Don't Give Up

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  (Galatians 6:9).  When was the last time you just wanted to "give up?"  or when was the last time you experienced a disappointment or failure in your life?  It may have been recently, or it could have been months or years ago, but one thing is for certain...we all have disappointments and failures!  Often they are the result of poor decisions and mistakes that we make.  Unfortunately, even in the process of seeking the Lord, we can make mistakes.  The important lesson to learn is that the mature and successful Christian knows how to turn every failure into a learning experience for future success and never ever give up!  Here are four things you need to know to have spiritual success.

1. Plan to Succeed

We have all heard it said that if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail!  Spiritual growth requires a lot of planning.  It doesn't just happen by accident.  If God has called you to a particular area of ministry it is important that you ask yourself how you can best prepare for it.  If you want to succeed as a Christian then you must work toward achieving that goal.

2.  Don't Think You Are Above Missing The Mark

Don't ever look at yourself as being above temptation or failure.  Too many people have made the statement; "I would never do that" only to discover, it's exactly what they did!  "So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12).  Missing the mark is never what we want to do, but be careful that pride doesn't puff you up to the point you think you could never fall.

3.  Don't Entertain Failure

Even though we shouldn't look at ourselves as being above missing the mark, at the same time we shouldn't concentrate and entertain the idea that we will fail.  The fear of failure can cause failure.  Fear just sets you up to be a loser.  When we operate in fear, we fail to take advantage of many opportunities that God presents to us.

4.  Don't Ignore God's Advice

The Bible is our instruction manual for life.  It's filled with practical instructions and guidelines for work, home, finances, relationship and health.  If you have experienced failure in your life, here are some steps for starting over:

• Accept responsibility for your own mistakes.  If you made a mistake, admit it!  Quit blaming others and take responsibility for your actions.  Taking responsibility frees you from a defensive posture and give you the clear vision necessary to determine what went wrong.  Winners never blame others for a failure and they never make excuses.
• Recognize the lessons learned when you fail.  At the very least, failure shows you what doesn't work!  Used productively, failure cause you to re-evaluate what is important in life and is something God uses to get us to reflect on the direction our life is going.
• Forget the past and focus on the future.  The past is the past!  It's water under the bridge and you can't change it, so stop worrying about it.  Our God is a God of "second chances."  Failure is never final unless you let it be!  (Philippians 3:13-14).

The Beauty of Worship

Everyone worships someone or something.  Yet when it comes to Christian worship, the object of true worship must be the One and only true God.  It is only when God becomes more important to you than anything else that you will understand what true worship to God is all about.

Worship defined:  Worship is defined as intense love or admiration of any kind.  It can best be summed up by saying, it means to worship God with your whole spirit, soul, mind, feelings, emotions, and desires.

To worship God in spirit is to worship Him with the spiritual drive and ability of your life, seeking the most intimate communion and fellowship that is possible with God.  It also means to worship Him with the spiritual core of your life and being, and trusting and resting in God's acceptance, love, and care.  To worship Him in truth means to approach God in the right or true way, sincerely and truthfully, not coming halfheartedly. 

The Christian Concept of Worship

Worship is more than going to church, singing a few songs, or being involved in some "spiritual ritual."  Worship of God is a way of life.  The place of worship is not what is important, but the object of worship (God) is what's important! True worship is always putting God first.

Worship is a Created Instinct

 Humankind was created to worship God!  There is an innate craving in humankind that can only be satisfied and filled with worship.  Many try to satisfy this desire with food, drinking, sex, drugs, etc. but only God can fill it.  Because we were created to worship our Creator, it is important that we find out what God wants rather than what we want.  Worship is desiring to please God more than anything.

Submission is Worship

One of the keys to proper worship is submission.  Worship is an expression of submission of the spirit of man to the Spirit of God.  Although worship can be taught and learned, it is not solely a product of education.  Scripture reveals to us the One who must be the object of our worship and how we are to worship Him but we have to know that worship flows out of redemption and it recognizes Christ's worthiness which in turn inspires our worship.

Obedience is Worship

Worship is more than talk...it is actions!  When we are obedient to God, we worship Him.  The way we live makes evident the things we love the most and give ourselves to.  Without obedience to God we cannot truly worship Him.  If there is sin in your life and you are living a life of "disobedience" to God, then it is impossible to worship God effectively!

