Part 5 (2/2)
Second, understand that you have to be single-minded. If you look at any person who has been mightily used of G.o.d, you'll find it wasn't because he was a great man of faith-it was because he was a little little man of unbelief! I use the example of Abraham: he didn't know how to disbelieve G.o.d. His strength was that he was absolutely single-minded on G.o.d. man of unbelief! I use the example of Abraham: he didn't know how to disbelieve G.o.d. His strength was that he was absolutely single-minded on G.o.d.
You can get so single-minded on something that you just don't know how to do anything else. For example, I have literally become a misfit. If I were to fail in the ministry now, I'd probably starve to death. 1 just don't know how to do anything else. 1 don't know how to respond to this world. I've found what G.o.d made me for; I'm doing it, and I don't have a plan B or plan C. I'm committed. My bridges are burned behind me. I'm convinced that this is one of the reasons my ministry is succeeding; Satan can't tell me, ”You should quit and do something else.” That isn't an option for me.
I've had lots of opportunities to quit the ministry, but it's not a temptation for me. Again, Hebrews 11:15 says, had lots of opportunities to quit the ministry, but it's not a temptation for me. Again, Hebrews 11:15 says, ”And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. ” ”And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. ” Turn that around: because they were not mindful of the country they came out of, they could not be tempted to return. I'm not even tempted to go another direction because I don't consider any other options. Turn that around: because they were not mindful of the country they came out of, they could not be tempted to return. I'm not even tempted to go another direction because I don't consider any other options.
You Already Have Faith
Third, remember that it's not a matter of ”getting more faith.”
You already have faith. If you've been born again, you have faith. We know more about faith than any generation on the face of the earth has ever known, but we're doing less with it because we've become so weighed down with the things of this world, so obsessed with the luxuries America can produce. We're the most preoccupied generation of believers who has ever lived, a society inundated with facts, but very few of them about G.o.d.
We can turn on our television sets and see what is happening on the other side of the world in real time. real time. That has never been available to any other society before. That has some great privileges, but it has a great responsibility too. We ought to be managing all that information, but most of us aren't. The networks certainly aren't managing it for us; if you're depending on them for news, you are misinformed and uninformed. It is slanted and bigoted; yet most Christians listen to it and swallow it, just like everyone else. That has never been available to any other society before. That has some great privileges, but it has a great responsibility too. We ought to be managing all that information, but most of us aren't. The networks certainly aren't managing it for us; if you're depending on them for news, you are misinformed and uninformed. It is slanted and bigoted; yet most Christians listen to it and swallow it, just like everyone else.
We criticize the President, political candidates, the personalities in the news-just like everyone else. We've become sensitive to criticism and scorning, letting Satan come into our lives, and have become hardened towards the things of G.o.d, then we wonder why faith isn't working.
What is Your Priority?
What this teaching really centers on is a matter of priorities. Most of our priorities are way out of line with G.o.d's.
Consider tragedy for example. If somebody close to you dies, your immediate reaction is, ”Boy, all the stuff that seemed important to me just isn't important anymore.” The people people around you suddenly become important. Your priorities fall into line. Suddenly, you become desensitized to the world. You reach out to G.o.d in a situation like that and may see one of the greatest miracles you've ever seen; but sadly, most of us go right back to our lifestyles when it's over, harden ourselves, and then wonder why it doesn't work again. around you suddenly become important. Your priorities fall into line. Suddenly, you become desensitized to the world. You reach out to G.o.d in a situation like that and may see one of the greatest miracles you've ever seen; but sadly, most of us go right back to our lifestyles when it's over, harden ourselves, and then wonder why it doesn't work again.
Most of us are crisis-oriented. Only when it's necessary do we do anything. For example, very few of us mow the gra.s.s when it can be done easily. We wait until it gets a foot high-an embarra.s.sment to us and our neighbors-before we do it. We do the same thing with G.o.d. Most of us wait until there is a crisis before we call out to G.o.d. An opportunity opportunity is the most advantageous time to respond to G.o.d, not when it is a necessity. The people who really prosper with G.o.d are those who've learned to elevate opportunity to the status of necessity. is the most advantageous time to respond to G.o.d, not when it is a necessity. The people who really prosper with G.o.d are those who've learned to elevate opportunity to the status of necessity.
