Andrew Wommack's Blog, page 24

When God Says You’re a Winner

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Hebrews 12:1 (English Standard Version)

The gun had fired, and I was running for my life! Well, at least it felt that way. In reality, though, it was a referee’s pop gun, and I was running beside thirty other high school girls. We were all jockeying for positions in our three-mile race. Just as with most of the races in my cross-country career, I eventually dropped into my normal place…near the back. I was never a fast runner. In fact, I never came in a place higher than a few from the end. With results like that, many would question why I kept running. And sometimes I questioned
it too.

This race in particular was a rough one. As is typical of an early fall day in Michigan, it was hot, humid, and sticky. It was hard to breathe, and my legs were aching from shin splints and tendonitis in my knees. From the back of the pack, I was laboring just to keep moving forward.

I heard the approaching footsteps on the grass indicating that someone was catching up to me and was about to pass. When the blonde girl moved past me, I almost shrugged. This was just so “normal,” almost expected. What I was not expecting was her voice in my ear as she passed by: “You should just give up, you loser.”

Anger rushed through me much faster than I could have imagined. But I put that anger to use and threw my head up, lengthened my stride, and somehow found the strength to push forward. I raced after the girl and passed her moments later. When I dashed toward the finish line, every part of my body was screaming. I was not going to let that girl beat me.

And I didn’t. I crossed the finish line a few minutes later, sucked in some much-needed air, and limped away. My shins and knees still hurt and, yes, I was limping—but I was limping triumphantly.

There were plenty of times in my four-year high school running career when I could’ve given up. I had sustained multiple running injuries and had regularly finished at the back of the pack. I never actually won a race. I never
even placed.

I may not have seemed like a winner, but one thing I was not was a loser.

This winner/loser scenario made me think about something I heard from Andrew. In his A Sure Foundation teaching, he tells people, “When God says that you’re a winner, man, agree with him. You may not see how it’s working, it may not be visible to you at the moment, but don’t come out and disagree with God.” He goes on to explain how grace and peace come through the knowledge of God.

So, we get to know who we are as we get to know God better. And one thing I am learning is that I am a winner, no matter who is passing me. It’s
my race.

No matter how many times I came in last or finished ahead of only a few, I was a winner. God says I was then and am now, so I’m going to believe Him. That’s all that matters at the end of the day. The better you know God, the easier it will be to see yourself as a winner in every circumstance, regardless of how it feels. The more you build that foundation through the knowledge of God, the easier it is to see the truth: You are a winner!

If you’re interested in hearing A Sure Foundation for yourself, you can get it in Andrew’s Christian Survival Kit Complete Package. Find out about this and the other teachings offered in this package here.

We’d love to hear your comments if this has encouraged you in any way.

While You Are Sleeping

While I was studying Andrew’s teaching from his Christian Survival Kit, a story from a Charis Bible College friend came to mind. Her testimony of crisis and then victory seemed to sum up the very thing I was studying.

While living in Nigeria, my friend Dorothy found herself in a crisis. Her son was sick with a very high temperature. Her husband was out of town, and she was far away from the nearest hospital. The fever was so high that her son’s body was shaking. Being a woman of faith, she prayed, rebuked the devil, and confessed the Word over her boy, but things just kept getting worse. After several hours of this, she stopped and told God, “I’m believing in Your Word. By His wounds, my son was healed [1 Pet. 2:24]. I have done my part, and now I’m going to sleep.” Off she went to bed, while her son’s body continued to fight the invisible battle.

I remember hearing her testimony and thinking, Either she’s crazy, or she’s a hero of faith. I think many of us would find it hard to go to sleep while one of our loved ones was fighting illness. In a crisis, fear and anxiety can overtake us, and we can cross the line from faith into fear without noticing.

But Dorothy was a woman of faith. By the time the African sun woke her up and she went to check on her boy, the fever had subsided and he was sleeping peacefully.

Remember, nothing catches God by surprise. He’s aware of every problem. God knew that somewhere in Africa, a mother was fighting for the life of her son. The same is true for every crisis you will ever face. God is aware of your personal situation. You might feel lonely, but He knows what you’re going through. That’s why Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1, New King James Version).

