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2 Timothy 1:7: God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

We have everything we need for life and godliness. God gives us the power; yet, so many men and women live defeated, fearful lives. Why is that? You roll out of bed and before your feet hit the floor, the enemy has sized you up and is planning an all day picnic basket full of torment against you. AND YOU’RE GOING TO LET HIM! Why?

Maybe you don’t have a battle plan for the day or for your life. And then on top of that we confess with our mouths something like “I’m not really happy in my marriage, but we get along okay; I guess this is the best we can expect.” “I’m not really all that healthy, but at least I can get out of bed in the morning.” Here is one of my favorites, “I don’t really have enough money, but with a little luck, I can pay a few of these bills.” Ladies and gentlemen, we are in dire need of changing our confessions!

I’ve got a story for you that I love to tell and I think that you will get something from it. The story begins like this; there once was a man who worked very hard and took all the overtime that he could and really saved every extra penny he could, and finally had just enough money to purchase a ticket aboard a cruise ship. The trip at that time required about two or three weeks to cross the ocean. He went out and bought a suitcase and filled it full of cheese and crackers. That’s all he could afford.

Once on board, all the other passengers went to the large, ornate dining room to eat their gourmet meals.

Meanwhile, the poor man would go over in the corner and eat his cheese and crackers. This went on day after day.

He could smell the delicious food being served in the dining room. He heard the other passengers speak of it in glowing terms as they rubbed their bellies and complained about how full they were, and how they would have to go on a diet after this trip. The poor traveler wanted to join the other guests in the dinning room, but he had no extra money. Sometimes he’d lie awake at night, dreaming of the sumptuous meals the other guests described.

Toward the end of the trip, another man came up to him and said, “Sir, I can’t help but notice that you are always over there eating those cheese and crackers at mealtimes. Why don’t you come into the banquet hall and eat with us?”

The traveler’s face was flushed with embarrassment. “Well, to tell you the truth, I had only enough money to buy the ticket. I don’t have any extra money to purchase fancy meals.”

The other passenger raised his eyebrows in surprise. He shook his head and said, “Sir, don’t you realize the meals are included in the price of the ticket? Your meals have already been paid for!

Friends, we are missing out on God’s best because we don’t realize that the good things in life have already been paid for. When we go around confessing the wrong thing we are eating cheese and crackers. When we worry about stuff in our lives, there we go eating more cheese and crackers. I don’t want cheese and crackers anymore now that I know that God has bought me a first class ticket. You’re going to see Brother David in the banquet hall…and I hope to see all of you there as well!!!

REPEAT after me: I’m Blessed, I cannot be cursed. I can do this. Again, and this time speak with authority, say it like you mean it, we need all of heaven to get excited and get to work for you right now!

A battle plan huh?? You know it seems to me that the apostle Paul drew up a battle plan for all of us; turn to Ephesians chapter 6.

EPHESIANS 6:11 tells us to put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes or lies.

Verse 12 says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. You just received a warningas to where the fight is going to take place, there are no surprises coming.

Verse 13 therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. You were just told how much armor to put on…the full armor. Come prepared, no half-stepping, that’s the full armor!

Verse 14 , Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, Where does truth and righteousness come from? Truth comes from the Word and you are made righteousness through Christ Jesus.

Are you reading and confessing the word with your mouth?

 Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My words shall not pass away.”

Verse 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. The gospel will bring you that peace that surpasses all understanding. Philippians 4:7. But you have to read that gospel before its going to do you any good. So that during the fight you won’t lose your cool, you need to always be in control.

Verse 16, In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. When the fight begins, your faith will make you persevere, there are no other choices. God is drawn to your faith, take Abraham for example, Romans 4:1-18. Abraham had a spirit of faith. He chose to hope against hope, he chose to believe god, to take the high road and to learn from his mistakes. What is your choice going to be?

Verse 17, Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It’s what? IT’S THE WORD OF GOD!

Verse 18 and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Pray how?In the Spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests.

With all of this weaponry how can you live in defeat? Is it because you chose to? Are you lazy? OR maybe you just needed to have someone break it down for you. If this description is you, you have just been given the warning, the weapons, battle plan and the go ahead to attack. You even got “back up,” By praying in the Spirit.

Let’s move on to “Fear.”

