
His words.
When you speak God’s Word you have 2 or more in agreement. And when
you have 2 or more in agreement :it shall be done for you of our Heavenly
Father” (Matthew 18:19). It Shall be, not it might be; and if you
really believe what you’re saying you’ll take steps as though
it were true. When believing God for a new car, clean you’re old
one and get it ready to trade in and keep it that way all the time. Appreciate
it. Regard it as a gift from God and thank Him for the new one that’s
going to replace it. Show him how well you’re going to treat your
new car by how well you treat your old one. A lot of you aren’t
going to get a new car because of the way you treat your old one.
Some of you don’t get a pay raise because of the way you treated
the last pay raise. What am I talking about? Think God’s thoughts,
say God’s Word, and act out God’s plan. You got a pay raise
and then said, “Man I can’t believe this! We were negotiating
for $ .75 an hour, I can’t believe we only got $ .35 an hour and
in 6 months we’re only going to get another $ .15 and in another
6 months we’re only going to get another nickel, I can’t believe
that!” What you should say is, “Glory to God I’m not
stuck with what I had yesterday, I’ve been blessed of God!”
And for some of you who think that a company can’t negotiate your
pay down, look at the paper industry. They can even negotiate your benefits
down; you’d be surprised what can happen! After you get that raise
what you should then say is, “Oh thank you Lord Jesus! I give you
glory! I recognize the fact that raise came about because you said, ‘surely
in blessings I will bless you’ and now Lord to show you that I agree
with your words, what do you want me to do with this raise?” Don’t
spend it on your lusts. “What do you want me to do with this? How
do you want this handled?” You’re a steward. You handle that
right and there’ll be more coming.
What’s the purpose of all this incredible desire by God to do and
to will in your life and mine? In Philippians 2:13 God said, He’s
active; He’s efficient and effective in His acting in you, to cause
in you to will. What does it mean “to cause you to will”?
He wants to cause you to become a resolved, determined lover whose fondness
and desires are in agreement with God’s. Then he wants you to do.
What does he want you to do? He wants you to let Him work efficiently
and effectively, through you. To let Him bring about His good pleasure,
which is: (1) delight for you, (2) kindness for you, (3) highest wishes
for you, (4) a great purpose for you, (5) the desires of your heart for
you, and (5) all things that seem good, to come to you! That’s what
God want to do For you and Through you!
(End Part 2)
Back to the Top
“God’s Working in You How can You Lose?”
(Part 3)
Galatians 2:20 says, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I , but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.
The first thing you’ll notice is “it is no longer I who live
but Christ who lives in me.” Isn’t that what the scripture
in Philippians 2:13 is also telling us? It was Christ living in us that
was able to will and to do His good pleasure in us, through us and for
us. Not you, Christ. Oh But I’m not able. No problem, Christ is
able. I don’t have enough determination, that’s ok Christ
does. I don’t think I’m smart enough, no problem you have
the mind of Christ and He is. But I’ve always failed before, that’s
alright just hook up now and rest in it. He has the strength for both
of you. Not only that, he has the desire to and if you’ll look for
it, the desire has been given to you to want it and to do it too. Paul
said, “…my life in the flesh.” He’s trying to
make a very distinct point right here, did you notice he didn’t
say my life in the spirit? Everything that’s going to be done to
your spirit was done the day you got born again. You were raised to newness
of life, you were translated into the Kingdom of His dear son, you were
made an adopted child of God, you were created a priest and a king unto
God, there’s nothing more to be done to your spirit except one day
having it renewed with an incorruptible body. So, what Paul’s talking
about here is this life that I’m now living. (I’m talking
about my flesh life, The one that eats, that drinks that walks, that talks.
The one that has emotions, that has to deal with jobs, with families,
with friends and enemies. The life that has to deal with challenges, that’s
called to walk from city to city and from village to village). My day
to day life I now live, not by the power of my right arm or the determination
that I have; not by self discipline or self abasement, not by daily exercise
and powerful mental motivation. I live it by faith in the Son of God.
So often, in this fleshly life we live, we struggle vainly to get some
happiness and joy, a little success and prosperity (which we’re
working diligently in the flesh to produce), Paul was saying the reason
it’s not happening for you is because you’re not doing it
by faith.
What is faith? Faith is trusting that God’s word is true and it’s
true for you. So if you want to prosper, you step out and ask God, “God
what is it that you want me to do?” and you get a divinely inspired
idea from God. An idea that can’t fail, an idea that has with it
great victory, great brilliance and amazing success. An idea that, when
put to work, will bring you accolades because the brilliance of its working
will be looked upon as something that flows so smoothly, so easily and
so effortlessly. And it won’t even be you that brings it to pass.
