Positive thinking Archives : Living Success

How to Conquer Negative Thinking

9 Comments / Success Traits, The Real You, Thinking Success

“I Am The Sum Total Of My Thoughts.” This is a sign I had posted on my fridge door years ago. Beneath that quote I noted the following scripture:

“For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” Phil 4:8 AMP

To this day, I still remember those words even though I no longer have that sign posted anywhere in my house. It keeps me from thinking negatively and reminds me to focus on what God thinks of me rather what I or others would.

I realize that thoughts are very real and that thoughts have power. They are just as present as our words or actions. What you think has the power to become what you experience in life. What you think can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if you allow that thought to become a prevailing thought-habit that results in the life you live. Your thoughts have the power to rule your life. Therefore, be careful what you think!

The danger comes when you have negative prevailing thoughts. Your negative persistent thoughts are:

A reflection of low value you have about yourself, your present circumstances and your future. How often many think they are undeserving of God’s goodness like the Roman solider thought at first? “Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (Luke 7:7)
Sinful thoughts within your heart which you will degrade, corrupt or pollute your life. Such thoughts produce fear anxiety, doubt, unbelief, worry, depression, skepticism, and all things ugly. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:11, 15-20). The truth is sin begins in the mind.
Deceitful in that you say one thing with your lips but think another. This speaks to the integrity or lack of integrity of the person. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.” (Proverbs 23:7)

In the Christian walk, you battle daily the thoughts you think about yourself more than in another area. The more frequently your thoughts towards yourself are negative, the lower your confidence level goes and you think that no one including God loves you. If this persistent, the possibility of achieving your goals or reaching your destiny becomes close to impossible. It’s like Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you are right.”

But negative persistent thoughts don’t have to be the constant in your life. You can overcome.

Your thoughts come from what you put into yourself – from your environment, from your immediate circle of friends and family. Hence, it is important to renew your mind with the word of God.

You can feed yourself good thoughts by studying with the word of God. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) The power of God’s word is enough to change your thinking about yourself. Let the word of God become more necessary than food. Feed yourself on it; “eat” the Word. In other words, meditate on it and your faith will grow and the power of His word will change your thought and change your life. Since your thoughts have the power to drive the course of your life. Therefore change your thoughts change your life.
Refocus your mind as soon as your realize that your thoughts are taking a downward spiral. Recently I had a boot of bad thinking. I wasn’t happy about the progress I was making on a particular project. As I continued I starting thinking that my efforts were futile and that I wasn’t reaching and positively impacting others as I should. Hmmm, does that sound familiar? Anyways thankfully I realize that this wasn’t the way to go and then I wrote this thought in my prayer journal; “Lord, help me to see this from your perspective?” The moment I did that I paused to hear what God would say. I realized that although my efforts seem small they were gradually adding up to have greater impact and in fact there were readers added to my blog in the past two months that in the past two years! I still have a way to go but I was making progress. If I didn’t change my thinking pattern the rest of my day would have been totally miserable. Thank God I did.
Use technology or a creative way to keep your mind thinking right. You can get a smartphone app to text you inspiring quotes or scripture verses or you can listen to or read the Bible. I use the memo application to keep my goals and prayer list readily available as well as to write quotes or thoughts of inspiration that I receive during the day. You can use index cards – write Bible verses or affirming words on them and at least twice a day read them. This will build your confidence, eliminate your fears and strengthen your faith in God. This way you fill your thoughts with faith and you’ll find yourself able to make bold steps towards your goals.

As you continue towards your goals, there may be times when the negative thought attack comes. Conquer it! Turn your thoughts toward God. If you have faith thoughts, nothing shall be impossible to you. (Matthew 17:20) So have faith in God because according to your faith-filled words or prayers you will have what you say (Matthew 9:20).

One other Word I want to leave with you is this, if God be for you who can be against you. (Romans 8:31). There is nothing stopping you when God is on your side. Isaiah 41:10 is a word that I summarize it like this: “God is with me. God is strengthening me. God is helping me. God is giving me victory.” Yes, God is with you and is helping you. This is not only a verse of comfort but it will help you boost your confidence levels and help you realize that with God helping you. You are destined to win. Meditate on this Word and accept it as truth. With this Word you change your thought and God’s power release in you through this word will cause you to do great things!

It’s your turn, what do you do to conquer negative thinking?

