Category Archives for Jesus Talk

VICTORY!

 

I was driving the other day and began to reflect on my past and the tears began to flow.  Tears of regret.   I began to think about some poor choices that I made and the consequences that followed; some of which had an impact on me even after I came to Christ.  I began to play out different scenes in my head and the more I thought on them the more depressed I became. The enemy began to accuse and mock me.  He reminded me that I should have known better and how could I?  I allowed myself to receive the accusations.

Now mind you, I had long repented of these sins.  However, in that moment I began to relive them.  I allowed the enemy to trick me into feeling condemned. I had to make a choice to SNAP out of this and claim the victory I had in Christ.  The Anika that played out in those scenes in my head was dead.   I no longer knew this person and by the grace of God, that old Anika will never be resurrected!  I have the victory but I had to claim it at that moment of condemnation, it wasn’t an automatic thing.   I am in a war and I had no choice but to engage and fight the devil with the truth of God’s word.

I had to remind myself of the NEW & IMPROVED ME!  The New blood bought, sanctified, forgiven, victorious, swimming in God’s grace me!  I am all for telling others about what God has done in me, but sometimes I have to testify to myself. The more I stood on who I now am, the devil had to get off my back.  He had to.  I am sure he will revisit again but I thank God that I have the ammunition to fight and to rebuke.

Do you find yourself living in condemnation?  What triggers these moment of condemnation?  Do you wallow in self-pity or do you stand on the truth of God’s word and fight?  If you have repented, don’t hold on to shame that is no longer yours. Don’t let the devil take you back, move forward in who you now are in Christ!

If any man is in Christ He is a new creation.  Old things are passed away and behold all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Below are two links to remind you of the new you.  Be blessed!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQfc7iQecw8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving Jesus Is Not Convenient

 

Jesus specializes in changing the course of your life.  He comes in and radically transforms things.  Before you sign on the dotted line, Jesus makes it quite clear that serving Him should never be about convenience.

He tells us up front like He told the disciples in Mathew 16:24, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.

I must be willing to give up my agenda, what I think I deserve, and how I think my life should turn out.

I must be willing to give up my “right” to pursue whatever pleases me and instead seek His face and respond in obedience to His directives.

I must be willing to say yes to what doesn’t make sense but trust that He knows best.

I must be willing to take risks as He leads and not let comfort and playing it safe be my blankets.  These blankets can suffocate the purpose of God for my life

I must be willing to let go of relationships that will take me off the narrow path.

IT IS NOT ABOUT ME!  It is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me (Galatians 2:20)

Carrying around a cross is not about convenience, it is about a willingness to sacrifice and to suffer.    A willingness to DIE…

A willingness to say not my will but your will be done.

 However, I must remember that  Jesus followers’ story never ends with the cross.  The cross is the pathway to glory.  The cross makes way for resurrection of the dead… the supernatural to take place in my life.

My suffering, my death, and my being inconvenienced births the POWER OF GOD in my life!  One that gives me power over all the powers of the enemy.  A mountain moving power!

Resurrection then opens the door to ascension and ultimately promotion.

Lord help me to say yes to being inconvenienced, knowing that when I lose I gain.  How about you, are you committed to being inconvenienced?  Do you struggle with this truth?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

 

2 Timothy 11-14 (NKJV)

 This is a trustworthy saying:

If we die with him,
we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.

 

 

 

 

I Can’t But I Will

This is another post from my 2012 archives.  Be blessed!

A few weeks ago, I did something that I did not think was possible.  I. RAN. FOR. TWO. MILES. WITHOUT. STOPPING!  Don’t ask me how long it took, that’s not even the point of the story, don’t steal my moment.  Ok so back to my story, I ran the entire 8 laps on the outdoor track without stopping.  I started off with failure in mind, no determination to actually run the entire distance.  Before I began, I had already concluded that it was too difficult and not possible.   BEFORE I STARTED I CAME TO THIS CONCLUSION!

I ran the first lap and decided that it was too hard and that I would just walk the other one, alternating running and walking until I completed the 8 laps.  BUT THEN sheer determination kicked in after the first lap, I thought, “hey I just ran one, why not two, and then I will walk the third.”  I completed the 3rd lap and thought, “not too bad, why I don’t just keep going?”   I had this conversation with myself and before I knew it, well a little while after, I had ran all 8 laps.  When I came to the 8th lap and had a few more yards in front of me, I mustered up enough strength to sprint the last few yards.  Ok, so to others it would have been a fast jog but for me, I was sprinting. AND THEN SWEET VICTORY WHEN MY FEET CROSSED THE FINISH LINE.  I accomplished something I didn’t think was possible. Isn’t this how it can sometimes be with our walk with Christ?  Many times we see what God is requiring of us, and before we even start we tell God we can’t, it is just not possible.   I have had the” I just can’t do it, I don’t see how” speech with God so many times.  I realize that while my mouth is saying I CANT, when I take a closer look what my unsurrendered heart is really saying is I DON’T WANT TO.

However like I learned that day on the track, if you are willing, it is possible.  In my relationship with God, I find that He is not asking if I can do it in my own strength, it is more, ARE YOU WILLING TO DO IT?   When I am willing, He gives me the strength to carry out the task, His grace kicks in.  People often tell me how impressed they are at my ability to mother these five children but on my really humble days, instead of basking in the compliments, I am willing to admit that I am not doing this on my own.  I am operating on sheer grace.  Truth be told, I have moments where I am at an absolute lost and don’t know how to respond when everyone is having a meltdown, INCLUDING ME!  God is not at all concerned about your ability, He is more focused and your WILLINGNESS.  Your willingness points to your surrender, and I find that I can’t really surrender to someone that I don’t trust.  If there is an absence of trust, then this diminishes the quality of the relationship.  OUCH!  Tough truth to swallow but truth nevertheless.

What is God asking you to do that you have already said no to before you even start?  Is it a closer relationship with Him?  Is it a career move, a relationship?  More sacrifice in your giving, service, use of your talents? Are you allowing the enemy to whisper thoughts of defeat telling you that you have been down this path before, and you will fail again?  Go ahead I encourage you to take one step in that direction and watch God’s grace kick in to accomplish what you deem to be impossible!

 

Philippians 2:13  NLT
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

 

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

 

 

 

Losing to Gain

I was blessed to speak at my church this Sunday on the thought, “Losing to Gain.”  Click on the link below to hear a short segment of this message.  What have you had to lose since following Christ?  What has been your perspective on your lost?  What have you gained?

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