The Spiritual Attack Of The Mind

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). The cares of the world can cause the Word of GOD to be ineffective in your life. Cares of the world can make you unaware of the short time before the return of Jesus: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:34). 

Satan will occupy your thoughts with materialism rather than with eternal values. Paul warns there are many who “mind worldly things” (Philippians 3:18-19). Mental conditions: If you allow Satan to persist with thoughts of depression, suicide, torment, accusation, etc., it can lead to mental illness. This could include a nervous or mental breakdown and various medically recognized mental conditions. Satan can possess the mind of unbelievers and backsliders, those who have once known GOD, then turned away from Him. 

What an arsenal of weapons Satan has targeted for the mind! Left unconquered, these thoughts lead to sinful actions. For example, hatred can lead to murder. Adulterous thoughts can lead to the act of adultery. Divorce starts in the mind. Covetousness can lead to stealing. There is no doubt…the greatest arena of spiritual warfare is the mind. But do NOT fear!  

Let the Holy Spirit Search Your Mind: First, ask God to search your mind and reveal to you any wrong attitudes, motives, and thinking which has been inserted by the enemy: “Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalms 139:23-24). As the Holy Spirit reveals things to you, act upon the revelation. Ask forgiveness for wrong thought patterns and use the Word of God to develop new thought patterns.

Use your Spiritual Armor: Two pieces of spiritual armor defend you from attacks in the mind. These are listed in Ephesians 6:16-17. One piece of armor is the helmet of the hope of salvation.  A helmet is worn on the head and implies protection to the mind. Paul is not only speaking of your present salvation in Jesus Christ which can cleanse your mind, he is speaking of the future salvation: for now, is our salvation nearer than when we believed (Romans 13:11). Salvation is also your hope for the future. The believer who has the “helmet of salvation” in place understands that God is working out His eternal purpose of salvation. He is not disturbed by the attacks of the enemy.  He has hope not only for the present, but for the future. The other piece of armor for mental protection is the shield of faith. A shield was a piece of heavy material which a soldier held in front of himself to keep the arrows from hitting him. The arrows bounced off the shield and fell harmlessly to the ground.

The shield for the Christian soldier is called the “shield of faith”. The word “faith” not only refers to the basic truths of the Christian Gospel but to your confidence in God. When Satan brings false guilt to your mind, remember…If we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). To eliminate tormenting thoughts, claim the peace that is rightfully yours: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). 

#THeSpiritualBattle #ConsultGODFirst #TheFAITHWALK #ThePowerofGOD #DeliveranceISMyTestimony #DiscoveryourPurpose #AWomanClothedInStrength 

http://www.lucretiacargill.com

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“Trusting GOD When Nothing Makes Sense”

Have you ever been in a situation where you did not understand what was going on?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

Many times, things do not make sense. It feels like there is no God looking after us or protecting us from harm. Many times, we question God’s existence because life can be so cruel that it is impossible to believe in mercy and justice. We do not understand where we went wrong or what else have we not given.

What did we do to deserve the loss, the injustice, the tragedy?
It can be frustrating to look for an answer. We may never find out in this lifetime. We may never figure out the beginning and the end of the mess we are in. We may never understand life. But, we were never called to understand. We were never called to solve the mystery of life. We were called to believe. We were called to trust. He never promised a perfect life, but He promised that joy and glory await us in the end.

Your life may be like a giant jigsaw puzzle right now; full of complexities and odd events that do not seem to connect with one another. We may feel like there are pieces that do not belong, that maybe some pieces are missing, or that we will never finish what we have started.

It may be difficult to trust that everything is going to be okay, but it will be. The puzzle of your life has all the pieces it needed to complete the picture. Some pieces may look out of place, but it belongs there somehow. You have everything you need; you just do not see it yet because of all the mess that is going on right now.

Take the puzzle one piece at a time. Pray for each part. Look closely. Someday all those pieces will fall in the right places and connect. One day you will step back and you will see how beautiful your life still is, as each odd little piece fit together to make the whole picture. Keep praying. God will answer your prayers. Trust Him. Even when your life makes no sense.