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Success Is a Series of I Cans

3 Comments / Business & Career Success, Financial Success, Spiritual Success, Success Keys, Thinking Success

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. —Philippians 4:13 (AMP)

I can do all things through Christ my strength

When we see the outcome of someone’s efforts that cause them to be wealthy, well-known in their field or outstanding in some other way, we focus solely on that result. Most people tend to look at success as a one-time event but it really is a series of events that culminate into something outstanding. Success is a series of “I cans”. Whether we are working towards a closer relationship with God or being better moms, wives, dads, husbands, siblings, children, business owners, employees, or students and so on – it takes a series of efforts to make it happen. Although we may have specific defined goals, success is ongoing positive progress in whatever area of life we are aiming to grow.

A successful life is a constant work in progress and through it we have many responsibilities. In the midst of the daily activities, many have a desire in their hearts to do something beyond the norm, to do the extraordinary for God or to fulfill their God-sized dream. Yet, many conclude that they can’t. `I can’t` become such a normal part of our conversation that we don’t realize it:

“My life is too busy. I have so much to do that I can’t possible fit in another thing. ”
“What’s the point; I couldn’t possibly get that done even if I tried.”
“It’s just too hard. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“My uncle didn’t think it was a wise career choice, so this is what I ended up doing.”

Yet the question remains, since God put it on your heart to do something, if God gave you a dream, why do you think you can’t do it. It’s not that it would happen overnight, but it certainly can if you begin by saying, “I can. Yes, I can.” But you have to stop saying “I can’t.” When you say you can’t do anything, what are you doing?

Belittling God who imputed His grace and strength in us
Believing more in the circumstances around us than in the promises of God
Making our challenge or problem bigger than what it really is
Thinking lowly of ourselves and therefore making ourselves powerless to do anything good
Resigning ourselves to failure and a limiting, fruitless life

Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.

Henry Ford

Success is a series of “I cans”. This does not mean that we won’t fail at times but the wonderful part is that you’re still alive and well and God hasn’t finished with you and me yet. Every morning we arise from our bed we have another opportunity to do something great. We can honor God in whatever we do. We can minister to someone about Christ. We can help feed a hungry person or pray for healing of someone who is sick. We can work towards our life’s mission or destiny – that passion or desire that God has placed on your heart to complete.

When we say “I can”, we are:

Glorifying God in our lives and giving others to opportunity to praise God for the good they see us doing (Matthew 5:16)
Failing Forward and progressing toward our destiny. We are seeing the prize before it arrives and pressing towards it. We are focused on the goal (Philippians 3:14)
Relying on the strength and wisdom of God to do what seemed insurmountable at first (Philippians 4:13)
Walking in the abundance life Christ paid the price for (John 10:10)

You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.

Michael Phelps

Sometimes we think that when we move forward to achieve a dream that we have to give up – time, pleasure, relationships, money, certain foods or overeating, etc. However, we are actually gaining in life rather the losing. The reward of daily success is far sweeter – what you give up cannot compare to what you will gain. From the experience of giving up you grow in character, in knowledge, in wisdom, in favor with others and if you embrace the success journey you will gain much more that the goal or prize you want to receive.

Success is doing what you have to do to achieve what you have dreamed.

Success is the ability to think soundly, speak confidently and act wisely while trusting and honoring God all the way (Joshua 1:7-8).

Success is a series of I CANs. You have a choice. You have the power to choose – success or failure. You have the power to say “I can”.

I hope today you will choose to say, “I can and I will” and therefore begin TO DO. Remember, you can through Christ being your strength. Recommit yourself today to the Lord and to the desire He has placed on your heart to do. He will give you strength to do it. Yes, YOU CAN!

Share a word – What have you put on hold that you need to say, “Yes, I can” to?

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9 Ways to Defeat Fear

Spiritual Success, Thinking Success

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And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” —Judges 6:12

Fear is such a debilitating emotion. It can overwhelm you emotionally and paralyze you physically. It can cause you to make irrational decisions. Have you ever experienced moments before you about to do something your heart starts beating heavily or the palm of your hands sweating and your mind starts racing with all kinds of negative thoughts that you are about to fail?

Recently I experienced that and it was such an awful feeling that I laid my hand on my chest and started to pray. I didn’t even have the strength in me to pray out loud but as I whispered a prayer God assured me that He was with me. I was able to stand up and speak without fear but instead with great boldness.

It’s interesting that the feeling of fear often comes when you are about to step out and do good, follow your dreams, do the work of the Lord or do something purposeful or meaningful that would bless others. Fear often comes when you need to step outside your comfort zone.

