Hope and dread are magnetic forces. Hope acts like a magnet in the spiritual realm to draw the promises of God. Dread acts like a spiritual magnet to draw the things you fear. Realize that Hebrews 11:1 works for faith and fear. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and fear is the substance of the things you dread.
Our society is inundated with fear words and fear thoughts until people are desensitized to fear. If it snows, the weather reports are filled with phrases like, “The roads will be treacherous.” Women are afraid to walk through the dark parking lot because they have watched so many television shows about rape and murder. Spouses don’t trust their husband or wife because of the leaving and cheating songs they have been listening to on their favorite radio station. People are feeding on fear!
As believers, we should have a different diet. We should be feeding on faith. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world! We are more than conquerors through him that loved us! Thanks be unto God which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and always causes us to triumph in Christ! How can we fear if we feed on these truths? The things you meditate on the longest will become the strongest in our lives. Focus on faith. Focus on victory. See yourself win. Imagine that need met and mentally image a full supply. See a picture of yourself with health in your body.
There was a time in my life when the dread was so prevalent in my life I couldn’t see a hope-filled image of my life. I expected things to get worse and things grew worse. I knew the promises of God. But they were not working for me. Having a head-knowledge of the promise does not activate the promise. I had to take the word and place it in my heart. I had to give attention to the Word more than I gave attention to the situation I was facing. I had to use the supernatural substance of God’s Word to build an image of victory, supply and provision.
Focus Your Faith
You are responsible for your focus. You are responsible to take the Word and build an image of God’s truth in your life. If you are standing in faith for the salvation of a child or grandchild, what do you see when you pray for them? In my prayer devotional, Intervention Prayers, I discuss the fact that we have to pray from a position of faith. See your child carrying their Bible into church, lifting their hands in worship to God and singing praises to His name. Don’t sit in your prayer closet crying to God with an image of your child putting a needle in their arm, or crashing their car or handcuffed in the back of a police car. Shut that image of destruction out of your mind and take God at His Word. Apply the blood of Jesus Christ and declare that child is free from destruction!
This is deeper than just stopping the dread thoughts. We can’t score on the defensive. We can’t gain ground spiritually if we are only focused on stopping the negative. Push into the direction of spiritual strength. In other words, don’t just stop the thoughts of loss. Practice the thoughts of supply. Don’t just stop the thoughts of losing your ministry. Imagine yourself laying hands on sick people and they jump up healed! See the anointing flowing through your life in a greater measure.
This is what I encourage you to do: 1) Take authority over your thoughts and the information you receive on a daily basis. II Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
2) Purposefully choose to think on verses that build the image of what God has promised. Philippians 4:8 says we are to think on these things-things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Think supernaturally. Think outside your human limitations. Colossians 3:1 tells us to “Seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God.”
3) Make decisions about your present situation and future success based on your position in Christ Jesus. Don’t make “victim decisions” based on how your situation makes you feel. Ephesians 2:6 indicates God has raised us up together with Christ and made us sit together in heavenly places (of authority) in Christ Jesus. Make decisions like a man or woman in authority. Take your cues from the Holy Spirit. Let the Lord teach you how to operate the authority you have in Christ Jesus. You are not helpless! You are not a victim to the situation! You are equipped with supernatural abilities and weapons for victory!
4) Stir yourself with praise and rejoicing. This will keep your spiritual supply at overflow level. (Ephesians 6:18b-19) Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always…(Jude 20) But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Get your hopes up! Refuse to dread and make a special point to feed on truth that will lift your hopes to a heavenly position. Set your affection on things above!
I am asking you to join me in prayer for the following specific requests:
1) II Thessalonians 3:1 Finally brethren, pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you.
2) Pray for the Faith Builders broadcast to increase as an instrument of salvation and strength to those who watch. Pray for lost, hurting people to be supernaturally led to turn on or find the broadcast. Pray for those people to be saved and set free from addiction.
3) Pray for the Hispanic outreach of this ministry to grow in effectiveness- that every one of my books would be translated into Spanish, that my knowledge and proficiency in the language would increase, and that the Lord increase favor to be received by the Hispanic community.
