One of the most tragic words in any language is SOMEDAY! It sums up the unfulfilled hopes and dreams of this entire generation.
Listen to the addicted drug user or alcoholic, "Someday I'm going to break this habit! Someday I'll get this monkey off my back! Someday I'll wake up and this nightmare will be just a bad dream. Someday - I'll be free."
Listen to the young, lonely single person, "Some day my true love will come into my life and chase away all my blues! Someday I'll sit by a roaring fireplace, with candlelight, in the arms of someone who will love me and help me make it through the lonely nights. Someday - I'll be happy!
Listen to the heartbroken divorced person, "Someday I'll find someone who will understand me - someone kind, gentle, tender - someone who will wipe away all my tears. Someday I'll find that one true love, and I'll be happy! Someday this feeling of rejection will pass, and I'll laugh and love again - someday!"
Listen to the one locked into a loveless seemingly hopeless marriage, "Someday, somehow, there will be a way out! Someday I'll find what I'm looking for! I know there is happiness and magic out there somewhere. Someday I'll be free to follow my heart! Someday, I'll find someone to accept me as I am - someday!
If you look close enough, you will find that almost all mankind is living for that someday - when things will get better, when conditions will improve, when the bad times will disappear and the good times will come rolling in! We seem to think that all we need is a little more time; that someone will come along and make everything better! We think someday our prayers will be answered; someday we will be happier, holier; somewhere, somehow, a miracle is waiting to happen to us.
My friend, I've got news for you. Someday is never going to happen if you just sit around hoping for some kind of miracle. There will be no knight-in-shining-armor to deliver you from your troubles. If your prayers are to be answered, there are some steps you must take to make it happen. If the miracle ever happens, it will be a result of something you do! You can sit around waiting and wasting away and die in your fears, loneliness, and depression. There comes a time when you must take matters into your own hands. You must act! To sit and hope and dream could be fatal!
Four leprous men sat outside the besieged city of Samaria. the Syrian army was determined to starve them out. These men could have died of hunger, but they decided to do something about their hopeless situation. They said,
- "Why sit we here and die? Come, let us surrender unto the hosts of the Syrians... If they kill us, we shall but die. So they rose up... and when they were come into the camp... there was no man there..."
They discovered food, gold, silver, clothes - all their hearts could desire, "for the Lord had intervened..."
There is something tragically wrong with the way most of us are living the Christian life. We have strayed so far from God's concept of what life is supposed to be. We are not living it the way God intended at all!
Consider the adjectives God uses to describe the life He provided for all believers: abundant life, overcoming life, satisfying, full of joy, with the very peace of God that passeth all understanding; a walk of light with no part dark, fullness, quickened, free indeed; wisdom, good cheer, blessings, unction, power, anointing, liberty, assurance, quietness, victory!
Now think of the negative adjectives being tossed around by Christians today: coping, depression, fear, anxiety, sleeplessness, loneliness, blues, despair, survival, emptiness, restlessness, weakness, guilt, condemnation, temptation, oppression, bondage, holding on, down, hurt nervous, perplexed, burned out!
Not in the wildest stretch of the imagination did God intend for His people to live as we do today - as though God has forsaken the earth; as though Satan was gaining control; as though one-by-one the saints are going to be worn down and fall away; as if depression, fear, and anxiety are the Christian way; as though Christians are weak, void of strength or power, and ready to surrender to the powers of this age!
We live as though we think Satan can run slipshod over us at will, and that he can rob us of the things God has given. The most faithful among us now grow weary and weak; even the strongest are losing heart! This must not be allowed to continue!
Christ did not say He was coming back for a church that was depressed, downhearted, defeated, nervous, worn out, trying to cope with life. He said He was coming back for a triumphant church, overcoming, victorious over all the power of the enemy. Listen to His Word:
- "Shout unto God with the voice of triumph..." (Psalm 47:1).
- "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ..." (2 Corinthians 2:14).
- "Sing unto the Lord a new song, for He hath done marvelous things; His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory..." (Psalm 98:1).
- "For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith..." (1 John 5:4).
- "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us..." (Romans 8:37).
Just prior to His death, Christ stood over Jerusalem, weeping because of mankind's refusal to understand what God had provided for them. Jesus watched in quiet as the multitudes marched about as sheep having no shepherd: fearful, despairing, brokenhearted, restless. He must have been incredulous, thinking, "It's so unnecessary. They could be living in joy, peace, and contentment!"
"He wept over Jerusalem, and said, If you had only known on this day what would bring you peace... but now it is hidden from your eyes..." (Luke 19:41, 42).
Looking back, doesn't it seem unbelievable that people could be so blind? That they could walk about, living their lives in such fear and depression, when Christ was in their midst crying out, "Come to Me. I'll give you rest, peace. I'm the way; look to Me and be helped!"?
But aren't we just as blind as those poor souls?
- "You will not come to Me that you might have life..."
It is not enough to be satisfied only with eternal salvation. Some Christians think that is all God has provided. You get saved, then you endure till the end. It is even more tragic that we live in such spiritual poverty when you realize God has provided us even better promises than in Old Testament times.
