Motivational Teaching

In the area of discipleship or learning how to live as a Christian many teachers and leaders focus on the “practices that lead to successful living.” I call this motivational teaching. According to the dictionary, Motivational Teaching is “Designed to promote the desire or willingness to do or achieve something.” For example, someone may teach that if you do this, then God will bless you, but if you do this, then God can’t bless you. While there may be truth to these statements, and it may be appropriate for new Believers, there is more to being a Jesus follower than do’s and don’ts! 

Living under rules of behavior often leads to fear of doing something wrong, and fear is the ground on which the Devil operates. The Old Testament is filled with examples of rules and regulations known as the Law or the Law of Moses, and as the Apostle Paul put it, the Law leads to death, whereas Grace leads to life. To grow as a Christian, we must be brought into a relationship with Jesus that is based upon love and not fear. Understanding and living in what Jesus purchased on the Cross for us is to understand our relationship with Him by Grace, the gift of God.

Milk or Meat?

That leads us to the question, is motivational teaching bad? Of course not; motivational teaching is necessary for a new Christian. However, to mature as a Christian, the motivation must come from the inside of a person and not the outside. For example, a newborn baby relies totally upon its mother to give milk, but as the child matures, the child learns to find food on their own. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 5:12, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Let us examine these verses of scripture. 

The writer of Hebrews chastises the Jewish converts to Christianity for not growing in maturity. He describes them as needing “milk and not solid food!” I think the meaning is clear; the people were being motivated by the leaders at the time to follow the rules to behave as Christians. To be fair, remember that these are newly converted Jews; they were used to “following the rules.” This kind of motivation tends to make people depend on leaders or others instead of on Jesus and His Holy Spirit. Believers who need milk will often try to imitate the Christian lifestyle. Again, let me be clear this is perfectly normal and proper for a “babe in Christ.” A babe needs to be taken care of, guided, and directed, but at some point, they need to learn how to be motivated by the Christ living in them, to become independently strong in Christ!

Righteousness

Verse 13 states, “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Righteousness is both a gift and an essential characteristic of a Believer. Righteousness can be defined as being right in God’s eyes. Spiritually we are righteous before the Father as a gift of Grace by believing and trusting in Jesus. However, you know as well as I do that our thoughts and actions don’t always align with what God wants or expects. Spiritual righteousness is instantaneous. Working it out so that we also act righteously is a work that is continually in progress. 

So, on the one hand, as an immature Believer, there are many misunderstandings and habits that are not in line with God’s purpose for us. Now I am being taught from the Bible a whole new way of life, and I need rules and direction to help with those areas that are not part of my customary behavior, and being taught by others how to live is what I need. 

However, if I practice doing something I am not accustomed to because I am being taught what is right and wrong; what is a conscious effort eventually becomes a sub-conscious effort. I no longer must think about what is right or wrong; I will do what is right because of an internal motivator, the Holy Spirit. You see, every Believer needs the “Helper,” the Holy Spirit. There is no victory in this life based solely on human effort or discipline. When we partner with the Holy Spirit and learn to be led by Him, we will fulfill the call and purpose of God in our lives. That call and purpose are to become more like Jesus every day!

Exercising our Faith

Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Some think that years as a Christian determine maturity in Christ, but that is not necessarily so. I’ve known many Christians that have been Christians for 25 years and have not grown in Christ. As someone once said, “It’s not how long you’ve been on the road, but how far you’ve traveled on the road!” 

Having senses exercised to discern both good and evil is a spiritual gift every mature Believer has because of the Holy Spirit. The key word here is “exercises” to discern both good and evil. Walking in the righteousness of God is a process of trial and error. When we begin, we need guidelines. As Christians, we have the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and faithful teachers. As we continue to grow in faith, the Word makes more and more sense to us. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2, “13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

Our faith continues to grow because of the Word of God. Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” I should point out that the word in the “word of God” is the Greek word rhema. Rhema is the spoken word of God, so we have the written word of God and the spoken word of God. What is the difference? The written word is the Bible, and the spoken word is when the Holy Spirit speaks to you concerning the written word! The Bible is a spiritual book and can only be understood by those who have the Holy Spirit. As Believers, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

Getting Back to Milk or Meat. 

