Breaking the Approval Addiction - Part 2

Fear of Rejection Robs Us of Joy
I was terribly afraid of the abuse I suffered in the past coming to light. What would people think? Would they reject me? Would they blame me or hate me? The devil had lied to me for at least twenty-five years about how people would view me if they knew about my past, so I worked hard at keeping it a secret.
The effort it took to conceal my past was draining. I can understand why people who are always trying to please others are often anxious, unhappy and tired much of the time. The effort to please others takes a lot out of them, and they feel guilty taking any time for themselves.
People-pleasing is Bad for Your Health
Some people-pleasers rarely focus on themselves in a proper manner. When they do take a moment for themselves, they feel selfish, indulgent, and guilty, which is why they are often on the go, rushing to get things done, striving to keep everyone happy.
This becomes a vicious circle: Because they stay so busy doing for others, they usually work harder than most people. Because they accomplish so much and are so easy to get along with, they are often the first to be asked to do things. As a result, they are vulnerable to being taken advantage of because they have difficulty saying no. They usually don't even consider that saying no is an option for them. They just assume that they should do whatever anyone asks them to do, no matter how unreasonable it is. When they do venture out and say no to a request, they often change that no to a yes if people act angry or displeased.
People-pleasing Leads to Missed Opportunities
In John chapter 12, we see a group of people pleasers who missed out on the greatest opportunity in history, the chance to walk alongside Jesus. John tells us that many had seen Jesus’ signs and knew that Jesus was real. They believed in Him, but they were afraid that the Pharisees might throw them out of the Temple. Their love of approval would not permit them to have a true relationship with Jesus.
I wonder how their lives turned out. What did they miss because they said yes to people and no to God? I wonder how many of them were never mentioned in the Bible again. I wonder if they faded into oblivion and never fulfilled their destiny because they loved the approval of men more than the approval of God. How many of them spent their lives disrespecting themselves because they were people-pleasers?

Break Free from Those Bonds!
Everyone needs affirmation, especially those who have been emotionally wounded or hurt by someone. But we have more power than we realize we do.
We don’t have to live life in fear of what others think of us. In fact, we can help people when we’re willing to share our hurts. Right words spoken at the right time have the power to heal. Testimonies of how God has healed the hurting can be those inspiring words others need to hear.
Live to please God, not people. You have His approval, and that is all you really need!

How to Reach the Others God Has for You to Reach

Jesus began His public ministry in Nazareth. It was the town where He grew up, where all His close friends and family lived―where any one of us would have expected plenty of hugs and hand claps of encouragement. But for Jesus, it was not a good experience.
The crowd was happy with Jesus’ teachings to a point, but when His words became a little more direct and corrective, the Bible says they became so enraged that they actually tried to kill Him (see Luke 4:28,29). Jesus didn’t even try to defend the validity of His ministry. Verse 30 says, “But passing through their midst, He went on His way.”
Now, the next place He went was Capernaum, where He preached to large crowds, performed miracles and cast out devils from among the people. And they were just so happy. They said, “Stay with us, Jesus. This is Your spot!” Well, who wouldn’t want to stay where everybody loves and appreciates you? But Jesus didn’t hang around there either because He knew there were others who needed to hear His message.
There’s a major lesson to be learned here. See, Jesus wasn’t moved by people’s rejection nor was He moved by their acceptance. He was moved by the Spirit of God.
If you can learn how to follow God whether you’re accepted or rejected, you’re well on your way to fulfilling the call of God on your life to reach out to others.

What to Do When Others Reject You

Have you ever tried to help someone who didn’t really want to be helped out of their situation? You know, we tend to think that if we could just explain things a little more clearly or be a little bit better witness, they could be helped. But honestly and truly, we’ve got to know when to break free from the burden of false responsibility.
In Matthew 10, Jesus was sending out His disciples, and He told them that if they went to a town and the people didn’t accept them, they should shake the dust off their feet and go to the next town.
What does that mean for Christians today? It means if someone doesn’t want to be helped, we can continue to pray on their behalf, but we are not obligated to try and change them.
The world is full of hungry, hurting, needy people who would love to get any little bit of love and encouragement you have to give them. So when one person rejects you, don’t let that stop you. Just do what Jesus did. Move on to the next person and the next person until somebody wants what you’ve got.