Fear: fear is another defeat in our lives that cause us to be whooped right from the beginning. Why do we allow different kinds of fears into our lives? There is the fear of criticism, and the fear of offending others; here’s one of my personal favorites: the fear of being labeled as one of “those radical, closed minded fundamentalist” Christians. And that’s supposed to keep us from living openly Christian lives? The Lord says for me to be thankful when I am insulted because of Him? As a matter of fact, in Matt 5:11, 12, reads “blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” (There’s a first class ticket)

Don’t forget, “I’m supposed to forgive so that I may be forgiven,” Mark 11:25, 26. We are not mad and we are not holding grudges. No Sir! Don’t forget to Love that brother or sister that’s trash talking you… I did not say that you had to give them a hug--I told you to do what the Lord has commanded you to do, and that’s love them.

There is something that made that person attack you, it’s probably not personal, it’s a spirit of darkness. When you see or hear something that is so wrong, it’s perverse, stand back and honestly take a look at the situation. Look closely with your spiritual eyes at the darkness that surrounds that person? Do you also see the wickedness that has its hands wrapped around that person’s heart? DO NOT fear, you’re the one with all the weapons and in all actuality, it’s really not a fair fight for the other side, now is it? Do you know why God is giving you the victory? Anybody? God wants us to win because he is hoping that the sinners will cry out to Him so that He can forgive them. That’s God’s love; it’s a Love that’s for everybody.

Now, are we going to allow our past sins or mistakes keep us from standing up for what is right, lest we be called hypocrites or have our past pointed out to us? Well, well, now I guess that that’s something we should all be afraid of, huh? Gee, let me see, I’d hate to have someone call me a name. I got news for you, brothers and sisters, do not allow anything into your life that is going to make you deny the Lord your God, nothing! That includes your past.

I don’t care what society and Hollywood is telling us about what flavor of the month it is. Today, it is more important for people to proclaim their homosexuality, drug dependency, need for abortion or to just plain live sinful lives than it is for people to proclaim the need for Godly living. And that’s a fact, just look at the newspaper, TV news or any media outlet. It is more acceptable today to be an alcoholic or to be promiscuous than it is to be self-disciplined and abstain from the desires of the flesh. Saints, this is not the way it should be! We might not be able to change the world all at once, but we can stand up in God’s power and live lives of love and self-discipline. What were those last two words? LOVE and DISCIPLINE! 1 Cor. 13:13, “And now these three remain, faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love.” Turn to Proverbs 1:1-7 regarding discipline.

The world needs to see “Christ like” people standing up for righteousness, truth and holy living. “Christ like”, that’s you, a Christian. There needs to be a revival within the church of men and women living lives honoring the Lord. That revival needs to take place inside of you because you are the church. God calls on us to be the salt of the earth and the light on the hill, showing the world it’s depravity by our holy living. We don’t have to get up in anyone’s face because if we do then we might be too salty. If there is too much salt in the food the food will become bitter. We are NOT bitter.

It’s called leading by example.

It is time for you all to stand up in power and proclaim the Lord to this dark, sinful world and forget the past, push forward toward the goal. The past is the past because it has passed. It is time to develop a godly vision for our lives and then live a life that will fulfill our vision. We need to forsake the world and all of its temptations and walk in a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. There’s those words again, LOVE and DISCIPLINE. Remember 1 John 4:8, God is Love. God’s power will enable us to live this kind of life. You are saved, so you can always depend on God to help you do the impossible. Stop living in your flesh and start walking in your Spirit. Let the Love of God do the work for you.

Are you going to walk in the Spirit--God’s Spirit and reject the temptations of the flesh and the world, and live a life surrendered to the Lord? People, do not allow your past failures to hold you back; you are a new creation and Christ hung on that cross so you better know that you’re forgiven. Boldly stand up for righteousness and truth in everything that you do and say while you’re still on this earth.

Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit to help me to live the life that you have called me to live. Work through me Lord to proclaim your love and truth to my family, my friends and all those people, the saved and the unsaved that you have brought into my life. Proverbs 2:3 tells me to call out for insight and to cry aloud for understanding, Lord hear my pleas and answer me now, help me to walk worthy and to be able to completely enjoy my first class ticket!

* The story about the traveler was taken from Joel Osteen’s book, “Your Best Life Now.”

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