We saw Paul chastising the newly converted Christians in the book of Hebrews, and now he has something to say to the church in Corinth. 1 Corinthians 3:1, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able.” Paul chastises the Corinthian Christians for not growing in maturity. They were still carnal or worldly. Remember, it’s not how long you’ve been a Christian but how much you’ve grown that is important.

We Need Milk and Meat.

One way to look at this subject of motivation is the following: “we start in the flesh and end up in the spirit.” As new Christians, we are still very carnal. The word carnal simply means that we are relying on our own worldly logic, intellect, or habits. We don’t always realize that what we are doing is wrong or evil. Our salvation experience is real, but we are still very natural-minded. We start by being motivated by biblical teaching, preaching, and Bible study. We consciously practice what we learn, then what we practice becomes our natural response. This is the meaning of Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” In the beginning, we must consciously choose good over evil, God’s view or the world’s view, but in time the good becomes our default or first choice. All of this is because righteous habits and the truth of God replace our old habits and lies that we have believed.

The Apostle John makes it clear that it is the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth. 

• John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
• John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

What Does a Mature Christian Look Like”

As a mature Christian, you have learned to trust the Holy Spirit to discern truth when you hear it or read it and, therefore, to be led by the Spirit and not the flesh. A new Believer does not need anyone to act like the Holy Spirit in their lives, approving or condemning their actions. There is only one Holy Spirit, and a human being cannot take His place. The Holy Spirit is more than able to complete what He has started. Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;.”

A mature Christian is not measured by age, gender, position, or title. The measure of a mature Christian is found in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.” These are the characteristics of the Holy Spirit living in the Believer. All these attributes are already present in the Believer. The Believer must learn to walk in it. This takes trust or faith, boldness at times, and sensitivity or awareness of God at work in you. 

Every Believer has the potential to fulfill the call of God upon their lives because every Believer has Spiritual Authority. Spiritual Authority has been given us by the Lord Jesus Christ to become mature disciples and to resist anything or anyone who would try to undermine our relationship with the Lord.

We will be sharing about the Spiritual Authority of the Believer the next time.  Don’t miss it!

The book of Revelation is the last book of the New Testament and is largely prophetic in nature, and most of it describes the “End Times.” Theologians call this subject “End Times,” Eschatology. Eschatology is defined as: “the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind.”

Prophecy is always forward-looking; true prophecy is the revelation of God’s will, which He will perform. Prophecy is always easier to understand looking back on an event than before the fulfillment of the prophecy. Jesus would often say to His disciples, “But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them, and these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you” (John 16:4). 

I say all this to remind you that the Book of Revelation is primarily prophetic in nature and very difficult to understand because it speaks of future times and events. However, one thing is sure, Jesus is at the center of the Book of Revelation and the “End Times.” How Jesus is described helps us to see how awesome and powerful He is. Isn’t it wonderful to know that the same Jesus lives in us and through us by the Holy Spirit? 

The Alpha and Omega

In a vision, the apostle John describes Jesus as the “Alpha and Omega!” We see this term used in the following verses: Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 21:6, and 22:13. The word alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and omega is the last letter of the alphabet. In other words, Jesus is the beginning and end of all things. He was in the beginning when the Father created the world, and He will be at the end when the world as we know it will be destroyed and a new heaven and earth is established.

In the Beginning (Alpha)

Several places in the New Testament show that Jesus’ existed before He came to earth. Remember, when Jesus walked the earth, He was God incarnate, which means He took an earthly form. Jesus said, “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:5). This verse alone should be enough to convince one of the eternal nature, past and future, of Jesus. However, it is just one of many such passages. 

Jesus Himself plainly taught His own existence with the Father even at Creation, look at John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made.” How much more evidence does one need? But for the skeptics, there are the following passages.

