Faith Part 6: The Fight

As we conclude this week’s lesson on faith, I want you to be aware of the following:  the faith fight should not be so difficult that it’s like fitting squares into circles.  Things should click and fall into place like a puzzle.  That doesn’t mean there won’t be opposition, because there will but not to the point of confusion, anger, displaying an ungodly character, etc.   

I want to encourage you to position and condition yourselves for the fight.  Fight, what fight?  I thought that God was a kind and loving God and that everything is peaceful once you become a Christian.  Yes, God is a kind and loving God, however, your enemy (adversary, the devil) is not.  There is nothing kind, loving, fair or practical about him.  He is a strategist who will use any means necessary (up to what God allows him to do) to kill us, not just spiritually, I mean he wants to take us outta here.  This is not a game.   Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.  1 Peter 5:8-9 (NLT). The fight is not against us per se, it is against God and the devil, however, because the devil cannot get to God, he messes with us, God’s children.  Have you ever heard people or anyone for that matter say: “the battle is not mine it’s the Lord’s?”  They didn’t just make that up as a cliché; that paraphrased statement comes from several references throughout the bible when God encouraged His people to take up their weapons and fight.  Their fight, however, was literal with weapons of war; whereas our battle is spiritual even though very often there is a physical attack (e.g. our health, car accidents, loss of property, etc.). The cold part about it is that we have already.  What do I mean?  I know we have discussed this before, but as a refresher, I will restate my understanding.  The enemy can only go as far as God allows him.  In other words, God knows exactly what we can handle, he allows the devil to attack us in specific areas only for our good.  The attack will cause us to spend more time with God whether it’s praying, reading our word, taking it a step further to study, fasting, etc. but it also builds up our spiritual muscles – our capacity to handle more. 

The fight of opposition is to distract you so that you can give up, which is the overarching objective of the enemy.

The Condition is your mind set:

·       Consistency:  So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

·       Change your thinking: Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12:2 (NLT)

·       Stay away from sticky places and people. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Mark 5:39-40 (NLT).  You may literally have to separate yourself from negative and/or faithless people.  Jesus was no joke, he put the people out and it wasn’t even his house.  Don’t be afraid to make bold moves like Him.  That doesn’t give you a license to be nasty, because it’s not personal.  This is about guarding your faith (your dream, your life) and you can make drastic moves with dignity and grace.  People won’t like it, understand it and/or they may not agree with it, but this is your life not theirs.

·       Model Christ:  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  Philippians 2:5 (NLT).  How would Christ handle the situation you’re facing? 

The Position:  Your faith stance, in other words, what you have DECIDED to believe God for.  For example:

·       The doctor gives you a diagnosis of __________.  You can decide to accept what he says or believe what God’s word says:

I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.  Psalm 118:17 (NLT)

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to in and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)

Victory Nugget:  Have you ever heard the saying, “whose report will you believe?”  This is an example of a report and deciding which one to believe.

·       You have been tormented with fear. Torment (Webster) a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony; misery; something that causes great bodily or mental pain; a source of much trouble, worry, or annoyance. You can DECIDE to continue in that state, give into self-induced accusations or those premeditated by the enemy, or you can DECIDE to believe God’s word on the subject.

Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:6-9 (NLT)

Don’t get sidetracked by opposition, if things seem to intensify.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are off course, it is most likely a distraction.

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) Your adversary the devil is “like” a roaring lion.  Being like something and being something are two different things.  When he roars, it may startle you, but because you have transformed your thinking, you realize it’s the devil and all he can do is make noise.  He can try to intimidate you with his size, perhaps knock you down and bruise you, but he has no teeth or claws to kill you.  It’s not uncommon for fighters to have battle scars. 

Don't be scrrrrrrrd :)  

In His Excellent Service

Tank

Faith Part 5: Protect Yourself At All Times

The first rule that any would-be boxer learns when he steps into a gym is typically "protect yourself at all times." Regardless of what is happening in that ring at any specific time, you better be ready to defend yourself against your opponent, no matter what. It's a phrase that got an extra dose of importance after the September 17, 2011 Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz fight.  Apparently Ortiz forgot that rule after Mayweather shot a right hand punch straight into Ortiz’ face when he was distracted by the Referee, Joe Cortez.  That right hand punch caused Ortiz to fall to the canvas and prevented him from beating the count.  The Referee was forced to call the bout off resulting in the KO4 victory for Mayweather.

My thought for today is: Protect Yourself At All Times

Shayla, affectionately called Shay, went through life like most of us in reaction mode, never really making any plans or setting goals, just living and reacting.  She completed high school, got a pretty good job as a stocker for Costco ultimately working her way up to supervisor.  She wasn’t happy or sad about the job, in fact she didn’t think much about it at all until she needed to use her 25% discount.  The pay was decent, they offered great benefits and combined with her husband, Charlie’s salary, they could afford the mortgage, car notes, and extracurricular activities for the kids.   She and Charlie loved God and they were faithful to their ministry but at the age of 40 they were starting to feel restless, not towards each other, but it occurred to both of them that there had to be more to life than building somebody else’s dream.