What to Do When Others Ask Too Much

Now, there are going to be others in your life who love and appreciate you and won’t ever want you to leave their side because of who you are and what you do for them. And it’s tempting to stay around people like that because they genuinely care about you. But if you choose to stay in that same small circle, you won’t be able to reach out to others in need―and “on others” is where God wants our focus to be.
I think it would absolutely set the church on fire if every Christian would realize they have what it takes to make a difference in the lives of others.

Pursuing God’s Wonderful Plan for You

Now, if you’re a new Christian, you should take some time to learn about who you are in Christ before you really start ministering to people. And those of us who do know the Word and who we are in Christ, it’s time to step up and say, “Okay, I’ve been in the Word and I’m filled up with it. Now it’s time for me to start giving out what God has given to me.”
Just as God said to Abraham, “I will bless you and I will make you a blessing, causing you to dispense good to others,” He will also do the same through us (see Genesis 12:2).
When you go to church, go with a purpose. Think about how you can help others and lift them up. Then go out armed and ready, prayed up and looking for someone to bless.
The truth is, if you will regularly reach out to help people, edify them, encourage them, and treat them the way you want to be treated, then you will be one of the happiest people in the world today.

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Why Trying Harder Won't Change Your Life

Change is necessary – it’s part of life.
And most people would say they want change in their lives. They want circumstances to change, people to change, the world to change… And it seems it rarely occurs to us that we need to change.
The truth is, you probably have a lot more to do with change happening than you realize. You can’t keep doing things the way you’ve always done them and hope or expect to get a different result.
For years I tried to make things in my life change and didn’t get anywhere. I would read the Bible and try. I would go to church and hear a message and try. Then I would tell God how hard I was trying, thinking maybe He’d feel sorry for me. And then I would go into my “drama” and say, “I just give up, God…”
The problem was, I was “trying” in my own strength, and I needed God’s help. I needed to realize the truth about myself and my situation before I could get His help and see results.

How to Change Your Life

I’ve discovered that things in your life will change when you first change your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world…but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God…” (The Amplified Bible).
So how do we renew our mind? With the Word of God! It is full of life and has power to change us. But we can’t just read it and expect to be victorious Christians. We have to study it.
Think of it this way. You wouldn’t go to a doctor who didn’t study, would you? And no one expects to become a doctor without studying.
It’s the same way for us. To really know the Word of God and be changed by the Truth, we have to study. And we have to be patient and persevere. I thank God for what I know, but it’s taken more than thirty years for me to know it. And I’m still learning every single day.

What Are You Meditating On?

Part of studying is meditating – rolling something over and over in your mind or pondering it. If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. It’s usually not hard to meditate on a problem all day long, if you let yourself. I call this kind of thinking “stinkin’ thinkin’.”
We don’t really know how messed up our thinking is until we study God’s Word and realize what we should be thinking. The Word is like a mirror – it shows us the way we should be and the way we are. Until I looked in the Word, I thought everybody else was the problem, not me.
So, what’s been on your mind lately? Stop and think about what you’ve been thinking about. If it’s stinkin’ thinkin’, change it. The good news is, you can think whatever you want to think.

You can change. Everything is subject to change except God Himself.
But you have to stop wasting your time saying things like, “My life is never going to change. My finances are never going to change. My marriage and children will never change…”
Start saying what the Word says: “All things are possible with God. And I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” And think about good things so there’s no room for bad things.
Do your own thinking – don’t let the devil do it for you.
Finally, be daring in your prayers. Be bold and tell God, “I want You to change me. I want You to use me to change anything in the world that you want to use me for. I believe that You can change anything – me, my circumstances, my family, my marriage, my finances – there’s nothing You can’t change. I know change won’t be easy, but I’m committed to be where You want me to be at all times. I won’t sit here and give in to stinkin’ thinkin’ anymore.”

