Take Hold of the Faith You Long For

By Guest Blogger: Sharon Jaynes

I was alone, or at least I felt that way. Women huddled in happy clusters chatting about first one thing and then another. Some propped babies on their hips. Others clutched Bibles in their hands.

Most wore smiles on their faces. I wore one too. But it wasn’t a reflection of what was in my heart. The upturned lips were simply the camouflage I wore to blend in—to avoid being found out.

That I wasn’t really all that I was cracked up to be.

What I really wanted to do was run and hide. On the outside I was a well-put-together church mom with cute shoes and snappy jeans, but on the inside I was a little girl cowering in the far recesses of the playground hoping no one would notice me.

What’s wrong with me? I wondered. Why don’t I feel the joy these other women feel? What holds me back from experiencing the confidence and assurance they seem to experience?

Why do I continue to act like the same old me, struggle with the same negative emotions, and wrestle with the same old sins?

I wonder if you’ve ever felt that way.

The problem was I was stuck. Yes, I had professed Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I knew I was going to heaven when I left this earth.

But I had a niggling feeling He meant something more than heaven when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Have you ever watched a circus performer on a flying trapeze? The aerialist swings out, swings back, and then usually on the peak of the third swing he takes hold of another bar or performer.

That’s when the fun begins as backflips, somersaults, and triples twists wow the crowd.

But what if, when the trapeze artist took hold of the second bar, he refused to let go of the first?

He would be left hanging in the middle. Stuck. That would not be the greatest show on earth.

And that’s where many of us spend our lives…stuck…dangling over “life to the full” but never quite letting go of what holds us hostage to a mediocre “less than” faith.

I know it’s where I spent many years…until God challenged me to take hold of the truth and make it mine.

Her name was Mary Marshall Young–and older, wiser woman in my church.

One day she challenged me to learn about my true identity in Christ.

Then she did something even harder…she challenged me to believe it…to take hold of it and make it mine.

And that made all the difference.

Paul wrote, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).

And in order to take hold and make our own everything that Christ has taken hold of for us and placed in us, we need to let go of everything that keeps us from doing so.

If we would grasp and make our own what Jesus has already done for us, and what He had deposited in us, our lives would look very different than the tepid faith of the average churchgoer.

God’s power, provision, and purposes are for “who so ever will” (Mark 8:34 KJV).

Will what? Will let go of all that holds you back from experiencing the abundant life of the adventurous faith and take hold of truth that makes it so.

So here’s what I’m challenging you to do:

• Let go of insecurity and take hold of your true identity as a child of God.

• Let go of the scarcity mentality that says that you’re not enough and take hold of God’s abundant promises that say you have everything you need.

• Let go of crippling bitterness and take hold of radical forgiveness.

• Let go of shame-filled condemnation and take hold of grace-filled acceptance.

• Let go of weak-kneed worry and take hold of sure-footed confidence.

• Let go of comparison to others and take hold of your God-fashioned uniqueness.

• Let go of debilitating discouragement and take hold of your next assignment

• Let go of timid reluctance and take hold of bold believing.

I know that’s a tall order, but I know you can do it. I’m here to help you get there.

It’s what God wants for all of us.

So today, let’s ask ourselves if we’re hanging on to something that God is calling us to let go of. Shame? Resentment? Condemnation? Unbelief? Ingratitude? Bitterness? Unforgiveness? A false sense of who we are?

If He brings something to mind, let it go, move forward, and live bold.

The faith you’ve always longed for is just a decision away.

Sharon Jaynes is a conference speaker friend of mine and the author of 20 books, including her latest, Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go. Move Forward. Live Bold. 

To learn more visit Sharon Jaynes. 

Sharon Jaynes & Deborah Ross 2016

Forgiveness...

FORGIVING YOURSELF from SINS of the PAST

1 John 2:12

"I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake."

While a life of sin may start out as a joy ride that eludes to glamour, laughter, freedom, and fun, the final destination is always that of destruction. In fact, Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The hidden treasure at the end of a sinful rainbow is always a pot of dung. Guilt, shame, and brokenness are just some of the hideous surprises that await those who have been duped into believing that they can dance with the tip of sin's tail.

 

Romans 3:23

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

God's Word tells us that everyone has sinned. We've all made bad decisions and poor choices that have brought us to that place of unrest in our soul. While our intentions may have been to "do the right thing", our sinful nature (apart from God) always seems to lead us down paths of trickery, leaving us empty and void - deep within. The pull of sin is a constant "tug of war" inside of everyone; challenging our conscience with cleaver justifications, all of which are in direct opposition to God.