Andrew’s Christian Survival Kit helped me understand how Dorothy could look beyond her crisis. Andrew points out that the first thing a believer needs to do in a crisis is control their emotions and not panic! He explains by asking this question: “How do you keep from being troubled?” He then goes on
to explain:

“You have to use your faith. Faith releases the power of God. Your first response, the way you respond to a crisis often determines the outcome…. Faith is just taking what God has said in His Word and exalting it above every other voice, every other feeling—not just outside voices, but your own voice. Whether you feel it or not, what does God’s Word say? Faith is speaking and believing and trusting in that. When you get mature in faith, there will be a confidence and a security in it.”

Dorothy overcame fear by keeping her eyes on the Word. She had a peace that surpassed all understanding, and her faith gave her the victory. When you understand these truths, like Dorothy, you’ll be able to sleep during your battle because you will know you have a faith that overcomes the world!

The Christian Survival Kit covers so much more and includes such topics as knowing God, the power of love and joy, and handling persecution. Andrew’s Harnessing Your Emotions book (which is available separately or as part of the Survival Kit package) will teach you how to take responsibility for your emotions and see the fruit of self-control work in your life. 

Please comment below and let us know how you are applying these truths in your life.

How Hungry Are You?

Athletes who compete in the Olympics are considered the best in the world. It’s never in doubt that those involved are quality. As Christians, we are spiritual athletes. Although we shouldn’t compete with each other, we do strive to successfully finish the race (2 Tim. 4:7). A successful race for Christians means walking in everything God has for us. So, what about you? Do you want to live in all God has for you? The next question is, then, how hungry are you?

The Bible’s many spiritual athletes strove for the best. Jacob wrestled with an angel for a blessing (Gen. 32:22-28). Hannah wept, asking God for a son (1 Sam. 1:1-20). The 120 people who remained in the Upper Room were the ones who pushed through to Pentecost. Could there have been more, ones who grew impatient and left before receiving the promise? Even Paul wrote, “I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14, Amplified Bible).

Thank God that under the New Covenant, living in God’s best has to do with manifesting what Jesus already did for us. But we still have a choice. We can choose whether or not to walk that out. In Andrew Wommack’s new teaching, Living in God’s Best, he says,

“You need to learn how to receive what has already been provided. That’s huge. It is so much easier to release something that you’ve got than it is to go get something that you don’t have…. This is a major mindset difference.”

Andrew shares more from this teaching about the most important heart attitude to have so you can live in God’s best:

“So, what [2 Chron. 16:9] is talking about is that God is looking for somebody who is just so hungry, so committed to God that He can show himself strong in [their] behalf. Man, that’s important. You’ve got to really desire the things of God. Another way of saying this is, as long as you can live without God’s best, you will. As long as you can live an inferior life, you will. But when you reach a place that, ‘God, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired; I’m sick and tired of living like this. There’s got to be something more than what I’ve experienced,’ when [you get] that attitude, man, the eyes of the Lord stop right there. He’s looking for somebody with that attitude.”

You could have an okay life. You could even have a life that’s better than most. But for many of you who are like Jacob, Hannah, and Paul, you wouldn’t really be happy until you had God’s best. A hunger like that never goes away until it is completely satisfied.

Check out Andrew’s new teaching, Living in God’s Best. It’s available in CD, DVD, or book format. You can also watch him teach this topic on the Gospel Truth broadcast.

Share a comment below if this stirred you up!

Remember Your First Love

February is the month of love, and whether single, married, or somewhere in between, every Christian has a love story to celebrate. But in today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy for Christians to put their relationship with God on the back burner. Here are a few elements to incorporate in your life to help spark that romance with your First Love once again.

L ook to Him 

When Jesus was on the earth, He said that He only did what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). The Son of God patterned His life after keeping His focus on the Father. Are you overwhelmed with stress? Look to Him for your rest and peace (John 14:27). Are you trapped in a dead-end job and don’t know where to turn next? Look to Him as your way-maker and liberty (Deut. 31:8). Do you want to take the family on a vacation but can’t fit it into the budget? Look to God as your provider (Phil. 4:19). You’ll find in every circumstance, as you turn to Him, that He has kept His eyes faithfully on you.

