Has Satan made you less than you can be?

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”  (II Corinthians 5:10)

When you appear in Heaven and are about to be judged by Christ, would you want to hear:  “You are nothing like you were created to be.”  When you are standing there what do you expect to receive?  Do you think you will hear that you did well or you just barely made it to heaven?

We came from God with a given purpose.  It makes no difference who our parents are or how dysfunctional our lives may have been.  God can create in us a new person with potential and abilities.  Yet, the devil will continually try to deceive us in believing we are just too unworthy and will never amount to much.

Knowing we were born and God had a plan for each one of us, we can accept or reject!  We all know that our body’s carnal and self-centered nature will reject God and His plan at least for a time.  It is up to our soul and spirit if we want to accept God and what He has planned.  If we receive Christ as our Savior this requires a commitment and obedience to His will.  Once we believe, we must prepare for temptations and trials that will come.  Probably the stronger our will and the more self-control we have our testing will be greater.  We must know God’s general Will for those who have become Christians before we get to His plan.

We must emphasize the importance of praying that God would reveal to each of us His realized purpose for our lives.  So many Christians apparently are unaware that God has a plan for them.  They seem to lack a passion for what it is they are doing.  Or, they have a passion but have not developed enough trust in God to follow the Holy Spirit’s direction.  Negative fear is the Devil’s greatest weapon.  How often have we wanted to do something but were afraid to try?

If we have the mind-set that no matter what happens in our lives it is in God’s plan and He is allowing it for a particular purpose; could we then handle temptations and trials more positively?  As we approach life realizing that God has it planned out for us, then be aware that He also wants us to succeed with the help of His Spirit within us.

We can become what we want to be, very successful or even failing, depending on how we think of ourselves.  When we think positive we can become highly motivated and more productive.  If we think negative thoughts about ourselves we become less enthusiastic and block our full potential.

As important as attitudes are, they are not something we can teach.  They must be something we get from something or somebody.  One’s attitude is a personal thing.  It is how we see ourselves.   Anytime you meet me my attitude is showing.  Most of you may want to be around me if I am positive but if I am always negative you may have a tendency to skip seeing me.  But I must have the right attitude to be what God created me to be.

Even though we are all made differently; some were created with certain abilities, some handicapped and most of us average.  Each was given a purpose and a mission based on what God had in mind for us.  God didn’t say let’s create another human today and watch them fail.  He had the knowledge and ability to put the universe together; and He knew everyone of us prior to our birth. Then can’t He give each one of us a plan for our lives with the abilities to be successful?

I wonder if some Christian’s problems are a lack of trust or self-confidence because they never study or accept how Scripture applies to them.   A Christian’s self-confidence comes from our relationship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.  If you lack confidence do you need to become more spiritually mature?  Do you need to spend more time in Bible study and prayer?  Pray that God challenges you to do something for Him that you feel incapable of doing.  Then do it and see if He doesn’t give you the ability and willingness to accomplish His task.  Do this a few times and you will realize that confidence can come from God.   Then apply that confidence to other projects.  Think positively, tell yourself positive thoughts and you will become positive!  Allow the Holy Spirit to make you into a new confident and successful person as God intended and the Bible assures.

Too many of us are lazy!  We are unwilling to prepare.  How much time do you spend reading each week?  Between the Bible and information on my career, I spend a minimum of 20 hours a week reading.   I have read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation many times, in addition to studying all New Testament books.  Without this knowledge it would limit the information to blog.  I continue to believe what little success in life I have had, has been from preparation.  You will never be a professional basketball player practicing just occasionally.  If you want to stand before Christ at judgment with confidence, it takes hours of preparation.