Sometimes we can be really dramatic. One thing goes wrong in the day and we yell out, “I’m never going to break through,” or “I will never catch a break.” We quickly throw out the “nevers,” in a negative way.
God has some “nevers” for you, but they are empowering “nevers,” not the defeating ones.
God has a few “nevers” that are actually encouraging promises to build our faith and help us overcome. These are declarations we can know about God and our journey to help propel us into victory.
1. You are never alone. A battle becomes a million times harder when you feel alone in it. And many people, in their toughest of battles, feel alone, despite the fact that there may be people around who say they love you and want to help. The truth is, only God can fill the core place of emptiness in our hearts.
This is not to discount the value of relationships, for they are indeed a beneficial aid in life. Many things can be overcome when you know there are people who support you. But in the end, the heart of an overcomer can only be built when our source is built on the never ending presence of Christ, who said He would never leave us or forsake us. He also said He would never leave us as orphans.
During battles, we feel alone. We think we are the only ones going through this. Our faith is challenged. It is in these times that we trust He is there. This is what can usher in the greatest victories in our lives.
2. You never have to stay the same. The past can easily define us if we do not get healed from it. Many become crippled by their past. The shame of mistakes or character issues follow them and haunt their hearts. I have even watched some people feel completely disqualified from making a difference in life because of their past mess-ups.
Yet God is such a redemptive God. He takes the biggest messes and can breathe new life into them. Do not hold yourself to an image of what you were yesterday, because the good news is, in God, you are always able to change each day.
I am glad I am not the same person I was yesterday. Sometimes I met people who knew me from when I was younger. They try to address me according to my old or immature ways. Because of God’s grace, I don’t even recognize who they are talking to, because I am not that same person. In God, you never have to stay the same, no matter what your past holds.
God never holds you prisoner to your current condition. He always has an invitation for growth. From glory to glory, He desires to change us.
3. You are never without options. In today’s climate, many are struggling with hopelessness. The temptation to quit or bail out is enormous. Yet through it all, God is calling for the heart of the overcomers, those who refuse to quit and stay the course no matter what.
When we develop hopelessness in our hearts, we become victims to life and things become stagnant. A victim is convinced that there are no options available. But I have learned in life that there are options always available to me. Here are those options:
1. I can choose my attitude. My attitude is always my choice.
2. I can choose the foundation I will stand on and what I will rely upon.
3. I can choose to be open to an idea I may not have thought of yet.
4. I can choose to try again.
5. I can choose not to quit.
Overcomers know how to hang in there. We are never left alone. We never have to stay the same and we are never without options.
Everything God does has hope in it. So if you are living in a way of thinking that has no hope, then God’s not in it.
4. You are never done. “I am done with this!” “I cannot take it anymore.”
We make these declarative statements all the time in relationships and life. We also beat ourselves up because of the flaws, sins and weaknesses many of us are working through. But we seem to forget something very simple: We are not finished.
When Jesus died on the cross and declared, “It is finished,” His work was finished. But you aren’t. You are in process. You are growing from glory to glory. You are being changed. The moment you get upset because you haven’t arrived, thank God that His mercy is new this morning. Go out there and walk with a new sense of victory. Get excited about your growth in knowing there is more to experience!
Romans 8:28 tell us that all things work together for good in the end. If it’s not good, it’s not the end.
5. God never breaks His promises. Throughout my life, I have found one of the greatest aspects of God is His faithfulness. When I look back at the times I thought He was not there, I see His presence. He was working for my benefit and leading me into stages of change. Quite often it’s hard to see in the middle of a trial, but His faithfulness is something you and I can rely on continually.
You can be certain that God never breaks a promise. That is why in order to overcome, we need to be careful students of His Word, where He lays out His covenant promises towards us who believe. Those promises are intact and will come to pass. We just need to remember that He never breaks His promises.
Which of these five do you find to be the most helpful? What would you add to this list?
Mark DeJesus has been equipping people in a full-time capacity since 1995, serving in various roles, including teaching people of all ages, communicating through music, authoring books, leading and mentoring. Mark’s deepest love is his family: his wife, Melissa; son, Maximus; and daughter, Abigail. Mark is a teacher, author and mentor who uses many communication mediums, including the written word, a weekly radio podcast show and videos. His deepest call involves equipping people to live as overcomers. Through understanding inside out transformation, Mark’s message involves getting to the root of issues that contribute to the breakdown of our relationships, our health and our day-to-day peace. He is passionately reaching his world with a transforming message of love, healing and freedom. Out of their own personal renewal, Mark and Melissa founded Turning Hearts Ministries, a ministry dedicated to inside out transformation. Mark also founded Transformed You, a communication platform for Mark’s teachings, writing and broadcasts that are designed to encourage people in their journey of transformation.
For the original article, visit markdejesus.com.
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