We Can't Rely on Emotions to Lead Us the Right Way

It’s easy to make decisions based on what we want, think and feel―or what our emotions tell us is the right thing, right now. But we have to be very careful not to be led by emotions. We need to follow something much wiser and much more dependable―and that is the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 says that God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit and judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In other words, God’s Word gives us wisdom to know right from wrong, and keep our thoughts and attitudes in control.
Even after years of study we may still not be able to apply every bit of wisdom God’s Word has for us, but we will have made considerable progress―and we’re covered by God’s grace and mercy as we continue to learn and grow.

How to Know God’s Will from Your Own

It’s challenging sometimes to discern if what we want is in line with what God wants for us because when we feel strongly about something, we can easily deceive ourselves into thinking it’s God’s will―and the devil will help us do it. He will even lead us to take Scripture out of context if it will keep us deceived and living in sin.
First Corinthians 2:14 says that to those in the world, truths revealed by the Spirit sound like foolishness. Only spiritual people can understand the things of the Spirit. And sometimes it’s even very difficult for spiritual people to do!
I can tell you that when you’re truly being led by the Spirit, your head can have a hard time understanding what God’s doing because He often seems unreasonable. He will do many things in your life that you just cannot understand.
I used to be so confused about some of the things God allowed to happen in my life. But when I look back at them today, I can say, “Now I know why that had to happen. Now I know why that took place.”
God knows more than we know, His ways are above our ways, and He has a better plan for our lives than we do. Instead of being led by our feelings, we need to be led by God, even when we don’t understand.

How to Manage Unstable Emotions

If we want to improve in this area, we have to let God show us some truth about ourselves. We need Him to reveal the root of our problem because if we see it, we can deal with it, and then we can avoid the feelings that come from it. So we can pray for God to reveal those things to us. But feelings are unpredictable by nature, so we also need to learn how to manage them when they change unexpectedly.
It’s amazing how you can straighten up your attitude just by having a little chat with yourself. Your family may not be everything you’d like them to be, but you have a family. Your house might not be everything you’d like it to be, but you’re not on the street. You may not like your job, but somebody out there wants it. You may not even like your spouse, but I guarantee you there’s someone out there who would be happy to take them off your hands.
Victory is pretty much impossible until we learn how to live beyond our feelings.
They can change so quickly! Feelings make us cry one hour and laugh the next. They behave better when circumstances are good, and they act up during periods of waiting and change. I want you to master your feelings. I want you to own your emotions, not let them own you.
Colossians 3:2 says we should set our mind and keep it set on things above. If you will make a decision today to live by the Word instead of how you feel, I guarantee that a year from now you will be a different person―and I hope, very pleased with your progress.

The Heart Condition That Will Set You Free

I have a heart condition – and so do you. I’m not talking about my physical heart. I’m talking about my soul, which is my mind, will and emotions. This is the heart of our inner life.
Our inner life is more important than anything else because it is based on our thoughts and attitudes, which determine how we live. Real life is the life that’s in you, not your circumstances, like where you live or what job you have or who you’re in relationship with… Real peace and joy come from God’s Spirit in us, not things or people around us. And when your heart is right with God, it’s amazing how peaceful, content and even happy you can be in the midst of difficult situations and turmoil.
 Matthew 5:8 says the pure in heart will see God. And Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to “keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life” (The Amplified Bible).
The scripture in Proverbs makes it clear that it’s our responsibility to guard our heart. And we need to do it often because each day there are countless opportunities for something to creep into our heart that is not pure or pleasing to God.

