“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV)
In life, we all have negative things happen to us. We go through situations that are unfair. I know people who were raised in an unhealthy environment. Their parents had issues, and now it’s making it much more difficult on them.
But here is what I’ve learned: when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He gives you a new heart. In other words, your blood line changes. No longer are you subject to your earthly heritage, you become subject to your heavenly heritage! His spiritual blessing always overrides the curse in the natural realm. When you understand who you are and what God has already done, then no matter what someone else has done, no matter how unfair it was, no matter how you were raised, you won’t get bitter. You won’t live with a chip on your shoulder. You realize that nothing can stop you from fulfilling your God-given destiny!
Today, remember you came from Almighty God. He gave you life. When you choose Him, you are choosing your heavenly heritage of blessing and eternal, abundant life!
So many people today are living in “survival” mode. They have a mentality that says, “If I can just make it through…” or “If I can just get by…” Of course, there are some seasons that are more difficult than others. Sometimes it’s challenging to get a vision for the future. But if you are constantly living with a survival mentality, you are missing out on God’s best. Scripture doesn’t say, “Jesus came so you could survive.” No, it says that He came to give you a full, abundant life!
If you are living in survival mode right now, I believe that today can be your turning point. If you’ll take a step of faith and begin to declare, “My days of survival are over; my days of thriving have begun,” then I believe God will meet your faith. I believe He will open an unexpected door. He’ll pour out His favor and blessing on you. He’ll make a way where there seems to be no way! Even if you’re in a tough time right now, remember tough times don’t last, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. Begin to declare what God says about your circumstances because you are created for more than to just get by — you are created to thrive!
Oftentimes, God will use our experiences in life as stepping stones to prepare us for what He has in store next. Scripture tells us that He’ll even take the things the enemy tries to bring against us and turn them around and use them for our good. He is always leading us on a journey of preparation.
That’s why it’s so important to keep our eyes focused on Him. We have to trust that when we are submitted to Him—even if we don’t understand—He is ordering our steps. If something is not happening on your timetable, remind yourself, “God knows what He is doing. He has my best interest at heart. God is preparing me.” While you’re waiting, don’t make the mistake of trying to figure everything out. If you’re constantly trying to figure things out, that will only frustrate you. Turn it over to God. Declare, “God, my times are in Your hands. I’m not going to worry because I trust that You are leading me on a journey of preparation for all the wonderful blessings You have in store for me.”
” God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”
(Psalm 46:1, NIV).
God is always present with you. That means at all times, continually, perpetually, throughout all time, God is with you. In your day of trouble, He is a help to you. How is He your help? By providing whatever you need; by opening doors for you; by orchestrating things in your favor. That’s because “help” is specific to your need. We serve a God who is very specific, and because He is always with you, He always knows exactly what you need!Today, are you facing trouble or adversity? Know that God is with you. Look to Him for help. Trust that He has the answer, and that He is working things out in your favor. As you continue to believe Him and follow His direction, He will lead you in the way that you should go. He will comfort you, revive you, restore you and bless you! He will be your ever-present help because He is forever faithful to His Word!
What do you need from the Lord today? Do you need peace, provision or guidance? The Word of God promises that no good thing will He withhold from those who walk blamelessly before Him. Now you may be thinking, “I’m not perfect. How can I have a blameless walk?” The Good News is that when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you automatically have a new, blameless walk. The past is erased in God’s eyes. And sure, you may make mistakes from time to time, but 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Understand today that God wants to pour His favor and honor on you. If you feel like there is anything in your life that you need to be cleansed from, go to the Father today and confess it to Him. Let Him make you new so that you can receive the good things He has in store for you!