O vercome Obstacles 

The bride in Song of Solomon (symbolic of the bride of Christ, the church) speaks to her beloved, “Take us [catch] the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes” (Song 2:15, brackets added). In the New Testament, Jesus echoes the problem with these same “foxes” when He teaches about how “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of [desires for] other things entering in, choke the word” (Mark 4:19, brackets added). Ask God to reveal any areas in your life that drain your energy and distract you from developing your relationship with Him.

V alue Him

The American Heritage Dictionary defines value as “to regard highly; esteem.” When you place value on God first in all areas, it reminds your heart of whom your source really is. The Bible specifically talks about valuing God in a couple of areas. Giving is one of these areas. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). Tithing and giving are acts of worship and show that you place value on God as your provider. Another area of valuing God is through your obedience. John 14:15 says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Make it a practice in your life to immediately obey the Word of God. First Samuel 15:22 says that obedience is better than sacrifice. So, let God’s Word be your safeguard. Following it will keep your heart soft toward Him and make it easier to hear Him.

E mbrace His Presence 

More important than your outward behavior is your heart. The first step to embracing His presence is to spend time with Him. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” When pursuing God with your time, it’s not just about reading the Bible; it’s understanding that you are spending time with Him and opening up your heart to let Him speak to you. Pick a verse that really speaks to you and go take a stroll. As you walk, meditate on that verse and on His goodness. You will be amazed at the things He will reveal to you as you spend time with Him and develop your relationship
with Him.

Remember your First Love this February. His heart is always for you, even if you’ve wandered away from the closeness of that relationship. As you turn your affections back to Him, you’ll find He never left.

Feel free to share with us how this post spoke to you. We love to hear
from you!

What’s Keeping You from God’s Best?

While standing outside Wal-Mart, waiting for cars to stop so I could get back to my vehicle, I felt it before I saw it. With the thumping, window-rattling bass coming from the car speakers, it was impossible not to feel the car coming. Loud, profanity-laden music filled the air. Feeling somewhat intimidated and not a little old, I watched the young driver and his equally young passengers roar by and settle in a parking spot.

As a part of the evangelism team at my church, I had just come from an event. Outreach was at the forefront of my mind. But let’s be realistic, I thought. Most believers wouldn’t consider this an opportune time to share their faith in Christ.

And I was certainly one of them.

Some of the usual thoughts flooded my mind: Why would those kids be interested in what you have to say? They’re young and have other things on their minds. Wait for a better opportunity.

Finding an opening in traffic, I made a beeline for my car. Suddenly another thought surfaced: Wait a minute. This is a perfect time to get out of your comfort zone.

Recently I had been making a determined effort to fight fear in my life. I knew of its limiting influence, and I didn’t want to be held back by it. So, I’d made a habit of putting myself in uncomfortable situations—like evangelism outreaches—to fight against those limits. The Word says that we are subject to whatever we fear (Heb. 2:15). So, wherever fear rules in our lives, wherever it’s allowed or tolerated, that fear is calling the shots. It’s establishing boundaries and limitations and keeping us from God-given opportunities and blessings.

While reading Andrew’s new book, Living in God’s Best, I couldn’t help noticing how well his words lined up with my resolve. He says,

“Are you praying for different results? Are you hoping for everything to change, yet you’re afraid to do anything differently? Maybe you love security too much that you won’t take a chance. You’d rather be secure and miserable than make a change. You’d rather stay a slave in Egypt, eating leeks and garlic, than follow God out through the wilderness toward your promised land. Are you on the edge looking in but afraid to enter because it might mean having to fight some giant? Get up and go take your land!”

This was the case with the armies of Israel who faced the Philistine champion Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Because the soldiers were afraid of Goliath’s size and his taunts, none of them would stand up to him. Because of fear, they were being kept out of the land that God had promised them.

Changing directions mid-parking lot, I approached the suped-up car. The driver immediately turned down his music. All four kids listened as I shared Christ with them. I was a little surprised when I didn’t get any resistance. The “field” was definitely white with harvest. I’m so glad I pushed past the fear because all of them prayed to receive Him as their Savior!

