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Victory over Fear, hatred and Confusion

Posted by: Michael Larkins on May 12, 2010

Michael Larkins
True victory is impossible without seeing things from God’s point of view.
Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, told Jesus, “…we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles – and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see, (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.” St. John 3:2b-3 [AMP]
We’ve got to understand that being born again is more than being reconnected to The Source of Life, being reconnected to Life Himself; it’s also about being His hands here on earth, learning to do things in a way that brings God the honor and glory. Key to this is seeing others and life events in a different light.
It’s choosing to look at the over all truth instead of personalizing the pain found in simply looking at the facts of the moment, to see things from the Truth, a perspective that allows healing and growth.
This alone can release you from the control of unresolved pain and emotions, key tools of Satan. Remember that Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation for those who follow the Spirit and not the flesh.
A practical benefit of being born again is to see life and situations through the Blood of Jesus, gaining new revelation and insights into traumatic (and not so traumatic)events, both past and present which permits us to shift for weakness, hatred and confusion to power, love and a sound mind (see 2 Timothy 1:7).

Pastor Michael Larkins is the Author of “Victorious Nuggets – Transforming Self-Esteem into Christ-Esteem.

For more of his blogs go to his web site www.thewealthresponse.com

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Living a renewed life

Posted by: Michael Larkins on May 4, 2010

Michael Larkins
I have been washed clean of all guilt from sin because of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. I am called, because of the price paid for me, to be controlled by the desires of the Holy Spirit. More importantly, I must set my mind on and to seek those things that gratify God’s Holy Spirit.
The mind of the Spirit is life and through Him, I receive both peace and joy. My flesh is not capable of understanding the peace and joy of the Spirit. Like a selfish, self-centered child, my flesh is only concerned with the pleasure of the moment. The dictates of my flesh seeks only to gratify itself without concern for any other law or area of life. In and of itself my flesh is hostile to God and is not capable of submitting to His Laws of life.
My spirit lives because my free gift of righteousness gives me access to God’s Spirit and to His righteousness. At this point I can choose death (by following my flesh) or life (by being led by God’s Spirit). As I train my flesh to die to its old ways, the Holy Spirit restores life to it. It is only after this training that my flesh capable of being a fit servant for use by the Master. This is not a one time process. I must habitually put my body under the authority of the Holy Spirit. The nuts and bolts of this, is to do what God’s Spirit tells me regardless of how I may feel or what I want to do.
My willingness to be led by His Spirit qualifies me to be a son of God. After allowing His Spirit to lead me to recognize Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I am free from the spirit of bondage and am birthed into the family and Kingdom of God. This new birth produces bliss beyond the understanding of the flesh and carnal mind. I now have the honor and right to call the God and Creator of the Universe my Father, my Daddy. And forever His Spirit testifies and assures me that the Father and I are one.
As His child, I am a rightful legal heir. And my inheritance is available to me right now. Only I must also share His pain and persecutions as well. This allows me to sympathize with Him (as well as with others). Because of the pain I will never take my position in Him or any other benefit for granted. I must always remember that any suffering is not worth comparing to the gift of future glory that is and will be mine to enjoy.
My blessings are more than material; God’s Spirit aids and lifts me up. Even when I can not find the right words to pray, because the pain is so deep or the answer is too far away from my thinking, His Spirit intercedes for me. When I yield to Him the pain, he expresses my grief and pain to my Daddy perfectly.
From the very beginning of time God’s desire has been for me to conform to the image of Jesus. And even with my every misstep, God is still able to work all things together to fit into His plan, purpose and design. Key to this is my willingness; to love Him and to express that love through action, to continue to keep my heart and intents clean and pure and making my fellowshipping with God the most important thing in my life. I must always be instantly obedient to God’s Spirit and to continue to study His Word.
All of creation earnestly longs for me to take my rightful position as a child of God. Through my position, I am called not only to be abundantly blessed and highly favored, but to be a blessing as well. I am assured and I intimately know that I am valuable and important to the work of God. That I fit perfectly into His plans. I was always an intricate part of his design and purpose.
I am, by the will and desire of God, predestined for greatness. And in the moment He also justified me, acquitted me from all sin, making me free from guilt and shame. He also glorified me, raising me up to a heavenly dignity, to a heavenly (spiritual way) of thinking, giving me the distinction of walking in my Daddy’s authority. And He sanctified me, setting me in the perfect time and place.
By having God’s authority, power, strength, boldness, wisdom, understanding, revelation, courage, with the heart of God, the mind of Christ, being guided by God’s Holy Spirit, who can stand against me? If God would give His first born Son for my life, what won’t He give me? His will is to bless me abundantly.
As a son of God I am free from the desires and the need to be approved by others. Who can judge me, no one but God, Himself and because of what God has already done for me, I know that nothing can or will separate me from His love and acceptance.
Even in the midst of suffering, affliction, tribulation, calamity, distress, persecution, hunger, destitution, death or destruction, I am more than a conqueror and I have a surpassing victory through Him Who loves me.
For I am persuaded beyond a shadow of a doubt, that nothing in creation can separate me from the Creator of Life Himself. From the love of God which is expressed through Jesus Christ, Who is both my Lord and my Savior.