Shay’s friend, Deb, approached her about catering her 50^th birthday party.  Whenever Shay did an event she incorporated the entire family and they all seemed to work well together after discovering their areas of strength.  Shay was a natural born cook and event planner.  Everything that girl prepared was deliciously mouthwatering as if her food was anointed to cause one’s taste buds to crave for more.  After discussing the menu, color scheme, budget, etc. Deb handed Shay a down payment.  After Deb’s event, it hit both her and Charlie like a ton of bricks.  This is it, a catering business.  They prayed about it and got their answer almost as soon as they got on their knees.  God gave them a strategic plan, showed them were to get the start-up capital and Charlie’s boss (who also loved Shay’s cooking) was willing to help with re-designing the kitchen to meet Shay’s commercial needs just for the cost of materials.

They met with the Pastor to share the vision but to their surprise, he was completely against the idea and strongly advised that they keep their jobs.  They were disappointed, but not discouraged, because quiet is kept, business is not Pastor’s acumen.  Ironically they received the same response from several of their close “friends” including a few relatives.  This was a huge blow to Shay.  When she started to cry in frustration, Charlie got hot as fish grease.  He took Shay in his arms and said, Babe, I believe we should go for it.  I love Pastor and yo’ momma ‘nem, but this is our life and we will only get one shot at it.  What do we have to lose?    

Shay is a person like so many that are talented in an area completely opposite to what they do to earn a living. There is no passion, it just pays the bills.  Yes, paid bills are important but to what end?  She needs to decide whether to take the leap of faith and follow God’s lead or listen to those around her. If she stays on her job, she could become cranky, resentful, etc.  How is that bringing glory to God?  How can people see her light?  How can she live a full life?  What did Jesus mean when he said? 

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV)

The Common English Bible says …. live life to the fullest

I am not anti-job and I am not telling you to quit your job, I am suggesting that you take inventory because we are not getting any younger.  I don’t want to look up at 69 and have a ShaCwuda attack:  I shudda, cudda, wudda went into business for myself but   

The best thing for her to do is to put her faith and confidence in God.  I know some of you may be thinking that sounds easier said than done, but let’s look closer.

Most of us give up on the Word before we see it come to past.  We pray, believe and then forget to guard our minds.  More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.  Proverbs 4:23 (CEB). Don't turn on your request, don't be a sellout!  Quit giving up.

The enemies of faith are worry and anxiety

Matthew 6:27: Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?

Philippians 4:6:  Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.

If we can eliminate these words from our vocabulary we will have it made.  Set your course with your words.  Call on the God of heaven, remind Him of His will, His word. Pray the Word over your situation and let him show you how strong He is.

3 John 2: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

The reason negatives are happening is because we "say" the negative but if we change our words; change our conversation; stay away from sticky people, places and things (yo’ momma ‘nem, yo’ play cousin, etc.) and protect yourself at all times, you will come out a winner.  Consider these positive statements:

I will not do broke anymore

I am too anointed to be broke

The back of lack is broken over my life

I am a distribution center for God

I am a lender, not a borrower

I am the head, not the tail

I am above, not beneath

In His Humble Excellence

Tania

Faith Basics Part 4

Semaj was a typical African-American young adult, raised by a single mom who grew up in a pretty rough urban neighborhood.  He had seen a lot, more than he would ever truthfully admit to anyone, for his youthful age of 19.  He was practically a living legend in his “hood”.  He didn't do drugs, had more than his share of fights growing up, but he had never been shot, never been to jail, he even graduated with honors, but he made it clear to his counselors he didn’t want them announcing it.  He was working a little part-time job until next semester when he would attend Ex'Pressions College.

While getting his haircut on Saturday, he overheard two OG’s talking about God.  It was weird to him because he had never heard grown men talk about how they loved God.  One of the dudes said the Preacher was teaching about faith the last two Sundays and some lady who was in a wheelchair got up and walked because the anointment was all over him (whatever that is).  While he put his headphones back on he said to himself “man, these nigga’s is crazy, that lady was probably faking.”  The only information he knew about God was from attending summer church school with his childhood friend Chaz.  He learned The Lord’s Prayer as a homework assignment which he could still recite to this day.  He recalled that Chaz had a real bad asthma attack and they couldn’t find his inhaler.  One of the OG deacons told somebody to get the oil and he started praying for Chaz; a couple of the ladies started speaking in Spanish or something, he didn’t know what they were saying.  The OG put the oil on Chaz, kept praying and he got loud like he was hollering at God and he said “yes, sir, Master”; “won’t he will”.  All of a sudden, Chaz started breathing normal but Semaj couldn’t believe it because he had seen Chaz have asthma attacks many times and his momma usually ended up taking him to emergency, but Chaz was normal like nothing ever happened.  Then all those people start getting the Holy Ghost.  It was crazy.