Have you been wondering why your life isn’t exciting? Are you ready to believe for something bigger? As Andrew says, if your life isn’t supernatural, then it’s superficial. It’s time to lift up your eyes and pursue what’s yours. Don’t settle for less—start living in God’s best!

Please leave a comment below if this has blessed you.

True Intentions

A while back, a friend from church invited me to go to a popular Christian concert with her. I was a busy mom and didn’t go out often, so the idea of spending an evening in downtown Chicago seemed like fun. On the night of the concert, through casual conversation, I discovered that my friend had originally made plans with someone else for this concert. But when that person couldn’t make it, she invited me. However, that was not what my friend told me. She made it sound like I was the one she wanted to go with.

As I got to know her better, I realized that my friend treated other people the same way. She was not always honest about her true intentions. As you can imagine, it made me hesitant to want to be around her. Without realizing it, she was pushing love away from her life.

When I moved to Colorado, I got a phone message from her, telling me she missed me and would love to bring her kids to visit my family and me. Initially the idea of seeing someone from my old church excited me. But because of what had happened between us before, I couldn’t help thinking that perhaps she didn’t really care to see us. Maybe she simply wanted a place to stay near the mountains so she could give her family a nice vacation without spending a lot of money.

It may seem harsh, but I never returned her phone call.

The funny thing is, if she had been more honest with me in the past, we could have developed a true friendship. In a similar way, our intentions affect how we receive from God. Sometimes we limit His best in our lives because our motives aren’t pure.

Andrew’s How to Receive God’s Best teaching explains that our motives are more important than our actions. We can be doing good things but with wrong intentions. When we allow things like pride, selfishness, greed, or fear to motivate us, we’re not walking in love.

Andrew says that we sometimes wait to do what’s right until something negative shows up to motivate us. We’re so used to this negative motivation that we can’t let go of it. Some people do the right thing only because they’re afraid they’ll get caught or punished if they don’t.

Fear of punishment is a wrong motivation, and it brings torment. First John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

If we have been serving God or people out of fear, we haven’t been made perfect in love. Love will motivate us to do much more. And it doesn’t have negative side effects!

Fix your heart to live in God’s best. Don’t let wrong motives steal God’s blessing from you. Instead, let love be the fire that purifies those motives. Remember, we love Him (and others) because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). When we truly understand that His blessing and His love have no end, we won’t feel like we have to manipulate anyone or anything to make something happen. Learn how to activate the blessing and overcome any wrong thinking that limits you.

Today you can preorder Andrew’s newest book Living in God’s Best: Don’t Settle for Less. This hardcover book releases on February 21, but today is the first day for preorders. You can order directly from Amazon. For more information, call the AWM Helpline: 719-635-1111. Don’t settle for less!

Have you had a similar experience? Are you preordering Andrew’s book? Comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

A Heart with Room for Him

A long time ago, my mother purchased a portrait of Jesus walking on water. That image has always captivated me. His serene countenance contrasts dramatically with the tempest around Him. It’s an image of the God-man making the supernatural look natural. It’s a portrait of a life that was marked by love, signs, and wonders, a life that brought heaven to earth.

In the Old Testament, after King Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses, he gave praise to God, saying, “I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. [3] How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation” (Dan. 4:2-3, New King James Version). King Nebuchadnezzar personally experienced God’s signs
and wonders.

By contrast, in the New Testament, when a group of scribes and Pharisees (the religious leaders of the day) asked Jesus to perform a sign, His answer was an emphatic NO! Why would Jesus answer them this way? Why would He deny anyone a manifestation of His power? Yet we find here that He not only refused to grant their petition, but He also rebuked them, saying, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matt. 12:39, New International Version).

They asked for a sign but were instead given a wake-up call, alerting them to the wickedness of their own hearts. It’s not our backgrounds or circumstances that bring us close to God; it’s the condition of our hearts. Jesus accused them of being wicked and unfaithful because, in reality, they were not seeking Him with all of their hearts. A wicked heart stands in the way of God’s
mighty wonders.

