Can you remember the day you began your journey with Christ? For me, I was eighteen years old and at a crossroads in my life, sitting on my living room floor listening to an Amy Grant cassette tape. Yes, a cassette tape! If you are under the age of twenty you probably don’t even know what I am referring to. However, you older men and women can fully relate. I remember the day like it was yesterday. The title of the song was, It’s Gonna Be Alright and as I listened to the lyrics I actually felt Jesus say to me, “It’s gonna be alright, Jeneen.” Young, pregnant and uncertain of my future it was right there on the floor of my living room that I surrendered my life to Christ. I have never looked back!
So many Christians start well, but the prize shall be given to those who finish. Paul spoke to us about this very thing in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. “Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So, I run straight toward the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do as it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
We must keep our eye on the prize of eternal life and lead a diligently,disciplined life because there are so many distractions.
1. Guard Your Mind - Proverbs 23:7 declares, “For as a man thinks, so is he.” What we subject our minds to (what we see, listen to, associate with, etc.) is crucial because the battle for a successful life is fought in the mind. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 reminds us that the weapons of our success are not found in the natural, physical, carnal realm, but in the mind. It is our responsibility to fill our minds with the Word of God and to be ready at all times to avenge that Word by casting down any thoughts or imaginations that speak against Truth. Everyone has a negative, contrary thought at one time or another, but it is our responsibility to recognize the error and bring that particular thought into captivity - rendering it powerless. Romans 12:2, “Be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” A renewed mind is a mind in agreement with God’s Word!
2. Guard your Influence - “Be not Deceived! Evil communications corrupt good manners!” We often underestimate the power of bad influence. While God does expect us to be His light of love to the entire world, He encourages us to fellowship with like-minded people of the faith. Jesus associated and ministered to the multitudes, but He chose to be in fellowship on a regular basis with only twelve. Christians often allow unbelievers into their inner circle of relationships believing they can both influence and change them, but God never intended this. Too often the sin, actions, beliefs and mindset of the unbeliever negatively impact the believer. This is why 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness?” Most of the time we associate this verse with marriage, but in scripture it is not written to us in the context of marriage . It is a command for every tight-knit relationship we may develop,whether personal or business. A Christian is not to be “in fellowship” with unbelievers. Once again, understand the difference between association and fellowship. We can and should “associate” with unbelievers, sharing the Light of Truth and love with them. However, we are commanded NOT to be in constant fellowship with unbelievers. Galatians 5:7-9(NLT) “You were getting along so well. Who has interfered with you to hold you back from obeying the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for He is the One who called you to freedom. It only takes one wrong person among you to infect all the others- a little yeast spreads quickly through the whole batch of dough!” Be wise and carefully guard the inner circle of your life. Surround yourself with like-minded men and women of the faith who share the ability to sharpen lives. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
3. Guard Your Heart - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on Whom our faith depends from start to finish...” Hebrews 12:1(NLT) How many of you know what I mean when I say SIN is a weighty matter? It is such a heavy burden to carry. Sin separates and serves only to weigh us down with guilt and condemnation, ultimately hindering our relationship with Christ. Take a few moments to evaluate your life today. Then, be willing to obey and lay aside any sin that is weighing you down and impeding your future progress. Practice self-discipline...press forward with determination...and never take your eyes off of Jesus and the goal of eternal life!
My earnest prayer for you today is that you would be whole in Christ and full of joy. I count it the greatest privilege to know Him and to also be known OF Him...
One of my favorite scriptures is found in Hebrews 11:6. “Without Faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must first believe that HE IS GOD and that HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM!” I recently heard a profound statement that brought such revelation.
“The Spirit –realm is reality.”
So often in life, we receive a promise from the Lord.They arrive in many different ways: when we read the Bible, in quiet time with the Lord as He quietly speaks to our spirits, or even through a word of prophecy spoken from another member in the body of Christ.Many times, after we have received the promise as our own and begin the journey to fulfillment, LIFE and other VOICES begin to speak against our promise, declaring it impossible.I have learned to live by “what saith the Lord” and not by “what saith Jeneen, or what saith my emotions, or what saith my circumstances, or even by what my eyes are beholding in this tangible, natural realm.”All of these can be deceiving if we rely on their declaration instead of the voice of Almighty God.Rarely, will the promise of God look anything like your present circumstances.Thus, the very reason God commanded us to, “Walk by faith and not by sight.”