• Jesus said that He existed even before Abraham’s birth in John 8:58-59. “Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” That was about 1800 years before Abraham.”
• In Romans 8:3, Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” You see, Jesus was sent by the Father; therefore, He was with the Father.
• Again, we see in Galatians 4:3, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
• Colossians 1:16-17, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
• Hebrews 1:1-2,” God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”

These scripture passages are just a few of the many that point to the pre-existence of Jesus Christ, our personal Savior.

And the End (The Omega)

Just as Jesus was at the beginning of creation and our creation, He will also be at the end of all things. I take great comfort in knowing that when I take my last breath, I will see Him face to face. You should also take comfort in that truth found in 2 Corinthians 5:6, “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Simply put, when we reach our end, we will start anew face-to-face with Jesus. Hearing the words, “Well done good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21 & 23)

            Jesus is also present at the end of time. At the end, there are two judgments described in scripture, the Judgment seat of Christ (also called Bema Judgment) for Believers and the White Throne Judgement for non-believers.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

The Judgement seat of Christ, the word seat in the original Greek is “Bema,” which is why some call it the Bema Judgement. In any case, this judgment is reserved for all believers and is not a judgment of condemnation. Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” This judgment is for rewards based on how you lived your life for Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:9, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

The Apostle Paul gives an illustration of this judgment in 1 Corinthians 3, beginning in verse 12, “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” I hope you can see that this judgment is for blessing and rewards in heaven.

The White Throne Judgment

This is the judgment of wrath poured out on the unbelievers of all times. This will take place at the end of time after the beast, the antichrist, and the devil are cast into the “Lake of Fire and brimstone”, Revelation 20:19. Listen to these verses from Revelation 20:11-15, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The scriptures clearly speak for themselves, no unbeliever escapes the White Throne Judgment, but we can rest in assurance because we are His, and we will be safe; our names are written in the Book of Life. This truth should also make us aware of our responsibility as Christians to share the Good News of the Gospel wherever and whenever we can.

Other Names of Jesus in Revelation

In Revelation, Jesus is also described by other names, such as the Almighty One (Rev 1:8), which means that there is no authority greater than He and no power greater than Jesus. Jesus is described as the “King of kings” in Rev 17:14 and Rev 19:16. Jesus is also described as the “King of kings” in 1 Timothy 6:15. The meaning is clear there is no one greater than our King, King Jesus! Then in Rev 19:11, Jesus is called “Faithful and true.” Jesus is faithful in that He will never leave us nor forsake us; our salvation is guaranteed. We can trust in His faithfulness because Jesus is the embodiment of truth; he cannot lie.

In Closing 

The writer says in Hebrews 12:1-2, “and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” I hope you can see that we could rephrase this verse as “Jesus is the alpha and omega of our faith,” In other words, Jesus is the foundation of our faith and Him alone. As Believers scriptures tell us that He has given us a “measure of faith” to begin with, and He will complete our faith as we look to Him. Philippians 1:6 says, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

When we continually remind ourselves of the fact Jesus is the rock of our foundation in Christianity, we build confidence and faith in Him. This is so important when we face the trials and tribulations of life. Here is some advice instead of being anxious, fearful, or panicking, focus on Jesus and remind yourself that Jesus is greater than the problem you face. Too many times, we focus on the problem or the devil instead of the one who loved you, gave His life for you, and rose again so that He could send His Holy Spirit to you. We serve an awesome God, and you are an awesome person because of Jesus your King, the Alpha, and Omega!

The truth is that the Lord sent Jesus for sinners, not the righteous. The dilemma is that none of us can save ourselves; we need a Savior. Jesus is the Savior; as a matter of fact, the term Christ or Messiah means exactly that, savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world! Ephesians 2:8 clearly show us that truth, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Our faith, faith in Jesus, is what releases God’s grace. The word grace in the original Greek is “Charis,” which can be interpreted as a gift. God’s salvation is a gift of grace. 