Worship Requires Relationship

Having a right relationship with God is a prerequisite of proper worship.  The reason many people struggle to get their worship "off the ground" is because they have never put forth the effort to establish a real relationship with God.  This relationship requires us to submit everything to God...our mind, soul, spirit, body, and future!  It is literally submitting your sense of superiority to God!

It's been said that worship is "focusing on and responding to God."  What is the object of your focus?  Is it the things of this world, or is it the One true God?  Once we make God the focus of our worship then we can then respond to Him in the proper way!

The Key To Pleasing God

What does it take to please God?  Many might answer this question with "following religious rituals or rules and regulations."  Some might even say "doing good deeds."  But in reality, none of these please God.  It's not that they are inherently evil or bad, it's just that these things aren't what it takes to live a life that is pleasing to God.  The only way to please God is by faith!  Hebrews 11:6 tells us "But without faith, it is impossible to please Him..." This post will cover four aspects of what faith is not and then what faith really is.

What is Real Faith?

• Real faith is not just something you say.  (James 2:14-17)  Faith is more than "talking a good talk."  A person of faith is one who lives and walks the talk!  Just because someone has Christian bumper sticker on their car it doesn't mean they are a Christian.  Faith is more than just something we say, it has to be something we live.
• Real faith is not just something you feel.  Many people confuse emotions and feeling with faith.  They are moved during a spiritual experience at church or outside of church to the point they may cry and feel the presence of God in their lives.  But our faith in God is more than just a feeling.  Real faith will operate and move beyond the feelings we have.  Feelings come and go, but real faith is eternal!
• Real faith is not just something you think. (James 2:18)  Some people think of faith as a philosophical quest as something to be discussed, debated and argued.  But faith isn't something you debate, it is something you do!  When a person really has Christ in their life, you can see it.
• Real faith is not just something you believe. (James 2:19)  It's perfectly fine to have a strong belief about Christ, God, and the Bible.  But that's not enough!  Even the demons believe and tremble!  Faith is more than just an intellectual assent.  It is a matter of the heart.  It is a matter of a relationship with Christ.  Real faith is not just something you believe, it is something you live out in relationship.
• Real faith is something you do! (James 2:20)  This is the key to faith!  You see, good works are not the root of salvation, but they are the fruit of salvation.  They don't make you a Christian, they show that you are a Christian.  They don't deliver salvation, they demonstrate salvation.  Real faith is what you do!

Two Important Facts

• The basis for your salvation is God's grace.  You can't earn it, you don't deserve it.  It is given by God to humanity.  Our role is to simply accept what Christ did.  And as a result the basis of our salvation is God's grace.
• The proof of your salvation is your fruit. We are all to bear fruit if we are truly a believer.  And this is a good and godly fruit.  It is a spiritual fruit that is manifested in how we treat others.  It is the fruit of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, and faith!

Is your faith more than just what you say, feel, think, and believe?  Is it what you do?  And if it is, are you manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in your life so others can see and believe and glorify your Father which is in heaven?  If not make the changes today to let others see your faith!

Destroying Strongholds (Part 4)

In this final post on destroying strongholds, I want to cover the things you need to know in order to prepare to destroy the strongholds and then once you are prepared, how to break the strongholds and keep them broken.  There is no reason for Christians to live a "defeated" life!  God is our strength and through His Word and Spirit we can be free from the enemies grasp.

Things To Know In Preparation

• Know your right to use your authority!  Every believer has the right to use the authority of Jesus' name to take authority over Satan's activities.  Exercising authority in the name of Jesus will expel the Devil's influence. (Mark 16:17)
• Know that intercession is a must.  It is important for you to come together with other believers to pray and intercede against strongholds until you get results.  Your intercessory prayer must be direct, specific, and prayed without fear.  There is an intensified power in the gathering of believers.  It is prayer and fasting that intensifies our faith and it is faith that breaks strongholds.  (Matthew 17:19-21)
• You must establish the Word of God in your life.  "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15).  It is through the Word of God that we have our strength!
• You must resist the devil on every occasion. "Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  (James 4:7).  The devil wants nothing to do with the submitted child of God!
• You are to give no place to the devil.  Don't give the devil any place or part of your life.  In other words once Satan is gone, do not provide a place of refuge where he can rebuild his influence or strength.
• You are to clothe yourself with God's armor.  Ephesians 6:11 identifies the spiritual armor we have.  Take it upon yourself daily so that you may be equipped for the battle.

How to Break Strongholds and Keep Them Broken

• Identify the stronghold.  Just call it what it is.  Don't beat around the bush and try to soften what Satan has done.  If the stronghold is lust then call it lust!  If it's lying, then call it lying!  This is the first step to being free from the stronghold of Satan.
• Be prepared.  Your enemy is always prepared so you must be spiritually prepared to break the stronghold.  This is where many Christians lose the battle, they are not prepared for the fight!  It is imperative that you be on constant guard. (1 Peter 5:8).
• Deal with strongholds as soon as they are recognized.  Don't wait for the "right time."  You have to deal with it as soon as you know what it is, else it will just continue to anchor in.
• Depend on God and His Word to help you.  "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!" (John 8:31-31).  Don't depend on yourself, but put your trust and reliance in God.
• Stand firm against the stronghold.  You cannot waver.  Even though you have conquered the stronghold, always be prepared to battle again. (Ephesians 6:13-14)

Remember, God wants us to walk in victory and victory is possible through the power of the cross and the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit!  You can be free from Satan's powers over your life, your marriage, your family, your children, and your business.  Are you ready to be freed today?  God's ready to free you!  The audio for this series can be found at http://bethelchurch.sermon.net

Destroying Strongholds (Part 3)

In this post I would like to emphasize our spiritual weaponry as we battle and destroy the strongholds in our life.  Since strongholds are a source of Satan's influence we must realize that we have to use "weapons" that are of a spiritual nature rather than carnal or fleshly.  2 Corinthians 10:4-5 outlines the nature of these weapons.

1. They are "mighty" through God
2. They are "empowered" by God
3. They are capable of "pulling down" strongholds

As you attack the strongholds in your life always be aware that you are battling the enemy for the spiritual success of your future.  And as a believer, you do have authority over the devil and you have been given power over all the enemy.  Luke 10:19 "Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."  Remember the devil is a foe that has been defeated, disarmed, and disabled!  We destroy the strongholds from a position of confidence and assurance.  We have to know that the enemy's power was destroyed when Jesus rose from the dead and we are now in a position to "do all things through Christ who strengthens us."

Our Spiritual Weaponry

We have several weapons available to us, but it becomes our responsibility to utilize them.  As with any weapon, it does no good if we don't know how to use them, or if we never pull them out!

1. The Written Word of God (John 8:32) -- This is a critical weapon in battling strongholds.  God's Word is vital when we face the enemy.  Jesus used it in Matthew 4 when Satan came to tempt Him, and we need to use it too.
2. The Name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-10) -- Jesus' name is above all others!  And it is at His name that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, and that includes the knee and tongue of our enemy!
3. The Blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7) -- It is through the blood of Jesus that we have redemption from sin.
4. The Present Day Ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-14) -- Jesus promised when the "Spirit of truth" comes, that He will guide us into all truth!  The ministry of the Holy Spirit will show us the truth of God's Word and enable us to defeat and destroy the strongholds.
5. Word of Our Testimony (Revelation 12:11) -- We are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony!  Share with someone today, what God has done for you and see how the enemy's stronghold will begin to crumble!
6. Prayer (1 John 5:14-15) -- This wonderful promise of God is that if we will ask any thing according to His will he hears us!  And if He hears us, we know we will have the petitions we ask for!  Start asking today for God to destroy the stronghold in your life!

These are powerful weapons in our battle against the enemy.  God has made them available for you to use so use them!  Do not allow the enemy to keep the stronghold in your life anymore...take a stand and with God's help and the weapons He has given, you will be a victor!

Destroying Strongholds (Part 2)

In part two of my message on "Destroying Strongholds," I want to cover what the enemy's plan is in regards to strongholds in your life and the sources from which strongholds are derived.  Before you can effectively destroy them, it is important for you to understand why they are there and what Satan's plans are when it comes to attacks and strongholds in you life.

The Enemy's Plan

The first thing that you need to know is that the enemy's plan is to establish a stronghold in a particular area of our life and then hold you in bondage to it as long as you will allow him to do so.  As long as this stronghold is left unchallenged, it will inhibit any spiritual growth in your life.  The most effective way of "challenging" the stronghold is to resist the devil by using the spiritual weapons of our warfare and putting him to flight!  God's Word promises us that "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."  This promise should give us the confidence to challenge and defeat the stronghold and its author, Satan.

Remember, a stronghold is a place where Satan's thoughts seem more credible than ours or God's!  That is why we cannot "give place to the devil," especially in our thought life.  It is through the thought life that Satan works on our will which in turn influences us to give in to the stronghold.  Satan will offer up an "endless" power of suggestion to our thought life.  If it isn't checked by the Word of God and cast down and brought into "captivity" to the obedience of Christ, it will grow and become worse and worse!  If we are not spiritually aware, we will naturally view the ideas and suggestions as "ours" and not Satan's.

The longer a stronghold remains the more difficult it is to deal with:  The progression of the stronghold is:

• First  we begin to make excuses for it
• Second, we begin to justify it
• Third, we begin to legalize it
• Fourth, we begin to fight to protect it

The Sources of Strongholds

Strongholds are derived from three different sources:

1. Experiences--What happened in our past is not the issue, but rather how we related to what happened.  How we deal with our experiences will produce bondage or promote freedom!
2. Environment--What is considered normal and acceptable in the world around us may be in direct conflict with the Word of God.  A part from Christ, these beliefs can become entrenched in our minds so as to form strongholds the enemy uses to keep us in bondage.
3. Error or False Conclusions--False information produces false conclusions in our thinking.  When we come to Christ, the truth of God's Word begins to deliver us from the false belief system that the world gave to us.  If this false belief system isn't replaced with the truth, then the abnormal way that we have acted in for so long, begins to seem normal and as a result we try to justify it by saying "well that's just the way I am."  Error must be replaced with Truth if the stronghold is to be destroyed.

Faith Principles For Destroying Strongholds

There are three scriptures that embody the faith principles for destroying the strongholds in your life:

1. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5--This passage instructs us to "bring thoughts into the captivity of Christ" and to live a life of obedience to God's Word.
2. James 4:7--This second step for destroying strongholds involves "submitting ourselves to God" and "resisting the devil."  This is a vital component in overcoming any sin or stronghold.
3. 1 Peter 5:9--As you continue to yield yourself to Christ, He will remove Satan's armor and will show you what you need to deal with that is a stronghold in your life.  As this happens you will begin to see that the weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God!

Strongholds do not need to consume your life and keep you in bondage.  There is freedom in Christ as we yield ourselves to Him and to the Truth of His Word.  Are you ready to get free today?  God's ready to set you free from any bondage you may have.

Destroying Strongholds (Part 1)

Today's post is the first in a series, on a topic many might want to avoid...and that is "strongholds."  There are many different strongholds present in the lives of people and even the believer has to wrestle with strongholds.  I believe strongholds are the leading cause of many emotional disorders and are a great hindrance to the believers spiritual growth.  That's why it is important to understand what a stronghold is and how they can be destroyed in your life.

What Are Strongholds?

A stronghold in our life is a source of Satan’s influence.  In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 the Apostle Paul identifies a stronghold as speculations or lofty things raised up against the knowledge of God.  It is any type of thinking that exalts itself above the knowledge of God. It is a mindset that causes us to accept things that we know are contrary to the will and Word of God.  It is important to recognize that when we speak of strongholds, we are not talking about random thoughts of temptation. We are talking about areas in your life that you are in bondage too and are having a hard time breaking loose from.  A clear definition of a stronghold would be "any area of your life where spiritual darkness reigns."  Spiritual darkness exists where there is an absence of spiritual light and truth.

How Strongholds Take Root

In order to fully understand how to destroy strongholds, it is first important that we understand how they take root in our lives.  Strongholds come from a worldly influence! 1 John 5:19 "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness."  Many strongholds are a result of an accumulation of worldly influences that are left uncrucified in our life.  Because we have a mindset that has, for the most part, been shaped by the ungodly environment in which we live it is easy for us to allow these influences to take hold of our lives.  As Christians the only suitable answer to this is the truth of the Word of God.

Common Strongholds Many Deal With

Just because we are Christians doesn't mean we are exempt from having strongholds in our lives.  These strongholds can include: fear, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, depression, lust, pride, drugs, alcohol, pornography, and many others!  When you are identifying your strongholds, you have to begin with an examination of your heart; as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.  Any system of thinking that doesn't line up with the Word of God is potential for a stronghold which must be done away with.

Our Part In Destroying Strongholds

• We are to receive the light of the Word of God (The Word exposes the stronghold)
• We are to apply the Word of God (The Word opposes the stronghold)
• We are to exert the truth of the Word of God (Declaring the Word disposes the stronghold)

In future posts I will be covering in more detail how God's Word destroys strongholds.