Friday, July 31, 2009

Don't Serve The Problem


By Kenneth Copeland

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him."
(Isaiah 55:7)

You can't win a victory as long as the problem is the biggest thing in your life!

The Lord woke me up to that fact a few years ago. At that time I was facing some difficulties in my ministry that seemed so big to me, I thought about them from morning till night. Even though I was standing against them, I was thinking more about those problems than about the scripture promises I was standing on.

Then I saw something in Matthew 6:24-25: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life."

I'd read that scripture hundreds of times, but that day I saw something I'd never noticed before. I saw that immediately after Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters," He said, "Take no thought." Suddenly it hit me: We serve our thoughts!

That's why Isaiah 55 says for us to forsake our thoughts, and by the Word, take God's thoughts. That's why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to cast out thoughts that challenge the Word and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Do you want deliverance from your problems today?

Then quit serving them! Quit allowing them to consume your thought life. And don't wait until circumstances change to do it. Instead, realize that circumstances won't ever change until you switch from wrong to right thinking.

I know that's not easy to do, especially in the midst of heavy darkness and trial. But you can do it if you'll do these three things:

First, remember you aren't alone. You have the Word (God's thoughts). You have the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and you have the mind of Christ.

Second, get around people who are full of faith. Instead of rehearsing your problem, let them do the talking. Make yourself listen. Join in with their faith and resist darkness.

Third, praise God. Do whatever it takes to make yourself praise. When you begin to praise, God's presence will turn back those worried thoughts and make them fall!

Your problems are not the biggest thing in your life. Jesus is. Serve Him with your thoughts and He will set you free!

Scripture Study: Isaiah 55:1-13 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen and amen, Mrs. M. I have found this very thing to be so true for me in the past few weeks. :)

Caroline said...

KCM often has such wonderful Bible studies that bring one back to center and just put you in check, you know? I get so distracted by my own "interests" and "hobbies" that I sometimes forget that God deserves my full attention and while it's okay to incline oneself to pursuits of entertainment, we ought to do it for the glory of God. Easier said than done!
Proverbs 30:12, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness."
Sometimes we look at ourselves as clean and worthy because we love God and set aside time to pray & study His Word, but if we still engage in petty and worldly doings, we must remember to step back and submit ourselves fully to our Lord and savior.

Ronda said...

Hi sweetie,

Thanks for sharing this today. You always share something right on time.


Love & Prayers,
Ronda