Until a person fully understands what they have been saved from and saved to, they can never fully appreciate God’s grace. God’s grace, through Jesus Christ, means that I can live in victory here in this life and spend a future eternity in glory in Heaven. 

You might rightly say, “but pastor Vic, I’ve accepted Jesus into my life, and I still deal with sin in my life!” quite frankly, we all deal with sin, even as Christians. The difference is that the Lord sees us as we shall be and not as we are. We are all “works in progress!” that means we are moving from “faith to faith” and “glory to glory.” 

There are two things to consider as we fulfill the Christian walk as Believers. 

• One is that God has sent us the Holy Spirit to live in us and help us to live transformed lives. If we don’t learn to “hear” the Holy Spirit leading, guiding, and teaching us through the Bible and speaking to our hearts, we will always have struggles living a victorious Christian life. 
• The second thing to consider is that we want to change by His grace and in His grace! When we see and appreciate what the Lord has delivered us from, our love for God will be transformed into a life serving Him.

God Sees Value in You!

Another challenge for us to believe is that we have value to God! We can read in the Bible references to God’s great love for us, but we sometimes have a hard time believing it. I love what Jesus says in John 15:14, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant, does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” You see, as a Believer, you stand in a special position; you are a friend of God!

Then there is the powerful statement by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8: 37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You see, once you are born-again, you can’t lose your salvation or position in God. Your relationship is not like a set of keys or mobile phone you’ve misplaced; the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Then we have the parables of Jesus attesting to our value to Him.

• Matthew 13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” You are the “pearl of great price!”
• Then in Matthew 10:29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” You see, again, you have value to God.
• Then there are the examples of your value to God found in Luke 15. You are the one in 99, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. You are the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son; you are all redeemed by God’s grace.

Change of View.

Your value is not in how you see yourself but in how God sees you! The problem is that we prefer to believe what the world says of us or what people say about us. None of us are perfect, but we are getting there, and one day when we see Jesus face to face, we will hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21 & 23).” All of us have been lost in life, but now we have the love of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son, and the compass of the Holy Spirit living in us.

As a child, I would wish I was in someone else’s family. My family was poor, and my parents were deaf mutes. So, I always wished I was in my friend’s family. I would even think that perhaps I was adopted and my real parents were famous and wealthy. Over the years, I’ve learned that many people have felt that way growing up. Well, here is the good news, you do belong to a new family, the family of God. 

Until you see yourself as valued beyond measure by God, you will always doubt and waver in your faith that He will take care of you. Imagine how different your life would be if you found out that you were a prince or a princess in real life. Your perspective would change, your priorities would change, and your life would change! Well, God says you are. A son or daughter of the King! You are royalty!

The Faith Walk.

For everything in the Word to come to pass requires that we “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Spiritually speaking, your Father is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That means you have to combat the lies that the devil has implanted in your mind and replace them with the truth of God. 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” Since faith is the key to grace, let’s look at God’s kind of faith.

Faith means that you believe what God has said in His Word, and you, therefore, act like you believe, even when you have doubts and fears. All of the great men and women of the Bible had moments of doubt and fear, but they chose to believe in God and received the crown of glory. 

Don’t let your past define your future. Others may point out your failures and mistakes; however, it is what God says about you that matters, and He says you are His.

For example, if I showed you a USD 20 bill and asked what is it worth, you would respond 20 dollars. If I folded the $20 bill in half, would it reduce its value? What if I crumpled it up? Would it still be worth 20 dollars? Finally, if I stepped on it and ground it into the ground, what would it be worth? Of course, the answer is $20. It is not the outward appearance that produces the value. In the same way, you have value in God’s eyes, and nothing or no one can diminish your value to Him.

The Process: Seeing yourself in a different light.

The way you see yourself in the light of Christ is a process. It begins with gratitude and gratefulness for what God has given you. Our motivation to change is recognizing God’s grace, which becomes the only thing that should make us want to change. That change is called transformation. It begins with a change of heart and direction in your life; this is called repentance. Then you will find that the Holy Spirit will lead you in new ways of thinking and behaving. In other words, the change takes place on the inside and produces its effect on the outside. Proverbs tells us that as a person thinks, so that person is. You see, it begins with seeing yourself from God’s perspective. 

