You Are Empowered By God

Many times our actions are all that stand in the way of answered prayers. Is God waiting on you?

Did you know God has provided ways in His word to empower His children? Did you know there are specific things you can do to contribute to answered prayer, good health, a peaceful life and more? It's true!

Once we are saved, we don't just float through our days hoping to catch God in a good mood when He is willing to answer prayer or provide for our needs. His word gives us many things we can do continually to set His hand in motion.

Covenant Promises

Open your Bible to some of the verses where God states the promises He is willing to bestow on His children. For instance, Deuteronomy 28 is filled with blessings. What do you notice about how this chapter begins?

"Now it shall come to pass, IF you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God…"

Then, at the end of the blessings section of this chapter (verse 13) what do we see again? "And the Lord shall make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only and not be beneath, IF you heed the commandments of the Lord your God…"

If we do what God instructs us to do then He will give us all He has promised to give. This if/then type of promise is called a covenant promise. It operates the same as when an attorney draws up a contract between two people. One party agrees to do a particular thing and - after it is done - a second party agrees to do something else. God empowers us to have control of certain circumstances by offering us these covenant promises or blessings.

You Go First

God usually wants us to take the action He has laid out in His word before we are rewarded. He empowers us to do what we should then rewards us once we have done it.

Luke chapter six holds other good examples of ways God has empowered us. In verse 37, Jesus instructs, "Judge not and you shall not be judged. Condemn not and you shall not be condemned."

Verse 38 continues in the same way by saying, "Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over; men shall give unto your bosom. For with the same measure you use, it shall be measured back to you."

Again, we go first. If we give, we shall receive. Whatever measure we use to give to God, that's the same measure He will use to give to us. We have the control. We make the first move.

I Peter 3:7 shows yet another good example. "Husbands, likewise, dwell with [your wives] with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered."

When husbands treat their wives as God says they should, they give more power to their prayers. The husband's prayers are not hindered because of his actions. If he treats his wife in an ungodly manner, his prayer will be hindered. In this example, the husband has the power.

As you read through your Bible this week, make note of the times God empowers us. You may want to make a list or mark the verses in your Bible as you find them so you can remember when to act and what to do to release God's best in your life. Many times our actions are all that stand in the way of answered prayers. Is God waiting on you?

Are we our own prisoners?

Sometimes we are also prisoners of our thoughts and our past deeds. We also have nothing else to look forward to. We only have regrets. At least we can do something about the conditions but the prisoners can do nothing. Life can be depressing at times. How to inspire ourselves in such conditions?

Imagine a person in a prison. He/she has been imprisoned for life and will wait till death in the prison.
What can possibly motivate such a person? What do these people look forward to in their lives?
Sometimes we are also prisoners of our thoughts and our past deeds. We also have nothing else to look forward to. We only have regrets. At least we can do something about the conditions but the prisoners can do nothing. Life can be depressing at times. How to inspire ourselves in such conditions?

What is inspiration?

'Inspiration' the word as it is commonly understood means to experience a state of mind that propels us to work happily try to achieve goal sand feel good about ourselves and the world.

How to break open the prison?

When we are not inspired and can set no goals we feel that we are so helpless that nothing can be done. The first step would be to try finding stories of people such as Helen Keller who overcame so many difficulties to emerge victorious. That will give us a basic thought that things are not that bad. We will open at least one door of our prison with this thought.

Then go back in your memory. Try and think of instances when you felt good because of some achievements. It could be something very small. Anything. Like coming first in the class in your second year in school or getting a good remark from a teacher for an essay or for a math answer. That will break open another door.

Now begin counting your blessings. Do you have a functioning kidney? Can you see? Can you hear? Can you smell? Are your hands ok and so on. Will you sell your eyes for any price? No! Who said that you have no money? You are a wealthy person who is unaware of your wealth your blessings Isn't it? This will open one more door.

Break the last door open by thinking of the goals you might want to achieve. Believe that you can do that. Start planning. Think of ways. Talk to people. Be ready for a long struggle but with a firm resolve that you will achieve the goals. This will take you out of the prison of your thinking and make you a new person ready to fight.

Get set to go ahead. You are a winner in making!

Are You Successful?

Are you successful? What does that word mean to you? Unlimited wealth, “toys” as far as the eye can see, or family gatherings at your cottage on the lake?

Success is a state of mind, and I would like to help you Succeed! Below are some dynamic belief steps to follow.

S – Start believing in yourself and what you do!

Starting=beginning. If you wouldn’t have taken the risk and got on your bicycle for the first time, would you have the confidence that you do now as you mount your bike for a ride through town? This belief comes from within and turns your dreams and vision into reality!

U – Understand another's point of view.

You don’t know it all, so don’t appear to. Put yourself in their shoes and listen. Have empathy.
What does the other person want? What are they feeling? Block out your own feelings and the voice that has a response to their statements and truly “BE” with the one you are talking with. Don’t interrupt! Have you ever thought up the perfect response, so witty and smart, that it burst out of your mouth, only to stop the sentence coming out of the other person’s mouth. You missed them and possibly the sale or relationship.
Have you ever truly been understood? It is the best feeling in the world. When you put yourself aside to put the other person first, that is true sacrifice and success.

C – Confidence isn’t a feeling, it is an action. You need to have it, even when you just don’t feel like you can!

C – Collaborate , share your successes, be vulnerable and share your mistakes. Be real! You will become a people magnet. Surround yourself with people you admire. Look for like minded people, people who have what you want, who believe as you believe! Find out how they got to where they are and then do the same. Billionaire Ross Perot paid millions to attract the brightest to his company. Be people smart.

E – Exercise your brain and body.

Read, read, read! Readers are leaders. Have you thought about that, it is true. The more you know, the more confident you feel and the more comfortable you feel collaborating with those who have what you want. Sound familiar?

Run, run, run! Keep your body in shape. Make a list of the people you admire, who have what you want? What do they look like? Do they exercise or take care of their outer body as well as their mind and soul?

E- Encourage others! Your friends, family, business partners all deserve to hear praise. Dig deep to find something they are good at or have done well, then say it, write it, sing a song to it, whatever, just acknowledge it to that other person!

D- Determine to be better than who you are and you’ll be surprised at who you’ll become! Use the bulldog determination like the tortoise and the Hare. Even the snail made it to the ark. Determine not to quit, creatively begin again and again, and again!
How hard are you going to work? How bad do you want it! It isn’t that hard, just…

Start believing in yourself.
Understand another’s point of view.
Confidence – do it and then feel it!
Collaborate with those who have what you want.
Exercise your mind, body and soul.
Encourage others.

Determine to be better than who you are and you’ll be surprised at who you’ll become –

Then SUCCEED!
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Kelly Wissink is a successful Home Based Business Owner and former teacher who is coaching a team of entrepreneurs to be successful in their business and in life. A few of her primary goals are to help others succeed, have fun and live life to it's fullest! She can be reached through her website at http://www.SoyAndBeyond.com or
http://www.squidoo.com/homebusinessformoms/