“What do you believe?” More than we have known in the before in our time, this question is one we are asking ourselves more and more with each year , month and day ?
Our beliefs govern our our thoughts which influence our decisions and direct our actions. As the new year starts I believe, it is vital that we decide now whether it is the word of God that we believe and living by or are we putting our faith and trust in other things or other people?
Joshua 24: 14-15 reads: “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
We make many new year resolutions each year , with goals to loose weight, relationship goals, fitness goals and financial goals. What about making a decision to believe and trust in the word of God concerning every aspect of our lives : health , work , children ,relationships ? A decision and commitment to speak His word ,in our conversations, our thoughts , our actions to be governed by His word.
Have you considered to be steadfast in His word and filled with praise, adoration and gratitude ?
This includes bringing our hearts , soul and mind before our Lord .
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37)
This year as Gracious women , we have committed to living a life of praise , gratitude and adoration unto our Lord.
That means we are saying goodbye to complaining and winning, ungratefulness and unappreciation. It is our responsibility to ensure that our mind , soul, body and heart are aligned inorder to worship our God . These areas can be the very things that are preventing us from doing so completely. Gratitude and praise is the language of heaven and we called citizens of heaven . When are back- biting , complaining, gossiping and so on , we are no longer speaking the language of heaven but instead joined with the enemy, Satan ;for he is the one who does not honour our God .
Can I encourage us to submit our mind, body and soul to God daily and intentionally to live a purposeful life as God intented and also bring Him joy . ” But they rebelled
And grieved His Holy Spirit;
Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy,
He fought against them”
( Isahiah 63:10)
Our grumbling and complaining grieves the heart of God .
Our soul
Our soul is where regeneration takes place . We are responsible for our mind will and emotions . “For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.” ( John 8:32)
We are to:
• Stewart our emotions
• separate our emotions from our actions
• take responsibility for our emotions.
• break off bitterness , anger, revenge , envy , comparison , malice, backbiting, foul or dirt, gossip, slander coming out of our mouths
Our minds:
“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you,but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes” ( Romans 12:2)
• change the way we think by renewing our minds with the word of God .
• it’s a daily process , study and live by the word of God
• be leaders of our minds through the word of God
• get our eyes off everyone else and fix our eyes on Jesus
Are you paying attention to what you are feeding your mind . Is it the:
• word of God
• Social media
• Other people’ s opinions and comments
• Your past
• Your culture
• The world’s systems
“We can demolish every deceptive fantasythat opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought[f] and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One.” ( 2 Corinthians 10:5)
Our bodies:
“Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, who lives in you? You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary”
( 1 Corinthians 6:19)
What are you doing with your body ?
– It is thebtenplenof God , the vessel where the Holy Spirit is housed
• our physical bodies are a part of our worship to God
• are you taking care of your body?
• are you protecting your body?
• what daily disciplines are in place to guard and nourish your body
“Let us not let this be just another year , but rather let this year be one where your life is representing the kingdom of God .
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action”
( James 1 :22-26)