Romans 12: 1 (1) Sacrifice yourself (give up your ways) and (2) renew your mind. (repentance, a changed mind). “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

What is His will in this verse? It is to treat you like a son or daughter with access to every blessing in Heaven.

Seeing your Father in Heaven accurately.

The gospel writer says in 1 John 3:1, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” It is important to avoid making comparisons between your Father in Heaven and earthly fathers. Earthly fathers, try as they may, are all imperfect. On the other hand, your heavenly Father is perfect in every way. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We come to Jesus as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.

As Christians, we are new creations! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This means we must discard all guilt, shame, and fear of the past. As a new creation, you get to start over again, but even then, the enemy of your soul, the devil, will try to bring up your past. Just tell the devil that the old you is dead, and you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. As a new creation Christian, the devil has no authority or power over you. “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. That is a promise, Submit to God first, then resist the devil’s lies, and he will flee.

Closing Example

I read about an example of how your perspective can change your attitude. “In certain parts of Africa, a groom must pay a bride price to a woman’s father in order to marry a woman. Usually, this dowry might be four or five cows. If she is very beautiful or a good cook, her price is six cows. In one village, there was a woman who was very ugly and she was a horrible cook. No one wanted to marry her. But a man came to the village and fell in love with her. He went to her father and said, “I want to marry your daughter; how many cows do you want for her?” The father did not want to ask for much because he knew how ugly she was, but before he could answer, the man said, “I will give you 12 cows for your daughter because I love her.” A few years later, a beautiful woman came back to visit the village. It was the girl who had once been ugly. Once she knew she was worth 12 cows, she became very beautiful. God was willing to pay such a high price for us because to Him we are very valuable.” Anon.

You see, how you see yourself will determine your destiny. I encourage you to see yourself as the Lord sees you, as a son or daughter.

Doubt, Anxiety, and Fear

Doubt and anxiety indicate that we have not completely surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. A lack of assurance in our salvation and/or Jesus’ ability to keep us in any situation or circumstance shows that we don’t fully trust in Him, our Lord, and Savior. Fear is the enemy of faith or confidence, and fear keeps us looking at the problem instead of the solution, which is found in Jesus. The Apostle James also has something to say about the lack of assurance or faith. James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Jesus goes to great lengths teaching to us totally trust God in Matthew 6:25-34! In these verses, Jesus tells us not to worry or become preoccupied about life, worrying about what you will eat, drink or wear. You might ask, well, how do I do that? Let’s be honest; we all have concerns about quality-of-life issues, but the key to understanding this principle is found in verse 33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” The point here is about priorities! Are we seeking God’s issues and concerns first, and are we acting righteously, or doing right in God’s eyes, in all our actions and behaviors? Jesus promises that if we put Him first in our life, all the things we need will follow. Jesus makes it clear that your heavenly Father knows what you need and what will be added to you if you will keep Him first in your heart and mind. 

Something I have tried to keep as my priorities is God first, spouse next, then children, church, and job or employment. There will be times when these priorities get moved about but always keep the Lord first. You see, keeping Him first will help you be successful in all the other priorities of life.

As I have said before, a sure sign of not trusting in the Lord is fear, anxiety, and worry; they are the opposite of assurance or confidence. Many have developed the habit of worrying even from childhood. Parents who are constantly anxious can transfer those traits to their children. Some have had near traumatic or traumatic events that have started them down the road of anxiety and worry. The good news is that the Apostle Paul shows us how to overcome this destructive habit in our lives. Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” So, if we are prone to worry and anxiety, we need to develop the habit of prayer and supplication with thanksgiving when making our needs known to God. 

Don’t tell everyone about your problems or concerns. Learn to rely on the Lord by telling Him, for the Lord has the authority and power to meet all your needs. If you tell others, choose people you can trust to pray and intercede for you.