- "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry... by which he is the mediator of a better agreement... which was established upon better promises..."
- "God having provided some better thing for us..." (Hebrews 11:40).
What is this better arrangement with better promises. It is Christ living in us, rather than among us! We need our eyes opened to His greatness in us!
- "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him... That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints... And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power..." (Ephesians 1:17-19).
- "And anoint thy eyes with eyesalve that you might see..." (Revelation 3:18).
The king of Syria sent an army of cavalrymen and charioteers and a huge battalion of soldiers, and they came by night to Dothan and surrounded that city to capture the prophet Elisha.
- "And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them... And Elisha prayed, Lord... open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw. And behold... the mountain was full of horses, chariots of fire..." (2 Kings 6:8-17).
We, too, need our eyes opened, for we have an even greater power:
- "Greater is He that is in us that he that is in the world..." (1 John 4:4).
I believe it is possible for you to turn your life around. I believe there is a way to discover a life of joy and peace beyond anything yet known. I believe there are three issues that must be faced, three steps to a new life of power and peace.
I - You must learn once and for all that you cannot
depend on someone else for your happiness!
- "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters... and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water..." (Jeremiah 2:13).
These two evils are the cause of all the unrest and turmoil in the world today. We no longer look to God for our help. We turn to people: husbands, wives, friends, ministers, counselors, psychologists. The wife expects her husband to make her happy, to chase away her blues, to fulfill her needs. The husband is an emotional cripple, leaning all over his wife, hoping she will meet his inner needs. Others run from one counselor to another, from book to tape to seminar to a confiding friend. We are constantly looking for the right person, the right word, the right encouragement.
It is important to be teachable, to submit to sound doctrine. But there are some things no human being can teach. There are some crises that only the Holy Spirit can lead to a way out. Sometimes there are no answers anywhere in human minds, then the Holy Spirit must teach us out of the crisis! We must turn inward and shut out all outside voices and clamoring. Here is proof:
- "But the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you, and you need not that anyone teach you..." (1 John 2:27).
- "The foolishness of God is wiser than men; the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1 Corinthians 1:25).
The things God wants to do for us have not yet even entered the minds of wise, worldly counselors.
- "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him..." (1 Corinthians 2:9).
They are revealed by the Spirit in us!
- "God that revealed them unto us by His Spirit..."
If the things God has prepared for us have not yet "even entered the mind of men," how can any man tell me what he does not know?
- "For what man knoweth the things of a man , but the Spirit of men which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God..." (1 Corinthians 2:11).
I am not against Christians seeking good counsel. I am not against Christian psychology. But none of it is worth even talking about unless it brings the person to this absolute truth: No other human being can be your source of happiness and peace!
Those who lean on the arm of flesh are digging wells that can't hold water. They are constantly needing someone to pour into them advice, but they can't hold it. They are broken cisterns.
II - The answer to all your problems can be found only in yourself!
I am not speaking of the godless self, but the regenerated self, possessed by Christ. One of the most important verses in God's Word is John 4:14:
- "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst... but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of life-giving water springing up into everlasting life..."
- "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink... He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water..." (John 7:38).
This life-giving water shall be in him and shall pour forth out of him! Out of where? His inner-most being!
Let me prove to you beyond any shadow of a doubt that everything you need in this life has already been given you when Christ came in! He is in us with all power for all needs!
- "According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue..." (2 Peter 1:3).
- "That God will give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you might know him..." (Ephesians 1:16, New English Version).
- "How very great is His power to work in us who believe..." (Ephesians 1:19).
- "Make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ..." (Hebrews 13:21).
- "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us..." (Ephesians 3:20).
- "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory... to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man..." (Galatians 3:16).
- "He has raised us up together, and made us to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:6).
- "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body, by the Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11).
I know there is some great, indescribable power within me! I sense it. It keeps waiting to break forth; it's a feeling that an explosion of greatness can come forth.
I know the Spirit knows all and sees all and that He alone has all the answers I need. I know I don't have to go to man or to anyone outside of myself. I know I must help myself. Everyone who calls Christ Lord and who trusts Him has the Holy Spirit in him to help make life abundant and glad.
- "Please understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost..." (1 Corinthians 12:3).
- "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God..." (1 John 4:2).
- "But you are not in the flesh... but the Spirit is IN you... if it is true He abides in you... If you don't have the Holy Spirit, you can't be His..." (Romans 8:9).
Do you call Jesus Lord of your life? You cannot believe on Christ unless the Spirit be IN you! You don't have to wait for some miraculous feeling or for a special revelation. You are ready to walk in the fullness of the Spirit the moment you confess Him as Lord and follow Him absolutely!
It seems almost unbelievable what the Spirit can do in us and for us! Listen:
- "And he shall send you a comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not... But you know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you" (John 14:16,17).
- "But when the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remberance whatsoever I have said unto you..." (John 14:26).
- "When the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself: but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and He will show you things to come..." (John 16:13).
- "But if the Spirit of Him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you... He that raised Christ from the dead shall also make alive your mortal body, by His Spirit that dwelleth in you..." (Romans 8:11).