#ConsultGODFirst #TheFAITHWALK #ThePowerofGOD #TheSpiritualBattle #DeliveranceIsMyTestimony #DiscoverYourPurpose #AWomanClothedInStrength 

http://www.lucretiacargill.com

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When People Are Unsupportive and “Don’t get you”

Struggling to deal with people who are unsupportive and don’t “get you” ?

It can be difficult to cope. You might feel isolated, alone or misunderstood. You might feel confused, frustrated or angry. Your confidence might have been knocked.

When People Are Unsupportive, Remember:

1.) Not everyone is going to like you, and it has nothing to do with you or your likability.
The world is not designed for us to have 7+ billion friends and 7+ billion supporters.
Your job is most definitely NOT to please everyone or to be understood by everyone.

2.) It is natural to want to be understood and liked, but that is a want, not an inherent need. The sooner you distinguish this and let go, the sooner you will find peace within and power for your path forward.

3.) You must live your life for yourself – not for other people.
THE BIG, BOLD & PAINFUL TRUTH THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO HEAR – Sometimes the unsupportive people who don’t “get you” are your family and friends, and you have to go outside your normal networks to find your soul family and your like minded peeps who will support you in ways your family/friends can’t. It doesn’t make your family wrong. It doesn’t make your friends wrong. It doesn’t make you right. It just means you are different. We all have people in our lives for seasons, reasons or a lifetime. Each person in your life has different skills, capacities and paths to walk. They each have a contribution to make to you, and vice versa. Some people (even your family) are simply not equipped to be supportive of you for the path you are walking. That is a painful fact to hear for many people. But, the good news is that God always puts people in your life to support you, but you don’t get to choose where that support comes from. Sometimes you have to go outside the ones you most love in order to find the love you need right now. That is completely okay and a very common theme for many people. Once you surrender to this and open up in readiness to receive that support, you will find that new people naturally flow into your life (through synchronicity and coincidence – look for the signs!) who are the exact type of people you wanted and needed to “get you” and support you.

4.) Never ask of someone more than they can give – sometimes you have to realize that people have a perspective and experience of life that is very different to your own (due to the way they have been raised and conditioned) which greatly influences how they love, support and advise others. They only know what they know at that moment, and you may need something that is beyond their capacity to give you. Stop fighting this truth and pushing to get blood from a stone, and love them just as they are – then turn your attention to your own path forward.

5.) Your energy is best spent on fully and unapologetically expressing who you are (just as you are) without concern for whether people understand you or not, rather than expending your energy on pleasing others. Why? Because when you do express yourself fully and without concern, you will literally magnetically attract the people who most align to your values and energy, and as a result form a new network of inspiring, supportive and understanding people in your life (NOTE – you have to shine your true self and fearless energy in order for those supportive people to see your light and navigate towards you. Think of yourself like a lighthouse!)

6.) The people you need to be connected to (the ones that you are here to serve/contribute to, and in turn the ones you are here to be supported/leveraged by) will “get you”. You must trust in this fact, they do exist. Trust that there is a bigger picture and a flow to life that carries you away from unsupportive people that limit you and toward the people that will love and unleash you.

7.) Often you have to be willing to walk away from the unsupportive people who don’t get you, in order to make room in your life (energetically) for the people you need to show up. This is an exchange of energy and space.

8.) Your job in life is never to convince/persuade anyone of your worth and value. Your worth and value are inherent. Nothing you do or say, or don’t do or say, or what anyone else says or believes is going to change that. So instead of convincing or persuading anyone of your worth, rather simply know your worth and live from it as a statement to the world. That statement is the most powerful thing. Let people make up their own mind when they witness you flying freely. NOTE – There is a massive difference between confidently and openly sharing your worth and value, versus trying hard to convince someone of your value (same type of words/conversation, totally different intent and energy behind it).

9.) No one can see the real you if you are busy being fearful and stuck in negative energy, worrying about how to be understood, complaining about being misunderstood, and feeling unsupported and beat-up on by life. In that state, you invite criticism, as people see you wobbling and shaking and denying your own value, which opens you up to endless reams of unnecessary advice and opinions, when all you really needed was to believe in yourself!