For example, most of us have been convicted about spending special time with G.o.d, but it's just not convenient; so we let it go until tragedy strikes. Then suddenly, all the things that were once so important just fall by the wayside, and we make time for G.o.d. It's a necessity for us to go to work, so some of us get up early in the morning to pray, but on Sat.u.r.days there's no necessity to get up early, so we don't spend that time with G.o.d. We should be like Job, who said, ”. ... I have esteemed the words of his [G.o.d's] mouth more than my necessary food” ... I have esteemed the words of his [G.o.d's] mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). (Job 23:12).
It's Worth the Cost Worth the Cost
You will do whatever you consider vital. Most of us haven't considered being separate from this world vital. Someone might say, ”Brother, you're being a little strict-you don't have to be that way.” I agree; you don't have to be that way. You can be a Christian and not be totally separated unto G.o.d, but I have decided that seeing people's lives changed- blind eyes opened, cancer healed, dead people raised, people born again and baptized in the Holy Ghost-is worth all my sacrifice. People come up to me, hug me and say, ”Brother, if it weren't for you, I'd have been dead. . .our home would have been destroyed. . . I wouldn't have been born again.” Those kind of things make it all worth it.
For example, I received a letter not long ago from a lady in prison . She's not eligible for parole for many years. She is born again, but she has been laboring under total condemnation and guilt. She was listening to our program on the radio. I was talking about ministering to the Lord and she asked, ”G.o.d, what can I do here, in solitary confinement? Who can I bless?” She found out that the first call on any Christian's life is not to serve, but to minister to G.o.d, to give back the love He has given to us. She wrote me a letter, and it is one of the most powerful things I've ever read. She said, ”Thank you. You reached me. Now I have something I can do. I can bless G.o.d. I can minister to Him. My whole life has changed. Now it doesn't seem like it's going to be so long in here because I have something to do.”
It's worth it. It's worth turning off the television. I don't know all the football scores. I don't know all the baseball scores. I don't even know who won the World Series. It's not sin to know these things, but I didn't miss a thing by not knowing them. You may have missed a lot of things by knowing them. worth it. It's worth turning off the television. I don't know all the football scores. I don't know all the baseball scores. I don't even know who won the World Series. It's not sin to know these things, but I didn't miss a thing by not knowing them. You may have missed a lot of things by knowing them.
Putting G.o.d first may cost you. It may cost you some of your time, some of your conveniences, some of your pleasures; but it will also cost you your strife, your sickness, your carnality-all the things that are destroying your life and making you depressed, frustrated and ineffective.
How Badly Do You Want to Succeed?
What I've shared in this teaching on hardness of heart is not great revelation, but it's practical; it will work. I challenge you to take what I've taught and implement it in your life-it will be impossible impossible for you not to succeed. How badly do you want to succeed? If I guaranteed that my plan would make you a millionaire one year from this date, wouldn't you do what it takes? I can guarantee that if you operate 100 percent in what I have ministered in this book for one year, the entire world will know who you are! If you spent a solid year not letting doubt and unbelief into your life, doing nothing but letting faith reign, you would have a huge following of people whose lives would be changed. for you not to succeed. How badly do you want to succeed? If I guaranteed that my plan would make you a millionaire one year from this date, wouldn't you do what it takes? I can guarantee that if you operate 100 percent in what I have ministered in this book for one year, the entire world will know who you are! If you spent a solid year not letting doubt and unbelief into your life, doing nothing but letting faith reign, you would have a huge following of people whose lives would be changed.
If you want it badly enough, to do what the Word of G.o.d says-it's there.
It's simple. There is nothing hard about the gospel. It doesn't take a great mind. It doesn't take great finances. All it takes is a great commitment. It will change your life. I promise you that. simple. There is nothing hard about the gospel. It doesn't take a great mind. It doesn't take great finances. All it takes is a great commitment. It will change your life. I promise you that.
Receiving Jesus as your Savior
Choosing to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the most important decision you'll ever make!
G.o.d's Word promises ”that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that G.o.d hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10). ”that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that G.o.d hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10). ”For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” ”For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13). (Rom. 10:13).
By His grace, G.o.d has already done everything to provide salvation. Your part is simply to believe and receive.
Pray out loud, ”Jesus, ”Jesus, I I confess that You are my Lord and Savior. confess that You are my Lord and Savior. I I believe in my heart that G.o.d raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, believe in my heart that G.o.d raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!”
The very moment you commit your life to Jesus Christ, the truth of His Word instantly comes to pa.s.s in your spirit. Now that you're born again, there's a brand-new you!
Receiving the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit
As His child, your loving heavenly Father wants to give you the supernatural power you need to live this new life.
”For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened...how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him” (Luke 11:10,13). (Luke 11:10,13).
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