Power Of "What If?"

Key Scripture:   "Don't fret or worry about anything, instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers.... before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  Philippians 4:6, The Message

Power Point:

     What if you were to ask yourself the question "What if?" in every situation instead of "Why me?"

     My friend Julie and I were talking about a principle that we heard from Graham Cooke recently.  He was speaking with a lady who was quite nervous about beginning a new job.  She was excited but definitely concerned about possible problems that could lie ahead.  Graham asked her, "Well what if that (whatever she was afraid of) doesn't happen?  What if this happens instead?"  Since she was firmly entrenched in the negative possibilities, Graham's question shifted her focus to the power of God's possibilities. He spent the next few moments addressing each of her issues and asking her the question "But what if this happened instead?" Fortunately she "caught on" and entirely changed her perspective. All her fear and anxiety vanished, and she actually became excited to see what God would do!

      Julie and I have begun to play the "What if" game.  Whenever we find ourselves "concerned", (that's the Christian word for worry!), we ask ourselves, "Well, what if that didn't happen, but what if this happened instead?”

     God is actually the initiator of the "What if?" game He always encourages us to look for His potential in any situation. His promises to us are GOOD news.  In fact, He promises that he will always cause beauty to come from ashes. He gives us joy instead of mourning, and praise instead of a spirit of heaviness.

    You may have something that you are dreading or "concerned" about today.  You might find your thoughts leading to all the negative possibilities available to you.  But, just for a moment, what if you changed the direction of those thoughts?  "What if" that very thing became bathed in God's possibilities instead.

    What if the very thing you are dreading opened up new doors of opportunity instead?

What if God really showed up and did what He promised you that He would do instead of leaving you on your own?  What if you began to focus on the "What if's?" instead  of the "Oh no’s"

What if you really began to think like Jesus and became more confident in what your Father says than what your situation says?

    What if your impossibility became proof of the unlimited potential of the possibilities of God?

What if, instead of doubting, you believed instead?

What if, this situation is REALLY in God's loving control, and He REALLY is working it out for your good?

What if the power of God is setting you up for victory instead of failure?

What if you never had anything to fear again, because you understood that God is on your side and He's got your back?

What if...?

Power Thought:

As Graham says, "Is it time to have another thought?"


















Copyright 2015, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work

Power Of The Voice In Our Head

Key Scripture:  "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know His voice." John 10:4

Power Point:

   We all listen to the voices in our heads don't we?  This morning I was remembering a conversation I had had with a friend. She was recounting to me an illness that she had recently suffered.  As I listened, I knew she was reliving every detail and it was as though every word she spoke made ME feel sick! 

     The Lord made a stunning statement to me as I thought about it, He said, "Everything has a voice."   If you think about that, it's really true isn't it?

Poverty has a voice.  Sickness has a voice.  Anger has a voice. We are well aware that our words, the things that we declare with our mouths, have a voice but if we really step back and listen to the voices in our heads, we realize that what we are hearing is a symphony of voices, and a LOT of them are off-key!

Pain talks to us.  Bitterness screams at us.  Hopelessness simply refuses to shut up.  Offenses roar.

I understand now why the words we speak are so important.  Our bodies, our souls, and our spirits respond to what we they hear.

   Recently, my son and my grandson attended a Christian camp. One of the most stirring moments for me, as I listened to him recounting their adventures, occurred when the sons were blindfolded in a forest.  The dads walked behind them, perfectly able to see what their sons could not. They were allowed to say four things:

Listen to my voice only.

You can always ask me questions.

You can trust me.

I am always here for you.

Not only was that a stunning realization of the relationship of an earthly father and son, it was a perfect illustration of our relationship with our heavenly Father.  When we cannot see what is ahead of us, and the way seems impossible to negotiate, He encourages us to hear His voice.  He's already told us to listen to His voice only; that we can always ask Him questions; that we can trust Him, and that He is always there for us. 
    Wait for further instructions!

    I can imagine how JD, (my grandson) felt when they put that blindfold on over his eyes and he was told to walk forward.  He might have run into a tree or two before he stopped and remembered that he could ask his dad for direction.

      Life feels like that sometimes doesn't it? It feels as though you've stumbled into a dark room and can't find the light switch.  That's when we have to stop, and ask God questions.  Am I going in the right direction?  How many steps do I take?  Do I go left or right?  We need to remember that He is always there, ready to guide us and then we can walk forward according to His directions. If we don't do that all of our circumstances are screaming in our ears aren't they?  "You'll never get well! I'm here to stay!"  "You'll never be able to do that!"  "What a rotten future you have ahead of you!"  "That's impossible!"

     It might be a good time to think about what voices you are listening to don't you think?  You have total access to the wisdom and the Father heart of God. You are not alone.  You can trust Him. You have His promises planted deeply in the soil of your heart.  Why not bring them out and let them shout out the truth?

     What voices are you allowing in your head?

Power Thought:

Whatever voice you listen to on a regular basis has the power to create life or death.  His voice always brings abundant life, and direction.

