Monday, April 26, 2010

Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!

They say they serve Christ. I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
(2 Corinthians 11:23 NIV)


If you are going to do something mighty for God, you have to throw yourself into the call of God and do what is needed regardless of whether or not it is convenient to you. The fact is doing what God has called us to do must be paramount in our lives - more important than any comfort or pleasure. Like the examples we see in the lives of Jesus and the apostle Paul, we must be willing to do anything required or go to any length to do exactly what God has assigned to us.

Of course, God wants His people to be blessed! But a believer shouldn't start whining and complaining just because he runs into an attack of the devil that affects the level of comfort he is accustomed to. And if he is asked to do a little more than what is usually asked of him, he shouldn't start griping that the extra task is not a part of his job description. When a person does that, we can know that this is someone who will not do something mighty for God - at least not until he makes an adjustment in his attitude!

To push the forces of hell out of the way, you have to be more determined than hell itself. You have to be willing to do anything necessary to get the job done. The vision before you must be more important than your own personal pleasure. When you adopt this mentality for your life, you will always push through hard times and take significant territory for the Kingdom of God.

Paul had a determined attitude to finish God's call, regardless of what he had to do to or the challenges he had to face on his way to victory. You might say that he was obsessed to finish the work the Father had set before him.

There were many times in my life that I had been desperate about one thing or another. I would and did anything to accomplish the goal I had in mind. I reached a point of desperation before receiving my healing from Crohn's disease. Sometimes I had to be willing to give up on fostering a relationship with our children so that God could make a way for reconciliation to occur. That took dying to myself so that I would be changed and that gave our children space to grow and become the people God has called them to be! Sacrifice was called for and I had to yield.

Paul tells us what he has physically endured in order to fulfill his heavenly assignment. He tells us that he had been physically beaten as he pursued the fulfillment of his God-given task, experiencing "stripes above measure."

In my case, it has been more emotional stripes. The thought of a life without our children's company for example. Another example is doing and or saying what the Lord would have, knowing that some would be offended and I would be cast aside.

If we are leaning on the Lord and are desperately obsessed to have Him demonstrate His greatness amongst the believers and unsaved, there is a sacrifice involved. A sacrifice of self.

God is our loving Father and He calls us to go beyond what is normal. To view all things as temporal and the only things that matter is His will for your life and the lives of others.

We must be more determined than the forces that will try to come against us. Otherwise, it will not take much pressure to make us say, "This is too hard" or "I didn't understand how difficult this was going to be." We mentally start packing our bags so we can transfer back to a more comfortable territory where less is expected of us.

By no means am I wishing hardships or hard times on you. But, I do pray that you make up your mind to be tougher than anything the devil ever tries to throw in your direction. In our flesh alone, we are not strong enough to withstand the devil's assaults. But, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can resist, stand against, and drive back everything the devil will attempt to do to us, to our family, to our business, or to our church or ministry. Isn't it time for you to make up your mind to stick with God's call on your life and press ahead in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Recently the Lord spoke through me saying "Break the sound barrier; push the envelope. Push the envelope beyond what you can imagine or what you have experienced. Get dizzy in the Father's Love.

Know and experience that there is freedom in being obedient to the Lord and there is a refreshing that comes about by being diligent in His Word and soaking in His presence.

Take advantage of times of trouble by allowing God to bring you to a place of extreme confinement where His peace reigns and your contentment in Him will move mountains. Put your trust in Him.

In 1 Corinthians 15:55, we see that Paul learned to meditate on victory rather than on mortality and fatality: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" Wither this is death to self or physical death, we shall serve the Lord!

The Holy Spirit who empowered the apostle Paul to overcome trials and tribulations is the same Holy Spirit who is available to help you and me. You never have to be a defeated victim. If you choose to take advantage of the power that is available to you, the Spirit of God will energize and lift you to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw your way. Never forget that you have resurrection power residing inside you (see Romans 8:11). If you will yield to that power, it will supernaturally quicken you to overcome every time!

Throw open your arms of faith and embrace the Spirit's power to overcome each attack the devil has tried to orchestrate against you. If you will embrace that power, it will begin to flood you with everything you need to survive and to gloriously succeed in your task! Make the decision to let it start flowing today!

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