Pastor Michael Larkins is the Author of “Victorious Nuggets – Transforming Self-Esteem into Christ-Esteem.

For more of his blogs go to his web site www.thewealthresponse.com

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Part 3 - Dealing With Temptation

Posted by: Michael Larkins on Jul 2, 2009

Michael Larkins

What would your life be like if you never:

 

  • Ø Laughed again?
  • Ø Felt the sunshine on your skin again?
  • Ø Had a chance to eat your favorite meal again?
  • Ø Hugged your child again?
  • Ø Or never again kissed that very special someone in your life?

 

Now, take the feelings that your answers generated inside of you and multiply it by the largest number that you can think of and then you’ll just start to come close to how God feels because you decided to skip spending time with Him today.

God knows something that most of us don’t seem to understand, He wants us to spend time with Him for OUR BENEFIT, NOT HIS. Found at the heart of every single temptation (from Satan) is the desire to kill, steal and destroy this relationship. The hidden agenda of every temptation is to distract you from the desires of God; And the greatest of all of His desires for you to live a life of joy and abundance.

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 [Amp]

The abundance that Jesus is talking about is manifested in your life through the Fruit of God’s Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). And found in this Fruit is the answer to any temptation that you will ever face. Your ability to stand against every single temptation that Satan will ever bring before you is found in the quality of your relationship with God.

“For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.” Galatians 5:17 [Amp]

The more time you spend in God’s presence, the more you’ll become like Him, and the more you become like Him, the more His fruit will start to express itself through you. Your character is the channel that the fruit of the Spirit uses to express and manifest Himself in your life.

REMEMBER:

 

  • · The first Fruit listed is LOVE. Love here is an action, doing the right (or best) thing and the right time.
  • · Character is an outward expression of what is going on privately in your heart. If you don’t like what going on in your heart (or life) increase the amount and quality of time that you are spending with God and His word.
  • · Character is developed during those times when no one (but God) sees you. This is when you come face to face with what you truly believe.
  • · Character grows through correction. Learn to make doing right more important than being right. Humbling yourself allows the gifts that are in you to grow and produce fruit.

 

Satan will see to it that you’ll never FIND time to spend with God --- YOU MUST MAKE THE TIME TO SPEND WITH HIM. Your life, your destiny and the quality of your living depends on it.

Are you satisfied with the amount of time that you are spending with God? If not, what are you willing to do about it?

Pastor Michael Larkins is the Author of “Victorious Nuggets – Transforming Self-Esteem into Christ-Esteem.

For more of his blogs go to his web site www.thewealthresponse.com

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Part 2 - Dealing With Temptation

Posted by: Michael Larkins on Jun 30, 2009

Michael Larkins

A large part of being victorious over temptation is believing that you can be. It’s also fully realize the consequences of giving in to whatever the temptation is. Of course, the consequences of eating that extra piece of cake verse shooting up heroin, on the surface, seem as different as day is from night. The fact, the truth is that the person giving in to (their own personal) temptation is submitting to something against their will (maybe better said, against their best interests), a something that they have the authority to conquer. Things are out of order.

