Even as a child, I’ve always been curious. I’ve always been interested in the mind and personal development. I knew early on that there was a connection between how you think and the outcome of your future. It eventually became a goal, a challenge for me to follow the right path that would lead to living a thought life in Victory so that I could have a Victorious Future and live a Victorious life.
I believe this is the challenge for many of us. However, as I've aged, the Wisdom of the Lord pressures me into greater Spiritual Maturity. Though this may seem like a natural process of getting older, there is much more to it. Your age doesn’t depend on this wisdom. Your relationship with God does. Your making a decision to live in obedience to His Word and steadfastness to grow in faith will make you strong spiritually.
It can be nerve racking not knowing what problems/troubles may be hiding around the corner. We get frustrated, angry, and confused when challenges arise that disrupt our peace, our daily life flow, our pockets, and overall, our mind. We, sometimes, immediately ask God why He has allowed it or blame Him altogether. We then flood our minds with feelings of victimization, thoughts of negative feelings about ourselves, the worst scenarios, and other thoughts that work against us creating a deadly mindset. We are emotional beings and respond where we should react instead. In all of this, we forget that Christ gave us a warning in John 16:33.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
We are born into a world where, Christ has already let us know, there would be challenges. Yet, He also tells us that He has overcome the world. There is so much in this warning from Him that you can learn from. Here are the two things to absorb from this:
There will be challenges, troubles, trials, sorrows
Jesus has overcome all of these
Both events go together. There isn’t one without the other. There are trials and then there is Jesus. Trials/Jesus. Troubles/Jesus. Sorrows/Jesus. So, here’s a good question. How do you respond to challenges, troubles, trials, sorrows, etc.? Many of us go berserk internally. The first thing that you lose is your mind. Your mind can begin a story that goes from bad to worst. You already have the issue at hand but then your mind takes it deeper for you. In the process, God is blamed and the devil laughs. You get stuck in the “trials, challenges, troubles, sorrows” of the thing. What happened to “Jesus has overcome”?
At times, we dust ourselves off and remember “Jesus” but our minds keep confusing God with the devil. Who’s doing this to me is the ultimate question that your mind keeps trying to solve. But you have to remember God’s Word and God’s goodness. If Jesus warned you about these troubles, how is He causing them too? You’re basically believing that Jesus came to destroy the works the devil in which He also created. How can that be?
If you have thoughts like this, let this be where they end. No, God is not punishing you. No, God is not teaching you a lesson. You might learn lessons yourself based on your own life decisions and actions or the actions of someone towards you. The creator of strife and sorrows belong to the Adversary. He is adverse to the things of Christ; the GOODness of God; the GOODness of life; the perfection of God. Don’t let him fool you or trick you into believing anything otherwise. “If it isn’t Good, it isn’t God”.
And for the best part, “Jesus has overcome the world”. Walk in the Wisdom of God and thrust yourself into “Spiritual Maturity”. Release spiritual lax and jump into victory when trials, troubles, and sorrows come. Jump into the victory of Jesus!
I know things get hard. I know things seem to want to knock you off your feet. I even know that sometimes, it seems like the same thing keeps happening or like someone is trying to strangle your life. I also know that sometimes life throws a curve ball that’s not easy to get through. This is where your spirit of endurance from the strength of the Lord have to come in where you pray through. But the most important thing here is to no longer let the devil have your mind. Work hard as the hell he’s in to give your mind over to the Victory of Christ. What does this look like?
Take a winner’s position. See the problem not just for what it looks like on the outside but what it looks like in heaven. See the devil as the Adversary he is, which ignites God’s fire for your Victory through the fight that it’s about to become, in Christ. Be determined that he can NOT stop your future. Be determined knowing that Jesus has already won over him and his time is short. He’s already lost. Stand firm in the battle knowing that Christ will provide the people, resources and answers needed for you to win. Lean on the weapons He gives you such as prayer, His Word, praise & worship, and the support of others. Let your mind, your thought-life, move towards Good, Life, and creating the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
Putting on the mind of Christ involves switching your spiritual energy away from what the devil is doing to focusing on winning over him through what Christ has already done.
In Jesus name, let your mind be changed and your spiritual energy be swayed to God’s ultimate victory which is already done. Believe that His Good will always WIN in the end. You have the power to end whatever comes your way! So when the Wind comes, here's what you do:
Don’t drain your energy in feeling bad and spending your emotions on what’s not good
Gain strength to endure through hope & faith. Take one day/moment at a time
Pray and expect God to provide people, resources, and answers
Pray as a soldier. Do warfare prayer exposing the adversary and speaking God’s goodness over what’s happening
Stay Active. Don’t get caught in a thought-cycle that goes against God’s John 16:33
All this is for you to walk in the Victory that’s already available to you; for you not to lay down and just take life’s punches but to punch back with courage and confidence in Jesus name. I pray for your strength, courage, confidence, faith, and mindset; that God is glorified, not just in your life but in your trials. Get tired of the devil. No negotiations. No compromise. Toleration level Zero.