- "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities [sins, weaknesses, habits], for we know not what to pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered... and he that seeth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, according to the will of God..." (Romans 8:26, 27).
- "We have received the Spirit, which is of God... that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God..." (1 Corinthians 2:12).
- "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things" (Romans 8:32).
- "Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you..." (1 Corinthians 3:16).
- "The Spirit produces love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control..." (Galatians 5:22, New English Version).
- "God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, and the Spirit cries out, Father, my Father...' And since you are no longer a slave, but a son, God will give you all He has for His sons..." (Galatians 4:6, 7, New English Version).
- "We must believe that He is (in us) and that he rewards those who diligently seek him."
- "When you heard the good news that brought you salvation, you believed in Christ, and God put His stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit He had provided... The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised His people, and assures us God will give complete freedom to those who are His..." (Ephesians 1:13, 14, Today's English Version).
Are you ready to receive this truth and act on it? What have we just read? He is in you: To comfort; to guide; to lead you into all truth; to show you things to come; to make you alive; to help all your infirmities; to help you understand all the things God has freely given you; to bring you joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, self-control; to give you all that a son of God has been promised; to reward your diligence; to assure your freedom; to give you access to the Father; to bring you a place of quiet rest and truth.
III - There is only one way to extract all this power -
only one way to put it to use in turning your life around!
It is not enough to quit leaning on the arm of the flesh! It is not enough to have a revelation of God's mighty power in us through Christ! It is not enough to repent and believe! It is not enough to claim all these blessings! It is not enough to exercise faith! Nor is it enough to fast and pray. Nor is it enough to go about boasting that you have been baptized with the Holy Ghost and speak with tongues. It is not enough to go about doing good, witnessing, reading your Bible.
I know may so-called "Spirit-baptized" Christians who live miserable lives. Some get divorced. Some live in adultery. Some are forever lonely and depressed. Some live in constant fear and guilt.
Speaking with the tongue of men and of angels is not enough! Giving your money is not enough.
God is waiting on us to do something we hate to do! We talk about doing it. We plan someday to do it. Some of us think we have already done it, but not really. Actually, doing it is the secret of the fullness of God. Doing it opens the floodgates of all God's blessings. Doing it brings new power, peace and confidence.
God wants an absolute, unqualified surrender of our life to Him. Nothing short of total yieldedness will bring to your lives the power and glory of God. The greatest, most supreme, condition a human being can experience is a life wholly given over to God!
The Holy Spirit may be in you, but have you fully yielded to Him, so that He can work through you? When you were converted, the Spirit came in. When you surrender, He takes possession! The proportion you yield to the Spirit is the proportion you will be filled and possessed by Him.
- "Yield yourselves unto God... neither yield unto sin... to whom you yield yourselves to obey, his servants you are.... As you have yielded ... as servants to iniquity... now yield... to righteousness unto holiness" (Romans 6:13, 16,19).
We must yield what we covet the most to be healed where we hurt the most. The man who covets to be rich and famous can no longer cope with his present condition. His obsession with getting rich makes him despise his poverty. He can never be happy where he is until he surrenders what he wants the most.
The wife who feels locked into a loveless, unfulfilling marriage covets freedom. She dreams of a man who is tender, kind loving. She covets a new life - freedom! She can never be healed of her present hurt until she yields the thing she covets the most.
The person who lives only for prosperity and promotion, to be accepted by people, coveting the praises of others, lives in misery! He can never be at peace with himself until he surrenders his spirit of covetousness.
The lonely single, living only for the day a love will come along, coveting a mate, will never be healed of loneliness until the thing most wanted is surrendered.
The thing you covet is the thing that causes your hurt. Give it up! Lay it down! Make up your mind to do only God's will, and healing power will be released in your life!
We must also yield when we are the most right!
"What credit is there if you suffer for having done wrong? But if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it..." (1 Peter 2:19,20).
The power of God is released in your life the moment you learn to surrender when right! When you know you are right! Someone else is in the wrong. You know it; perhaps they know it. The flesh rises up and argues, "Don't give in again. Don't be walked on. Don't be pushed around. Stand up for what is right."
When you can swallow your pride, humble yourself, forget your rights, and yield - that is growth! That is the way to open the floodgates of power, peace and joy! Learn to suffer when right, and God will bless you with spiritual power!
The motivation for yielding should not be fear but the joy of living! Most of us try to avoid sin. We try to surrender and obey, only to avoid hell and damnation. We yield because we are afraid of God's wrath.
But that is the wrong motive. We should yield so that we can live a full life in the Spirit; so that we can partake of His divine nature right now; so we can learn how to live - and not just how to die!
That besetting sin in your life is the one hindrance to the flow of all God's healing power. God wants it yielded and forsaken for one reason: He wants to do something great in your life. He wants you to move on into a new life of victory, glorious peace, and usefulness.
Get angry at your sin; speak to it; declare war on it, saying "I will no longer allow my sin to rob me of all God has for me! It has held me back long enough! It has stunted my Spiritual growth for too long! I want to be free. God, take it away!"
The responsibility is all in your hands! Your destiny is in your hands. You can have His power! God has already done all He can do; all He waits for is your full surrender!
Help yourself!
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