The Wise Women's Blog

Have you ever been tempted to fret? Do you ever feel like things are not happening quickly enough? Do you feel that big and exciting things haven’t happened to you this year? Do you hear people giving their testimonies and feel left out?

“Fret not thyself ….” These were David’s opening words in Psalm 37:1. He admonished the righteous living in his day not to fret and the same admonition goes for you. You must resist fretting because it’s satan’s tool to get a Christian out of God’s peace and will. Fretful thoughts will indeed wear away your faith and trust in God.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word fret as ‘to make or become worried or anxious; to wear away or roughen by rubbing.’ To be fretful therefore means to be troubled, peevish, irritable, and impatient.

I once heard a Christian say that unbelievers seem to enjoy life more. I vehemently disagreed because to endorse that would mean denying the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There can be no better kind of life than that of a Spirit-filled believer in Christ.

If you’re waiting for a job, promotion or other blessing to come through, cultivate your fruit of patience by praying often in the Holy Ghost. When fretful thoughts attempt to take hold of your mind, go back to the portion of Scripture that embodies God’s specific promise to you and meditate on it till the thoughts dissipate like mist. The Bible says in Hebrews 10:36 "You have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

Your patience is demonstrated by your ability to stay calm and beautiful while waiting for the physical manifestation of your blessing.

Your patience is your testimony that you really believe; so when you have done all that is required to be done, stay calm and maintain a good attitude. Fret not thyself because those who wait on God are never disappointed.

2009 draws to a close and while it’s an exciting season of gifts, good wishes and warm re-unions, it’s also a time when most of us inevitably take stock of goals for the year and how much we actually achieved.

If you haven’t done this yet, this might be a good time to plan a few quiet days to evaluate how the year of the Seven-fold increase has gone.

Did God give you specific ideas or assignments? Were you able to achieve them? How much progress did you make as regards your own personal development? Did you grow as much as you planned to? How many souls did you win? Did you finish that book, open that shop or start the business?

Whatever the case, thank God for the gift of life and His unsurpassable grace. It’s time to plan your 2010 race!

Though it’s a season of much hustle and bustle, make up your mind to open the ears of your spirit. Get a notepad and write down ideas on how to structure your life in the coming year so as to achieve more. In what ways can you increase your impact? How can you work more effectively? How can you be a better manager of time and resources? How can you increase your impact, enlarge your circle of influence as far as the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned.

The objective is that 2010 must not meet you unprepared. If you structure for growth, you will undoubtedly experience growth. If you plan and determine to increase your impact you most certainly will.

Make a plan today!

Still on power and choices we can make that empower us; I just came back from a ministry programme called IPPC (International Pastors and Partners Conference). I received so much during the conference from my Man of God, Pastor Chris, and other amazing men of God. Right now, I feel like a car that has been switched to auto-drive. My spiritual senses have been sharpened; my purpose made crystal clear, and my capacity to impact my world increased.

I realize that choices we make about where to go, whom to emulate and follow, the type of info we expose ourselves to and activities we engage in, either empower or rob us of power.

Jesus declared in Matthew 28:18 “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Therefore, the first power choice any man makes is connecting to God through His son Jesus Christ and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. After this, you can begin to make deliberate and conscious power choices like feeding your spirit constantly with God’s Word, reading your Rhapsody of Realities, spending quality time in prayer, soul-winning, and giving.

One of the most empowering choices I make every month is to partner with Rhapsody of Realities in sending this life-giving devotional round the world. Through my partnership, I empower the weak, save the lost and heal the broken in countries and cities of the world that I have never visited. I impact China, India, and Australia right from my living room. Talk about power!

You see, power is activated by positive and affirmative action. Taking time to teach your child from the Bible, taking steps to sharpen your skills and expand your horizon, making deliberate effort to deal with a difficult relationship or praying for a friend. These are all power choices.

What are some of your power choices?

How powerful have you been feeling lately? Are you on top of situations or do you feel the circumstances of life spinning out of control? Are there areas of your life that you perceive as not quite tidy, successful, and praiseworthy? Is it your finances, marriage, your career or the kids? When you meditate on that area of life do you feel powerless? I encourage you not to. You are more powerful than you think.

God never created anyone powerless. Dominion was an essential component of man’s genetic blueprint.(Genesis 1:26).That’s how come the natural man even outside of a relationship with Christ Jesus has achieved feats in the field of Science, Art, Sports etc. We have read of great writers, architects surgeons, athletes, inventors and statesmen who accomplished awe-inspiring things just by harnessing the innate power that exists deep within their souls.

Now imagine the man who is born-again and filled with the Holy Ghost. Jesus declared in Acts1:8 “You shall receive Power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you.” So if your salvation is a done deal, consider this settled too. You have Power. Sit back in your chair for a moment and let that sink in. You have power. Do you believe it?

You see, the issue is not whether we have power. The question is whether the realization has hit us to the point where we walk, talk and act powerful. I suspect that the reason why we still have those areas of life that seem beyond our control is that we have not acted in line with the power we possess in those areas. What I’m talking about is, making everyday choices that co-operate with the power you possess on the inside .For example, you have power to influence your child but how much time and energy have you assigned to that task. You have the power to write a masterpiece, yet have you yet shut yourself away from chatter and aimless noise to receive and develop your inspiration. You possess the power to evangelize your neighborhood but have you even preached to the family opposite you.

Consider this; Power is the ability to make a change but the choice you make in line with the power superimposes the ability on the situation or area of life that requires a change. You may be in a position of authority but unless you actually exercise your authority, you will experience no change. In other words, your actions must correspond with your beliefs. Jesus said ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to heal the sick…..”Then we actually see him tirelessly make choices that lined up with the mission for which He was empowered. The Bible said he went about doing good. Rather than just talking about preaching the gospel, He actually got up and did it. That you possess the power to outshine Martha Stewart as a business mogul is not in doubt but what choices have you made that harness that power. Have you armed yourself with basic business skills? Have you sought counsel from those who can inform you? Do you keep your business money separate from your personal spending money? Let’s discuss the everyday choices that empower or rob us of power in the next blog post. Think about the decisions you make that have empowered you up to date.

How has 2009 been so far?

Have you achieved everything you set out to achieve? Are you racing to the finish line of the year with your trophies in hand or is your year planner full of plans and resolutions that haven’t yet materialized?

One thing I have come to realize this year is that the easiest way to gain more ground spiritually, is to stay active. Keep the fire of God’s giftings in you burning. Never allow satan to lull you into slumber or retirement mode .A soldier in the midst of battle does not have the luxury of just chilling. You’re either advancing or retreating.

Have you discovered that the peace that Christ promised us was not the peace of action-less passivity but the unshakeable assurance of His presence and His backing as we pursue His will with indefatigable determination?

Are you a song writer? Get up and write more songs. Has the Holy Spirit inspired you to write a book that would bless the world? Push past the introductory chapter. Get up and write it .Do you give out the Rhapsody of Realities devotional to friends and colleagues every month? Enlarge your coast. Give to nations. Have you discovered the best Pizza recipe ever? Start a pizza delivery business that would grow into a fast food chain. Do you have a passion to impact children? Open a school.

Consider that the names we hear in the world today are of people who get up everyday and pursue their life’s calling with unrivalled vigor and focus. It’s evident that the more we pour out, the more our capacity is increased .The more you use your talent, the sharper it becomes.
Does the dream seem like you can’t achieve it naturally? Then pursue it all the more because its achievement is your testimony of Christ’s excellency in your earthen vessel.

So go ahead, be pro-active, be daring, be courageous and by all means, fulfill your calling!