He says in Philippians 1, verse 6 that He who has begun a good work in you will continue to perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. That’s until the day that you stand before the Lord at the end of your life.
That means you’re getting better. I don't know anybody who doesn’t want to get better, who doesn’t want to do better. We want to be better people. We want to be better husbands or wives. We want to be better parents. We want to be better Christians. We want to get in better physical shape, and we want to think and act better. That’s planted in our hearts by God, and is part of our desire that brings us to him.
We know we have a long way to go. We know some very real and specific areas where we need the Lord to work in us. But we walk in all the grace God gives us, walking in faith, and by faith we know He is keeping us and growing us.
It’s not all on me. One of the main things about being a Christian is that it isn’t on you. For me, that was a major thing, after I came to the Lord, and just couldn’t understand all the rules and regulations they were throwing at me, and I knew I just couldn’t do it all! I couldn’t then and couldn’t now! And neither can you. That’s why we need Jesus. That’s why we need the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible tells us in 1Corinthians 15:50, “… that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; and neither does that which is corrupted inherit, or receive that which is incorruptible.”
In other words, there is no way that a person can receive the power, the strength, the salvation of God in their own strength or their own power. A person has to be born again, to have the power of the Holy Spirit operating in their life, if we’re going to experience the Kingdom of God.
That's why many church members and even many pastors and preachers are defeated, weak and unable to shake of the various sins that get a strong hold on their lives. A lot of them still need to be born again, and then they need to allow the Holy Spirit to empower them to overcome those things in their lives that try to overcome them!
Everything you need. When a you’re born again, you receive the nature of God, the strength and power of God. And because of that, you're able to become an overcomer in THIS life. God gives you everything you need pertaining to life, that’s THIS life, here and now, and also everything you need to live an empowered and godly life!
That is what He tells us in 2 Peter 1:3: “According to His divine power, He has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”
When you’re born again, when you’re being led by the power of the Holy Spirit, you receive MANY things that help you through this life, so you can live an overcoming life, a life that makes a difference in the lives of others. But, until you KNOW about those things, you won’t be able to experience them. That's why I teach and preach to anyone and everyone who will listen. People need to KNOW what God says we are and we need to know what God says we have and they need to know what God says we can do.
I hate to say it, but many preachers don’t preach this because they haven’t experienced it or they simply don’t believe it. I preach it because I have experienced it in my own life, I have seen and heard the many, many people who have experienced it in their lives, and even if I didn’t have that, I would preach it because God tells me to preach it in His word, and His word is always true!
Born again by God's incorruptible seed - the word of God. God tells us in 1 Peter 1:23 that you and I are born again by the seed of the Word of God. Listen to this: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.” This LIVING word of God, this ABIDING word of God, will fill you with faith. And that faith will cause you to be able to STAND, to stand tall in life, and not be knocked over by the enemy over and over again! The Bible says that by faith, you stand! And faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God! This word will get you born again, it will make you a new creature, it will cause you to stand, and be strong, it will make you an overcomer, if you’ll BELIEVE it!
You're a new creation, a new creature. God tells you in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that, if you are in Christ, you are a new creature, a new creation, you are God’s new creation, and all those old things in your life, all those sinful things, all those weak, beggarly things have passed away! They are dead and no longer have any power over you! You need to get out that verse, underline it or highlight it and read it out loud to your spirit, and build up your faith, and announce it to your flesh! Those old things have passed away and that now ALL things are NEW! And, then begin to ACT on it! Begin to treat those old sins of the flesh as dead and passed away and begin to allow that life-giving spirit of Christ Jesus to work in you and operate in you!
Troubles, yet you overcome. Jesus said in John 16:33 that in this world, you will have trials, or tribulations. But then He said for you to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world! And, when you are in Him, you have overcome the world, too! You need to mark that in your Bible and read it, speak it and get it into your spirit! As long as you are here on the earth, Jesus said that there will be problems, but He is telling you that even in the midst of those problems, you can have that joy of the Lord, that peace, because Jesus lives inside of you, and you are in the Kingdom of God!
You don’t have to give in to those problems and situations, but you can overcome them. He puts His strength and power on the inside of you, so you can overcome those trials and tribulations that come to you because you are living in this world!
Too many people have never made this verse their own. I was called by God to make the word of God very plain to people, so they can have all that God has for them, and so they can grow in their faith; and be able to bring other people into life-saving and life changing faith in Jesus. When I think of all the Christians who would be strong and would be able to overcome the challenges in their lives, if they just knew how to take hold of these truths in the Word of God, it makes me all the more determined to bring this word in all the power and all the plainness that God gives me!
In Christ, YOU CAN DO all the things that the Lord sets before you! Instead of giving over to bad habits, bad speech, or those websites you know you shouldn’t be on, instead of getting into those inappropriate relationships, you can draw on the strength of God, as millions do each and every day! You don’t have to give in to those weaknesses, those discouragements, those inferiorities! You can overcome them in Christ!
You can do all these things through Christ who STRENGTHENS YOU! Philippians 4:13 says, “I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens ME!” As you get this truth deep down into your spirit, you’ll no longer be defeated, but will rise to the occasion and draw on the supernatural power of God on the inside of you, and discover strength that you never knew you had!
