Things are Subject to Change part 2
We’re going to continue on the subject of TURNING YOUR SITUATION AROUND.
I) Last time (2 weeks ago) we took up some points that I just want to spend a minute on.
A) Last time we said that the HUMAN SPIRIT is like a CREATIVE COMPUTER.
1) Our spirit will produce what ever is programmed into it.
(a) In (PRO 23:7) it says that Whatever a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
(b) Your heart is your spirit, and as the Wise men said from (PRO 23:7), “Whatever is in your heart that is what you are or what you will become.”
2) Jesus said in (Matthew 12:34) “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” KJV
(a) Jesus also said in (MARK 11:23) that if it’s in you heart and you believe it, you’re going to speak it and if you do that is what you’re going to get.
(b) As we read, study, and meditate on God’s Word it will be in your heart and you will begin to speak it.
(i) When you have God’s Word in your heart it will cause you to create God’s promises in your life.
(ii) It’s a spiritual law, the law of sowing and reaping.
(c) (GAL 6:7) “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
(i) The words that you speak are seeds, but they have to be true seeds.
(a) You can’t plant fake seeds and expect a harvest.
(b) Fake seeds are words that you speak that are not in your heart.
(c) You can make yourself say something that is not in your heart. (My God shall supply all my needs, but you really don’t believe it in your heart.)
(ii) True seeds are words you speak that you believe in your heart. (This works for good or bad.)
(d) We as Christian should have God’s Word in our hearts.
(i) It’s going to take some work; we have to spend some time in the Word of God.
(ii) It doesn’t have to be hours a day, but if you only have time for 1 chapter a day and meditate on it, you will get it into your heart.
3) Christians should be filled with hope and great expectations.
(a) But our Hope, our Expectations and our faith should be based on the Living Word of God.
B) Turn with me to 2COR 4:18
1) Your situation is subject to change with the Word of God abiding in your heart.
(a) Sometimes people will say, “But Pastor, you don’t know my situation.”
(i) I may not, but I know the Word of God and Jesus said in (Luke 18:27) “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” KJV
(b) He also said in (MARK 9:23) “If you can believe, all things are possible.” Believe what? Believe Him and His Word. Then all things are possible.
C) Turn with me to PRO 12:25
1) A person that has heaviness in their heart or in their spirit is a person that is in depression, or they have lost their Hope, or they are in despair.
2) But the remedy is right here; “A good word maketh it glad.”
(a) God’s Word is that Good Word.
(b) Now when Solomon says that a good word maketh your spirit glad, the word “GLAD” is also translated “JOY, REJOICE, JOYFUL and MERRY.”
3) Turn with me to PRO 17
(a) The Word of God is going to make your spirit MERRY.
(b) PRO 17:22
(i) If you look up the word “MEDICINE” it means “A CURE or HEALING.”
(ii) A MARRY HEART which comes through the Word of God causes a CURE to your situation or HEALING to you body.
(c) If you’re still experiencing discouragement, despair, hopelessness, or depression you might need to change your source of information.
(i) Instead of looking at your finances, your body, or other problems start looking to the Good Word, which will make you glad instead of sad.
II) Our attitude is going to play a very important part in our receiving.
A) Look at PHIL 1:12
1) Paul was thrown into prison. This was a very serious situation. His life was at stake.
2) But notice Paul’s attitude. Listen to it from the NIV translation. “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” NIV (Philippians 1:12)
(a) This isn’t the attitude of someone that is balling and squalling because of their problems.
(b) The devil thought that by having Paul thrown into prison, he could stop the spread of the Gospel.
(i) But it didn’t work that way.
(ii) God turned the situation around.
(iii) God turned Paul’s prison into a pulpit where he wrote some of the most in-depth teachings in the Word of God.
B) But your attitude can either make you or brake you.
1) The definition to the word “ATTITUDE” according to the Webster’s Dictionary is “A mental position with regard to a fact or state.”
2) Your attitude is a by-product of what’s in your spirit.
3) Your attitude will change depending on what happens, the facts.
(a) But what are you going to believe the things that happen in the natural or the facts of God’s Word?
(b) If your spirit is filled with bad reports, your attitude is going to be bad, but if your spirit is filled with the report of the Lord (the Word of God) then your attitude is going to be positive.
4) I’m sure you remember the story of David and Goliath, how David slew Goliath.
(a) But there is more to the story then that.
(b) When Goliath came out to fight, all Israel was afraid.
(i) It says in (1 Samuel 17:24) “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.” KJV
(c) But David said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1SAM 17:26)
(i) When David called him “An uncircumcised Philistine,” he was saying, “Who is this man that does not have a covenant with God like we do?”
(ii) David had God’s Word in his heart, he knew that he was in a covenant with God.
(d) David goes on to say, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.
(i) Then David says to Goliath, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee.”
5) But notice the difference in attitude.
(a) The Israelites said, “He’s too big to kill.”
(b) David said, “He’s too big to miss.”
(i) Their attitude played a big part in this situation.
(ii) The Israelites attitude was based on what they saw; David’s attitude was based on the Word of God.
(iii) A person’s attitude is a good indicator of what’s taking place on the inside.
III) Joseph is another man that could have lost his joy. His merry heart could have been silenced.
A) But again we can see that his attitude was never negative.
1) He held on to the dreams that God gave him years before.
2) Joseph was a man of faith. He’s even listed in the heroes of faith in (HEB 11)
B) When Paul was in prison he said in (Ephesians 4:23) “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” KJV
1) Probable the worst hour for him in the natural and he’s exhorting people to get their minds renewed to the Word of God.
(a) The NIV words (EPH 4:23) like this, “Be made new in the attitude of your mind.”
(i) God’s Word is going to change your attitude.
C) Turn with me to JAMES 1:2.
1) I like how the NIV words this. Listen to it form the NIV, (James 1:2-4) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” NIV
(a) If you have the Word of God in your heart you can have the attitude of Joy in your life when you’re going through different problems.
2) Because you know that when the trials come you will persevere and remain steadfast on the Word of God.
(a) This will cause you to grow and mature, and you will lack nothing.
(b) You can count it all joy because you know that victory is at hand.
WOLCC Sunday AM 4/6/97