Copyright © 2015, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work.

Power Of Harsh Words

Key Scripture:  "Your words have been harsh against Me!"   Malachi

Power Point;

     Yesterday I was studying Malachi 3.  I always remember this passage because God accused the children of Israel of saying "harsh" things about Him. It's interesting that they were clueless.  They tried to figure it out and couldn't imagine what God was talking about. 

"What do You mean Lord?  How are we harsh?"

"Because you continually talk about how hard things are for you, how it really isn't profitable for you to serve Me.  In other words, you're talking about your situation, looking at it and talking about it some more, and never saying what I have said about it! You're saying that My Words, My character, My power are ineffective for you."  (Suzanne Translation).

     I love the next verses. The people who trusted God, and believed in Him, began speaking to each other, and it blessed God so much that He had His heavenly scribes write a book of Remembrance so that their words, and their names would never be forgotten. Their words brought Him so much pleasure that He wanted always to remember them.

I think the most important thing that we need to remember is the phrase in verse sixteen:

     "And God heard".  He not only heard the harsh things, He heard the good things. 

In Hebrews 3:1,it says that Jesus is Lord over our confessions.  That means that Jesus is listening to what we say, as well.  When we say what HE says, He slaps His knee, jumps up and shouts 'Hallelujah!" Then He sets heaven in motion to support what we have said.

     What do your words say about God?  Do they imply that His ways are so mysterious that there's no way for them to work for you?  Do they describe His powerlessness to help? Do they deny His goodness and mercy?

     We've all had harsh words spoken to us or about us at one time or another haven't we?  They're uncomfortable to listen to-offensive, and unpleasant.  Webster says that the opposite of harsh words are those that are courteous, kind, nice, and polite. Those are the words we want to hear and those are the words that God wants to hear.  Words that express our thanks for what He doing on our behalf even though we can't see it at the moment. Words that focus on Who He is and Who He has promised to be for us every day of our lives. Words that honor Him and faithfully discuss His faithfulness.

     What are your words saying about God, to God?  Remember-He's listening. Are they words that He will want to remember forever? What are you saying to your friends about Him?  Do your words encourage them in their faith?  Do they cause them to dream about all the possibilities that God has promised? 

      Our words bless Him. Let's give Him something good to remember today.

Power Thought:

His praises are continually in my mouth. 

Copyright © 2015, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work

Power Of A Perfect Fit

Key Scripture:  "Be supernaturally enthused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus...you must wear the armor that God provides so you're protected as you confront the Slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious." Ephesians 6:10,13, TPT

Power Point:

      When you find yourself listening to or creating accusations, or negative information of any kind about someone else, you are listening to the Accuser, the Slanderer, the one who is always causing strife and offense and stirring up anger and hatred.

The only way you can win that battle is to have your mind and your heart renewed by the fullness of God's Spirit.

You can only defeat strife, anger, hatred, irritation and woundedness by releasing the fruit of HIS love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those are your weapons.  Before you were filled with the Spirit, you didn't have those weapons.  You had to stir up your own willpower or determination and fight from defeat.  Now, you have every resource that Jesus had, and you fight from victory using the same weapons He did.

    You have the power of perfect love to fight for what is right.  As you exercise that love muscle, it will get larger. The more you give to God to renew in your life, the more you will see your "love life” becoming stronger.  As Ephesians says, “Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for His purposes."  When you finally realize that you have the extraordinary privilege of representing God's heart to someone, it makes you think before you think doesn't it?  The fruit of HIS self-control enables you to refuse anger and deny the enemy any territory.  He can't dance in God's space anymore. You've taken back your land.

Peace destroys chaos.

Love dissolves hate.

Blessing overrules cursing.

Patience allows God time to work.

     Many of us have thought for years that we were supposed to put on the armor of God and go out to battle. We were in a confrontational state of mind.  What I am discovering is that the Armor of God will not be as effective for me if I have not first been filled with His Spirit.  The shoes of Peace will not fit my feet if I have no peace in me. That shield of faith will look really small-incapable of defending me if I haven't learned the value of the Love walk, because, of course, faith works through love.

      Our confrontation is on the inside first, between our flesh and our spirit, before we ever go into the outside battle. Satan knows that if he can lie to you and blame everyone else for your problems, then you will never be as effective, even though you have access to the armor of God. When your flesh "wins", chaos continues.  When the Spirit "wins", life and peace result. It's always our choice. When you are filled with the Spirit of God, He leads you.  When you are exercising the gifts He has given you, you will find that God's armor fits you perfectly. You have all the faith you need to protect you and you walk in His peace. His words are on the tip of your tongue and they change the atmosphere of war as you speak them.

     The only way we win any battle in the spirit realm is by letting God's Spirit fill us and release the power of God that is in us; the power of faith, peace, grace, love, and rest in Him.  Those are the weapons in our arsenal.  It's important that we know that.

  

Power Thought:

God's armor should be a perfect fit, when worn correctly!

Copyright © 2015, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work