God is working in every area of your life, even when you don’t feel it! He is working in every realm of your life – in your spirit, in your relationships, your health and your finances! It is God’s will that you do well! He never created anything or anybody to fail! Not even one thing was created to fail! God tells you in lll John verse 2, “Beloved, - you beloved Child of God! – I would, or my desire is, that you would PROSPER and be in health, even as your soul prospers!” Isn’t that amazing? It is simple, it is plain and it is the will of God!
Prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. Think about that: Why WOULDN’T God want you to do well financially? Is there any reason that he would not want you to be able to help out your family members? Any reason He would not want you to be able to obey Jesus and give to the poor? Is there any reason why He would not want you to support the work of God and get this gospel out to the multitudes? I can tell you right now, that there isn’t!
Finances. God knows that when you have enough money to pay your bills and to help other people, it gets your mind off of money and puts you back into the mode of praising God and blessing His holy name! It is hard to praise God when all you can think about is that pile of unpaid bills! God knows that when you are able to pay all your bills, that you will then become as generous as God has put it into your heart to be, and you will be a blessing to those people around you who still have such great needs!
Physical health. Is there any reason God would not want you to be healthy? Of course not! There is so much to do, so many people who need ministering to, that God wants you to be as healthy as can be, so you can be out and about your Father’s business, and reaching and helping everyone you meet! It isn’t God who wants you broke, and it isn’t God who wants you sick! Jesus went around during His whole ministry, healing those who were sick, and those who had diseases. And the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever! Jesus is still healing, and blessing and setting people free!
Spiritual health ad prosperity. And, of course God wants your soul, your spirit, the inner "you" to be prospered! He wants you to be free from those things that trip you up and hold you back! God has forgiven you from your old sins, and delivers you from those new ones that try to attach themselves to you! You are a part of His family, you are a part of His kingdom, and now you share in the riches of His glory! He has given you a wonderful new life to enjoy and to use for His glory!
You have the joy of the Lord as your strength, also! When you are in Christ, you have the strength and joy of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and God says in Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” See, here it is for you! God will show you the path you should take. He will direct your path. It is right there at the beginning of that verse. Your steps will be ordered by the Lord Himself. In His presence is the fullness of joy. When you are walking with Him, when you are fellowshipping with Him, you are in the fullness of joy! And, at His right hand, where Jesus is seated, are pleasures, all the time, and for all eternity!
No wonder God tells us in Nehemiah 8:10 that “the joy of the Lord is your strength!” And I like to say that the strength of the Lord is my joy! You and I don’t have to try and rely on our own natural strength, but we draw on His supernatural strength! You have that access to him because you are a child of God. You are in the image of God. You are able to fellowship with God. You are not a pet, you are a son or daughter of God, brought forth in His image. H has given you the grace and the ability to draw on His strength and power and live according to the power of the Kingdom of God!
You're one of God's family members. You are in the family of God, and you have the promise of His protection. When you are born again, you are brought into the family of God, and God becomes your Father – and Jesus becomes your Brother! It says in Hebrews 2:11 that Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brother and sisters… and He is not ashamed for us to call Him OUR brother!
And God is your Father! God says in Galatians 4:6 that, “because you are the children of God- God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
That’s why He says in Ephesians 2:19 that, “Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” You’re not a visitor in God’s family! You’re a member! You're not a visitor or guest. You have full rights as a son or daughter of God, and full privileges! You’re BORN into it, when you get born again!
Divine favor. Because you’re in the family of God, you have divine favor! This means you are special in the sight of God, just like a child is special in the sight of its parents. You may love all children, but if you have a child of your own, that child is special to you. You could hear all the children playing and shouting on the playground, but when YOUR child shouts, or cries, or calls your name, you hear it separate and distinct from all the other children!
That is how God is with you, as His child! God has a special place in His heart for you, and looks out for you special, amongst all the people on the earth! Listen to what he says about you in Proverbs 8:35: “For whosoever finds me finds life and will obtain favor from the Lord.” Favor means special treatment. He says in Proverbs 3:4: “So shall YOU find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man”. In Proverbs 12:2, He says, “a good man, or a good person, obtains or receives, favor from the Lord, but a wicked person will be condemned.”
Gifts, skills and talents. God has planted inside of you various hopes, dreams, talents, giftings, skills, visions and a mission that is special for you. These are called your gifts. They are gifts to you from God, and they are meant to be gifts to humanity from you. There are certain things that I have a knack for and that I just lousy at. Yet, those things are simple to someone else. That is because I have certain unique giftings, and other people have their own unique, special giftings. I do what I am gifted at, and then pass it on for someone else to use their gifting and skills. Then, there may be a third or fourth person or even more, who have been given specific giftings in order to bring God’s will to pass in the earth.
It is when you begin to acknowledge or yield to, or use, these good things within you, that your faith becomes effective, and begins to bring to pass the will of God in your life. As you acknowledge the good things that are in you, put there by Christ Jesus, like God says in Philemon 1:6, you will begin to experience your life as an adventure, being led by the Lord Himself, and directed by the Holy Spirit, in the fulfillment of the purposes of God in your life! There is a sense of joy and satisfaction as you begin to acknowledge and act on what God has put inside you, and allow others to benefit from it. God has put gifts and blessings inside of you so you will be an extension of the work of God on the earth!
God wants you to become everything that He planned for you when He created you. He wants you to have all that Jesus purchased for you when He died on the cross for your salvation and deliverance. Success, fulfillment and peace only come from yielding to Jesus Christ and letting Him live in you and through you! That is why God says in Romans 8:37, “… in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!”