“God said, Let Us [Father, Son and Holy Spirit] make Mankind in Our image, after Our likeness and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air , the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of god He created him; male and female He created the. And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.” Genesis 1: 26 – 28 [Amp]

The foundation of overcoming temptation MUST be laid BEFORE you come face to face with the temptation. As I said earlier (in part 1), the last thing that most want to hear when dealing with a temptation is a bible verse. The letter of the law can’t help you in this tight spot, but the Spirit behind the law, the Spirit living inside of you, is there to do lead you through it, if you let Him. But it does little good to try to learn how to hear and recognize the voice of God during the fight. Faith (that you can be victorious) does come by hearing (Romans 10:17). Yet at times when the emotion wounds and the lies of Satan are screaming at you and stealing your focus, you’re like a person who doesn’t know how to swim trying to learn in the middle of a raging storm. It just doesn’t work!!! Remember that a stolen focus is a stolen future!!!

Here are a few things to put in your tool belt to practice using before you get into the fight:

 

  • · Take emotional ownership of WHO YOU ARE – You are an overcomer, an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Himself (Purpose daily to live as His representative here on earth with the very same authority that He has over every situation that you may face).
  • · Know that thoughts always come in pairs. You choose the thought that you will give power to (there is always a way of escape, you just have to want it bad enough to take it).
  • · Decide what YOU WANT (or NEED) to do BEFORE hand. To decide means to CUT OFF, which leads to…
  • · Making the WHY of being healthy (of making a Godly choice) larger that any pain that you may face. Satan's key tool for deception is your very own imagination. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:4 -5 [KJV]

 

That’s enough to chew on for today, Remember, the battle IS the Lord’s, but we ARE on the front line.

Pastor Michael Larkins is the Author of “Victorious Nuggets – Transforming Self-Esteem into Christ-Esteem.

For more of his blogs go to his web site www.thewealthresponse.com

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Dealing With Temptation

Posted by: Michael Larkins on Jun 29, 2009

Michael Larkins

I just finished talking to someone who was really struggling with a very strong temptation to go out and use. Over and over again, he kept talking about how he “shouldn’t” be having these feelings and thoughts. That if only things were different. Well, one thing that I’m sure of is that if he keeps dealing with things from a “I wish things were…” perspective, instead of a “This is how it is” point of view, that he’ll be using by morning if not before.

Victory in life starts with worshipping God in spirit and truth (John 4:10). And truth in this case is that the feelings, the temptation is real. All the wishing, the woulda’s, shoulda’s and coulda’s in the world won’t change the truth that temptations of all kinds are a fact of life.

If Satan tempted Jesus, if he tempted Paul, who are we to think that we will be exempt of these attacks from the pit of hell.

“Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!” 2 Corinthians 12:8 – 9 [Amp]

At times of temptation, for most, the last thing they need or want is for someone to quote Bible verses to them. It comes down to, “How can I put these Bible principles to work in order to deal with what I’m facing?”

Well…

· Let go of pride, make a phone call, and reach out for help. If you don’t want to make that call, then deal with the truth that a part of you still wants to ________ (you fill in the blank).

· Tell God how you TRULY feel; He knows what’s in your heart anyway. If you can’t talk to a person, begin by being honest with YOURSELF, admit that you want to do it but don’t want to deal with the consequences.

· Play the tape all the way out. Don’t just fantasize about the “feel good” part; look at the WHOLE TRUTH. Don’t fall for Satan’s trick of only looking at a part of the deed, think about the pain that WILL COME afterwards.

· THANK the temptation for being there, in truth, it’s pointing out an idol that’s in your life. Ask God for wisdom, to show you a healthy way to deal with the pain that this idol is (falsely) promising to heal for you.

Well I could go on, tell me, “What do YOU do when temptation comes YOUR way?” Please leave your comments, think about it, what YOU have to say MAY save someone’s life!!!

Pastor Michael Larkins is the Author of “Victorious Nuggets – Transforming Self-Esteem into Christ-Esteem.

For more of his blogs go to his web site www.thewealthresponse.com

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