The Bible clearly says that you cannot serve two masters. It is vital to know that even by remaining neutral, you have made your choice. You are either on the side of God or the Devil – this is what the Bible says (Luke 16:13, Matthew 6:24). And regardless of what the world says, there is a difference between facts versus truth.
People reflect on the year 2020 with mixed emotions. Entering the year, we were full of enthusiasm, but that seemed to quickly dwindle. The beginning of 2021 didn’t seem to begreeted with much enthusiasm either. In my church, 2020 was declared a year of perfection, in another church a YES year, and in another the year of glory. These were very beautiful things said about the year, however, what the world is experiencing now does not look like glory, beauty nor perfection.
Does this make the Word of God untrue?
Emphatically NO! The Bible says let God be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4). God’s word is truth, any other contrary to the Word of God is a lie. So why was it proclaimed to be aperfect year but what seems to rule instead is chaos?
Looking at the World
It is important to realise that we live in a fallen world. God Almighty created a perfect world to protect and sustain human life, with humans wanting and lacking nothing. However, through the disobedience of the first people on earth, sin reigned, and death resulted through sin. Anything that does not result in life, beauty, glory or excellence is death (Romans 6:23, Romans 5:16-17, Rom 3:23). This is what was introduced into the world as a result of sin – sickness, poverty fear, bondage, etc.
Through disobedience, man handed over the power that God gave him to rule the earth to Satan (Genesis 1:28). Notice that I am saying the power torule the earth. This made Satan become the god of this world UNTIL Jesus came and through His death conquered the devil and the forces of darkness, taking back that power from the Devil (Colossians 2:13-15). Jesus died for all men, but all men do not automatically become saved and enjoy the fruit of this salvation UNTIL you make Jesus Christ Lord of your life. It is only then that you will partake in the benefits of salvation. Now, once you submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ, you switch kingdoms. You are transitioned from the kingdom of darkness, whose ruler and chief is theDevil, into the kingdom of light, which is ruled by Christ Jesus.
Notice that prior to this transfer men live in darkness and submit to the authorities of it. They accept the system and operate in it. This is a system of lack, unforgiveness, sickness, failure, hatred, servitude, curses, bondage and every evil thing you can think of. This is where the challenge is: now that there has been a transfer, the enemy whose camp you left is not happy about your salvation and newfound freedom and would do anything possible to make you FEEL like you still belong to him. It is only a feeling, therefor, the Bible tells us that once we become born again, we do not live according to our feelings but according to the Spirit and according to the truth of the Word of God. What God has said about you, is your reality and truth regardless of how you feel in that moment. It is sad how many Christians do not know this. No wonder the Bible says in Hosea 4:6 that “my people perish for lack of knowledge”. The Bible also calls the enemy a liar and a father of all lies (John 8:44).
Death has been defeated!
As a defeated foe, he knows he cannot harm you in your new kingdom. He has no more authority over you so his only weapon left is deception. If he can get you to buy into his lies, then he can control your thoughts making you believe your salvation was not real even though you have been transferred out of his kingdom into the kingdom of the Almighty God. The moment you listen to him, and give him your attention, you begin to buy into his lies and begin to see yourself the way he sees you and accept his defeat as your reality. At this point it is easy to accept sicknesses, poverty, and defeat, as normal.
The truth is that you no longer belong to the kingdom of darkness. You are now a child of God and belong to the kingdom of light. Life in this kingdom is very much different from life in the darkness. It is a kingdom of love, joy, peace, deliverance, power, protection, kindness, goodness and all the good, Godly things you can think of.
Made New in the Kingdom of Light
So, when God tells us something good like a YES year, a year of perfection, of double blessing of the supernatural,this is your reality. Declare it. Repeat to yourself what God has said to you and stay focused on it, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith.
A good example here is the apostle Peter In Matthew 14:22-26. The disciples were in a boat, in the middle of the sea and it was far into the night. When Jesus came walking on the water, they were terrified and thought it was a ghost. But Peter said to Jesus “Lord if it is you tell me to come” and Jesus asked him to come. Peter set out walking on the water with his eyes fixed on Jesus. Scripture says when he took his eyes off the master and began to look at the strong winds he began to sink (Matthew 14:29). Then the master reached out and saved him. What was Jesus’ question to Peter? WHY DID YOU DOUBT? I’m sure he was terrified by the storm. One moment Peter was walking on the water when he set his gaze on Jesus, the next moment he was sinking when he began to consider the facts around him. The facts were that the wind and waves were strong and boisterous when he set out to walk on the water but he was doing fine until his focus shifted from the reality that the master was with him, and that despite the storm, he was walking on water. What does this teach us?
That FACTS are not necessarily the TRUTH.
Let’s look at the people of Israel trembling at the voice of Goliath, the Philistine, with their tall well-built king, Saul, helpless. While a small shepherd boy conquered the giant. What was the difference? Saul considered the facts whilst David knew and held onto the truth. The fact was that Goliath has been a man of war from his youth plus he was a giant and Philistine champion. David, on the other hand, was only a shepherd boy, about seventeen years old, without any form of military training. This young lad heard Goliath the giant defying the name of the Almighty God and therefore decided to fight him. When king Saul outlined the facts as to why David couldn’t fight the giant, stating the FACT that he is only an inexperienced boy, David reminded him of the truth about the Almighty God. David knew and trusted the God who created Goliath himself and therefore boasted in this God. Praising Him for what He has done before and is therefore able to do much more of. Wow! David was faced with a giant and yet refused to see or consider how big this giant was and chose to focus his attention on how big and able His Almighty God was instead. In the end Goliath was killed by a little boy. (Read the full story in 1 Samuel:17.)
Whatever the situation is, trust God every step of the way.
Again, Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:1-11).The fact is that it does not make human sense, or scientific sense, to pour in water and scoop out wine. But when Jesus is involved in the situation, there’s absolutely nothing like a “NOWAY OUT” because ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH HIM. However stupid the instruction seemed, the servants cautiously trusted Jesus and that was when they experienced the miracle.
Whatever the situation is, trust God every step of the way.
That same God is looking out for you!
What is it that God has told you? He calls you beautiful because He made you so (Psalm 139:14), He says you are forgiven because He cancelled every record of wrong against you(Colossians 2:13-14), He says you are loved because He showered it on you(1 John 3:1), He says your tomorrow is bright because He is your hope(Jeremiah 29:11), He calls you healthy and full of life because he died to give you a full life (John 10:10, John 1:16). He has said so many good things about you.
CHOOSE TO BELIEVE AND ACCEPT IT AS YOUR REALITY AND TRUTH.
Remember from the day we accepted the Lordship of Jesus, we switched kingdoms and now belong to the kingdom of God where we enjoy health, life, love, joy, peace and all good things you can think of. Like Peter, we may see the boisterous wind, but we choose to focus on Jesus. Like David, the giant may look big and impossible, but we boast in the day God divinely intervened and saved us from the situation we thought was going to kill us. And like Moses, when faced with the sea in front of us and the enemy pursuing us, and it seems like there is no way out, He will clear our paths and guide our way to safety. Because we live in this corrupted world, we will face challenges
BUT WITH OUR GOD THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A NO WAY OUT, FOR ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH HIM.
This article was written by Maame Gyansima Macmillan. She is passionate about helping people live a full life. She is a children’s minister, youth motivational speaker, a counsellor and a certified etiquette consultant. She’s worked in the banking industry for over a decade, and is a wife and a mother of three.
