It’s Your Time to Reign

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17 NKJV).

Recent times have been full of challenges resulting from an ongoing pandemic to major military conflicts. Many people are suffering great loss and heartache. It would be easy to expect more of the same but God did not create you to live in fear, defeat, and constantly struggling.

I am sure God has already done some great things in your life. However, God never does His greatest miracles in your past; they are always in your future. If you are stuck in a difficult season, I want to remind you that God has created you to reign in life. You were not meant to battle sickness, worry, lack, and hardship. You are meant to experience love, life, peace, joy, laughter, and a bountiful year.

You Have Unprecedented Favor

Earlier this year, I was in another state when something came up and I had to schedule a return flight earlier than expected. I called the airlines to change my reservation, but they could not find me a seat. I prayed and decided to trust God to take care of my situation. By faith, I told my host to drop me off at the airport early the next morning. I walked up to the check-in counter and explained my situation to an agent, Mr. Alistair, who repeated that unfortunately all the flights were full. I thanked him and sat down. After about ten minutes, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me, “Why don't you exercise your authority as a child of God? You have been crowned with favor and called to reign in life (Romans 5:17)!” I praised God under my breath, adjusted my invisible crown of favor, and boldly returned to the counter. I smiled and said, “Mr. Alistair, do you have some good news for me now?” He replied, “Yes, indeed! I see that you are at the top of our priority waiting list.” Once again, I thanked God for access to His unprecedented favor through Jesus. I came home early and took care of my business.

A Turnaround is Coming

Friend, God has already lined up moments of favor where He is going to make things happen that you could not make happen. Maybe you do not have enough experience, but suddenly you will be promoted. Maybe the medical report says you will never fully recover, but somehow your health is restored. Maybe your family has been struggling for years, but suddenly you come into opportunity, blessings, and overflow. Maybe you are bound by an addition, but suddenly you are set free. God is reminding you, “It is your time to reign. It is your time to live in freedom and victory. A turnaround is coming!”

The Bible says, “God has crowned [you] with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5 NIV). You have not been crowned to live defeated and burdened by guilt, anxiety or addiction. You have been crowned to defeat giants, take your family to a new level, excel, and leave a mark. Whatever seems to be reigning over you—dysfunction, insecurity, and fear is about to shift. There is about to be a change in authority. You are going to reign over what is been reigning over you! Things that have been reigning over you—the loneliness, the shame, the bad breaks—are about to turn around. Adjust your invisible crown of favor! It is your time to be free. It is your time to step into abundance. It is your time to reign.

God is Watching Over You

In 2 Chronicles 22-24, tells the story of Joash. When he was a baby, his father, the king of Judah, was killed. One of the king’s sons should have taken the throne. But the king’s mother, decided she wanted to be queen. She massacred the whole royal family, so she would not have any opposition. But her sister hid young Joash in the temple, where her husband was the temple priest. When Joash was seven years old, the temple priest made a covenant with five different army captains who agreed to crown the young boy as the rightful king of Judah. So much was against Joash, yet God was protecting and preparing the child to reign. What made the difference? Joash was the son of the king.

Maybe you too have overwhelming odds to overcome. The enemy has come against you. Do not forget who you are—you are the King’s son! You are the King’s daughter! There is favor upon your life that will propel you to go where you cannot go on your own. God has the right people lined up for you. He has the right person to open door for you. You will excel, rise higher, and defeat the odds. You are the King’s son. That disappointment is not how your story ends. You are the King’s daughter. It is time for you to reign!  

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Building People. Spreading Hope. 

A Year of Rest

“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” (Isaiah 43:19 MSG). 

The last couple of years have been filled with uncertainty and challenges resulting from a worldwide pandemic and ongoing instability. So many people have suffered great loss and heartache. It would be easy to shrink back and expect more of the same in 2022. However, God did not create you in order to live with fear, loss, mediocrity, and constant struggle. 

The Scriptures tell us that God crowned the year with His goodness and abundance (Psalm 65:11). God has done some great things in your life so far. But God never does His greatest miracles in your yesterdays; they are always in your future. If you stretch your faith this year, you will experience more peace, joy, laughter, increase, and influence. 

