The 3 Essentials: All You Need for Success in Life (25 page)

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Authors: Casey Treat

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Day 6: Finances
2 Corinthians 9:8—“And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]” (AMP).
• Do you believe God wants to financially prosper in your life?
• Is having too much money sinful? How much is too much?
• Can you rest in peace, knowing God will meet all your needs, even when you cannot see the way of provision?
God not only desires every Christian to possess a life of financial abundance, He
needs
us to! It is imperative every one of us grab hold of this revelation with our faith because without money, we will never be able to have the kind of influence needed to spread the gospel to all the regions of the earth. For far too long, we Christians have bought into the lie that financial abundance is ungodly and that it is more spiritual to exist in poverty than wealth. Here are some thoughts to strengthen our faith in this area:
What parents would want their children to struggle under the weight of poverty? None! Most parents live sacrificially just so they can greater bless the children they love. Luke 11 talks about how if a son were to ask his father for a loaf of bread, that father would never in turn hand him a venomous snake; if we as earthly fathers know how to bless our children, how much more does our Heavenly Father want to bless His children? Also in Romans 8:32, it says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
God not only desires us to prosper, but He wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing in turn. In Deuteronomy 8:18, Moses wrote: “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” If we want to establish His covenant throughout the earth, it’s going to take massive media airtime, huge resources for social outreaches, and influence in high places. All of this requires money in the hands of regular Christians like you and me. God is looking to and fro to find Christians. In the financial realm, He can abundantly bless people with the integrity to use that wealth for Kingdom purposes, businesspeople with the discipline to make God-inspired ideas come to pass, and men and women who will not allow greed to cause them to stumble.
Let’s be those kinds of people! Let’s stretch our faith for finances and be powerful ambassadors for Christ in this world.
Day 7: Self-Doubt
1 John 4:4—“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
• Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe you have everything it takes to accomplish the dreams in your heart?
• When a challenging situation or a chance to move to a higher level in life presents itself, do you embrace it or stand still in self-doubt?
• Can you list five areas in which you excel? Five areas in which you know you need improvement?
Psalm 139 declares you are fearfully and wonderfully made! God has designed an exciting life specifically for you to enjoy; one that is challenging, fulfilling, and fun. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]” (AMP). If you have any doubt in your mind about these statements, let’s use today to strengthen your faith in this area.
All the dreams and desires you hold in your heart are breathed by God, and He certainly did not place them there to frustrate you. His plan is to make every single one of them come to pass, but He needs you to believe in them, in His power to perform, and in yourself. Sometimes it’s risky to step out in faith and go for your dreams; there can be so much unknown, and most times, you’ll find yourself well outside your comfort zone! But if you will meditate on the above scripture from Ephesians, you will be able to grow your faith in the amazing promise that God has already planned every step of the way.
It’s like when I climbed Mount Rainier, one of the highest mountains in America. The guide had already made the summit many times; he understood the terrain, he knew the correct route, and he also knew what to do if dangerous situations arose. Our team simply trusted in his experience, and although it was one of the greatest physical challenges of my life, the view from the top was extraordinary! As you climb your mountaintop of life, you can put your full confidence in God. He will give you all the strength, endurance, creativity, and wisdom to make all the dreams that
He
placed in your heart come true. You only need to believe.
Day 8: In the Valley
Joel 3:10—“Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’ ”
• During difficult circumstances, do you press into God and His Word, or do you try to make it through on your own?
• What has been the most challenging season in your life? How were you able to walk through? What did you learn about God? About yourself?
• Do you have people around you who are mature Christians whom you can count on to help walk you through challenges in life?
I wish I could promise you there will be no valleys for you to endure. The truth is every single person will face challenging situations and have to overcome great difficulties. Sicknesses come, loved ones die, projects fail, and people disappoint. There are no certainties for anything in life, except for this one thing: God is always there to help you through any and every circumstance. When we grow our faith in this promise, we can walk through life with so much more peace and comfort—even in the midst of the valleys.
Probably one of the most famous psalms is Psalm 23, and deservedly so, because it is packed with words of comfort and encouragement, as well as promises of blessings. In any time of trouble, this psalm can breathe life into your soul.
THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.
He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake.
Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place. (AMP)
Day 9: World Events
Hebrews 2:12—“I will declare Your name to my brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
• When you hear about the negative events happening in your region and in your world, are you filled with fear and anxiety or is your heart able to rest in peace?
• Do you pray for world leaders and your city and state officials? Do you have faith your prayers will make a difference?
The stock market plummets. A contagious health scare arises. Terrorism is afoot. There are wars and rumors of wars. And everything is going to Hell in a handbasket.
When the media is bombarding you with every tragedy and threatening outcome—and I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again—turn off the television, disconnect from the Internet, and open up your Bible. You will never be able to grow your faith in the supernatural provision and protection of God if you spend more time listening to the voices from the world than the voice of God. No matter what is happening around you, there is only one truth that will never change: God’s Word.
Psalm 34 is an excellent psalm to meditate upon during times of stress and crisis, and in verse 19, it promises, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver them out of them all.” Notice it doesn’t say “None are the afflictions of the righteous,” because obviously, this would be false. But one thing we can hang our hat on is that if we operate in faith, God
will
deliver us out of
every
negative circumstance.
“The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them, Because they trust in Him.
(Psalm 37:18-19, 39-40)
Day 10: In the Waiting . . .
Galatians 6:7-9—“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
• How long are you willing to wait to see God’s blessings manifested in your life?
• When the promise of God takes longer than expected, are you able to stay filled with faith, or does doubt take over?
• Can you keep trusting in God’s timing, or do you finally just decide to take matters into your own hands?
Probably the most difficult challenge of living a life of faith is when the promise for which we believe takes longer than we thought to manifest. I do not know why some people pray for a need and it miraculously takes place, and others pray and wait their entire lifetime. I do not have the answer for why some people get healed and why sometimes another does not. Over the course of three-plus decades of ministry, as well as personally walking out a life of faith, I simply have had to make the decision to have faith in God, to not ask the unanswerable questions, and to simply believe in His Word.
I think it is dangerous for us, as Christians, to bring our level of faith down to our level of experience. If we choose to only believe in God’s promises to the extent in which we have seen them tangibly come to pass, well, we have now completely stopped operating by faith. Hebrews 11 defines faith as the substance of the things we hope for, the evidence of the things we cannot see, feel, or touch. Faith
believes
in something
before
it has manifested itself in the natural world. No matter what we experience or what we see happening in the lives of those around us, let’s choose to have faith in God’s Word. If Jesus said it, then let’s believe it. If it’s in the New Testament, then let’s have the faith for it. Period.
“Now, faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]” (Hebrews 11:1, AMP).
SECTION TWO
VISION
Have you clarified your vision? Have you asked yourself this brutal question: what do I
really
believe my life will become? Remember, the vision you have for your destiny isn’t what you
want
for your emotions, your relationships, your health, or your finances. It’s what you actually believe in your heart that you will have. This vision could be good, or it could be bad. Either way, it is the determining factor to how much success you will find throughout your walk on this earth. The world is filled with people who want their lives to be different, who want to live at a higher level, but the one thing keeping them from achieving it is the vision they possess.
The incredible thing about being a Christian is we can change our vision! If we don’t like what we are experiencing in our lives, we can dig into God’s Word and renew our minds to the vision God has for us. Let’s spend the next ten days refining and refocusing the vision for our life; it is an essential step to possessing a successful life.

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