For more than forty years, I have walked in fellowship with the Lord. The Bible tells us that when we were born again, we were given the measure of faith. Some people continually grow in faith, moving from faith to faith, while others become stagnant and never seem to grow. Why is that? What holds them back? More importantly, could this one thing that I’m sharing with you this month be holding YOU back from going to the next level of faith?
Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conversation (lifestyle) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
If you know anything about our covenant with God you know that this does not mean that you should never want anything else or have ambition to go any further. Rather, the Holy Ghost is telling us to change the way we’re thinking! We are to look at what we have and rejoice about it instead of always looking at what we don’t have, which leads to complaining and envying others.
Further in the same chapter, verse 15 says, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
When you confess the Word of God it should always be from an attitude of thankfulness. Giving thanks is not just putting a smile on your face and acting like everything is all right. Giving thanks the Bible way comes from a heart and mind that understands that God is taking care of the situation.
If circumstances surround you right now that don’t reflect your full redemption, begin to look for seed to sow. If you’re in need of healing, the Word is FULL of seed regarding your health. If you’re short on the finances you need, then you can find seed to sow. I remember a time when my wife, Phyllis, would put pennies and nickels in the mail to sow to Kenneth Copeland, and she would spend more on the stamp to get it there than she put in the envelope. It didn’t matter to her. Those coins took on LIFE when they became seed, and it produced harvest for us. This very act of faith caused her to change her thinking—no longer was she looking at what she didn’t have, she was thankful for the seed she did have and the harvest that was to come.
The spirit of the New Testament and Pentecost is the spirit of thankfulness. Some of those older Pentecostals suffered much persecution, criticized by everyone in town, yet they walked with joy and peace BECAUSE THEY WERE THANKFUL. Being thankful affects the way you think and will put every situation in proper perspective.
I Timothy 6:12 tells us to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
The fight of faith is the ONLY fight we are instructed to fight, and the very fact that it’s called a fight lets us know that there will be some resistance. The enemy will exert effort to take faith out of you by diverting your attention with the problem. Recognize that ultimately, he is after your mouth, but he begins with your thinking. On the other hand, God can use your tongue to bless everything you’re involved in, and it’s the attitude of thanksgiving that will keep your mouth and your heart hooked up at all times.
This attitude and spirit of thankfulness will keep your mind in its proper place. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, recognize the significance of what you do have. Use it as seed and it will become the harvest you desire.
According to Second Corinthians 9: 11, here is God’s will for you…Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. He LOVES you, and just like any good father, He wants His children thankful while living the abundant life.