It is impossible to grow in faith unless we have something to overcome. Life is really about how we meet problems, difficulties and adversity. It’s in this process that we learn how to rise up and surmount these obstacles.
An authentic life in the spirit requires both training and proving. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus learned obedience by the things He experienced:
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
Every day we experience situations that form part of our development process. These lessons must be established in us so that we are changed into the likeness of Christ.
Truth, not established, is merely true.
This means that we can know what is truth conceptually, but until it has set us free, we have not become it in experience. We can only prove that we are the truth in Christ by exhibiting our freedom.
Every circumstance revolves around the formation of Christ in us. He is our inheritance and we are joint heirs with Him. He is our promise and our provision, because He is all and in all. We are encompassed in life by the promise of Christ in us, the expectation of glory. Therefore, every situation can have glory as part of the equation.
We get to stand in the promise of God and look for the provision no matter what the problem is.
We have the choice to focus on the positive and never the negative. From this mindset, we watch, pray, and learn how to stand, press in, and receive under pressure.
The promise, not the problem, is our prime focus. Knowing the promise allows us to relax, rejoice and respond appropriately in faith because it details the provision for the problem in front of us.
Remember, every problem actually proves the existence of a provision. All we must do is explore the promise that is also present so that we know how to stand and what to confess.
So the next time you are facing a problem, consider asking the Holy Spirit a few questions…
- How is this situation going to form Christ in me?
- What does this circumstance mean for my growth and development?
- How do I partner with You (Holy Spirit) to allow breakthrough to occur?
- What provision and/or promise is attached to this problem?
Once you hear from the Lord regarding these questions, keep those answers at the front of your mind. You will soon find yourself having different perspectives towards your current situations and problems. You may even receive a breakthrough sooner than you thought!
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