The Litmus Test of a Pure Heart

Checking your motives is a good way to determine what condition your heart is in. Motives reveal why we do what we do, which is actually more important to God than what we’re doing. If we’re really honest with ourselves, most of us will admit that we want to impress people, and this is what’s causing us to do what we do.
But I’ve learned a powerful secret: When we no longer have to impress people and we are living to please God and do what He wants us to do, we will have real freedom to be who God created us to be and enjoy life.
Think about it. If your schedule is hectic, is it because God is overloading you with responsibility or because you’re striving to do what you feel other people want you to do? Have you ever said, “Well, so-and-so expects me to do this, so that’s why I’m doing it.” Or maybe you were afraid someone would be mad or disappointed with you if you didn’t do what they asked. I’ve done it. And it just made me miserable and even resentful at times.
I also used to do things because I was nosy and just wanted to know what was going on – even at church! I wanted to be involved in some groups because of it. And at one time I even pushed Dave to be an elder so he could go to meetings and then tell me what was going on.

How to Check Your Heart

As I grew in my relationship with God, He showed me what it means to have a heart like Him. He is a God of grace, mercy, truth, compassion and generosity. Whatever He tells us to do, it’s because it’s for our good, not His benefit. He gave His best for us when He gave Jesus, His only Son, to die on our behalf so we could be forgiven of our sin through His shed blood.
No matter what condition your heart is in, if you’ll trust God, He can heal you and make your heart like His.
If you aren’t in the habit of checking your heart and really guarding it, I want to encourage you to spend a few hours alone one day and think about what you do and why. If you’ll be honest with yourself, God can help you see the truth about your condition. And the truth will always make you free!

Discipline Is Not a Dirty Word

All of us have some sort of dream or vision—areas of our lives where we want to better ourselves or achieve more.
Maybe it’s to get in shape or have better physical health. Maybe you want greater financial stability or greater success in your business. Some of you may be believing for greater ministry opportunities.
Whatever your goals are, there’s one thing for certain—it will be almost impossible to get there without discipline and self-control.
There was a time in my life when I would think, If I eat one of those chocolate chip cookies, I’ll have to eat a dozen.Why? Because I had no self-control…and I had absolutely no faith in myself ever changing.
But here’s the truth: We can change. By the grace of God, we can begin making right choices and developing new habits that will bring us the life we desire.

Know Your Power Source

First and foremost, living a disciplined life and establishing new habits requires a lot more than just will power.

“ Whatever your goals are, there's one thing for certain—it will be almost impossible to get there without discipline and self-control. ”

I’ll never forget the time years ago when I heard a teaching about the power of words. That day, I left church and said, “That’s it! I’m going to shut my mouth and not say one bad thing. I’m going to discipline myself!”
You can probably guess how that turned out. Actually, I did manage to keep quiet, but then I realized I was depressed. The Lord spoke to my heart and said, “You shut your mouth, but nothing on the inside has changed.”
Here’s the lesson: Even when God asks us to do something, we still cannot do it successfully unless we lean on Him. John 15:5 has changed my life. It says, …Apart from Me you can do nothing (NAS).
Take a little time each day to read God’s Word and talk to Him in prayer. Some of my greatest breakthroughs have been the result of simply sitting quietly in His presence, letting Him know that I can’t do anything if He doesn’t make it happen.

You Can’t Have the “Perks” Without the “Works”

Years ago, people were expected to work at their jobs for a long time before getting raises, vacation and special benefits. Today, these things are expected up front. I’m all for people having great benefits, but there’s a sense of entitlement today that can actually hurt us.
I believe a lot of people want the “perks without the works.” In other words, they want to have all of the good results without having to discipline themselves or take any of the responsibility to get them.
College football coach, Vince Lombardi, famously said that he was going to teach his players how to discipline themselves so they could have what they said they wanted to have.
You see, although today we can microwave a meal, there’s no such thing as “microwave Christianity.” Actually, I like to call God’s process “The Law of Gradual Growth.” Why? Because little by little, as we make right choices, He delivers us from our enemies and takes us where we need to be.
Yes, in the beginning, disciplining yourself will be difficult. It won’t feel good and you won’t like it. But every time you make a choice to do the right thing, the next time it gets a little easier. And you get one step closer to your goal.

Truth or Consequence?

