As we come to the
end of this year, it’s time to reflect what has happened and more importantly,
why it has happened. While we can never go back to our past, we can take
measures to ensure that our future looks bright.
Many people I know
have thrown in their towel and are ready to move into the next year. However,
the way we end something is how we enter into another. If it was a year to
forget, we should consider why things went wrong. We shouldn’t feel guilty but
make adjustments. Insanity is to keep
doing the same thing and expect a different result.
Jesus said, “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy
but I have come so that you may have abundant life” (John 10:10). Let me share
with you four keys that will produce abundant life.
1. Decide. Everything we are, everything we
have is because of the decisions we made in the past. You’ve heard the
expression, “What were you thinking?”
Truth is, most of the time we’re not thinking when we made the dumb decisions.
If we’re going to enjoy life, it is imperative that we learn to make good
decisions. There are five major areas we
have to make wise decisions - God, family, relationships, money and health.
When you’re dealing with any of this, take extra time to hear God and do what His
Word says. Take counsel. Wise decisions
will produce wide harvest.
2. Be Diligent. I’ve met many people with wish-bone but only a few have any
backbone. Unlike popular myth, God wants us all to do well in life. He gave us able
body, mind and strength to think, pray, connect, work and do what we can. When we
do our due diligence, God will play His part. I heard of a young man who wanted
to work for a department store in the east. He wrote over 300 letters applying
for a job. Not one replies! Finally he got all his savings together and bought
a train ticket to New York. Upon arrival, he was spellbound! When he got to the
building, the interviewer pointed to a stack of letters they had received from this
young man. Baffled, the young man said, “Why
didn’t you reply to my letters?” The interviewer said, “We knew you’d come!” Needless to say, the young man got hired and
spent the rest of his life building a great company and making tremendous
contribution. How diligent are you about doing the things God placed in your
heart?
3. Declare. What we say demonstrate what
we believe. Jesus said, “Out of the
abundance of heart, man speaks.” When we say thing that are contrary to God’s
Word, we’re sabotaging our own future. It may feel good at the time but it will
rob us. You can’t have a poor mouth and a rich life. You can’t always talk
sickness and have health. You can’t talk lack and have abundance. You can’t
talk defeat and expect victory. The Bible says, “Death and life is in the POWER of your tongue.” Notice we exert
power over lives by the words we speak. God created the heavens and the earth by
declaring His Word. We too can create our world by speaking positive, uplifting,
kind, life-giving words about ourselves and of others. Faith works both ways of
what we speak. You can speak faith for abundant or a defeated life. Change your
words and it will change your world!
4. Be Determined. Our culture and society
have conditioned us to give up anything that is hard or not fun. Always
remember this, when you want something really bad, there will be oppositions.
The enemy will fight you the hardest when you’re about to reap your harvest. You
gotta be determined to outlast the enemy! If you have a big struggle, you have
a big victory coming. Paul didn’t pray for all the problems to go away but he
prayed that they will have strength to go through the difficult things. If you
haven’t figured this out it, life’s a fight. You can fight to win or lose by
default. I suggest you be determined and fight till the end because Jesus and I
are praying for you!
“For I know
the thoughts and plans that I
have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and
plans for welfare and peace and
not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome”
(Jeremiah 29:11 AMP).
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