You and I can think that this doesn’t apply to us. We’re the righteousness of God in Christ, right? However, Andrew’s How to Prepare Your Heart teaching puts things in a different perspective. Andrew says, “A person [who] doesn’t have God in all of their thoughts is a very proud person, a very self-centered person.” It’s the kind of person who is too busy for God. Andrew references the NIV, which says, “ In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (Ps. 10:4). It implies that this person is too busy with everything else, to the point that there is no room in their life for God. This describes a self-centered person. Andrew goes on to say, “You can’t have two people on the throne of your life. You cannot be sitting on the throne of your life and have God on the throne of your life at the same time.”

Maybe we can’t relate to the word wicked, but in our modern societies, we all can relate to the idea of self-centeredness. Being absorbed with our own agendas can numb us to the point of being unfaithful to God because we’re not giving Him first place in our lives. The result is, we can’t see Him because our hearts are blind. We could be asking Jesus for a sign while not giving our hearts to Him, and then wonder why we don’t receive.

If you have allowed something to take the place of God in your life, you can change that right now. Andrew says the key is humility, and this teaching will show you how to make room in your heart and give God the place that belongs only to Him. Take time to prepare your heart. Preparation time is never wasted time!

For more on this teaching, watch the Gospel Truth television program. How to Prepare Your Heart is airing right now. Or you can order the teaching from our online store or through the Helpline: 719-635-1111.

Please comment below if you’d like to add to the discussion. We love hearing from you!

So They Could Choose

Breath of heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven

I had just had my second child during the Christmas season, and this particular song by Christian artist Amy Grant spoke to me. In it, she sings from the perspective of Mary on her way to Bethlehem shortly before giving birth to Jesus. She sings of her trip and the growing. But then she says, “And I wonder what I’ve done.” Although this is just a songwriter’s interpretation, this line made me wonder: Why would Mary question what she had done?

Mary had done nothing wrong. She didn’t ask for this. In fact, the only thing she did do was receive the Word of God, which was the right thing to do.

Although I was not carrying the Son of God, I realized that most expectant mothers must go through this, even Mary. Whether it’s her first or her tenth pregnancy, a woman is filled with uncertainty. But, personally, having a baby taught me so much about the love of God.

First, I learned how to give my cares to Him. The day I received that first hospital bill, I panicked. I had never seen a one-time charge of that size. Based on 1 Peter 5:7, it was the first of many lessons that God taught me about worry: “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” ( New King James Version). I physically knelt at my couch, held up the bill, and gave my cares over to Him.

Secondly, I learned how to love naturally. Romans 5:5 explains that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.” Love comes from who we are because of Jesus and not from what we do. I didn’t have to try to love my child. I loved my child because I was her mother. It’s who God made me and empowered me to be.

Third, I learned to let go and rest in Him. I read all the books and pamphlets recommended to me. I had my doctor visits and ultrasounds. I took my vitamins. But bad things can happen, and it’s easy to get scared. When a blood test came back with some questionable numbers, the nurse’s words were frightful. But I know my God and His peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7). I knew everything would be okay. And it was.

Finally, I learned how to be led by the Holy Spirit in raising my children. Jesus promises that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26, NKJV). In raising kids, we’re not going to do everything perfectly. We will make mistakes. But the Lord gives us such sweet assurance that He will be there, every step of the way, helping us.

When I hear the arguments in favor of a “woman’s right to choose,” I am both sympathetic and saddened. I have extreme sympathy for the woman or young girl who finds herself with an unplanned pregnancy. Two out of three of my own were actually unplanned.

But how could I have justified ending one of my children’s lives? Who would I have chosen? None of the labors were pleasant. All of my children cost money. Yet, it was never my right to choose whether any of them lived or died. And now, all in their twenties, they may even say their lives have just begun.

I have learned so much from having my children. I’m so glad I left the choice of living up to them. I chose life, so they could do the same.

This week on the Gospel Truth broadcast, you can watch teaching that will encourage you in choosing life. If you would like to share your own experiences, please comment below. Please keep in mind the sensitive nature of this subject and be respectful.

The Ultimate Measure

“The world in which we live is geographically one. The challenge that we face today is to make it one in terms of brotherhood.”1

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for leading the Civil Rights movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his assassination on April 4, 1968. He was an advocate for African Americans, women, and veterans. What is even more honorable about him is that he protested peacefully during socially and politically hostile times. In love and strength, he transformed American culture and politics.