Scripture clearly points out three enemies of Faith:
1.Unbelief- God gave Abraham the promise that he would become the father of many nations, but in the natural realm there was just one problem.His age!Abraham was one hundred years old and past the age of producing even one child, let alone a nation of children. Nevertheless, I love what Romans 4:20-21 says, “Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in his faith, giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that what God promised, He was fully able to perform.”Like us, Abraham had a choice to believe or not believe!Never look to your circumstances for assurance of the promise! Just believe God!
2.{C}Wavering Faith- James 1:6-8 warns, “For He that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.Let not this man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord.A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Like a wave, wavering faith is driven by belief one day and doubt the next.Wavering faith believes God until the battle gets tough.It will believe God until outside voices and circumstances drown out truth.Wavering faith rises high and falls hard. The promise will never be fulfilled through wavering faith.
3. Faith without endurance- You may not suffer with unbelief or wavering faith, but there is yet another enemy lurking in our midst.Trusting in God’s timing is a crucial element to receiving the promise.Promises are assigned to seasons in your life. Sometimes, God gives you a promise in one season that is meant to be fulfilled in another. Often, when the promise is not fulfilled in "our proper timing" we give up and when we give up, we forfeit the promise. Hebrews 10:35-36, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward.For you have need of patience(endurance); that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.”
2 Peter 3:9 promises, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some consider slackness to be...
Habakkuk 2:3, “Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.If it seems slow, wait patiently.For it will surely come.It will not be delayed.”
God longs to fulfill His promises to you and as His beloved children we must understand this is a partnership.We have a part to play.We have to be relentlessly proactive in our faith.Never give up.Keep pressing.Continue to believe and proclaim what God promised you.You will see it come to pass if you do not doubt, waver or give up.
Ephesians 2:8 tells us…”By grace you have been saved through faith.”
Galatians 3:26 says… “For you are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 5:1 declares… “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 3:22 confirms… “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all who believe.”
Our entire salvation experience is wrought by FAITH!
Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Therefore, faith is the firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
So, I ask you today, have you at any time seen Jesus Christ? Did you witness His atoning death on the cross as proof for your belief? Were you present when He arose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father?
No! We receive Jesus and these acts by faith.
So, IF we possess adequate faith for salvation why do we find it difficult or next to impossible to exhibit faith on a daily basis - trusting God to meet our needs and offer direction for our lives?
I have discovered that faith for daily living is rooted in intimacy with God. Intimacy is a product of quality time spent alone with another. True intimacy is not developed quickly. It is acquired through prolonged association. Intimacy will eventually breed trust and I have learned that whatever people trust, they will also have faith in.
My husband, Steve and I have been married twenty-four years this year. In our twenty-four years of intimacy and taking time to really get to know and understand each other, I have discovered exactly what he desires; his likes and dislikes. He has proven to be faithful to me in all of his ways. I can believe what he says. I can trust him to do what he says he is going to do. I have faith in Steve.
Equally as important, Steve has also learned to trust me. He has discovered that I am for him and not against him and that I long to be good to him all the days of my life. He has developed a keen sense of what I like and dislike and not only has he discovered my desires, but lives to fulfill them. Steve has faith in me.
My intimacy with God is much like my relationship with Steve. I know God intimately through His Word. I am acquainted with His heartbeat,His pleasures and dislikes. I have discovered what He thinks of me and that His plan for me is good. He exists to bless ME with all goodness and fulfill His Word through MY life. He is closely acquainted with my desires because He gave me those desires first. The God of the universe has proven to be faithful to me personally.
Intimacy with God has produced a trust and a confidence that allows me to take Him at His Word. This trust provides the faith I need to read the Bible and accept God’s Word as provision for MY journey.
People are always saying to me, “Jeneen, I just wish I had more faith!”
And I say to that - spend daily, quality time with God. Become intimately acquainted with Him. Discover who He really is and who He longs to be in your life on a personal level. Soon, that intimacy will produce a faith that allows you to believe that God is for you - not against you - and that all of His promises belong to YOU personally.
