THE CRUCIAL MOMENT
Taking every thought captive_2 Corinthians 10:5
The following is an excerpt from ‘Igniting Faith in 40 Days’ by Steve Backlund
What are the most important moments in the life of a growing Christian? Is it a powerful God encounter? Is it a fresh dedication to the purposes of God? Is it when we hear what the Spirit is saying to the church?
While these are important, I propose that there is another “God moment” that will have a greater effect on our destiny than these. What is it? It’s when we fail or have experiences that do not line up with the promises of God.
In that moment, we have a choice. Do we keep our identity (and God’s identity) in His promises, or do we use experience to empower a negative identity for us and for God? We must remember that negative strongholds are created and strengthened when we put our experiences above God’s Word.
When failure happens, we must think like this: “I may have sinned, but I am not a sinner. I may have had an accident, but I have a covenant of protection. I may be in lack, but I am a prosperous person. Healing may not have manifested, but Iam healed and bring healing to others.” I don’t deny my experience, I just don’t create my identify from it. I may need help from others concerning the failure, but I resist the temptation to make negative conclusions from it.
Those who passively rely on experience to identify who they are (and who God is) will greatly limit God in their lives; however, those who seize these crucial moments by taking thoughts captive will powerfully break down restrictive strongholds and enter into their promised land.
Make this declaration over your life:
I rejoice in apparent times of failure.
These are my crucial moments in life.
I am who the Bible says I am.
Right Living or Right Believing?
The following is an excerpt from Steve Backlund’s regular blog. Steve and Wendy Backlund head up Igniting Hope Ministries which host a Lent ‘Negativity Fast and Positivity Feast’ go to ignitinghope.com for information.
Is it more important to preach about right living or right believing? The Old Testament answer was right living, but the New Testament answer is clearly right believing – and right believing actually creates right living: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). When we are focused on right living we are focused on our own efforts to “do” righteous. When we are focused on right believing, we place our trust in the finished work of Jesus that He has “made” us righteous.
Abraham, an Old Covenant person, is held up to us as the example of how to live in the New Covenant. “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression” (Romans 4:13-15). Continue reading “Right Living or Right Believing?”