In a lot of ways, today’s cultural climate is not much different from what it was then. One thing I admire the most about Dr. King was how he fought for freedom and equality peacefully and in love, without wavering in his message. With tensions of all kinds stirring today, it’s more important than ever for us to walk in that same strength. But the only way to walk in God’s kind of love is to surrender to the Holy Spirit.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16, English Standard Version

God doesn’t see the color of our skin. He sees the state of our hearts. If we’ve given our hearts to Him, all He sees when He looks at us is Jesus. That’s our unifying factor in Christ. Galatians 3:28 (Amplified Bible) reads:

There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority].

Dr. King championed equality, and in doing so, he left a legacy for unity and a vision for a better future. We as the body of Christ have a similar vision. So, how can we carry that out today? The answer is simple, although it maybe not always be easy.

I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.

Deuteronomy 30:19 (emphasis mine, AMP)

Choose life in your words. Choose life in your treatment of people. Choose life in your thoughts. And choose life even in your feelings. As you walk in the Spirit and not your flesh, the power of God will empower you to live like He did, laying down your life for others while not compromising the
truth (Luke 6:28).

Character is tested in times when walking in love and forgiveness is not the easiest path to take. But as sons and daughters of God, we must guard our hearts against our love growing cold and bitterness taking root. Otherwise, our effectiveness as Christians will be compromised (which is exactly what the Enemy would want). Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood this struggle and described it this way:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge
and controversy.”2

So, what is the “ultimate measure” of your character going to be? You get
to decide.

Please share a comment below if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life has
inspired you.

1 http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/quotes
2 http://www.thekingcenter.org/node/554

A God Secret—Drop the Rope!

During my middle school years, there was a lot of “tug-of-war” between my younger sister and me. I was under the mistaken impression that being a year older gave me certain rights. Our conflicts often ended in her walloping me. After one such incident, I remember a picture came into my head. It was of a tug-of-war game when, suddenly, one person simply dropped her end of the rope. Ah-ha, I thought. Game over.

The next time we got into a fight, I thought of that tug-of-war picture and decided to try it out. I simply said, “Okay.”

“You can’t do that!” she insisted. I asked her why, and she said, “Because it’s not fair.”

Fast forward six years, I became born again as a college freshman. I read John 10:18 where Jesus was explaining this same “drop-the-rope” principle as it related to His laying down His life: “ No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” Later in John 19:10-11 (New King James Version), Pilate said to Jesus, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Essentially, he wanted Jesus to pick up the other end of rope and struggle with him. Jesus simply said, “ You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”

In Hebrews 12:2, Paul wrote that Jesus “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” His heart was fixed. He had learned not to get in a power struggle with anyone’s flesh. Instead, He kept His purpose and His Father’s will before Him. He had prepared to succeed.

You may be thinking, That was Jesus, the Son of God. Of course, HE prepared and fixed His heart! However, Jesus wasn’t the only one who was prepared for difficult circumstances. Joseph, when propositioned by Potiphar’s wife, said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). He had obviously hidden God’s Word in his heart because it came up like a force field to protect him.

And then there was David. Saul was trying to kill David—he had been for years after David had been anointed king in Saul’s place. In 1 Samuel 24, David could have killed Saul, believing God had delivered his “enemy” into his own hands. But David’s heart was fixed (Ps. 57:7). He penned it himself in Psalm 105:15: “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

In his How to Prepare Your Heart teaching, Andrew says that King Rehoboam “did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chr. 12:14). Andrew explains that when people don’t prepare their hearts before they are faced with a circumstance, they respond to their situation based on how they feel at the time.

[image error]Joseph and David prepared for success, and they weren’t even born again. They sought God and hid His Word in their hearts long before they faced their trials. If you recognize that you have been unprepared and have ended up in a tug-of-war in some of your circumstances, then Andrew’s How to Prepare Your Heart series will change your mind and give you the practical wisdom you need to prepare for unforeseen obstacles that may come your way.

Please consider sharing your experiences of when you may have been in a tug-of-war with your circumstances. Comment below.