Hi wonderful people!
Hope you have had an awesome month, and got time to enjoy the love and warmth of those you love. June has been such a wonderful month! Not only does it have a touch of summer but also the effervescence of Spring, I love it!And if you thought June was awesome, July is the real deal!
Romans 8:18
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this world are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us”
Confessions Part II:
I, for one, recently went through a season of personal trial and testing.I bless God for it, but wouldnt want to repeat that class! Let me spare you the details, but like the land of the rising sun, my foundations were tested, to the point I almost despaired, but for God!)Psalms 11:1. I thank God for all the’ angels’ who came my way to strengthen me and keep hope alive.Bottom line is, I made it, now i'm stronger, wiser,better... not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God. To those cme to my aid: May God answer you when you call, may the name of the God of Jacob protect you! Amen.
So I write to strengthen you, my reader.
Giant killers aren’t slain by giants, but by a dominant flaw they have nursed through the years which they had a chance to deal with it, but never did. I mourn for all the champions and great men whose hubris has surfaced and destroyed them, if not caused them to stumble, or lose their way. Sometimes, it seems like we read our own press—and visit our own towering steel monuments-- to the point we think we are immortal, invincible! We forget that even the best of men, are men at best. We forget that the steel image is just that, an image; the real person is flesh and blood. Sadly, one key feature of our humanity is frailty…a frailty which so many in their moment of glory, forget.
Apart from a synthesis of the lessons I have learnt from my recent past, the following blog is excerpted from Mike Murdock’s book, The Law of Recognition. If you can, get the book, it is such an empowering resource.
Enjoy, and more so, mend your ways:
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RECOGNITION OF YOUR DOMINANT WEAKNESS:
Every human being contains weaknesses.
The Psalmist notes in Psalms 78:39:
“For he remembers that we are but flesh; a wind that passes away, and cometh not again.”
One weakness can destroy you.
Recognition of your dominant weakness will save you a thousand nights of tears failure and devastation.
Things that begin small can become huge.
Greed, lust, prayer and even gossip can grow.
Your weakness is a living organism within you. It is a force, silent deadly, that moves your life towards destruction. If ignored, it can wreck every dream, sabotage every worthy relationship and ultimately make you a monument of disgrace on the earth.
Here are some facts you should know about your weaknesses:
1.Everyone has weaknesses: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). It is only when we will be glorified that we will be perfect, but as it is; we are not yet there (bummer!) That’s human nature for you—we cast a veneer on the real us. Many camouflage their weaknesses. Always remember that those around you can contain weaknesses too. Failure to discern theirs may destroy you as well. Never forget: even the best of men, are men at best.
2.Your Heavenly Father is fully aware of your weaknesses: It matters to him. He cares. He longs to give you the strength to destroy it. “For he remembers that we are but flesh” (Psalms 78:39) “He remembers that we are dust” (Psalms 103:14)
3.Your weakness is the entry point of demonic spirits in your life. Satan entered Judas at the entry point of his weakness. Dude was greedy for gain, he used to steal from the ministry’s coffers, so, when the opportunity presented itself for him to ‘sell out’ on his master, the guy did it. Child of God, this is a caution to all of us: we better check ourselves before we wreck ourselves.
4.God will make every effort to reveal your weaknesses to you before it destroys you. He spoke to Simon Peter at the last supper: “And Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. And After you are converted, strengthen your brethren.”
5.Somebody will be assigned by Hell to feed your weakness: Delilah was sent by Satan to destroy Samson. (judges 16:4,5) Notice that Samson had been a judge over Israel for 20 years, 20 YEARS!!! From the very first crush on a philistine woman (let’s say he was 30 years old- 30 being the age when one was considered old enough to start a family and minister) to the end of two decades as a judge over God’s people, this man of God had tolerated, even justified, this weakness. He had allowed himself to be blinded by his spectacular strength, wisdom and authority from dealing with his weakness. So far, he had gotten away with it—for some 20 odd years. He had broken all but one of all the requirements for the consecration of Nazaites. (Truth be told, NO ONE is above God’s law.) Now, I believe there is nothing particularly wrong with falling in love, or being attracted to someone, whether they are Mr./ Miss right, or what’s left… But when you break God’s law to pursue what is forbidden, calamity is scheduled.
It was chapters after his initial escapade that it is noted that Samson loved a woman called Delilah (She must have been one foxxy mama, seeing that her name mean’s ‘entice’) It was only after he fell in love with her that the five lords of the Philistines approached her and offered her eleven thousand pieces of silver, each, for him. (Btw: they paid up as soon as she told them that Samson had told her all his heart—Delilah makes Judas look like a bad negotiator, doesn’t she?) Question is who do you love? What have you opened yourself up to? Think about it.
6.Your weakness will pursue, embrace and seize any relationship that permits it, feeds it , or enjoys it. The contentious spirit of one person can infiltrate a whole Church, especially those who allow it to exist unrebuked, unchecked and uncorrected. What you tolerate, you will consequently support. There is no stimulus you accept that is meant to leave you the same. So, I guess it is time to draw boundaries and raise standards.
7.Your weakness has an agenda, a plan to take over your life and sabotage it. James the Apostle says: “Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God” for god can not be tempted by evil, neither does he tempt anyone. But when he is tempted, he is lured and enticed by his own desire/ lust. When lust conceives it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. (James 1:15) Child of God let not the taste of that scrumptious worm blind you to the reality of the hook. Little fish, stop playing, swim away!