Then, there are those "sinful situations" that were completely brought on by the evil devices of others. Maybe you live under the shelter of another who is trapped by the claws of sin. Sadly, "their sin" has drug you down a marsh pit of filth that seems to have stained your life forever. You may feel that you have spiraled too far out of control - that you could never be reconciled to God. As anger and rage consume the core of your being, you wonder how you could ever be forgiven. Even more, you wonder if you could ever forgive yourself.

Psalm 51:10

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

Precious friend, God knew that we would never be able to free ourselves from the snare of sins grasp. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world. You see, Jesus left His heavenly abode to come to earth and rescue all who were scarred from the wages of sin. When you repent of your sin (repent means to turn; to change your mind) and trust in Jesus as you Lord and Savior, He instantly washes you clean and sets you on high. He delivers you out of the grave that held you captive; the grave that blinded you from the light of God's goodness. At that same moment of your conversion, the Holy Spirit (comforter, counselor, teacher) comes to live inside of you. You are born-again! You are a brand new creature! God says that your sins are as far as the east is from the west - He does not even remember them! Wow!

 

Psalm 103:12

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."

Of course, the devil won't give up so easily. He is on a mission to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). His tactics are dirty and his methods are cunning. Since he can't do anything to keep a Child of God out of heaven (because God has already sealed them with the Holy Spirit of promise - Ephesians 1:13), his next plan is to render a Christian as ineffective in the Kingdom of God. If he can keep you doubting how much your Daddy (Abba Father) loves you, or keep you feeling as though you are a second class Christian, unforgiveness toward yourself will hinder the flow of God's blessings into your life. Unforgiveness is a sin. And God cannot bless sin. The devil knows this, and so he reminds you of the things you once did, and the person you once were, in an effort to cause you to linger in self condemnation.

Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

So, how can you rise above the devils scheme of unforgiveness - the unforgiveness you have toward yourself? By renewing your mind! And, how do you renew your mind? By reading the Word of God!

Precious sister in Christ, forgiveness is a process. Don't be discouraged in your Christian walk if you are having trouble forgiving yourself. It will come. You will reach a day in which your past sins will seem like the story of another. The closer you get to God - through reading His Word - the farther away you'll be from the pain of that horrible "pot of dung" you once lived in.

Let me encourage you today to READ YOUR BIBLE. If you are a new Christian, start by reading the New Testament, first. Always pray before you read God's Word, asking Him to reveal Himself to you. The Words of the Bible are referred to as "bread" because God's Word brings LIFE to your soul, spirit, and body. As you continually feed upon the Word of God, you will be strengthened to conquer self condemnation - once and for all. Faith, peace, and forgiveness will rise up within you. You will be made whole!

Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Now, if condemnation is coming to you from outside sources (someone is continually telling you that you are a bad person) you'll need to learn to repel words of discouragement within your spirit man. Ephesians 6:11-13 tells us to put on the whole armor of God - each day - so that we can be victorious in our Christian walk. Remember, you are not wrestling with "flesh and blood" but against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. If someone is bashing you for no reason, they are simply acting as a puppet in the devil's hand - probably because of their own insecurities. Pray for them; and, if at all possible, avoid being around them. If you cannot avoid their company, practice closing your ears with spiritual fingers. Silently ask God to protect you from receiving words of discouragement - even while that person is still speaking. Remember, they themselves are victims of "sins grasp" and they probably don't even realize that they are acting as the devil's advocate.

Proverbs 18:21

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Are you speaking life to yourself? As a Christian, you need to minister to yourself with your own mouth! Instead of speaking negative thoughts of "what a bad person you are" or any such words of self-condemnation, start speaking praises of how God saved your soul and changed you from the inside out. Begin to share your testimony saying, "This is who I once was. This is when I gave my life to Jesus. This is who I am now." As you do, your perception of yourself will change. You will teach your mind to agree with your born-again status as a Child of the King. Remember, words are powerful; so be sure that the words you are speaking continually give glory to God by praising Him for your new life in Christ Jesus.

Mark 12:30-31 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

God has forgiven you, and now, you must forgive yourself. God loves you - and He wants YOU to love you, too! When Jesus said, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself", He was saying, "I want you to love yourself, first (because you were made in my image); then, you'll be able to truly love others.

So "how" do you forgive yourself?.....

• First, you must be born-again.
• Next, you'll need to renew your mind by reading your Bible.
• Then, you'll need to practice closing your ears to the naysayer; always remembering to pray for those who persecute you.
• In addition, you must practice speaking words of encouragement to yourself by praising God for His forgiveness.
• Finally, you need to be patient. The day will come in which your past sins will only be a fact and no longer a feeling.

God loves you! He wants you whole! He has forgiven you and He remembers nothing about your past. Hallelujah!

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

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Isaiah 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness..."

Yours in Christ,
Deborah
Deborah Ross Ministries
Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

Healing a Broken Marriage