10.) Even if someone doesn’t understand you, that doesn’t mean they don’t respect you. You can observe people in this world yourself that you really don’t “get” (you don’t understand how they think, how they operate or how it is they do what they do) and yet at the very same time it is entirely possible to still see their beauty, individuality, uniqueness and gifts.
When someone in your life is unsupportive and doesn’t “get you” and they are someone who you love, value and want to have in your life, then take the time to help them understand you. People are not mind-readers, they will only know what they see, hear and what you share. So take the time to share with them very authentically – what you are about, what you value, what is important to you, why you do what you do, what you believe in and then let go… After sharing you must let go of the need to have them understand, and rest easy in the knowledge you have done all you can do and all that is asked of you – you are being your true self. If they still don’t get you or support you, then honor yourself and walk away.

11.)) You never have to apologize for who you are, to ANYONE. You may do things that aren’t ideal, you may make mistakes, you may express yourself in less than optimal ways if your emotions get the better of you… that is called being human. You can apologize for things you have done, and make amends if you’ve caused someone pain, but NEVER apologize for the heart of who you are. There is a big difference.

12.) Being crazy, weird, different, outrageous, a dreamer, a believer, a trail blazer, an outlier, an oddity… is to be celebrated. Notice when you crave being ‘normal’ in order to fit in and to gain acceptance – if you have to suffocate your soul (the real you) and adapt yourself into a societally accepted mold of ‘normal’ in order to do so, then STOP. Walk away from anyone and anything that boxes you in and suppresses your “non-normal-ness”! Start every day with open eyes looking for the people who reflect your own values and freedom of expression and spend your time with them. If you can’t see them in your own life currently, state that you are ready to meet these types of people and then pay attention in your daily life – because they will show up… it is just a matter of time. Perhaps you can’t see them yet because you’re so busy trying to be accepted by the unsupportive people you don’t need in your life.

13.) When it comes to making heart-led decisions to follow your own goals/dreams – be those personal or professional, be those small or big – you do not need to justify or explain those decisions to ANYONE. You cannot evidence or prove with fact what you simply know in your gut to be right for you… it’s called intuition. Intuition is your best navigational tool and sometimes there is no explanation for where it leads you. It is your soul speaking to you, it guides you into your purpose in life. Intuition is just as valid and real as logic.

14.) When authentically and courageously owning your purpose on this planet and doing what you know in your heart you are called to do… then in the face of anyone who judges you, who excludes you, who questions your logic, method or motive with negativity – remember, they are simply projecting their own pain. They have nothing to add and no value to offer you. Their negative energy is a reflection of their own inner blocks and their own life lessons to learn. You need not be drawn into that vortex. It is not your job to fix them, to change their minds, to help them or to be a victim of their barrage. Draw boundaries, cut ties, move on and you will always flow into the path of people who “get you” when you finally have the courage to remove those who don’t.

15.) When following your dreams, there will be people in your support network who give you advice and offer help. They will do so out of their love for you. Some of it will be invaluable. Some of it will be completely misguided and have the power to sabotage you. It most likely will come from the people who might “get you” personally but don’t get what you are doing or why you are doing it. They may not understand that you are led by your inner voice. They will want to protect you from yourself, from making mistakes and from suffering unnecessary “failure” (their own scenario planning of all the ‘what ifs’ that could occur as you step out bravely in your life). Their love for you is what lies behind this advice, but what also lies behind this is their own fear. Be peaceful in the face of their fear, it is not their fault. Fear has a way of taking over people. You can witness it and be loving, and then continue walking your path forward irrespective.

16.) Don’t try to change people. It is each individual persons decision and responsibility as to whether they evolve, whether they show love and compassion, whether they listen and support – you cannot force that upon people. You can share your insights without attachment to what the outcome will be when they hear you. You can offer to support them, without judgement if they do not want support. But each person must come to their own awakening in their own time. You can lead a horse to water but if you try to force it to drink it will become incredibly irritable and possibly stampede all over you!

17.) The way you can best be of service to yourself, the world and those who don’t understand you is to simply carry on your path with your head held high, not wavering in the face of challenges, opposition, questions and pain. Be a conqueror. Be a pioneer. Be a leader of your own life. Whoever comes with you on that journey is meant to. Whoever does not, was not.

