7/29/2014 Steps for Your Breakthrough!Scriptures: Proverbs 6:2, Romans 4:16-17
In the New Life Version Proverbs 6:2 is written this way: "you have been trapped with the words of your lips. You have been caught with the words of your mouth." Here are the steps for your personal breakthrough: 1) Lift your eyes above your problems- we must look beyond the world because not everything look, feels or sounds right, but because Jesus has told us that He has overcome the world. We must remember that He has told us that our help comes from Him. 2) Prepare for a Confrontation- There is no progress without resistance! We must know that something or someone will always seem to stand in our way. Joshua had to face Jericho. Moses had to face Pharaoh. David had to face Saul. 3) Align yourself with God's purpose- Worship is the key to your breakthrough. Worship opens yours ears to hear God's voice! God is looking for worshipers, not complainers. It's time to give up your complaints! Ask yourself the question: am I trapped by my own words? 4) Train yourself to speak only what glorifies God and ministers grace- praise is faith expressed audibly. Faith does have a voice and those words belong in your mouth. The Bible tells us that God "calls those things which be not as though they were." By having faith in God, your breakthrough an seem to materialize out of nothing. Scriptures: Judges 6:11-16 In these verses we read about a man named Gideon: a name you may recognize. God transformed Gideon, from an ordinary man into a mighty warrior. Through this transformation, Gideon was able to accomplish an extraordinary task that he would have never reached on his own. So how did Gideon discover his full potential? He dealt with his own fears: he confronted what was holding him back. He confessed his lack of faith: he was willing to face and confront his unbelief. Finally he pondered what he could become: he realized that with God there was a greater future for him that he could conceive on his own. Gideon took his questions to God: first the Bible tells us that he asked God: "why?" Verse 13 says: "O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?" But God did not give Gideon an answer to why, because He wanted to Gideon to reach his full potential! Gideon needed more than just an answer. Secondly Gideon asked God how: "So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel?" God was ready for Gideon to ask how and gave him the guidance for his success. Gideon stopped making excuses and he starting accepting God's promises. We all have excuses, but wouldn't we all rather have the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives? Finally Gideon built an altar of uncompromising worship. We must remember that God cannot use a secret saint to win great battles. Jesus wants us all to discover and live in our full potential. It's time to deal with our fear, confront our unbelief, seek God's direction, give up our excuses and prepare ourselves as a sanctuary of worship. 7/22/2014 What's In A Name?Scriptures: Acts 4: 8-22 Let's look at a list of names: think about what first comes to mind! Benedict Arnold, Noah Webster, Eleanor Roosevelt, Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Ben Franklin. Words that come to mind: traitor, dictionary, first lady, theme parks, telephones, cars and invention! Each of these names immediately bring memories to our minds, but then there is a name above all names: Jesus Christ! What is in the name of Jesus: For this crippled forty year old man we read about in Acts there was a notable miracle in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus there is authority! The power to determine outcomes. Do you need a miracle? Do you need something ordered out of our life? Peter said to the crippled man: "in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." There is authority for you in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus there is ability. The power or capacity to act on our behalf. Special skills, talents and accomplishments. Do you need the power of God to intervene on your behalf? The Jewish rulers questioned Peter asking by what power, or by what name, have you done this miracle, this healing. There is ability for you in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus there is amazement. A feeling of wonder. A feeling of being very surprised. The Bible states that when the crowd saw the lame man walking, leaping and praising God "they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him." We all need to be filled with wonder and amazement through the power of the name of Jesus. There is a feeling of amazement for you in the name of Jesus. Scriptures: Exodus 17:8-16 Aaron and Hur provided support for Moses. Moses prayed for his army with outstretched arms and his army prevailed. Moses became weak and the battle shifted. Aaron and Hur became Moses' support system. Aaron's name literally means strength, while Hur's name means liberty. We all need strength and liberty! The children of God need a support system which provides strength and liberty. At this time there were two battles taking place: one on the field and one on the hilltop. They were in a physical and spiritual battle: the key to victory was the power of prayer and a human support system. Moses received something that we all need: the support of others! We all need someone who will raise our arms in prayer. We are all engaged in a spiritual battle which weakens the flesh. Moses received support because he was providing support! Discover your support system! Everyone needs an Aaron and Hur in their life. We must see value in spiritual teamwork. God has ministry enablers for you! The key is this: the best way to find support is to first offer support! Ask yourself: who I am supporting and who am I covering in prayer? Moses provided a prayer covering for the army. Aaron and Hur provided the strength and liberty he needed when he was weak. Discover those who you can hold up and you will discover those who will hold you up. The battle is all around us: not one of us is as smart or strong as all of us together! |
Archives
April 2020
Categories |