8.Your weakness will bond you to the wrong people. Remember Samson the judge who refused the daughters of Israel and instead chose Delilah the seductress who knew how to cater for her man…
9.Your weakness will separate you from the right people: Adam withdrew and hid from the presence of God after he had sinned. To date, Adam would rather sit in the bush than come to the light of the Gospel of Christ. Your weakness will make you uncomfortable in the presence of those who refuse to justify it.
10.Your weakness will emerge at any time of your life, including your closing years: “Cast me not off in the time of old age, forget me not when my strength faileth.” (Psalms 71:9) Dr. Lester Summral, a one-time protégé of Smith Wigglesworth and mentor of Rod Parsley, once said: “what you fail to master in your early years will master you in your later years.”
11.Your weakness cannot be overcome by humanism, human philosophy, explanations and self will power: If you could overcome your weakness by yourself, the blood of Jesus is powerless and the Holy Spirit is unnecessary. “You shall receive power after the Holy ghost has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8)
12.Your weakness does not require a personal confession before everybody, but a recognition of it in the presence of God: Psalms 34:18 “The LORD is nigh to them that are of a broken heart, and saves such as are of a contrite spirit.” James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” After every confession, pray. Get God involved in solving the disclosed problem.(Which means don’t share with anyone who cannot pray for you—it’s a waste of time.)
13.The easiest time to destroy a weakness is at the beginning stages: Time takes a fiber-like weakness and weaves a steel thread around it to the point it becomes an unbreakable chain. Consider those who are enslaved to smoking.
14.God will permit you to enjoy many victories even while your weakness is operating within you: He is long suffering. He is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. He is merciful. He provides opportunity for you to reach deliverance. (Mat 23:37)
15.Those you love are waiting in the shadows for you to overcome and triumph over your weakness: Your victory will send a message to them, in them too is the ability to conquer themselves and the nations. David killed Goliath and the entire Israel changed its season. Overcome! “All creation groans for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
16.Your weakness can only be overcome by the word of God: Satan reacts to the word of God, that is why Jesus used this as his choice weapon when dealing with the powers of darkness during his temptation. (Mat 4:1-11)
17.Overcoming your weakness will bring you incredible reward in eternity: Revelations 2 and 3 record Christ’s message to the seven churches. To everyone who fought to overcome what plagued them, he promised a specific reward. What is your most dominant weakness in your life that Satan has consistently used to dilute your testimony, break your focus and create depression? You may hide it for a season, but time exposes all things.
Address your weakness. Become an enemy of it (Most people enjoy temptation rather than endure it. Why? This generation does not hate sin—we hate the wages of sin but not sin. To truly love God is to hate what he hates—sin.) Trust the Holy Spirit to empower you to overcome, and even in midst of the storm of temptation—when you feel your resolve slipping, confess words of strength (BTW: The tongue is a rudder that turns the ship, what you say in the midst of a storm matters: what the devil says does not matter—it isn’t backed with veto power—what you say matters! He does not have authority over anything, until a human being relinquishes the same to him by coming into agreement with him. Remember Eve and the serpent. That’s why he deceives you to say what he is saying—always in the moment of weakness speak strength, speak life. Scripture says, let the weak say, “I am strong”. Death and life are in the power of your tongue! And if you love music, please don’t play that tune which encourages your state, however catchy it is—you will sing along with it and though you had strength to win, you lose!) Confession is the evidence of trust.
In conclusion, here are some pointers to remember:
What you fail to destroy will eventually destroy you: God told King Saul to destroy all Amalekites. He didn’t. Not only did he loose the Kingdom for this disobedience, but also was slain by the hand of an Amalekite when he failed to kill himself.
What you are willing to walk away from determines what God is willing to bring to you: Ruth walked away from Moab and met Boaz the uncommon husband. Judas refused to walk away from the money offered him to betray Jesus.(Dude sold out on the Lord of all Creation for the price of a common slave-30 pieces of silver- and lost out on his apostleship and a chance to have one of the foundations of the New Jerusalem have bear his name.) He committed suicide. If he only knew the reward the LORD had in store for him…what are you selling out on the LORD for? A husband? A wife? A career? A living? Even if it is all the riches of this world, it is not worth it. Great rewards in eternity await for whosoever will conquer: what no eye has seen, no ear heard, nor mind of man conceived—that is what the LORD has in store for you. Child of God, never give up, never give in.
All men fall—the greatest ones get back up. Your weakness can be overcome. Even when you have failed, get back up.
Stop looking at where you have been, start looking at where you are going. Yesterday is over, start talking like it. Speak words that move you toward your future instead of your past.
You cannot correct what you are unwilling to confront: Face your weakness. If you ignore it, it will grow to become a monster you must face.
Crisis always occurs at the curve of change. Sometimes, when we make major changes in or careers, in our plans, crisis emerges. Our weaknesses surface. Discern these ahead of time by looking ahead.
Anger is the birth place of solutions. Hate your weakness. Despise it. Then focus that anger appropriately.
Struggle is proof that you have not been conquered. You may feel like you are battling every moment of your life against your weakness. That is proof that you are still a champion, the leader, the winner!
What you tolerate, you cannot change: You cannot conquer your weakness if you think it is just a little vice and everyone is entitled to one.” It will eventually destroy you.
Every relationship will feed either a weakness or a strength in you: Name relationships for what they are. Do you keep someone in your life because they tolerate your weakness? Feed it? Nurture it? Wrong people breathe life into the weakness God is attempting to kill.(in effect, your friends end up resisting God and becoming his enemies.)
Recognition of your dominant weakness will help you avoid disgrace, loss and tragedy.