The Bible teaches us that wise people think about the consequences and care more about later onthan right now.
Yes, you canlive a lazy, undisciplined life and still go to heaven. But you won’t have peace, you won’t be happy and, worst of all, you won’t glorify God with your life the way He intended!
I encourage you to start viewing discipline and self-control in a whole new way…as helpful keysto good health, peace, prosperity, great relationships, and the satisfaction of fulfilling your purpose.
And remember, whatever your goal is—whether it’s to get in good physical shape or change a negative attitude—you have what it takes. So start drawing on God’s power to help you achieve it. As you do—little by little—you’ll begin to find more freedom, more success, and more fulfillment than you could ever imagine.

Find the Love, Peace and Joy You're Longing For

I want to ask you a question: Do you love yourself?
Take a minute to think about it. It’s an important question because your answer will determine how much love you are able to give to others. You see, if you don’t love yourself in a healthy, balanced way, then you won’t be able to spread the love of God to those around you because you can’t give away something you don’t have to begin with.
Now, I’m not talking about a selfish, self-centered kind of love for yourself that is arrogant and puffed up. That is not what I’m saying. There is a balanced way to develop a godly appreciation for who you are and the abilities God has given you.
I talk about this a lot because I think one of the biggest problems we have today is how we feel about ourselves. It seems many people have a broken record playing in their head that keeps repeating, “What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with me?”
One reason for this is we compare ourselves to other people and wonder why we can’t look or act like they do. Or we believe that God is mad at us for some reason…and then fall into the trap of thinking we need to try harder to measure up.

Don’t Be Misled

The devil wants us to feel bad about ourselves. He tries to mess with our thinking so we are always wondering why something is wrong with us. And many times we make the mistake of getting mad at ourselves because of it.
But God’s Word says that those who are in Christ have been made righteous. Second Corinthians 5:21 (AMP) says, “For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become…the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].”
I like the Amplified version of this verse because it helps us understand the meaning of righteousness. As the verse says, it means that in Christ, we are as we ought to be. God created us. He approves and accepts us by His love and goodness.

Get Completely in God’s Will

As soon as you accept Christ, His love is poured into your heart.  In fact, He loved you before you ever accepted Him as your Savior.
I really want you to get this because the fact that God loves you is one of the most important truths you need to know. Loving God and then yourself in a healthy, balanced way is the first step toward fulfilling your destiny and becoming a vessel of God’s love so you can spread His love to others. It’s also the key to having everything Jesus died for you to have, like His righteousness, peace and joy.
I love what Romans 14:17 (AMP) says, “[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
That verse says the kingdom of God is not food or drink. I like to say that God is not about stuff. And He wants to give us something much more important—righteousness, peace and joy.

Are You Living in God’s Kingdom?

How much joy do you have? It’s pretty much impossible to have joy if you don’t know God loves you as you are and have peace with yourself. If you lack joy, maybe it’s because of the way you see yourself. Do you enjoy spending time with yourself? Some people get overly involved in activities because they can’t stand to be alone. And some folks are angry with themselves, so they avoid their own presence.
A good place to start growing in the area of balanced, godly self-love that includes a healthy attitude about yourself is by meditating on Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT): “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”
Remember that God loves you unconditionally. He created your temperament, your talents, and all your other traits. But we all have specific areas we can grow in and things to work on. That’s okay. The Holy Spirit is willing and able to help you grow in areas of weakness. Like I often say, “I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be!”
Wherever you are in your relationship with God, know that He has singled you out and chosen you to be His child. He is pleased with how He made you and His love surrounds you. You are the apple of His eye.

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God is Mad at Me and Other Myths - Part 2

Somewhere along the line, we’ve come up with this idea that God is an “angry God.” Worse, some have decided that God is angry at them! Nothing could be further from the t
ruth.
We serve a loving God who, even though He might not like everything we do, never stops loving us. Any belief that God is angry is a myth.
In part one we looked at a couple of the underlying false beliefs that lead people to think God is angry at them. Here are some others that bring so much unnecessary sadness to people’s lives.
 
