Tag: grow
Faith | Hope | Love
Faith, hope and love all have a mutual friend, her name is patience. The trial of your faith produces patience, so where there is genuine faith there is authentic patience. Love is patient. In other words, an expression of love is patience. Hope actually means cheerful or hopeful endurance. So there is no real love, faith or hope without patience. Patience brings what God is doing in us to a place of maturity. There is no real spiritual or emotional maturity without patience. Jesus said, in patience you possess your soul. You can not have rule over your mind, will and emotions without patience. Often faith, hope and love are most commonly expressed through patience. Lord Jesus be our patience and by your grace give us the ability to cheerfully endure anything and everything that may come at us in this life.
Overwhelmed
Some people walk around overwhelmed because disappointment is so deep within them that every little issue feels big. You don’t have to live like that. Overwhelmed is not just a feeling it’s a choice. Instead of focusing on everything, focus on the next right decision and make it. No one will make it for you, that’s your job. Your feelings, your words, your responses, your actions, those are your responsibility. When you choose to be overwhelmed the circumstances you are in then become the Lord of your life. Lets not let disappointment be our Lord and Savior, that what Jesus is for. False hope and false expectations lead to real disappointments. It’s ok to feel disappointed. Feeling disappointed only reveals that you had hope. We have all been lied to or lied about. But how you respond will determine where you go and who will go with you. Your response to unfavorable circumstances will either make you a victim or an overcomer, the choice is yours. If you don’t deal with the disappointment it will deal with you. Choose not to be overwhelmed focus on the Lord and the next right decision.
The Purpose of Faith
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. Faith is a conviction with a commitment that produces real evidence. That evidence is called a testimony. The purpose of faith is to please God. Our faith is not just for our goals. It’s actually and primarily for God’s purpose in bringing heaven to earth in and through Jesus by the Holy Spirit as we walk in the obedience of faith. Faith believes that God is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Many people think of God as a punisher, but faith believes that God is a rewarder. When you are convinced that God is good and his intentions for you are good you will be committed to diligently seeking him. Remember to seek God not a reward, his reward is with him. He is our exceedingly great reward. The Father knows what you need and what you want. He also knows what you can handle and when. Trust that he will reward your diligence in dew time. The good news is that we are not the author and finisher of our faith; Jesus is. He will finish what he started in you, but you must be patient and persevere. Your patience is further evidence that you really do trust God. Remember that from the time that you pray to the time that God answers he is producing patience in you. And it’s through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God. If you are wanting to grow in faith click here to register to a free School of Faith this Saturday at Rescue Church in West New York, NJ.
Enlarged
You are reading this because you want to grow. Often the very situations we pray to be relieved from are the very situations that God is using for our transformation. The reality is that iron sharpens iron but never without friction. A pearl is formed through irritation. A diamond is formed through pressure. Precious metals are purified through fire. A pottery vessel must go in the oven before it ever ends up on anyone’s shelf. Time under tension is how muscle is built. Muscle is built by muscle being broken and then the muscle receiving time for recovery. All of these examples are examples of how God grows his people.
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” (Psalms 4:1 KJV) Here David says you have enlarged me through distress. He didn’t say that God sent the distress. The scripture says that God enlarged David when he was in distress. If you are going through something, grow through it. The time under tension is meant to strengthen you by showing you your weakness. If you are going to receive God’s strength you must first have a revelation of your weakness. God’s strength is for those who know they are weak. Remember the scripture says,“let the weak say, I am strong.” God uses distress, sorrow, anguish, tribulation, and even trouble to grow us. In fact God uses suffering to settle us. When the roots of a tree are settled the tree becomes stronger. God is strengthening you through the struggle.
Anxiety
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25 NKJV)
The truth is everyone has anxious thoughts and feelings. It’s what you do with those thoughts and feelings that matter. However most people are not equipped to deal with those thoughts and feelings correctly. If we don’t reject anxiety we actually accept depression. Anxiety must be acknowledged and rejected or there will be a very real downward spiral from anxiety to depression. Whatever we fail to deal with will eventually deal with us. Anxiety becomes depression, anger becomes bitterness and worry becomes fear. If we renew our mind and guard our heart the anxious thoughts or feelings will not have the power to control us and become depression. The Bible tells us to be anxious for nothing, which means we have power / authority over anxiety in Christ. If you are a believer and you believe and obey you can be free from anxiety and or depression. Some people are healed instantly many go through a process of recovery and the restoration of soul. Either way you can be well in Jesus. When you identify an anxious though acknowledge it, reject it and think faith not fear. Think trust not worry, think forgiveness not anger. Use your mouth to agree with God’s mind and speak and pray out what God has said in his word. If you are unaware of what God has said in his word, start reading your bible and renewing your mind. That will give you the ability to discern between good and evil. When you humble yourself you will find God’s grace will b e there to help you change. Humility leads to victory. You will get stronger in the struggle and you will build history with God. There is nothing more important than having a real relationship with God through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures.