Spot On With The Word

What specific part do we play when it comes to spiritual growth and maturity? Jesus told us that the thief had come to kill, steal and destroy, but He came to bring us ABUNDANT LIFE! If this is our New Covenant birthright, then how do we make this a reality in our current experience? The life that He speaks about in scripture is not only the afterlife, as some denominations emphasize. It is true, that what Jesus did on the cross was the singular act that secures salvation. There is however, more to the Christian life than that alone. For many well believing Christians, there seems to be a chasm between our belief and expectation of our present spiritual experience and that of the future. God’s power is all encompassing. He can do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond all that we can ask or think. He upholds the world with the power of His word. While this awareness is significant, it does nothing for us if we have no personal relationship with Him. If that is the case, His principles will more than likely not be followed. It is possible to believe in God and not participate in life with Him. We are to be co laborers. God has a part, and we do too. We have a part to play. Many miracles in scripture followed an obeyed instruction. If we do what we can do, it will release God to do what we can’t do!

Do you remember the Bible story of Jonah and the whale? God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and he rebels. He gets on a ship headed in the opposite direction. A terrible storm arises and the crew determines it is because of Jonah, so they throw him overboard and the storm stops. Are you in some storms because you are travelling with some relationships that are in rebellion to God? If you have an assignment and you allow someone who is running from God to become attached to you, there may be storms that you have to fight (consequences) that were not meant for you. You may have to tell some of them to get off your boat. You may be losing your mind because someone who is attached to you is robbing you of your peace, joy or even your sanity. Don’t let people who carry storms with them crash your boat! Don’t be afraid to tell people who are running from God that they can run with you at the same time! You can still love them, but they need to get off your boat!

Have you considered which relationships in your life feed you? Do they feed your problems or your potential? Are they reminding you of your mistakes or believing with you for your miracles? Are they keeping you trapped in your identity of yesterday or releasing you into your future blessing? It is your responsibility to observe, identify and then practice appropriate self care. People will come as far into your life experience as you choose to allow them. Many friends may have access to the living room of your house, but certainly not your bedroom. The same level of discretion should apply to your personal and spiritual relationships. Everyone is not welcome everywhere. If you invite an adversary into the power center of your life, they will feed your weakness and drain your faith. When you feed what inspires you, then the noise of your past becomes faint. When you feed on the promises of God for your life, your problems won’t scream as loudly. When you feed faith, futility withers. I choose to put myself in the right environment, with the right people. I choose to deny equal access to anyone or anything that does not feed my faith. What will you choose?

A wise person knows how to accurately identify who deserves access into his or her life. Everyone should not have equal access to what is most precious to you. They may not handle what you value with the same amount of respect. When you discern this, distancing yourself is responsible self care. An adversary will feed your weakness. It may be an individual or a situation that feeds your anger or your restlessness, for example. It can be identified as anything that does not feed the best in you. It will always be up to you to create the appropriate boundary. Whatever you feed will become stronger. Whatever you feed lives, and conversely whatever you starve will die. Romans 13 tells us that, “We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.” In other words, DON’T FEED THE ANIMAL! If you have issues with anger, uncontrolled temper or compulsive behaviors and you keep indulging them, in time they will overtake you. Anything that feeds your weaknesses you must avoid! In the well known story of Sampson and Delilah, scripture never speaks of her seductive beauty at all. The only thing we know about her is that she breathed life into Sampson’s weakness. Don’t allow anything close to you, which can potentially sabotage your well being or the call of God on your life!

The relationships that you forge in this life are critical to your success or your failure. Both God and Satan influence people. Some are vessels used to bless others and some are used as emissaries of destruction. There is a difference between being suspicions and being discerning. Scripture teaches us that bad company can corrupt good morals. You can have the best of intentions, but if you are surrounded by people who do not want the best for you or do not want to allow you to see yourself growing and prospering, it can cause you to be defeated. The sooner you recognize what the objectives or agendas are, you will be able to still love, while determining the degree of safe access. You must be aware so that the toxic behavior of others does not pollute your good intentions. It is good to give people the benefit of the doubt, but don’t be naive. When you love people, you will be vulnerable. You will at some point be hurt. There is no getting around it. You can however, spare yourself unnecessary hurt, by taking charge of your atmosphere. Negative people can corrupt your good ideas and intentions. Let’s be a part of building others up and not tearing them down.

We can receive a blessing from people who were sent to oppose us personally, or those who are in opposition to our progress. David knew this. He told us in Psalms 23, that The Lord had prepared a table before him, in the presence of his enemies. We will rise or fall at the level of our associations. We are not against people. We love them. True Christians are a forgiving people who extend grace and mercy, because they have been the recipients of so much from God. While this is true, we should not equate grace extended in forgiveness, with grace for relationship. It is good to recognize the need to extend forgiveness as beneficial to ourselves. Simultaneously, we must discern whether the relationship is beneficial for us going forward. Pay attention if any those in your circle are fine when they hear that you are failing in any way. If they are comfortable around others who speak negatively about you, it should be a red flag. We do not need to give everyone equal access. An adversary will resent your desire to be better. Your champions will want you to become the best version of yourself. They will not be threatened by your growth. Make sure that your inner circle is comfortable with your future and not perpetually reminding you of your past.

It is a false belief that once you have a relationship with Christ, there will be smooth sailing all the way. Jesus Himself said,” In this word you will have trouble.” It is the intention of the devil to devour. Wisdom is the ability to recognize among others the differences in people, situations, conversations, inflections, expressions, outcomes, and particularly relationships. We need to stop being gullible. Loving everyone does not mean we give them equal access to every area of our lives. An adversary is anyone or anything that will attack our assignment. Anyone that distracts me has the potential to destroy me. We cannot afford to live in a state of delusion, to play with the false. Anything that attacks our assignment must be confronted and dealt with. Each of us have been uniquely created with a particular purpose in mind. If we are not diligent to guard that purpose, the distractions will keep us from reaching our God given potential. We are to have no contact with anything or anyone that trivializes our faith or convictions. If someone in my life has the capability of getting me off course, I must distance myself from that person. I must choose the people and situations that will enable me to be the best version of myself and refuse those that continually pull me away from God’s perfect will. Choose carefully who you let close to you. Why? Because you are worthy!

Can we learn from adversaries? Can we receive a reward for adversaries? The answer is, “Yes!” God will throw a party for us in the presence of our enemies. Their very presence indicates a clue that reward is on the way. They are indications that you have outgrown where you are. Sometimes it takes a giant to press us out of our comfort zone. It is not enough to hear truth; you have got to be able to put it into practice. That may require resistance. According to Matthew chapter 7, there were two men who were both builders of houses. The difference is that the “fool” built his house upon the sand and the “wise” built his house upon the rock. Jesus warned his disciples. He instructed them to beware of men. They will turn on you. He didn’t just warn them about the devil, he warned about certain people. You can build your relationships on solid people or people with no substance. Some will work with you as you strive to reach your destiny and others will actively work against you. Everyone will not be eager to see you succeed. We must learn to recognize those who are for or against us. You don’t have to be fearful, because you can choose to believe that God will cause everything to ultimately work for your good. That being the case, it doesn’t benefit you when you refuse to acknowledge the reality of an adversary in your life. People who were sent to destroy me, can be used to develop me. Adversaries don’t have to be a sign of destruction; they can indicate that promotion is on the way. Paul tells us to fight the good fight the faith. Sometimes you must put on the full armor of God and fight with wisdom, revelation, and confidence. Don’t let who or what was meant for your destruction have the last word!

Most adversarial situations do not self-correct. It is up to us to take a stand. Casting down thoughts that are in opposition to what God thinks or says about us will always be our responsibility. We get to choose which thoughts we will endorse and upon which ones we will meditate. Likewise, it will be our responsibility to determine everyone’s specific entry point for intimacy in our lives. For example, close family members should have different access than acquaintances. We must be careful to recognize adversarial relationships and be discerning about the access we give them. We are always to be Christlike in our attitude, however, we must use wisdom. Pretending that someone is not our adversary when it has become evident that they are, is both delusional and dangerous. Teachers or mentors are for instruction. They are coaches. They celebrate and correct. Friends are for comfort. Good friends may resist giving you advice. We need all these relationships to serve their purpose. An enemy is for reward. David tells us in Psalm 23, that The Lord prepared a table for him in the presence of his enemies. Even our enemies have an ultimate purpose. If you always avoid the enemy, you will also miss the table. If it weren’t for Goliath, David would have remained a shepherd boy. Avoiding an enemy is not the same as dealing with one. Jesus recognized an enemy. He knew that there were adversaries to His life and to His ministry. When an adversary presents, it could mean that God knows that you have what it takes to ascend to the next level. Enemies are for promotion. By the grace of God, you have got what it takes to go to the next level!

It is not wise to live your life pretending that you will never be faced with adversaries. There is a very real strategy in the heavenlies for your success, as well as a very real strategy that is meant for your failure. The good news is that because of Christ, we have overcome. There is nothing that can come against us that will not ultimately work for us, because as scripture teaches us in Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to them that love God and walk according to His purpose. We must still be sober and vigilant. 2nd Corinthians 10:4, says,” The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty through God, for the pulling down of strongholds.” The next verse explains what the strongholds are. It says,” Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The first stronghold or adversary to our progress are the imaginations of our minds. Any thought that contradicts God’s thoughts toward us must be rejected. God says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you says The Lord, not plans to harm you but to prosper you, to give you hope and a future.” Have you let internal thoughts override the thoughts of God toward you? Today, go to war with stinkin’ thinkin’! Don’t let the adversary win! The enemy’s objective is destruction. His strategy is distraction, and his tactic is delusion! We cannot afford to be ignorant of his devices. In the original Latin, the word delusion means, “to play around with the false.” We must quit playing around with thoughts that are inconsistent with the thoughts of God! We were created in His image and as Proverbs tells us, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”