The account of Gideon shows us how God dealt with the problem of fear before He could bring victory to Israel over Midian. We can learn from this, how we and God can together defeat the spirit of fear that tries to derail our lives.

Remember That God Is With You (Judges 6:12)

God tells Gideon even before giving him his assignment that he is a mighty man of (fearless) courage and that He is with him. Even in the midst of your fears or troubles, God calls you fearless or mighty. You are commanded to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10). God was speaking into Gideon life and now into yours. He is saying you are even though you are not yet.

God Thinks Highly You, So Should You (Judges 6:14-16)

God does not address Gideon’s complaint that the Lord has given up on Israel but proceeds to give Gideon his assignment. Gideon’s fear is heard in his response. Fear make you feel small and disqualified and lacking in the ability to do what you need to do. Gideon’s excuse clearly shows this but God address this. God assures you and I that He will be with us in our doing (Judges 6:16) and that we will do great things.

Tell God Your Concerns (Judges 6: 17-24)

Even when God speaks, fear will cause you to question whether God did speak to you or not. Like Gideon you may ask for a sign. Gracious, loving and patient is our God to give us peace that He’s the One who directed us. God calms your fear when you tell him about it and gives you peace (Philippians 4:6-7).

Take Baby Steps of Faith (Judges 6:25-27)

With a little assurance, confirmation and direction from the Lord, you may begin to take little leaps of faith. Gideon destroys the gods but in the night and with the help of others. His faith wasn’t yet strong enough to do it openly but he did it anyway. Sometimes you have to take baby steps towards what God has called you to do. But step toward the right direction nonetheless. Move forward, no matter how small a move it may seem to be.

Rely On the Holy Spirit (Judges 6:34-40)

The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you and that’s where boldness comes from. God will also propel you forward. When the time of war was approaching Gideon moved forward when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. But even with that step, Gideon still had his reservations and asked God for a sign twice. Where fear linger, self-doubt exist. Like Gideon, there are times you will question and seek confirmation God that you are the one to do what He has asked you to.

Work to Eliminate Fear (Judges 7:2-3)

On the battle field fear also had to be banished. Out of 32,000 men, 22,000 were afraid and God release them. It is difficult to fight the enemy when you are afraid. The odds are against you because you have stacked them up against yourself. Defeat is predictable when you fight in fear. As children of God, we face a daily battle against the enemy; we have to defeat fear or the enemy will devour us.

Accept God’s Ways, Though Different (Judges 7:4-8)

God further reduced the number of warriors to a meager 300 men. God wanted Gideon to experience the power of diminishing numbers (Judges 6:11, Judges 7:2). In Christ, less means more.

Seek the Support of A Prayer Partner (Judges 7:9-11)

However, Gideon still had thoughts of fear. But God in his great love and understanding; graciously tells Gideon that if he was afraid he could take Purah with him to spy out the enemy’s camp. At times you will need support of a friend or a prayer partner – two are better than. You need help to go through the battle until you receive what is rightfully yours.

Receive the Word to Build Your Faith (Judges 7:13-25)

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation; he received the extra gumption he needed to go forward and boldly fight the Midianites. There is a word you need and I hope that it’s from this blog post today that will give you that push forward towards your goals and into your destiny.

Just as God understood Gideon’s concerns and daunting fear, He understands yours. God worked with him until he overcame it. God assured him, moved him forward every step before and into the battle and at the right time fear was fully defeated and victory won.

You may fear doing God’s will or something new or different but God is with you. If you fear and yet move forward, step by step, God will be with you. He will anoint you. He will give you peace. He will put His Spirit upon you. He will give you words of comfort and the promise of success. He will make you bolder than a lion and you will move forward and do something great. Fear not, for the Lord is with you.

How do you deal with fear? Do you give your fears over to God and believe that He is with you at all times?

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Think Prosperously

Thinking Success

What kind of thoughts normally enter into your mind? Are they good or bad? When someone compliments you, do you counter it with words like, “Really, I don’t think so,” or “That’s nice to say but I am not really like that.”? When you are pursuing your goals do you often think that you are going to fail?

Prevailing negative, demeaning, limiting, unhealthy and sinful thoughts have a way of entering into our minds quite easily:

The world system: We are bombarded daily with negativity via television, radio, newspapers, internet, organizations and people.

Our sinful nature: We have an uncanny yet natural tendency to think and act negatively too. Even when we have accepted Christ our negative thoughts and ways can continue to prevail unless we constantly renew our minds.

