Turning your negatives into positives
Mat 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. Mat 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
For a brief moment Peter turned his negative into a positive by trusting Jesus. Later on in life, he was told by Jesus how his life would end (to hang upside down on the cross). He had walked long enough with Jesus by then to realise that his life did not matter as much as the life that Jesus had placed in him through faith. His faith had failed him many times when walking with Jesus on earth but now he was prepared to face life even in the face of death because he had come to know who his God is. The turning of a negative into the positive was by his faith.
To turn a negative into a positive and keep it that way, one must come to a mindset about who Jesus is. This takes time sometimes. Therefore, temporary gains in the faith do not amount to much because the fear returns to torment many who have not sold their souls out to Jesus. Apostle Paul was able to say he no longer lived but Jesus in him. This made him dead to the world and alive to another world in Jesus; an eternal world with eternal blessings and life. This made his life in the flesh very bearable though he went through many trials in life and ultimately paid the martyr’s price. He had come to this conclusion early in his walk with Jesus after coming to Christ through his encounter on the road to Damascus. He too had turned his negative (old life in the law of self righteousness) into a positive through that encounter but subsequently maintained it by faith in the face a many trials and persecutions.
How can we apply this principle to our daily living? Having faith is dormant till the trust factor in Christ is activated through trials and tribulations. When satan comes to attack, when family lets us down, when circumstances in life go beyond our ability to control it even though we are good Christians, we have to turn to the source of our lives who is Jesus. Others may see us go through hell and wonder how we still survive the onslaughts that would have destroyed someone else. The answer is our trust and faith in Jesus. People are often brought to the end of their rope so that, another rope of the three fold kind in Jesus can operate. Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? Ecc 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The principle of agreement is between two and more. Therefore, when we employ the three fold agreement, we cannot be easily broken. When we add to that agreement in numbers, it will impossible to break us. The increase of trials on our lives should only serve to strengthen us not break us. Many crumble against the multitude of trials because they have not learnt to trust God in their journey of life and hence find the negatives in life tend to overcome them. To rise out of the ashes and become a victor and overcomer where previously one was a victim requires understanding the ways of the Lord, the weapons and forces He has made available to us and who lives in us.
This may take some time but if one continues in the faith and faints not, you will stand by the power of God. "But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the LORD our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. Who can say that they have survived by their own effort? When the enemy came as a flood, God raised a standard that destroyed the enemy in our lives.
When circumstances and people including the devil broke us, Jesus saved us at the end and did not condemn us to break us further.
Mat_12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. As a minister I have seen many bruised reeds and smoking flax in my time. Having been one myself on many occasions, I have learned to have compassion on others but to a limit. I realise that anything more that or any longer than that the self pity goes on, it spells disaster. So, I have learned to teach and activated trust and faith in the word of God for myself and others that each one of us may stand and withstand by the power of God’s word who is Jesus. It is only when we build our faith in the word can we truly know how to walk as overcomers.
The times we live in demand that we be overcomers and be able to impart this faith to others who are sinking because they have been weakened in their faith or facing unusual situations in life that they themselves have no understanding off. Turning someone else’s darkness into light requires ourselves to be walking in the light before we minister, or else, we can become victims ourselves. Gal_6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Many have attempted stronger ministry without the right faith and lifestyle in place in their own lives only to be overcome by the devil. Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Since the negatives in the world are increasing as God prophesied in Isaiah, He has also given us a commission to arise and shine as lights who have been given a commission to establish His kingdom on earth without fear of loss of anything in our lives. The negatives in a person’s life and life itself is real. Let us first understand that and then we can minister with real power of the truth as we receive this truth into our lives and ministry. Jesus is the answer to all negativity. Accepting His incredible work of death and resurrection gives us real insight into what is Godly and true and that which works in our natural environment though it is invisible and in many people’s minds only a theory. That is why Apostle Paul insisted on preaching the gospel with the demonstration of power, so that, people may see the power of God and trust in that. which did so. Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. Act 19:18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Act 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Apostle Paul was able to change the lives of many people who had been in bondage to the devil and set them free for life. That is the true turning of the heart of a person from the negative to the positive; it must be for life. Many preach a ticklish gospel that tickles the ear and speaks of flattery and encouragement into a person’s life when they are going through their darkest moment. Otherwise they say; just wait on the Lord. People don’t need nice words, they need answers and they need them now, not in eternity. Eternity is already set and we must make that decision now on behalf of many.
Many Christians have listened to evil or bad preaching and been told to depend on others rather than on Christ and his word through the Spirit. They have not been brought onto the platform of Christ by teaching, rebukes and chastening because the preachers and counsellors do not want to offend. Let me tell you, the blood of those people who have not been told the truth will be upon those preachers and counsellors. We are required to say the truth and practise it all the time. No compromise or leaning to our own understanding.
The final hour is upon us and many lives will be lost because the darkest hour of human existence is upon us and increasing. Untold numbers of lives are being affected. We need to help people peel back the darkness to see the light as in the picture at the start of this teaching.
My prayer to God is: God, please open our eyes that we may see your glory and receive what is of heaven in a dark and evil generation. Cause the Church to arise and take its position and stop being sissies. Strengthen us and make us who you called us to be; which is, true ministers of God in power and love. Thank you and Amen.
Lots of love
Pastor Noble
28/01/18