18.) The primary reason you want people to understand you is because you want reassurance that who you are is okay, that what you want to do is the “right” thing, and you want people to trumpet that support around you to make you feel more secure and sure on your path. You may want this, and most people do. But do not mistake want for need. You do NOT need that. You can forge a path of truth, passion, purpose, creativity, abundance and excitement, and live your full life and achieve your greatest potential and contribution into this world and not have one single person supporting you while you do so! It does not matter. What matters is that you did what you were put on this planet to do.

19.) When you feel lonely, and you sense that no one is with you in your path, and you wish you were understood and that you had people around you to wrap you in love… remember this – there is a transition period that occurs when you step up to live as the real you, creating change and making new things happen (transforming inside of yourself or outside of yourself). In that transition period you step beyond the stories and limitations you once lived within, you step beyond the illusion of who you thought you were, what you thought was important and instead become more of who you really are underneath (deep in your heart – your soul self). Often when this happens you start to notice that the people you spent most of your time with before suddenly do not resonate with you or you do not resonate with them. It can feel lonely. That is very normal.

20.) As you transition, you will flow into new people that resonate with you and you will form new networks more aligned to your purpose and your values. It is does NOT mean that new connections replace your existing network. It means your network grows. You enrich your life with more love and more people. You will have those who knew you before who do not get the ‘new you’. You will have those that have known you always and stayed with you on your path (embracing you in all stages of your evolution – personally or professionally). And, you will have those who you meet on the other side of your transformation and transition. The more the merrier!

21.) FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS POINT – When you realize people in your network (family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues) don’t get you and don’t support you, there is a moment where you are faced with two options. Your courageous heart and your “soul reason” for being alive would choose one option, while your fear and need for acceptance and belonging would choose the other. Here are the options – (A) You play small. You stay quiet. You silence your voice. You ignore your knowing. You avoid standing out. You toe the line. You align your life to keep the peace. You make other people’s expectations the guiding force of your life. You do what it takes not to ‘rock the boat’, to ensure acceptance, to stay with the crowd. You cling to the desire to be liked and supported (even if by people you really don’t need to be liked or supported by!). You forgo you own needs, or (B) You play a big game and walk life in total alignment with your own inner voice and values. You say what you believe. You lovingly express what you know to be true for you. You realize that staying small would suffocate your soul and keep you from succeeding in your purpose/career/profession and personal life.

22.) You realize that the price you pay for standing out and no longer ‘fitting’ within your existing familiar network of people is a small price to pay in order for you to live the life you were put here to live. You have this ONE life, it is fleeting in the scheme of all of eternity – so what the freaking heck are going to do with it? Please, please, please – play a big game. The world needs people just like you to stand up and choose option B.

23.) Don’t let anyone be a handbrake to your inner peace, freedom and success. EVER. Give people the chance to evolve with you. If you love them dearly, give them plenty of room to grow and give them multiple opportunities to know the real you and to make choices about what that means for them. But, over the long term and with the bigger picture view, do not let them chain you to old ways of being and old habits of doing. Life is too short to be shackled. Trust your intuition, you will know when it is time to release the handbrake.

24.) Your thriving and success, when executed from absolute authenticity, integrity and completely aligned to your intuition, is NEVER of disservice to anyone. The notion that you doing what is best for your mind/body/soul is somehow selfish or in any way the “wrong” thing for someone else, is downright BS. Do not be upset if you have bought into that BS illusion in the past, simply know that you have greater awareness now and it’s time to offload the weight you’ve been carrying and to embrace your freedom.

25.) Never second guess yourself, stay anchored in what you know is real. Write it down and come back to it whenever you feel wobbly. By all means take on board valuable advice, feedback and input from others (the ones who you value), and use that to improve your knowledge, uncover your own wisdom, unlock new perspectives for yourself and adjust your course accordingly, but notice that is different from taking on negativity and fear from others and suffering blockages in your success as a result.

26.) Everyone will have an opinion, and many people will try to force you to live in alignment with their opinions. Opinions are aligned to beliefs. Everyone believes different things. You will never satisfy everyone, nor align to everyone’s beliefs and their view of the world and who they “think you should be”. And none of that matters. You were not born to meet the expectations of others. You were born to meet your soul’s purpose and that is all.
If you do that confidently, the naysayers and fear mongers will dissolve away because they will simply no longer align to your energy, and who/what shows up on your radar in life is DIRECTLY in alignment with your energy.

