Today’s New Covenant nugget is from Philippians 4:13 (AMPC)
I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].
Saying, “I can do all things through Christ”, saying, “I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency” is a pretty bold confession - in this negative world that we live in it is a faith-challenge to be positive.
We need to have faith in this life… we need to have faith in ourselves before the Lord - we need to have faith in our ability in Christ - we need to be positive and not condemn ourselves in the choices we make by faith. Most of you reading this devotion want to do the right thing and are yielded to the Lord, so the thoughts that you think, the desires that you desire and the choices that you make are Spirit led. Trust your instincts, trust your ability to hear God and have faith that, not only can you do all things through Christ who strengthens you, but that you ARE doing the right things in His Name!
Being positive in life requires God-assurance as well as self-assurance… in other words, being assured and fully convinced that He is, that He is a rewarder, that He is for you, and that He has faith in you… it also requires being fully convinced that you can do all things through Christ. Being positive requires boldness, courage, faith in God, faith in self, self-love and a belief that all things are working together for your good.
Self-love and self-trust (trusting your instincts, your motives and your ability to hear God and to be Spirit led) is lacking in many believers today… mainly because in most cases, self-love and self-confidence is associated with pride. New Covenant self-love and self-confidence is not prideful at all… in fact it takes humility to acknowledge that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that you are a capable, gifted, unique, valuable child of the Most High God.
Being positive is walking in life, joy, hope, love and faith. Being positive is more than positive thinking, it is a state of being fully persuaded that the Lord is all powerful, and that our all powerful God loves us and is both willing and able to bless us, to provide for us and to do great things through us. Most people agree that He is able, but they question whether He is willing, or if we qualify.
We qualify because of Jesus and the fact that as born again believers we are in Christ – if our actions could disqualify us, then every human on the face of this earth would be disqualified… “have faith to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves!” (Romans 14:22) I love how the Holy Spirit speaks in this scripture… He does not say, “have faith in God,” He says, “have faith to YOURSELF…” in other words, ‘believe in yourself and in your ability to discern and to make right choices.’
The devil tricks many believers into second guessing themselves… “Did I really hear God? Did I really follow the Spirit? Did I do the right thing? Maybe I should have went with plan B?” – By second guessing ourselves, we take ourselves out of faith into the realm of double-mindedness and confusion, leading to failure!
Be positive, believe in God, believe that He is working all things together for your good, and believe in your ability in Christ to follow His leading, in Jesus Name!
Blessings on you, Nick
