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Exodus 4:29-31
The Israelites believed. The very moment they bowed their heads and
worshipped the Lord, they stepped out on faith, that God would deliver them.
They worshipped and believed in him for something that had not even come to
pass. The dictionary defines stepping as to advance. They were about to advance,
about to take a journey into growth and faith. They were
Stepping Out! We know that they went through trying times that were
brought upon by themselves.
Not too long ago I talking the talk of faith, but I wasn't advancing. I
was going through trying times brought upon by myself. What was wrong? I had
been baptized in Jesus' name and filled with the Holy Spirit for twenty-one
years. I had stepped out on faith in the beginning, but I had come to a
standstill. I was talking with my cousin one evening and he told me about
hearing someone say that God did not want us in neutral. That was where I
was! My mouth was speaking the words but my heart wasn't listening.
Somewhere along the line, I stopped listening and began to do things as I felt
they should be done. No advancing was taking place. I thank God for using my
cousin to open my eyes to my error.
I began to attend VBI(Victory Bible Institute), and through the teachings of the
anointed Pastor's Tim and Sonya, started a self-examination of myself. What I
found was that I was once again trying to handle everything myself, instead of
speaking the word of faith and letting go. I was allowing the circumstances to
control me. It was not that I had forgotten, but that I had allowed the cares of
the world to overrule God's word. Not Good!! Phil 4:9 tells me that
he(Jesus) would supply all my needs and I Pet 5:7 tells me to cast all my cares
on him.
I began a stepping out process that has not stopped. The worldly definition of Stepping Out is probably something like putting
on your finest and going to a club to party. My definition is to speak and
believe, continuing to grow in God's word, never looking back but moving
forward, to reach my final destination and to hear "Well done my good and
faithful servant".
I would like to share a few points on
Stepping Out
1. Believe
1a. Roman 10:9-10 tells us if you confess(acknowledge,
recognize) with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe(accept
as true) that God raised him from the dead that you would be saved. This we know
is a step that is essential before you can move forward. You go to a dentist or
a store in belief that they have what you need, Jesus is better. Once the
confession and acceptance of Jesus is done, then the understanding of what we
have begins. As in the case of the Israelites, they accepted that God was God,
but I believe they were lacking in Understanding, or they never would have
continued to go against his word. All that he did was never enough, they always
found things to complain about. Instead of looking at where they were going,
they always looked back. God called them a "stiff-necked" people. They were
stubborn. He was ready to destroy them, but Moses interceded on their behalf.
Just as the Israelites had Moses as their intercessor, I thank God for the
saints who interceded on my behalf. I am thankful that during this period that I
was trying to do it all alone, that the saints continued to hold me up in
prayer, until I was able to see that my strength didn't come from me but from a
higher power. James 5:14-16 tells us that the fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much. Prayer Changes Things!
2b. In Luke 18:27 Gods says "All things are possible". If we believe this and
allow it to become a part of our daily living, what in the world is worth us
losing our joy and living in constant turmoil?
2. Speak what you believe
1a. In times of trials and temptations, God's word will uplift you. Even
in what you think are the most trying times, Heb 13:5 says " He will never leave
us or forsake us". Don't give way to negative, unfruitful conversation. If your
focus is on self and not the Word of God, it is easy to do. I have had people on
my job come up to me and tell me that they don't see how I can handle my family
situations and still smile. I always tell them that is because of the Lord on my
side. "The world is watching" is such a true statement. During a conversation
with my manager, she told me that she had told the Vice-President of our company
that she enjoyed working with me because "I always had something positive to
say". Now this lady did not know that such a short before before this
conversation took place, that I hated working with her. The statement that Paul
made about being content in whatever situation he was in had convicted me and
caused me to change my way of thinking and looking at situations. I had began to
speak my contentment in the situation and that my joy came from the Lord.
Negative thoughts will produce negative speaking if you allow this thought
pattern to control you.
2b. I have learned that when I speak, the way the words come out of my mouth
affect my life situation now and in the future. Wow!
What a revelation that was when I opened my heart to receive. Matt 12:37
tells us "By your words you are justified and by your words you are condemned".
I knew that, but the way the words are phrased, oh what a difference it makes! I
am so thankful that I never spoke the words to her that I wanted to say, but was
obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. That conversation with my manager
would have never taken place. If I had opened my mouth and made known my
displeasure with her, I probably wouldn't have been there.
I am sure in your younger days, especially the guys, that you had and drove fast
cars. Can you remember how if you held your foot on the brake and pressed the
gas, how the car would rev? You may have rocked forward or sideways, but you
stayed still. Imagine the brake being the Spirit and the gas, the flesh(in this
case your mouth). We can call this the "Rock Steady"
syndrome. If you let up off the brake(spirit), the gas(flesh) would cause
the car to move forward at a great rate of speed. In an unsafe situation there
could be harm done to you or innocent bystanders, correct? The same with the
flesh. If you give it free reign, things can happen which cannot be undone. If
you keep your foot on the brake(Spirit), the gas(flesh) cannot take over. When
your foot was taken off the gas(flesh) the car would settle down. In the
situation with my boss, I used to pray "Lord, I need to be blessed with a job
somewhere else". But after giving control to the Spirit, I changed the prayer
into "Thank you for elevating me to the position you want me to have". Things
changed on the job as the conversation with my supervisor showed. Whils my flesh
was controlling no headway was being made. Once I stopped going my own way and
changed my words, change happened.
3. Walk in the Word daily. Walk with a "New Attitude"
1a. Rise up every morning thankful. I thank the Lord for the blessed day
before me. It thank him for peace on my job. I thank him that he has everything
under control. Because of the place of thankfulness that I now live in I have so
much peace and so much joy! It reminds me of that tv commercial that Toyota had
with the person jumping into the air-"Oh what a feeling"! There was a time I
dreaded getting up, going into work, dealing with the job, dealing with family.
You know what? I look forward to the day now knowing that my walk is a walk of
faith and not a walk of self. God is Good!
2b. Don't forget where you came from. We didn't always know what we know
now about God. We had our share of ups and downs until we gave the Holy Spirit
free reign in our lives. Why should we believe we are better than those who are
still lost. At every opportunity share your joy. A smile, a comforting word, a
"God loves you", will go a long way. It makes you and the one on the receiving
end feel good and who knows, that may be the beginning of another soul
Stepping Out.
There are still things that need improvement in my life, but one thing I can say for sure is that I am advancing. I am still moving. My belief, confession, conversation and attitude are all on the forward path. Not by anything that I have done or will ever do, but because of the love of God, who is the author and finisher of my faith. Take a good look at your faith walk
If you have stepped out, are you advancing, are you stepping and stopping or have you stopped stepping? If you haven't stepped out, now is the time, for tomorrow is not promised. The Word said that he would have us either hot or cold, but if we were lukewarm, he would spew us out of his mouth. Don't be out with God or in and out with God. We don't want to be like the stubborn Israelites who chose to go their own way. They were delivered, they stepped out in faith, but then changed from hot to cold and never enjoyed God's promises. Straight is the path, but narrow is the way, but we are not going on our own, for with God all things are possible.
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