“My Dad was mad, so God must be too.”
If someone had an angry father, it is quite natural to view Father God as angry too. Hopefully you are one of the blessed ones who had an awesome dad, but for many that is not the case.
One of our most urgent needs in life is to feel safe. But children who grow up with angry, absent or abusive fathers often don’t feel safe. They have a feeling of impending doom or danger hanging over them most of the time.
But God is not like people. If your father was absent, you need to know that God will never leave you. If your father was abusive or angry, your heavenly Father wants to give a double reward for your former trouble (see Isaiah 61:7).
No matter how unfaithful your father may have been to you, I urge you to not let it ruin your life. Make a decision to believe that your heavenly Father is faithful and loves you dearly.
“God couldn’t possibly forgive me.”
Satan remembers every tiny thing we have ever done wrong and will do his best to remind us of them every chance he gets. He is vigilant in his efforts to make us cower under the weight of our own shame.
We all sin and come short of the glory of God. No person is without sin, and we all feel guilt at times, but when we keep that guilt long after we have been forgiven it turns into shame. Guilt and shame make us feel that God is angry, and so we withdraw from His presence and don’t live the life God intended for us.
We need to understand that God forgives completely—not partially, or almost, but completely! Take a moment and think of the worst thing you have ever done. Now, realize that you are completely forgiven. The goodness of God is greater than any bad thing we have ever or could ever do. That should bring a sigh of relief and a sensation of joy sweeping through our soul!
“God is punishing me.”
Some people may believe that when they have problems in life it is because God is angry with them for some past sin. I have heard people say things like, “I had a miscarriage and I wonder if God is punishing me for the way I lived in the past.” Statements like this prove that people have an incorrect view of God. He doesn’t punish us for past sins by bringing bad things into our lives.
Our troubles are not a sign that God is angry with us! We are in the world and Jesus said that in the world we would have tribulation. He also told us to cheer up because He had overcome the world (see John 16:33).
Staying positive and continuing to believe in the goodness of God during times of trial and tribulation will prevent you from losing your joy. Each difficulty that I have gone through in life has helped me go through the next one better. God is faithful, so continue to rely on Him when times get hard.

God Is Not Mad At You
If it weren’t for the grace of God, He would have to be mad at us because His holiness demands justice for sin. A sacrifice must be made to atone for sin, but because of His grace, He made the sacrifice Himself by offering His Son’s life for ours. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved for our sins, and offers to care for and bless us instead of giving us what we deserve.
When you can begin to fully understand His grace, forgiveness, mercy, and unconditional love, you can know with certainty His attitude toward you is merciful—not angry. I can assure you that no matter what you’ve done in life or no matter how many misconceptions you have about God’s feelings toward you, God will never stop loving you. God is not mad at you!

God is Mad at Me and Other Myths - Part 1

One day I put a post on Facebook that simply said, “God’s not mad at you,” and the response was overwhelming. In just a few hours, thousands of people responded, desperately needing to be reassured of this fact.
Through my own personal relationship with God, and through ministering to other people, I have come to believe a large percentage of people either vaguely or perhaps even wholeheartedly believe that God is mad at them.
Where does this belief come from? Perhaps from a parent who was difficult to please, the pain of rejection or maybe even from the church. Wherever these misconceptions about God’s wrath originate, I want to help shed some truth on these false beliefs so you can fully know that God is not mad at you!
“God will never accept me like I am.”
The Bible is a record of sin, deceit and immorality of every kind. It’s also a record of God’s amazing grace and love. The heroes we admire were people just like us. They failed miserably at times, and yet they found love, acceptance, forgiveness, and mercy as free gifts from God. His love drew them into intimate relationships with Him, empowered them to do great things and taught them to enjoy their lives.
Since they experienced that acceptance, I believe we can experience it too. God doesn’t and never will approve of sin, but He does love sinners and will continue to work with us toward positive change in our lives.
I wasted many years living with a vague fear that God was angry with me. Thankfully, over the years I have come to know the amazing, passionate love of God, and I now know that God is not angry with me; He isn’t even annoyed with me! And it isn’t because of anything I’ve done or haven’t done; it is simply because He’s in love with me.
“I’m not doing enough for God.”
We conducted a survey at our office, asking our employees what one of their greatest concerns was in their walk with God. The number one response was, “When can I know that I am doing enough?”
Perfectionism is fueled with the tyranny of the shoulds and oughts. It is the constant nagging feeling of never doing well enough or being good enough. We think things like, I should pray better, read the Bible more, and be kinder. We instinctively want to be pleasing to God, and we are deeply afraid we aren’t. As a result, we believe God is mad at us because we just don’t measure up.
But the pathway to God is not perfection. Some people in a crowd asked what they needed to do to please God, and the answer Jesus gave was, …Believe in the One Whom He has sent … (John 6:29).
That is so simple that we often miss it. More than anything, God wants us to trust Him and believe His Word. You can stop trying to attain perfection because you cannot buy or earn God’s love or favor. It isn’t for sale—it’s free!