Visualize Your Victory

Tara wanted to become Miss America from the time she was a little girl. She entered the 1994 Miss Florida pageant and won the first runner-up. The following year she came short of winning the title again. She felt discouraged but rather than giving up on her dream, she stayed focused and entered the 1997 Miss Kansas pageant. This time she won the title, and later that year Tara Holland was crowned Miss America. A reporter asked her, “What’s the secret to your success?” Tara explained how she was tempted to give up after she had lost the Florida championship, but decided to rent all the videos she could find of previous local, national and international beauty pageants. She watched hundreds of crown-winning moments over and over again. Every time Tara saw a woman crowned a winner, she pictured herself receiving the crown. Another reporter asked if she was nervous walking down the runway in front of the judges and millions of people watching on television. “No, not at all,” Tara replied, “You see, I had walked down that runway a thousand times.” 

Friend, God has already crowned your year with victory. Have you ever pictured yourself winning a title, wearing a crown, doing something amazing? Can you see yourself feeling healthy, strong and whole again? Can you envision yourself free of debt, anger, and addictions? Is your vision one of abundance, increase, and the ability to help people all around the world or do you see yourself inadequate and struggling? If you want to reach your highest potential, you have to first see it on the inside before you can experience it on the outside. Paul said, “I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead” (Philippians 3:13 TPT). 

Press Past the Pain

Genesis 11 tells the story of Abraham’s father, Terah. He lost one of his sons, Haran, at an early age. It was a great loss and a disappointment for him. Several years later, God put it on Terah’s heart to go to Canaan–the Promised Land. At first he was fired up and excited, but when they reached a city called Haran, the same name as his deceased son, he let the memory of his loss steal his mission. Instead of pressing past the pain, moving toward his goal, Terah got discouraged and gave up on his dream. Terah could have been the father of many nations instead of Abraham. He was the original one God told to go to the Promised Land. We could be talking about the God of Terah, Abraham, and Isaac instead of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The blessing could have started one generation sooner, but Terah decided to settle. He chose to stay focused on the pain. 

Are you lingering on your pain, loss, and betrayal? Are you holding on to the past? Do not let setbacks, losses, and bad breaks define the rest of your life! Do not allow a season of mourning to become a lifetime of regret! Press through the pain, regret, disappointment, and failure. Keep moving forward and God will repay you double for your troubles. Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT). In the tiredness and weariness, do not let the heaviness contaminate this year. Jesus has promised to give you rest. Right now, God is releasing new things into your life–favor, healing, salvation, deliverance, increase, and anointing. I declare that you are blessed with wisdom, that you have clear direction, that you make good choices in life. I declare that you are blessed with a good family and friends, that you have healthy relationships, that your children will be mighty in the land. I declare that you are blessed with protection and provision. God is watching over you and your loved ones. No sicknesses, disease, plagues, or sudden calamities will come near you. You are blessed to be a blessing to the entire world. We love you and we believe in you! 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.

It is Finished

With Easter quickly approaching, we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The celebration of Easter is both a somber event and a joyous time for every believer. We can find hope and strength from that powerful, historic, life-changing event. 

When he hung on that cross, Jesus’ last words were, “It is finished!” Yet many people are still trying to pay for their mistakes. When Jesus said those words, he did not just mean that he had completed his mission. He was making a declaration. Jesus put an end to everything that would keep us from reaching our full potential. In that moment, the chains of guilt, condemnation, and low self-esteem was broken. He was saying, the sickness, depression, addiction is finished. Poverty, mediocrity, and nothing-good-ever-happens-to-me thinking were broken. Jesus not only died for our sins but so that we might live an abundant life. 

I recently watched “The Passion of the Christ” again. It reminded me of the gory details of Jesus’ crucifixion. Our Lord was mocked, shamed, and brutally tortured. Jesus went through great pain in order to spare us from it. He was publicly humiliated so that we can receive God’s grace and mercy. People spat on him. They pulled on his beard; yet he remained silent and showed us how we should bestow mercy on others. A crown of thorns was thrust upon his head so that our minds can be renewed from wrong thinking. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross in order to forgive us our sins and give us eternal life. Jesus could have said, “I do not deserve this. It is too hard. Do they not know who I am and what I can do?” Instead, he endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. Jesus finished what he was born to do. 