Our immediate environment: Have you realized that when you were younger, you believed you could do anything and actually did most of the time? But as you grew into adulthood, your mindset shifted. Our family, friends, work colleagues and other people have shaped our belief system. The sad thing is we have learned from most of them to simply let life happen and don’t seek to change. Or someone told us not dream too big or try too hard at anything because they don’t want us to get disappointed if we fail.

The reality is this; we kill our dreams within before we even get started. We believe more in lie that in truth. We think we will fail more than succeed. We expect to struggle and not to prosper. But the truth is God wants the best for us. Recently, the Lord really impressed on my heart to diligently counter every negative thought of frustration, setback, failure, and lack with His Word. His Word is filled with promises of positive outcomes, success, prosperity, abundance, good health, strong families, great relationships and more. Regardless of the negativity around us, God actively works to bring everything in alignment to His will and for our benefit (Gen. 50:20). As a child of God, your focus should be on succeeding or prospering in whatever you are doing.

A few weeks ago, I was sharing with a friend about my book and the effort I need to put into marketing and promoting this work. As I was outlining the industry suggested time lines to begin seeing a certain level of success with the book, she stopped me in my tracks. She reminded me that although it is good to learn the market and how it works, I must view this all from God’s perspective. I should do the work and trust God to prosper what I am doing. I should always put God in the midst of everything I am doing to have good success.

Psalm 1:1-3 says that if we don’t do evil but find or have pleasure in God and His word, He will make us prosperous in what we do. He will bring our work to maturity or cause it to be successful. Other scriptures like Joshua 1:8, Jeremiah 29:11, 3 John 1:2 remind us to connect with God, know His word intimately (eat, drink and sleep His word), live out loud His word and He will cause our lives to prosper.

God’s Word says you can succeed in life but do you believe this truth? You can say all the right words. You can do all the right things. But what you believe determines what you will achieve and receive. Remember, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Furthermore, God blesses you based on and above what you ask or think.

Therefore approach everything you do believing that God will help you to succeed. Rearrange your thoughts to accept that whatever you do shall prosper. Think prosperously.

How do you counter thoughts of failure? What helps you to keep thinking in line with God’s good will for you?

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5 Qualities of a Different Spirit

22 Comments / Success Traits

But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.

—Numbers 14:24 (NKJV)

What kind of spirit do you have? Would God say that you have a different spirit to other people? Would your family say that you have a good spirit?

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God described Caleb as one who had a different spirit. He was compared his character to the ten men who went with Joshua and Caleb to spy out the Promised Land. Other translations interpret the words “different spirit” as different attitude (NLT, GW) or another spirit (KJV). Whichever way you look at it, Caleb and Joshua because of this spirit or attitude they had were able to receive the promise of God.

In Numbers 13 and 14, we can learn from Joshua’s and Caleb’s actions what it means to have a different spirit. Some of the qualities they expressed were:

A Conquering Attitude – These two were courageous warriors. They were willing and ready to fight.

“Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30

A Positive Outlook – Caleb and Joshua saw the possibilities or the opportunities that were ahead of them instead of focusing on the negative.

^“But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.” —Numbers 14:6-7

Faith in God – They had complete trust in God to help them succeed. They believed God would do as He had promised.

“If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’” —Numbers 14:8

An Awareness of God’s Presence – Joshua and Caleb knew that the Lord was with them and therefore consider their enemies as already defeated. They recognized that with the presence of God any battle was already won.

“Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” —Numbers 14:9

Wholeheartedly Serve the Lord – An attitude or a spirit such as theirs comes with this very important quality (Numbers 14:24). No measure of success can be gained without this attribute. It is on account of their different spirit and their full service to God that both Joshua and Caleb not only survived 40 years of wandering in the wilderness but received their inheritance in the Promised Land (Joshua 14:6-15).

The spirit of Joshua and Caleb wasn’t negative in any way. They weren’t fearful of their enemies. They didn’t speak negatively and transfer the spirit of fear to the people of Israel. Instead they spoke with confidence and tried to encourage others not to fear but to believe they could make it with God’s help. What an attitude!

Their attitude is one to imitate if we want to receive the promises that God has for us. If we want to succeed in our Christian walk and experience God’s best then we must work on our attitude.

We must ask God to impart such a spirit in us. This type of spirit has staying power to make it through the tough times. When we carry what God called a different spirit in us, we are likely to overcome all and live victoriously.

Aim for a different spirit.

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Simplify Your Life: Focus on God

3 Comments / Simplify Your Life, Spiritual Success

In July, I started an 8-part series called Simplify Your Life, if you miss any part of the series you can catch up here. Last week I offered a general introduction of the areas we will cover in this series. At the end of it, I hope that we can all make headway in leading uncomplicated, uncluttered, productive and successful lives.

