Tuesday, May 22, 2012

40 DAY FAST FROM WRONGFUL THINKING (Day 19)


"I Could Succeed If I Had
The Right Surroundings."

Today we're fasting from the thought that says, "I could succeed if I had the right surroundings, the right people or the right breaks."

     So many people believe that if their surroundings were better they would succeed. If they just moved to a different city or had a better boss or if someone gave them a chance, they would prosper. They use these thoughts as excuses for why things don't get better, or why they don't reach their goals and improve their lives. This way of thinking leads to BLAMING OTHERS AND CIRCUMSTANCES for why things don't get better.

LET'S CHANGE IT TODAY
  1. It's not what surrounds you, but what's inside you that causes success! Corinthians 4:16 says, "Therefore, we do not lose heart. For though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." Notice, Paul is saying, even when things go in the opposite direction on the outside, something good can be happening on the inside! When things go wrong on the outside, deal with the inside! This is the key to success. And what does God say we should do on the inside? Be renewed day by day. Be filled with the Word day by day! Absorb these Scriptures day by day, and the INSIDE will OVERTAKE the OUTSIDE!
  2. Success or failure in life is created by how you think. Never forget our foundational verse in Proverbs 23:7; As a man THINKS, so is he. And Joshua 1:8 says, "... but you shall meditate on the Word of God day and night... for THEN you shall make your way properous and THEN you shall have good SUCCESS."
  3. Understand the source of blessing. Psalm 1:1-3 says, "Blessed is the man that... meditates on the Word day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, whose leaf does not wither, who bears fruit in his season and whatever he does, he prospers!"
  4. The root to true success is a prosperous soul. 3 John 2 says, "Beloved I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health EVEN AS your soul prospers."
  5. Remember Joseph... thrown into a pit by his brothers and sold into slavery. Genesis 39:2 says, "But the Lord was with Joseph and so he became a successful man." Notice, even though his surroundings were terrible, HE STILL BECAME A SUCCESSFUL MAN. He had bad surroundings, bad breaks, was surrounded by bad people and yet, still succeeded BECAUSE GOD WAS WITH HIM!
  6. We affect our surroundings and we create our breaks by the thoughts we think and the choices we make. Deuteronomy 30:15, 19 says, "I have set before you life and prosperity; or death and adversity...Choose life!"

THINK IT AND SAY IT

FEATURING:    It's not what surrounds me that determines my success. It's
                           what's inside  me
                
                          I will not lose heart. Even when things go wrong on the
                          outside, I am being renewed on the inside by the Word of
                          God, which will bring success in every area of my life.

                          My success is created by how I think. I agree with God's
                          thoughts and meditate on God's Word day and night.
                          Success follows me. I prosper in my soul. I fill my mind with
                          the richness of Goid's Word and therefore, it spills over into
                          every area of my life.

                          Like Joseph, I will not allow my negative circumstances to
                          determine my success or failure. I AM A SUCCESSFUL
                          and PROSPEROUS PERSON because God is with me.
                          In Jesus' Name.

*** reprinted from Gregory Dickow's "Start Thinking Forward"

TESTAMONY: 
   
      Today, I'm reminded of my nephew, Robby, whom I'm caring for. He has been subjected to bad situations, taken advantage of by people and rejected by many. When I first began taking care of him, he didn't believe God loved him. He didn't think anybody loved him because nobody ever showed him love.
      Although he was raised to go to church and church conventions, he had NO IDEA what God was REALLY about. He didn't know the Bible. It shocked me the first time he asked me, "What is sin? What does that mean?"
       Even though he was unaware of sin, he badly wanted to know more about it because he feared sinning. He feared not going to Heaven.
      But the more he learned about God and he realized I was sent to him by God, the more he thirst for God. He has learned so much and NOW he KNOWS God loves him and he knows he is blessed. He is a wonderful witness to the glory of God.
       While the others thought Robby would NEVER amount to anything... Robby is very blessed. He lives in a safe environment, has peace in his life and daily reads the Bible. He goes to church and does minor charity work.
          Yes, indeed, Robby was surrounded by darkness but once the Light came and he accepted Him... the devil ran. Robby no longer fears sin, the devil or even death. He was baptized April 15 and he not only LOVES the Lord with all his heart but he KNOWS he is going to Heaven, something he dreadfully feared.,