Are there things in your life to which you need to say, “It is finished”? Are you living with guilt and condemnation? Do you feel sorry for yourself? Are you trying to pay God back for your mistakes? You need to declare, “It is finished! I am free. My sins are gone. God’s mercy is greater than my mistakes. I am redeemed and restored. My future is bright.” Say to the addiction, “It is finished! You do not control me anymore. You have no power over me. Jesus paid the price for my freedom. I am free.” Friend, the price has been paid so that you can boldly say, “I am blessed, prosperous, and victorious.” 

Some of you are facing a chronic illness. You have done everything you can. You have gone to the doctors, changed your lifestyle, and been prayed over. Today God is saying, “It is finished!” Isaiah 53:5 says, “By His stripes, we were healed.” The Lord wants to heal your body. You do not have to put up with cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure, insomnia, depression, arthritis, or any other disease. As long as you justify your condition, you are giving it permission to stay. So do not get comfortable in dysfunction, disease, or disorder. Declare it out loud, “It is finished!” 

I heard about a young man who decided to swim across the English Channel. It took between 12 and 14 hours to swim across the 23-mile-long channel. The water is freezing, the current is strong, and there are plenty of sharks and other dangers. Many people had attempted to swim across it but failed. This strong and determined swimmer swam an hour, then two, three, four, and five. He started to feel exhausted. Still, he kept swimming. Later that day, a thick fog had rolled in, and the young man could barely see anything. He continued even though he lost sight of the other side of the channel. Slowly, discouragement and fear took over his mind. He was so cold and did not even know where he was, so he decided to quit. He pushed himself out of the water and crawled into the little boat that was traveling beside him. As they rode to the other side, much to his disappointment, he realized that he was less than 50 yards from the shore. He could have made history if only he had kept going and not given up. 

Perhaps you feel like giving up. You are swimming upstream, fighting the odds, and pressing forward in order to accomplish your dreams. Your world may seem dark and foggy. Things may not be happening on your timetable or the way you expected. Let me challenge you. Do not give up 50 yards from your destiny! Our Lord could have quit but He finished what He was born to do. It is easy to abort a dream, but God did not bring you this far only to leave you. What He has promised will come to pass. When we accept His free gift of salvation, healing, and deliverance, we honor His death, burial, and resurrection. Let us consecrate our lives to the One who gave it all for us! Let me declare a blessing over you today! Past hurts, regrets, guilt, loneliness, and shame is finished. Poverty, debt, a limited mindset, it is finished. The addiction, depression, dysfunction, and self-pity, it is finished. Today is a new day! The things that have held you back are being broken. You are heading for a new level of freedom. You are going to break generational curses and start generational blessings. It is finished! Let us celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and the grave! 

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30 NIV). 

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Standing Strong During Adversity

We all face challenges and difficulties at times. God does not send them, but He allows them to grow us and build our character. When you are dealing with an adversity, do not simply go through it but grow through it. 

Horatio Gates Spafford was born in New York on October 20, 1828. He became a prominent lawyer and a church leader. In 1861, he married Anna Larsen from Stavanger, Norway. The Spaffords were friends and supporters of Dwight L. Moody, a famous evangelist. Horatio was a real estate investor when the Great Fire of Chicago reduced the city to ashes, destroying most his investments. Two years later, the family decided to travel to Europe. Last minute business prevented Horatio from joining his wife and four daughters on their vacation to England where D. L. Moody would be preaching. Horatio decided to take care of business first and follow behind shortly. 

On November 22, 1873, the steamship Ville Du Havre was struck by an iron sailing vessel while crossing the Atlantic. A total of 226 people died including the couple’s four daughters. Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. Upon arriving in England, she sent her husband a message containing just two words, “Saved alone!” Horatio immediately boarded the next ship to Wales. When they approached the area of the shipwreck, he gazed across the billowing waves that had taken the lives of his daughters. That night, Horatio wrote a poem that would later become the famous hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” 

We all face difficulties, delays, and disappointments, but not many of us face trials like Horatio did. He could have become bitter and angry towards God, blamed the shipwreck, or even himself for not having been with his family, but he kept the right perspective and stood strong during adversity. They went on to have three more children and fulfilled their destiny. 