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This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. (Joshua 1:8, AMP)

Sometimes if we take a close look at ourselves, we’d realize that our schedules become so overloaded that we don’t spend time with the Lord as we should. For example, I generally read the Bible at least twice a day – in the morning and at night before bed. Recently, I realized I was dropping that night habit and furthermore I was not meditating on the Word as much. I have recommitted myself to do that night reading however little. It keeps me focused on the God’s plan for my life. I am refreshed as I meditate on the promises and commands in the Word and apply them to my life daily.

To keep focused on God you have to be intentional. You will need to develop simple habits that will keep your thoughts and heart toward God continually.

Simple Life Habits	For Everyday Success
Prayer at all times. Although this sometimes seems like a daunting task it is possible. The key to having an open and continual conversation with God (prayer) lies in recognizing that God is with you at all times.	You will have a blooming relationship with your heavenly Father and be attuned to His will.
Read the Word at least twice a day. Technology has made it possible to have the word of God at our finger tips. To get the Word in use every possible format available – audio, video, e-readers, laptops, mobile phone applications. This will keep your spirit well-fed.	The Bible is our manual for successful living. When you learn God’s word you will know how to lead your life well.
Meditate on specific scriptures. Take a few scriptures that speak specifically to your life, your family, your dreams and on a daily basis mutter and repeated speak God’s word over your life.	Appropriating the promises of God will help you to become more like Christ and build your faith in Him. As you meditate on scripture you will also see God work in your life above and beyond what you speak and think.
Think about good things. Purposely banish negative thoughts from your mind. For example, the moment you begin to think that you’ll fail reflect on God’s word: “As a blessed child of God, whatever I do shall prosper”.	You will develop the ability to flush out negative self-talk. You will be able to handle life’s challenges with more confidence as you view from God’s perspective and not the world’s.
Praise continually. Remember that God is worthy of praise no matter what situation you are facing. God is always good and He is always doing good to you. Praise Him.	You will develop a heart of gratitude toward God and to the people around you. A more positive attitude will develop in you

Any one of these suggestions above will lead to a strong spiritual walk. Having a great relationship with the Father will give you more confidence and calmness. In this hurried and complicated world, life will be less complex and you’d be able to make sound decisions without doubt or fear.

What are some of the life habits you have developed to help you stay focused on God?

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7 Ways to Live on Purpose

4 Comments / Success Habits, Success Keys

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Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about living on purpose and the importance of pursuing your dreams. But what does it really means to live on purpose? I’ve defined this as intentionally living out your vision – dreams, goals or pursuits. It’s living out God’s will for your life. To live on purpose is to live your life by design.

That sounds great but how do you do this? I’ve noticed that it can be challenging to keep the fire burning and remain purpose-driven. In my life recently I’ve been telling myself that “there too many moving parts” towards my pursuits. I’ve been wondering how to keep up with all of life and still live out my dreams in an effective manner.

The question is: How do I daily keep focus on my purpose? What do I do to continually move forward and achieve my goals?

This post includes some of the habits I use to maintain intentional living.

Know what your purpose is. This may go without saying but still we need to be reminded. What is your dream or the major goals you want to accomplish in your lifetime?

Ask God for direction if you’re not sure of the specifics. God’s will for you is wrapped up in you waiting to come out.
Assess yourself. Learn about you. What are your likes, dislikes, gifts, talents, education, personal experiences (problems you have overcome), passions, and interests? A good question to ask is: What do I love doing and would be willing to do without being paid for it?

Have a vision and write it out. Sit down in a quiet place with no distractions of any kind and dream a little, no, a lot. This can be a scary thing but you need to take time to think about your life and what you want it to look like. The challenge is linking it to God’s will for you but if you approach this time with prayer (and fasting, if possible) the Lord will guide you. Remember He is your Shepherd.

Whatever your dreams are – write them down. Get it out of your head and on paper. It will clear your mind and relieve the mental load you may have been carrying.

Set small goals. I would suggest that you do this the same day as your dreaming day but don’t delay too long. Choose another quiet time and begin to put your big dreams into smaller goals.

Span those big goals into your lifeline from current tasks and projects, to one- to two-year goals, three- to five- year goals all the way up. For your one year plan break it down in quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily tasks.

Create signposts. We are encouraged to know the Word and keep it close wherever we can see it. I believe that you can do the same with your goals. You’ve written them out but to keep focused on them and act on them you’ll need to develop signposts.