You’ll simply walk it out day by day, moment by moment and if you,
in faith, believe that God will bring His work to pass, it will be impossible
for you to fail. That’s the only time the word impossible applies
to a believer, when it comes to failure. Anytime “impossible”
is used in your life or my life, in any situation (other than when speaking
about it not being part of your life), it’s a word you’ve
chosen to replace for the word Victory. It’s not a word that exists
in the believers vocabulary. God gives us wisdom. He gives us inventions.
He gives us ideas and he gives us promotions, based on the skills and
abilities He’s placed within us. Skills and abilities that we’ve
allowed him to cultivate and encourage.
Everyone’s success is different. Everyone’s victory is different
but to each one it’s still success and victory. Not every one’s
going to be a Wall Street guru for Jesus. Some are going to be plumbing
gurus for Jesus, Construction gurus for Jesus, Homemaking gurus for Jesus.
Whatever it is, if it’s a God inspired idea, given from the Throne
of the King directly to you and for you, it’s perfectly fit for
the life style that you desire with all your heart. He’s not a condemning
God. He’s not a judgmental God. He’s not a God that says,
“You got 2 scriptures out of 3 right, go get them all together,
come back and talk to me. Then we’ll see if I’m going to bless
you with the results.” No, He’s a God that says, “I’m
so proud of you! You got 2 out of 3, that’s better than last time!”
We’ve got to eliminate this mentality that says, until we say the
magic word and rub the magic lamp just right it won’t come to pass.
You’re not going to get it done by your diligence or a confession
that’s based on nothing more that grit and determination. No, never!
That kind of believing’s not rooted in faith, not rooted in love
and it’s not rooted in grace.
The faith message isn’t a message that’s only beneficial
to those fortunate few who are disciplined like the drill instructor in
your Marine Corps basic training program. No! It’s for the rank
recruit, whose heart, mind and enthusiasm are directed toward his goal.
Though he stumbles and falls through the obstacle course, makes mistakes
and occasionally has to go back and begin again, when he’s done,
his reward is the same! You need to understand that God and His mighty
power are always ready to work on our behalf. Always! If it’s not
happening in our life we are generally keeping it back because we’re
holding ourselves guilty for one thing or another. God’s just standing
there, in us, waiting for us to be in agreement in our thoughts, in our
words and in the actions that we take. That’s how we come into agreement
with the Word of God. We put the Word in us so that it’s in our
thoughts. Then we make sure that these Godly thoughts we’re now
thinking become the only words that proceed out of our mouth, for they’re
the only ones that can be blessed. God blesses words but he only blesses
His words.
When you speak God’s Word you have 2 or more in agreement. And
when you have 2 or more in agreement, “it shall be done for you
of our Heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:19). It SHALL be, not it might
be; and if you really believe what you’re saying you’ll take
steps as though it were true. When believing God for a new car, clean
you’re old one and get it ready to trade in and keep it that way
all the time. Appreciate it. Regard it as a gift from God and thank Him
for the new one that’s going to replace it. Show Him how well you’re
going to treat your new car by how well you treat your old one. A lot
of you aren’t going to get a new car because of the way you treat
your old one.
Some of you don’t get a pay raise because of the way you treated
the last pay raise. What am I talking about? Think God’s thoughts,
say God’s Word, and act out God’s plan. You got a pay raise
and then said, “Man I can’t believe this! We were negotiating
for $ .75 an hour, I can’t believe we only got $ .35 an hour and
in 6 months we’re only going to get another $ .15 and in another
6 months we’re only going to get another nickel, I can’t believe
that!” What you should say is, “Glory to God I’m not
stuck with what I had yesterday, I’ve been blessed of God!”
And for some of you who think that a company can’t negotiate your
pay down, look at the paper industry. They can even negotiate your benefits
down; you’d be surprised what can happen! After you get that raise,
what you should then say is, “Oh thank you Lord Jesus! I give you
glory! I recognize the fact that raise came about because you said, ‘surely
in blessings I will bless you’ and now Lord to show you that I agree
with your words, what do you want me to do with this raise?” Don’t
spend it on your lusts. “What do you want me to do with this? How
do you want this handled?” You’re a steward. You handle that
right and there’ll be more coming. Treat what you now have and your
blessings that way and there’ll come a time when you’ll have
such abundance that you’ll be praying for wisdom to handle it!
What’s the purpose of all this incredible desire by God to do and
to will in your life and mine? In Philippians 2:13 God said, He’s
active; He’s efficient and effective in His acting in you, to cause
in you to will. What does it mean “to cause you to will”?