REBELLION OR OBIEDIENCE??? You choose.

There were many years in my Christian life when I was stubborn and rebellious. It took about three years for me to learn to submit to the Holy Spirit’s direction to put my grocery cart where it belongs in the parking lot. And it took more years than I want to admit to learn to listen to my husband, Dave, and take his advice without arguing and having a bad attitude about it.
I remember one day when I was praying fervently for my ministry to grow and how God got my attention about my rebellious behavior toward Dave. I was crying out to God and saying, “Oh, Lord, I rebuke the devil! God, please let my ministry grow so I can help more people.” Then He very clearly spoke to my heart and said, “Joyce, I cannot do one more thing in your ministry until you do what I’ve told you to do concerning your husband.”  
This was so hard for me. My rebellious attitude had developed throughout my childhood when I was struggling to survive the abuse I experienced almost daily from my dad. I vowed to myself then that when I was able to leave home and be on my own, I would never let anyone tell me what to do again. So it took awhile for me to let the Holy Spirit heal the wounds in my soul and teach me how to submit to the authority He put in my life.

Giving Up Rebellion Will Get You Out of Trouble

If you’ve got a mess in your life, there’s a good chance you haven’t been doing what God’s been telling you to do. However, if you will start making right choices, God will give you the ability to get through it and things will turn around for you. But be prepared, because when you start making an effort to be submissive, your flesh is going to have a screaming fit and you’ll need to spend a lot of time on your knees.
You may be wondering, If it’s so hard to do, why should I care? Because God withholds blessings from the rebellious for their own good – if He blesses disobedience, it will breed more disobedience.
I can honestly tell you that if I hadn’t surrendered my rebellious heart to God, my marriage wouldn’t be good, my relationship with God would have suffered, and my ministry wouldn’t have grown. You see, rebellion, and the disobedience it causes, keeps us from having the power of God that’s available to us as Christians. I don’t think there’s anyone who would say they don’t want or need more of God’s power in their life.

The Dangers of Rebellion and the Way Out

We need to know what rebellion is to really understand why it’s so dangerous. Rebellion is not just outward behavior but it’s an attitude problem and a heart issue. It resists authority, is likened to witchcraft in the Bible (see 1 Samuel 15:23), makes us unprofitable (see Hebrews 13:17), and brings judgment upon us (see Romans 13:1-2). These are just a few results.
But the good news is, we don’t have to live this way. I’m living proof that God can heal and change your heart to be submissive to His authority, as well as the people in authority over you that He puts in your life.
There’s a popular scripture that says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 NIV). The word delight means “to be pliable and moldable in God’s hand.” So if you will be pliable in His hands, allow God to mold your heart, and do with you, in you and through you what He wants to do, then He will give you the desires of your heart.
I say this often and it bears repeating here: Anything God asks you to do is for your benefit. He always has your best interest at heart. And He’ll never ask you to do something without also giving you the ability to do it. 
We just need to spend a lot of time with Him, learn to trust Him completely, and submit our will to Him. As you do these things, the Holy Spirit will faithfully lead you out of trouble and into the life that Jesus died to give you – a life of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!

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This article is taken from Joyce's four-CD series, The Truth About Obedience.