Post these goals along with God’s promises to your computer or mobile phone as the wallpaper or in a file that you constantly refer to
Post them where you frequent the most: your dresser mirror, refrigerator door, home office desk
You can even create picture collage that represent all the different aspects of your dream and post it where you can see it often.

For example, maybe you have goal to lose five inches off your waist (my wish) and strengthen your abs – post a photo of a fitness advertisement and write on it, “How am I doing today?” Make sure it is strategically placed where you can see it to motivate you to exercise and eat right.

Depend on God’s direction. Again, I refer to what God says about His word – talk about the Word when you get up, lay down, with your children, at all times really. You need to do the same for your goals.

Talk to God throughout the process. God is the CEO of your life. He is the Master Strategist. He will give you direction to help you live on purpose and fulfill your destiny. Trust God through the process and enjoy the journey which is all part of living on purpose.

Talk about your dream. When you talk about something a lot it becomes more and more real to you. Talking positively about your dreams is a great self-motivator.

Speak the word concerning your dream. Visualize and confess the word as it relates to you dream. Speak those things as though they already exist even though they are yet to become real. Your tongue is a creative force. Use it well to build your life and fulfill destiny.
Talk to trusted friends. Choose carefully those who you share your most important goals with. There are some who will support you and there are others who will question your dreams. Find and hold to those who will rally around you and support you in prayer and in practice.

Work on your purpose daily. Work your dreams. This requires daily effort but you can do it.

Review your goals daily and every night write at least seven things you want to accomplish the next day.
Keep that list where you can clearly see it and make sure to act on what you have written down. Set you mind daily to do at least two or three tasks related to your goals.

No amount of planning is useful with acting on the plans.

I hope my list above will benefit you. It is by no means an exhaustive discussion on the topic but hopefully it’s enough to either help you move in the right direction or encourage you to continue living intentionally.

Tell me and encourage others too: What do you do to keep living on purpose?

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3 Ways to Keep God’s Word Close

4 Comments / Spiritual Success

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We are very fortunate in this century to have the Word of God so near to us. The Word is near us in terms of accessibility. The Word can be in hard copy; in audio or video formats; on television; on the internet; on your cell phone, e-reader, or computer. There are also different translations available to study from. Compared to the biblical times when the Word of God was read at specified times when the people of God gathered, we have it available at all times. The nearness of the Word of God leaves us with no reason for not knowing it.

Unfortunately, sometimes we become distracted with life and don’t keep God’s word as close to us as we should. However, Deuteronomy 30:14 offers us some insight on how to keep the Word near to us.

1. READ THE WORD

At home, early in the morning, in the afternoon, late a night, anytime or anywhere we can read the word. I usually read in the early morning and prayer before breakfast. While driving to work, I may listen to a sermon or I pray the scriptures I read earlier that morning. Depending on the activity of the day, I may be able to slip in a short message or read. At night l enjoy having a cup of tea J and reading either a book or the Bible just before sleeping. Other times, while doing other tasks I would listen to the Bible on my Blackberry using You Version – it’s a great tool.

2. SPEAK THE WORD

If you know the Word you will speak it. I would purposely make an effort to repeat certain scriptures I read as go through the day. During prayer, I would confess in faith specific scriptures I have written out. I have seen the Lord faithfully honor these promises that I have held to. If we take God’s instruction, the word of God should constantly be in our mouth. We should be talking about the Word morning, noon and night; when we lay down to rest and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:7; 11:19). As we do this we are not only edifying ourselves but we are teaching our children.

3. THINK THE WORD

If you are constantly speaking the word – whether in prayer, in daily conversation with friends of family, occasionally meditating on it throughout your day – then it becomes embedded in your mind and heart. You would be thinking on good, lovely, profitable, wonderful thoughts because the Word is of God and God is good. This for sure will help to erase negatively from your thinking. You will grow from grace to grace and see life from God’s perspective and not the world’s.

LIVE OUT LOUD THE WORD

Once you’ve got the Word in you – mouth, mind and heart – you will know God’s desire and you will act in a way that pleases Him. When you walk in obedience to His Word, then you will see God’s many blessings in your life (Deuteronomy 28: 1-14). When you keep His Word, your soul will prosper and so will all other areas of your life (3 John 1:2).

Therefore, keep the Word of God near to you always and treasure them more than your necessary food (Job 23:12).

What do you do to keep the Word of God close to you? Share and encourage someone.

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