Pattern for Prayer

A well-known pattern for prayer is the acronym A.C.T.S. 

1. A is for Adoration. Adoration is worship. Worship is different from praise in that praise is being thankful for what God has done, whereas worship is being thankful for who God is. Worship is when we come to the attitude of saying, “Lord, knowing you is enough!” 
2. C is for Confession. Confession is acknowledging our weakness in walking in righteousness. It is recognizing that we are a “work in progress” and committing to doing better. It is recognizing the goal of Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
3. T is for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is how we become aware of all that God has done and is doing in our lives. Our focus is on Him rather than what we can get from Him. Philippians 4: 6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
4. S is for Supplication. Supplication is when we ask the Lord for our needs and the needs of those around us. Worship, confession, and thanksgiving place us in the proper place to enter the Throne Room of God and ask for our needs. 

While we are praying the ACTS sequence, we should always be open and expecting to hear from the Lord. Too many well-meaning Christians have a one-way conversation with God, never expecting to get assurance, comfort, and direction from the Lord. Remember, prayer is not simply a religious act. It is a relational act; you are communicating, having a dialogue with the Lord; make sure you leave time for Him to speak to you. Expect to hear an answer, in your heart and spirit, and then do it.

Assurance of Faith

The Lord has provided several avenues to help us grow in having faith or assurance in God. 

1. The Lord has given us His Word in the Bible. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16)
2. The Lord has also given us the presence of His Holy Spirit, who lives in us. The Holy Spirit is our guide, teacher, and witness to what God has done in us. Also, let us not forget that the Holy Spirit is the seal of ownership by the Lord, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
3. The Lord is also transforming our minds with personal revelations of who He is, and as a result, we see changes in how we think and act. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

These are some of the proofs that God loves us and has a plan for us that will glorify Him.

There are at least five areas of assurance that we must settle in our lives:

1. Assurance of salvation. We are born-again and now have eternal life with God. Very importantly, nothing or no one can take that away from us. Romans 8:38, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That sounds pretty thorough and complete to me!
2. Assurance of answered prayer. God’s words in the Bible assure us that He hears our prayers. But remember, prayer is a dialogue, which means you speak, and he listens, then He speaks, and you listen. This is relational communication.
   
   John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
   
   1 John 5:14, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
3. Assurance of victory. The Apostle Paul states that because death and sin have been conquered, we can have victory through Jesus Christ. When Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit descended to the earth to live in every born-again believer of Jesus Christ.
   
   1 Corinthians 15:56, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
   
   1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
4. Assurance of forgiveness. The Bible teaches that salvation and forgiveness are by grace. That means you can’t earn them, nor do you deserve them. It is a gift of God. This doesn’t mean that you are free to behave sinfully. This forgiveness means that as you pursue His righteousness and right living, you are bound to make mistakes and stumble, and the Lord will not cast you away. Very much like when your children were small, you didn’t cast away your child because they made mistakes.
   
   Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
   
   Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
5. Assurance of guidance. To receive the guidance or direction of the Holy Spirit is a process. Learning to hear the voice of the Lord takes practice, and you will probably make mistakes along the way; this is natural and normal. Don’t give up! God can speak to us in our minds or heart, through others, through the Bible, as well as through the circumstances of life. Don’t underestimate the Holy Spirit’s ability to communicate with you, but you must recognize His voice. When my wife calls me on the phone, I never ask, “who is this,” because I recognize her voice. In the same way, you learn to recognize the voice or actions of the Holy Spirit.
   
   John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
   
   John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

Conclusion

1. In conclusion, let me say this; there is a difference between faith and assurance. Faith sees into the supernatural, and faith brings the Kingdom of God to the earth. Assurance, on the other hand, causes one not to be afraid, embarrassed or intimidated in living the Christ-centered life or sharing what Jesus has done for you. We need faith to please God (Hebrews 11:6); we need assurance or confidence to convince others of the truthfulness of the Bible and the plan of salvation available to all. In the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”