You have had your share of heartache, misfortune, or loss but where you are now is not your final destiny. God has a big plan for your life. He has called you to do great things. Stand strong even when things are not going as planned, when the answer is taking longer than you thought, or when you feel like giving up. Make up your mind to never stop trusting God, believing, and expecting things to turn around. 

God uses challenges to stretch us and enlarge our vision. It may be uncomfortable, and you could have a good reason to walk away, but do not take the easy way out. Stay committed to your vision, your relationship. Stay committed to raising your children. Stay committed to your friends. If you stay loyal to God and the people in your life, God will take you places you never imagined. 

Everyone feels like giving up halfway to their goal. Some people turn around and go back. Others stay committed and keep moving forward. Notice that each person ends up traveling the same distance. One goes the halfway back to where they started. The other continues the last half ahead and reaches their destiny. 

In 2 Corinthians 11, the Apostle Paul recalls how he suffered for the gospel. He was flogged, beaten with rods, bitten by a snake, pelted with stones, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and constantly stressed about the developing churches. Paul could have made excuses to give up and throw in the towel. Instead, he stood strong during adversity. It was his faithfulness and perseverance that made him one of the most influential leaders of the early church and an inspiration to us today.  

Are you facing some setbacks? Are you plagued by opposition, difficulties, delays, and injustice? Let me assure you that God will repay you. When you honor Him and walk in obedience, He will make it up to you. God is in control of every situation in your life. Remain faithful during your time of adversity. Make up your mind to serve Him no matter what comes against you. Fight the good fight of faith. Remember, nothing happens to you, everything happens for you. You are growing, maturing, and being prepared for increase and influence. Do not give up on your dreams. Stand strong during adversity. You are closer than you think. God will restore everything the enemy has stolen from you. He will give you double for your troubles. He will make you an example of His goodness. He will make you a blessing to others. If you stay in faith and persevere, I believe and declare that your best days are right in front of you. 

“Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground” (Ephesians 6:13). 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.

Be a Now Person

Have you ever set out to finish an important task and found yourself browsing the Internet, dusting a ceiling fan, or running errands instead? The next thing you know, it is the end of the day and your task remains undone. Life would be far more enjoyable if we did not put things off. 

Frank Lloyd Wright was a great American architect who designed his most famous building at the age of 67. In the span of seventy years, he designed over 1,000 structures. Edgar Kaufmann Sr., a wealthy businessman, hired Wright to construct Fallingwater, a weekend home for the family. Wright visited the site in November 1934 and told his boss that he was working on the blueprint. One morning, nearly a year later, Kaufmann was in the area and asked Wright if he could stop by to see the progress. Wright did not panic and, instead, finished the design within two hours! Fallingwater was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and can be found on the Smithsonian’s Life List of 28 places “to visit before you die.” 

Even the best and most talented people have to deal with procrastination. Are you the kind of person who wants to become more productive and disciplined, exercise regularly, eat healthy, wake up early, and finish projects on time? Procrastination makes us feel bad because we know that something needs to get done, yet we neglect it. Many life crises happen as a result of failure to act in a timely manner. There are, however, solutions to overcoming procrastination. 

Victor Hugo was a great French novelist who had a unique way of dealing with procrastination. He would get completely naked in his study room and ask his servants not to return his clothes until the appointed time. This forced him to complete his work without any distractions. With such focus and determination, it is no surprise that he penned such great historical masterpieces like Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

Now you do not need to take such drastic measures in order to overcome procrastination. You can, however, make small adjustments to better deal with it. Rather than putting things off, be a now person. If you can complete something in the next two minutes, do it now. Awareness is the beginning of the cure. Create a list that tackles areas of procrastination—paperwork, waking up earlier, exercising, tithing, cleaning the garage, reconciling a relationship, etc. Identify the problem and then act upon it promptly. Set your bills on auto pay. Learn to bite your tongue when you are tempted to say something hurtful and watch your relationship soar. The best way to finish something is to start it. Focus on the prize, not the pain. Consider the consequences. The pain of regret is greater than the pain of discipline. 

Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” 

Is God telling you to do something that you are putting off? When He brings something to light that you need to deal with–a bad attitude, addiction, anger, jealousy–then do it. Be a now person and do not put it off.  

In the Bible (Jonah 3), God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell the people that they had 40 days to repent or God was going to destroy the city. Notice that God put a time limit on it. He said, “You have forty days to get your act together!” When Jonah delivered the message, the people of Nineveh fell on their knees. The king took off his royal garment, put ashes on his head, and declared a citywide fast. They did not say, “Give us a week, ten days, or a month!” No, they responded immediately by saying, “God, we are sorry for the way we have been living!” They repented and God spared the city. 

I wonder if you can do something that will unleash God’s unlimited favor over your life in the next forty days. Maybe the Holy Spirit is telling you that you have 40 days to get right with God, 40 forty days to forgive someone, or 40 days to break free from a bad habit. God gave 40 days to the Ninevites. I do not know what it is for you. Whatever it may be, I know that God is speaking to you right now. Deal with the issue He is bringing to light. If you choose to deal with it now, God will give you incredible grace to stop procrastinating. The moment you act, God will free you from depression and addiction. He will heal your body and restore your relationships. Be a now person, and watch Him launch you into the fullness of your destiny.  

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15 NIV). 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.

Walk in Love

Love is a universal human need. We achieve great feats when we feel loved. Sadly, so many people feel unloved. The truth is that you are extremely valuable and the Creator of the universe loves you! 

Some people think that love is just a feeling, but it is so much more. Love is patient. Love never gives up. Love is not self-seeking. It does not dishonor others. Love forgives. It does not keep record of wrongs. Love is putting others first. Love is loyal. Love remains faithful till the end. Love is eternal. 

A dear friend of mine once sent me this version of 1 Corinthians 13. Love stops the cooking to hug a child. Love sets aside a project to kiss the spouse. Love is kind. Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love does not give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never gives up. 

PK Mahanandia was born into the Indian caste system which placed him “even lower than cows and dogs”. His teachers told the other students that he was “untouchable.” Despite the challenges, he exceled in school and even attended college. By his early twenties, he had become an excellent portrait artist. Charlotte Von Schedvin, a descendent of Swedish royalty, traveled to India in 1975. She sought out PK to get her portrait done. When she met the artist, it was love at first sight. The couple fell in love and got married. When Charlotte asked him to return to Sweden with her, he said that he would follow her to Europe just as soon as he could support them financially. Two years later, and still barely earning enough, PK decided it was time to give up his pride and journey to Sweden even without the funds to pay for it. He sold everything in order to buy a pre-owned bicycle and decided to cycle from Asia to Europe. PK cycled across deserts in Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. He hitched rides whenever he could and biked up to 45 miles a day. He crossed Turkey and parts of Eastern Europe before pushing north towards Sweden. He traveled 4,000 miles and hit ten countries along the way. It took him four months and three weeks before he was finally reunited with his wife. The two of them have been married for 40 years and have two grown children. PK is an art advisor to the Swedish government while Charlotte has had a long career as a music teacher. PK once said, “I never liked biking, but I bicycled for love.” 

What is it about PK and Charlotte that has kept them together for forty years? It is more than just a feeling; it is a mutual commitment to love, honor, and respect one another.   

When you walk in love, you prefer the other person. Your goal is to outdo each other in thoughtfulness, acts of service, and words of encouragement. Love enjoys time with each other. Love is eager to listen and slow to speak. Love waits patiently until the other person is ready. Love overlooks faults and makes allowances for mistakes. Love forgives and keeps no records of wrongs. Love always seeks to advance the other. 

Love does. It is taking the trash out without being asked to. It is doing the laundry without complaining. It is closing the cabinet when one forgets. Love does the honey-dos promptly and with a good attitude. Love cleans the kitty litter even when it is someone else’s turn. Love overlooks petty offenses. Love walks into the room when the world walks out of it. 