The next day Semaj woke up early for some reason and decided to go to church, that same church where he attended summer church school.  He didn’t know why, he just felt like he had to go.  When he got there they were praying and he heard somebody holler: “Won’t he will”, Oh

yes, oh yes, oh yes.  Semaj knew that holler, it was the OG deacon who prayed over Chaz.  When the Preacher got up it wasn’t the same OG he remembered.  This dude was clean and he talked like a regular person.  Here’s what the preacher said:

“How ya’ll doing today.  Look at your neighbor and say you look good, but I look better.”  Everybody cracked up and then settled down as he continued:  “We’re gonna continue our series on Faith.  Most people get tripped up on that word and make it all spiritual and deep.  Faith is what you believe.  For example, if I ran up on you, put a glock to your head and demanded your money, you would do one of three things: 1) resist me and take the chance of getting your head blown off because you believe you could take me down (have faith in yourself); 2) give up the money, remember what I looked and/or sounded like and hunt me down; or 3) give up the money and hope to God I don’t kill you anyway (because you believe I will take you out).  From a spiritual perspective faith is firm relying trust (not in what you see) but what God said in his Word.  Faith has NOTHING to do with your abilities, your bank account, etc.  That's some real talk right there.  We must develop a habit of consulting God before making big decisions to avoid loss, heartache, money, etc. to avoid failure.  God wants to answer your prayers but you have to ask without hesitation and you can’t be weak.  When you pray with the spirit of boldness it will always help you to be confident God will come through for you.

This is the confidence that we have in our relationship with God: If we ask for anything in agreement with his will, he listens to us. ¹⁵ If we know that he listens to whatever we ask, we know that we have received what we asked from him.1 John 5:14-15”

Semaj couldn’t believe the preacher used an example with a glock. Man, this is crazy.

The preacher continued:  “What is the will of God?  The Word of God (the Bible) and God’s will (His plan for us) are inseparable.  When we pray for things that line up with His will (e.g. basic necessities; physical, emotional, spiritual healing; prosperity; peace; protection, rest; restoration; salvation for others, etc.) we are presenting the Word – which is God -- to God.  God will not deny his Word because God cannot deny himself.  Huh? I know, just follow me. 

·       In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  John 1:1 (CEB).  The Word is another name for Jesus Christ.  Remember, we serve a triune God:  God the Father; God the Son (the Word); God the Holy Spirit.  One God, three persons.  Think of it like this: water can be: ice, steam or liquid, but its still water.

After you pray the prayer of faith, release the request – give it to God – but look out for the enemy (self and the devil) because they will try to bum rush you with doubt.  You cannot let fear and doubt get in between your thinking and what God said in his Word.  You’ve gotta protect yourself (the request) at all times because the devil wants to place you in the realm of thought versus the realm of faith.  What do I mean by realm?

Realm (Webster): the region, sphere, or domain within which anything occurs, prevails, or dominates:  For example:  Matthew 6:31 says: Therefore, don’t worry and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?  The enemy can inject thoughts like:  ‘who do you think you are? God ain’t gonna answer your prayers, they gonna cut your lights off or You’re broke like your momma ‘nem, you ain’t never gonna have nothing; blah blah blah blah blah’.  If you’re not careful, you will start to think about what the enemy is saying and it will open the door for you to reason and question whether God can deliver you from the situation you are facing.  Once you open the door for reasoning and questioning and start agreeing with him out loud; ‘I can’t; that’s right; I gotta find a way to fix this’.  Though it’s not impossible, it’s hard to recover once you allow doubt in.  Listen, you cannot stop the thoughts from coming but you can stop yourself from accepting the thoughts and speaking them out loud.  People of God, you must hear me on this: the enemy wants to take your words and use them against you.  He wants to play you out of your blessing.

·       Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 18:21

·       For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. ’Eat and drink!’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you. Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV)

You are what you think.  If you think you are a failure, congratulations.  If you think you will succeed, congratulations, you will, and nobody, I mean nobody will stop you.

Hey, I’m out of time. Remember, Faith is what you believe.”

Church was nothing like Semaj thought it would be.  When it was over he saw the Preacher shaking hands with people at the front door but when he saw Semaj he gave him dap and told him he hoped to see him back again.  Semaj said he would be back and as he left the church.  As he walked away shaking his head trippin off how cool the Preacher was.  He could hardly wait to go back.

In His Humble Excellence

Tania