First, He wants to cause you to become a resolved, determined lover whose
fondness and desires are in agreement with God’s. Then he wants
you to Do. What does he want you to do? He wants you to let Him work efficiently
and effectively, through you. To let Him bring about His good pleasure,
which is: (1) delight for you, (2) kindness for you, (3) highest wishes
for you, (4) a great purpose for you, (5) the desires of your heart for
you, and (5) all things that seem good, to come to you! That’s what
God wants to do For you and Through you!
(End Part 3)
Back to the Top
“God’s Working in You How can You Lose?”
(Part 4)
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Workmanship means fabric. We are his fabric. The word says that every
born again believer is cut out of the same cloth as Christ. When some
one says, that man is cut from the same cloth and they’re comparing
them to a great person what are they saying? They look like them, they
act like them, they think like them, they succeed like them and they produce
like them. God says you are his fabric you’re cut from the same
cloth as Christ Jesus.
Created, not just brought into existence, this word created means fabricated
with a specific purpose in mind. You are this one who was created for
a specific work and acts and speaks and sees and thinks and walks and
talks and manifests just like Christ because you were created in Christ.
You’re hidden with in the folds of His very existence. You are absorbed
for eternity into His character. The reason you were created, the specific
purpose you were created for, is good works. Not bad works, not failing
works, not limited works, not quiet indistinct works, not works hidden
in a corner. Good works. The words “good works” means, beautiful
deeds of great distinction. Each and every one of us was created to walk
and talk and act like Christ because when you were born again he made
you and every fiber of your being like Christ for the specific purpose
of having your life constantly bringing about beautiful deeds of great
distinction. It’s like this, if I make a donut making machine and
I put the proper ingredients in does the donut machine have to do any
weird changes or special twists, does it have to recreate itself, mold
itself and move itself to produce a donut? What does it do? Nothing but
what it was created to do. In other words the natural function of a donut
machine is to create a donut. If didn’t create a donut you would
think there was something wrong with it. It’s not going to put a
carburetor out. It’s not going to put out a summer dress. It’s
going to put out a donut that’s what it does. You were created to
function in Christ, not by the effort of your will, not by intense fervor,
not by abasement, not by anything you could claim of your own but simply
by being in Him. The results of your being in Christ are supposed to be
beautiful deeds of distinction. How can we settle for anything less? How
can we think that we’re worth anything less? How can we think that
anything less that comes from us is of God?
11
How can we even believe that when we bring something forth in the sincerity
of our heart in the will of God according to scripture that anyone could
possibly think it is not a work of great beauty and distinction? And regardless
of what all mankind may say you’ll know that Almighty God looks
and says, “Such incredible beauty, what a work of great distinction!”
and you know that in Christ, if you’ll let him, you’re not
capable of doing anything else! Failure is not part of the make up of
a born again believer. Neither is poverty or lack. Neither is sickness
or disease. The only time that a donut machine will stop making donuts
is if something inside isn’t running properly or it’s not
maintained. Our job is nothing more than to make sure that the right mixture
of flour and water and oil goes in one end and when it all mixes together
in the machine properly what it spits out is not flour and water and oil
and yeast but a donut. All we are to do is to think the thoughts of Christ
and speak the words of Christ, and take the steps of Christ and what we
will produce is beauty of great distinction. …which God has before
(that word before means before the creation of the Earth) ordained that
we should walk in them. That means he set up in advance that we are to
walk in and through them exercising ability in and victory over all things
that we come in contact with. Everything that you’re looking for,
everything that you’re praying for or desiring with all your heart
is just around the corner waiting for you. You see the high life in Jesus
Christ is already at work with in you. All you need to do is to start
agreeing with God’s Word concerning you and who you really are,
not who you’ve been convinced that you are. Begin to start saying
I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me. Refuse to entertain a negative thought for
even a second. Root them out like your very life depended on getting rid
of it because it does. Start seeing yourself as worth while, as valuable
and as loved by God. Replace the images of past failure with dreams of
future success. If you’ve got to think about something think about
success. Then start walking and talking like it’s already so. Start
dressing the part of a success. Start treating yourself like your special,
you’re worthy of the love of God and deserving of self love. Remember
you can’t really love God or your neighbor until you truly love
yourself. Not the proud, demanding, arrogant love of a self consuming
egotist (it’s all about me). But the gentle, giving and steadfast
assurance of one who is cradled in the caring hands of an unconditionally
loving Father. That’s your inheritance, that’s your calling,
that’s your fruit and that’s your goal!
(End)
Back to the Top
|