In order to walk in love, you must first embrace the Source of love. Many people are trying to earn God’s love. The problem is that we can never measure up. There will always be something that makes us feel inadequate. So I encourage you to take the pressure off and receive God’s unconditional love for you. 

That is exactly what a woman who was caught in adultery had to do (John 8). When her accusers disqualified to condemn her, Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”. He did not say, “Go and change your ways and then I will be for you and love you!” No, he first said, “I do not condemn you.” Jesus made sure she knew that she was loved. What about you? Are you still trying to earn God’s love? If you feel unloved, let me remind you that God is crazy about you. He loves you so much that He died for you. Why not try to embrace that unconditional love and connect with Him today? God is love and He is waiting for your response. 

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another” (John 13:34 MSG).  

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Building People. Spreading Hope. 

Cultivate Optimism

God created you to be filled with love, joy, confidence, and success. But you have probably noticed how easy it is to hold on to the negative—anger, jealousy, guilt, and doubt. Do you tend to focus on the positive or the negative? Do you see the glass half full or half empty? One of the best ways to live a positive life is to cultivate optimism. 

Negativity takes space away from all the positive things God designed for you to enjoy. Positive living does not mean we are in denial of problems. Optimism simply means to approach hardship in a more productive way. Research shows that optimists perform better in school, at work, and on the playing field. They earn a higher income, have more successful relationships, and have better health. Possessing an optimistic outlook also increases one’s life expectancy. 

The 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile captivated the attention of millions around the world. Thirty-three miners were trapped 2,300 feet underground in a copper-gold mine. Their emergency shelter had an area of 540 square feet. Food supplies were extremely limited. Each day was filled with perils and bad turns, but the men worked as a team to keep their morale and spirits up. 

José Henríquez, a preacher and a miner for the past 33 years, served as the pastor and organized daily prayers. During their first audio contact with surface officials, another miner called Urzúa disregarded their hunger and despair and instead said, “We're fine and waiting for you to rescue us!” An estimated 5.3 million people worldwide watched as the 33 miners were miraculously extracted from below. What kept these extraordinary men alive during their 69-day ordeal? It was their unrelenting optimism and faith in God. 

If you are prone to look at the dark side of life, you can reprogram your mind with the Word of God. Recognize what you can and cannot control. For example, getting laid off is out of your control. However, taking steps to be proactive, updating your resume, and searching for a new job is within your control. Throughout the day, be mindful of God’s blessings in your life— whether that is hitting three green lights in a row or coming home to hug your beautiful family. Create a daily or weekly “To-Do List” in order to better set goals and budget your time. Turn off the news and negative press. Envision yourself as a victor and not a victim. Dwell on what is true, pure, and of good report. Be a blessing to someone else. 

The definition of optimism is to be hopeful and confident about the future. Yet, there is a difference between optimism and faith. To be optimistic is to have a positive attitude towards one’s own ability or circumstances. To have faith is to believe God and trust in His ability. Faith says, “I will beat cancer, overcome addiction, pay off debt, and see my whole family saved.” Optimism takes us further, but faith delivers the impossible! 

In John chapter 11, Jesus is told that his friend Lazarus is dying. Despite the grave situation, Jesus does not panic. In fact, he lingers two more days and reassures everyone that Lazarus is just “sleeping.” By the time Jesus visits Mary and Martha, their brother has died and been buried for four days. Jesus does not just consider the facts but lets his faith arise. He walks to the tomb and says, “This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God.” Then he commands Lazarus to come out of the grave and he does. What caused Jesus such discharge of power to turn a negative situation around? It was not just optimism or positivity—it was faith. 

Real faith clings to God! Faith takes the pressure off of you and shifts your focus on God. I encourage you not just to be optimistic but also to have faith in God. When you do that, you can move mountains. Your situation may look impossible, but God can do the impossible. When you have faith, God’s promises will come true. You can be confident that God will turn every negative situation around. Cultivate optimism but let us grow in faith. When we do that, it pleases God and releases His power to produce what He has promised. 

“I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty” (Philippians 4:13 TPT). 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.