WE’VE GOT TO SHUT THE DOOR ON CONDEMNATION AND OPEN THE DOOR TO CHRIST!

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:9-10 ESV)

WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR OF JESUS CHRIST, YOU OPEN THE DOOR TO BLESSING, FAVOR, INCREASE, GRACE, HOPE, MERCY, LOVE, & LIFE!

If you were a cow, the pasture (as referenced in this bible verse) would be your sweet spot of God’s blessing. But as a person, this is the place where God’s blessings constantly flow. This is the place where all of your needs are met and more. This is the place where you have MORE THAN ENOUGH.

I believe this starts in the mind. You must let the Scriptures lead you to mental and spiritual pasture. You must feed on God’s Word, God’s promises, God’s truth, God’s love, God’s mercy. Your mind and your spirit must spend time in the pasture of God’s nourishing word. Then you must continue to graze on it. You must continue to chew on it. You must preach the gospel to yourself. You must meditate on the Word. This is what the bible means when it says, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

If you will transform your mind, God will transform your life.

Your words put feet to your faith. So as your mind and mental patterns begin to change and get in agreement with God’s word, now its time to start speaking faith over your life. Speak God’s Word regularly, every day over your family and your future. Stop cursing your own life and family and future by speaking words of doubt, despair, negativity. Instead speak words of faith, hope, and love over your family and future. I’m not saying make up a fantasy world, I am saying speak God’s words of faith, hope, and love over your family. If God said it’s going to happen, then believe it, meditate on it, speak it, and start living like its already happened. And it will!

But all too often we leave the door of past regrets wide open. We leave the door of negative emotions, hurtful conversations, the words spoken against you, and we let those words define us instead of letting God define us.

The past does not define you, your feelings do not define you, other people don’t define you, your failures and accomplishments dont define you. ONLY GOD DEFINES YOU. YOUR FAITH IS YOUR FUTURE. You are what you believe.

You become what you believe!

Focus your thoughts on God’s promises. Stay in faith. Believe in God’s best, even when the circumstances look their worst! And you will see God do more than you could ever think or imagine in your family and your future!

SHUT THE DOOR ON GUILT, OPEN THE DOOR ON GRACE. SHUT THE DOOR ON FEAR, OPEN THE DOOR OF FAITH. STOP LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN TO CONDEMNATION. IN CHRIST, THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS.

When you feel the door of failure, the door of condemnation, the door of regret, guilt, shame, and fear being left open, you’ve got to shut it by FOCUSING ON THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST. You picture the cross of Jesus Christ, and you say, THANK YOU JESUS FOR TAKING MY SIN, MY SHAME, MY GUILT, MY FEAR, MY CONDEMNATION ON THE CROSS. GOD POURED OUT ALL OF HIS WRATH AND ANGER UPON JESUS ON THE CROSS. SO YOU AND I CAN WALK FREE.

One time when I was a bit younger and single I owned an incredible babe mobile, it’s how I got my amazing bride. It was a 1987 sky blue, 4 door, Ford Escort. Oh yeah. The previous owner was a wonderful 83 year old woman. I’m pretty sure that’s who Ford made this car for.

It drove great, but one time as I was driving down the highway, one of those dashboard warning lights came on. It was the door ajar light. It was blinking. But I thought to myself, there is no door open in here. I’m fine, no big deal, and I ignored the warning light.

Well, not too long after that as I am barreling down the highway my passenger side door flung wide open. I thought I was about to take flight with one wing spread. It was freaky. I reached over with my right arm and tried to shut the door, it just bounced back open. It would not shut; something was broken. Clearly I should not have ignored that dashboard warning.

So, I did what any normal, rational thinking person would do; I immediately grabbed the passenger side seat belt, wrapped it around the door handle and pull it tight. I was driving with one arm on the wheel and my other hand was holding onto the seat belt which was wrapped around the door handle trying to keep the door shut while I am going about 65 mph down the highway.

It never pays to ignore the dashboard warnings.

In life, dating and marriage too many of us are guilty of ignoring the dashboard warnings. The Word of God gives ample instruction on relationships, dating, and marriage. But all too often we ignore it. We say, “God I know what you Word says, but I’m a smart driver; I know what I am doing, I can handle this, I don’t need your help.” Then suddenly our life comes completely unhinged, by then a lot of damage has been done that could have been avoided.

Tomorrow I will share more about this one dashboard warning in particular: door ajar.

YOUR FAITH IS YOUR FUTURE.

If you go around believing the worst in every situation, you are going to walk right into that eventually. You’ve got to wake up everyday and declare victory over obstacle, every handicap, and everything that’s dead or dying in your life!

YOU’VE GOT TO BELIEVE IT BEFORE YOU CAN BE IT. YOU ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

YOU’VE GOT TO SEE IT BEFORE YOU CAN SEIZE IT. IF YOU SEE NOTHING BUT DEATH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL WAKE UP TO EACH DAY.

WHEN YOU HANG ONTO THE GRAVE STONE YOU GET UP HUNG UP ON DEFEAT, DISCOURAGEMENT, AND DEPRESSION. MARTHA SAW A DEAD MAN, but JESUS SAW A RESURRECTION. It’s a choice. It’s the power of believing!

…Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”  (John 11:43-44 NIV)

JESUS SPOKE TO THE DEAD MAN, HE SAID, COME OUT AND THE DEAD MAN CAME ALIVE. JESUS CAN SPEAK TO WHAT’S DEAD AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE. JESUS CAN SPEAK TO YOU, AND CAUSE A RESURRECTION. JESUS CAN SPEAK FORGIVENESS OVER YOUR FAULTS. JESUS CAN SPEAK SALVATION OVER YOUR SINS. JESUS CAN SPEAK MIRACLES OVER YOUR MISTAKES. JESUS CAN SPEAK LIFE OUT OF DEATH. JESUS CAN SPEAK STRENGTH OVER YOUR WEAKNESS. JESUS CAN SPEAK FAVOR OVER YOUR FAULTS. JESUS CAN SPEAK GRACE OVER YOUR GUILT.

WORDS HAVE CREATIVE POWER.

IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO YOUR TOMBSTONES, TO SPEAK TO WHAT’S DEAD. IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK FAVOR OVER YOUR FAMILY & YOUR FUTURE. IT’S TIME TO GET IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE. IT’S TIME TO TELL YOUR TOMBSTONES, YOU DON’T OWN ME, I BELONG TO THE MOST HIGH GOD, THE KING OF KINGS. IT’S TIME TO SPEAK TO THOSE HURTS, YOU WON’T HOLD ME BACK ANY MORE, MY GOD IS THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE. IT’S TIME TO SPEAK TO THOSE GUILTS, AND SAY MY GOD IS THE GOD OF GRACE & FORGIVENESS. IT’S TIME TO SPEAK TO THOSE FEARS AND SAY MY GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL MY NEEDS, HE IS THE GOD OF “MORE THAN ENOUGH.”

THE TOMBSTONES TELL YOU, YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH, YOU ARE A LOSER, YOU WON’T MAKE IT, WHO ARE YOU TO HAVE THESE DREAMS. BUT JESUS SAYS, YOU ARE ALIVE; YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE, YOU ARE FORGIVEN, VICTORIOUS, AND FREE. YOU ARE MADE NEW. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER, NOT OVERCOME. I CAN BRING LIFE FROM DEATH. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

STOP DRESSING LIKE A DEAD MAN – IN CHRST, YOU HAVE COMEBACK POWER

STOP THINKING LIKE A DEAD PERSON. STOP LIVING LIKE A DEAD PERSON. STOP SPEAKING LIKE A DEAD PERSON.

TAKE OFF YOUR OLD WAY OF THINKING. TAKE OFF THE NEGATIVITY. TAKE OFF THE UNBELIEF. TAKE OFF THE DOUBT. TAKE OFF THE DISCOURAGEMENT. TAKE OF THE GUILT, SHAME, & FEAR.

GOD CAN SPEAK TO THE DEAD THINGS AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE.

IN CHRIST, GOD SAYS, “COME ON OUT. YOU’RE ALIVE. TAKE OFF THOSE GRAVE CLOTHES.” IN CHRIST, YOU ARE ALIVE & FREE. IN CHRIST, YOU HAVE A NEW IDENTITY, TAKE OFF THE OLD IDENTITY.

WHAT GRAVE CLOTHES NEED TO BE REMOVED SO YOU CAN LIVE?

WHAT DOES GOD NEED TO SPEAK TO IN YOUR LIFE AND BRING BACK TO LIFE?

COME OUT OF THAT DOUBT, DISCOURAGEMENT, DEFEATIST MENTALITY. SPEAK TO YOUR GRAVE, SPEAK TO YOUR TOMB. SPEAK WORDS OF LIFE. SPEAK WORDS OF HOPE. SPEAK WORDS OF FAITH.

IN CHRIST, GOD CAN TURN A GRAVE SITE INTO A GRACE SITE (A PLACE FULL OF HIS GRACE).

IN CHRIST, YOU CAN LIVE AGAIN!

Never doubt for a second that God IS working a miracle so great, so big, so glorious that ONLY HE CAN DO IT.

STOP DREAMING SMALL DREAMS. GOD ISN’T. GOD WANTS TO SUPERSIZE YOUR DREAMS.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NIV)

JESUS IS THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE – JESUS CAME SO YOU COULD LIVE - JESUS SAYS, BRING YOUR DEAD DREAMS TO ME, I CAN RESURRECT THEM.

THE SAME SPIRIT THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD LIVES INSIDE OF YOU.

“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:39-40 NIV)

DON’T LET THE CIRCUMSTANCES DISTRACT YOU FROM WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO. WHAT HAS GOD TOLD YOU TO DO? STOP LETTING THE CIRCUMSTANCES DIRECT AND START LETTING THE WORDS OF CHRIST DIRECT YOU.

But God I’m not that talented, I can’t start that new business. God I don’t have enough time, I can’t serve on that ministry team. God I’m not a great leader how can I lead a life group. God, my parents were divorced how can my marriage survive. God i’ve been an addict all my life, I won’t ever be free.

WHEN GOD SAYS TO DO SOMETHING, WE OFTEN HAVE BUT…GET RID OF YOUR BUT AND SIMPLY BELIEVE!

STOP TELLING GOD WHAT HE CAN’T DO, AND START DOING WHAT HE SAID YOU CAN DO.

BELIEVE ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.

YOU CAN DO EXACTLY WHAT GOD SAYS YOU CAN DO.

IF YOU BELIEVE, YOU WILL SEE THE GREATNESS OF GOD. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GREATER VICTORY, GREATER FAVOR, GREATER BLESSING. IF YOU HONOR GOD WITH YOUR FAITH, HE WILL HONOR YOU WITH HIS FAVOR!

STOP TELLIN GOD YOU CAN’T, WHEN IN CHRIST, YOU CAN.