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Since the dawn of the "positive thinking" message of Norman Vincent Peale in the 20th century, there has been an avalanche of preachers teaching variations of this message. (The "health and wealth" prosperity gospel, "name it and claim it," along with various modes of motivational types of preaching.) When the objective is self-fulfillment, the message often reduces the gospel of Christ to appease the narcissistic dreams of half-baked Christians. The following are nine errors of the gospel of self-fulfillment:
If we think of the term "mood" in a common human sense, we may miss something important about the Holy Spirit: He has moods too! We speak of people as having "good" moods and "bad" moods. We characterize some by saying they are "moody," which usually means they are immature and temperamental. However, the negative connotation of moodiness is not inherent in the word's definition. A mood can be defined simply as "a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion." We can expect the Holy Spirit, as a divine Person, to function in a conscious state of mind and to express emotion in righteousness. It is only our unredeemed human psyches that create "bad" moods that are sinful.
The message of faith and confession that I teach is based on true principles of the Bible. When these principles are misunderstood some people attempt to believe God for millions of dollars when they haven't learned to believe God for the money to pay their light bill. Some have overloaded their faith. Some are operating on little faith and trying to believe for millions. To be successful in life we must all learn to operate on our own level of faith.
In three of the gospels, Jesus taught the people using a parable about a man sowing seed which was symbolic for the Word of God. He gave an illustration about four different types of soil in which the seed was sown. This parable as an analogy of the condition of people's hearts. Some seed fell on hard ground, which describes the person who won't even receive the Word of God because they are not interested. The rocky ground represents those people who receive the Word of God, but don't have enough soil for the seed to take root, so they eventually lose interest in spiritual things.
Now is the time the Lord Jesus is calling His people to attention so that they may stand strong against the enemy for he is coming in like a flood to try to wear them down physically and to rob them of joy which is their strength. They battle discouragement and even fatigue, but most are standing on the Word with head set like flint against the enemy to not back down. They are pressing in standing on the promises of God and even though they have reason to waver in faith because of natural circumstance they choose to trust the Lord.
Among the most beautiful facets of following God is the profound obscurity unique to His ways. Look at Elijah the prophet, whom God used to glorify His name with an extraordinary roster of miracles. For example, Elijah's prayers sealed the heavens so they would not bring rain (1 Kings 17:1; Jas. 5:17). Following that, not only did he raise a child from the dead in 1 Kings 17:22, but he also called down fire from heaven during a showdown with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:38, to name just a few.
Have you ever wanted to go to a secluded place and scream at the top of your lungs, "God, why are you taking so long?" I have. Everything about my life has seemed too slow. My last name even means "gradual." Some people might look at my life and say, "Lee has had a fruitful and successful life." But you should know that I waited a long time to see that fruit. Nothing came quickly. My first job lasted eight difficult years, and the pay wasn't adequate. Then, at age 31, I watched a ministry implode.
I've been teaching the Word of God for more than 45 years now, and one of the most life-changing things I've learned is that God is always right. No matter what I think, how I feel, or what my circumstances look like, His wisdom and His way of doing things are always the answer to my problems. One message we see throughout the Bible is, "Do what's right in God's eyes and you'll have a life you enjoy that's worth living. Don't obey God, and you'll have a miserable life."
This month, the Lord is "breaking us out" and bringing new hope. He is bringing us greater joy, peace and understanding. Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13 NIV The Lord is continuing to remove any sorrow and replace it with gladness. He is lifting us out of the dry season and bringing new and greater blessings. Continue to pray and press into the Lord for revelation and greater understanding. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV This is a time for us all to move forward and lean not on our own understanding. As you take steps and don't look back, the Lord will make your paths straight.
Many of us don't know what to do with our emotions so we just try to ignore them. My cure for not feeling my emotions was to overeat foods made with sugar flour. I didn't want to feel my emotions. I was running from my emotions because I was sure I would be crazy if I started to really acknowledge and feel them. God, though, loves to connect with us through our emotions. David is a great example of this as he regularly pours out his heart to God. In Psalms 63:1 TPT he said, "O God of my life, I'm lovesick for You in this weary wilderness. I thirst with the deepest longings to love You more, with cravings in my heart that can't be described."
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