27.) Take the emotional pain of not being understood by unsupportive people and use it as fuel for your mission to live in alignment with your truth and to create the goals/dreams that are most meaningful to you. Show yourself you can do it, no matter what any one else says. Add the pain to your sense of purpose, and let that combined energy catapult you forward.

Do not be afraid to own your power. You have the heart and courage of a lion, you may simply not be used to using it.
No matter how many unsupportive people there are in your life right now, remember there is only one voice to truly listen to. That voice lies within you. Everything else is noise.

#ConsultGODFirst #TheFAITHWALK #ThePowerofGOD #TheSpiritualBattle #DiscoverYOurPurpose #DeliveranceISMyTestimony #AWomanClothedInStrength

http://www.lucretiacargill.com 

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Your Purpose Matters For Eternity

Many people spend their lives trying to create a lasting legacy on earth. We want to be remembered when we are gone. Yet, what ultimately matters most will not be what others say about you but what God says. We are not put on earth to be remembered. We are put here to prepare for eternity. Living to create an earthly legacy is a short sighted goal. A wiser use of time is to build an eternal legacy. Remember, one day, you will stand before God, and He will do an audit of your life, which is the final exam, before you enter eternity.  The Bible says, each of us will stand personally before the judgment throne of God to give a personal account to God.

Fortunately, God wants us to pass this test, so He has given us the questions in advance. Living on purpose is the path to peace. While life on earth offers many choices, eternity offers only two: heaven  or hell. Your relationship with God on earth will determine your relationship with Him in eternity. If you learn to love and trust God; Jesus Christ, you will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with Him. On the other hand, if you reject His love, forgiveness, and salvation, you will spend eternity apart from God forever. This life is preparation for the next, and life on earth is a temporary assignment. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, God is not promising us that there will not be tribulations along the way, but He has promised that when this tie occurs, He will be with us all the days of our lives. 

He will not leave us alone and He said He will grant us the grace and the strength to be able to bear whatever problems that come our way. The purpose of our lives is far greater than our  own personal fulfillment; it is far greater than our peace of mind, or even our happiness.  It is far greater than family, career, or even wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want too know why you were placed on this earth, you must consult God. We were all born by His purpose and for His purpose. Purpose is the essence of life; it directs us in the course of our journey through life.

A life without any purpose is like being lost at sea or lost in the desert.  When your purpose in life is not the same as the purpose of God, even though you may have a purpose, you are still lost, because a wrong purpose directs you in the wrong direction. You may be going somewhere, but it is not where you are supposed to be. Our salvation through Jesus Christ leads us to our true purpose in life. Without Jesus Christ, a person is lost and therefore has no true purpose in life.  As we surrender our lives to Jesus, He leads us according to His purpose. We may not fully understand God’s purpose, but through our faith in Him, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

#DiscoverYourPurpose #ConsultGODFirst #TheFAITHWalk #ThePowerofGOD #TheSpiritualBattle #AWomanClothedInStrength #DeliveranceIsMyTestimony

http://www.lucretiacargill.com

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Prayer is POWERFUL

If you want to know what prayer can do, go to the Word of God and find out what it has done in the past. Prayer is just as powerful today as it ever has been in the past because God has not changed. God is still on the throne, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me”. Is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27). Nothing is too hard for God.

Cancer melts before the presence of God through prayer. A couple of years ago, my friend husband found out that he had cancer in his lungs. He showed me an X-Ray where he had three cancer cells the size of a dime in his lungs. When he found out, the doctor wanted to schedule him for chemo; he told the doctor that he wasn’t going to chemo and for him to do whatever he had to do as far as the paperwork.  About a week later due to his follow-up, the doctor performed another X-Ray on him and he was SHOCKED that the cancerous cells was gone! He showed me were the cancerous cells was gone too! Glory to God! I  was in total shock! I knew God had something to do with that. I was so amazed at what God had done in his life.

The Bible tells us in James that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him (James 5:15). Signs and wonders take place through prayer. Don’t read a prayer, talk to God from your heart. Did you ever think of reading a request to your parents? They would have thought something was wrong in your head. I wanted to talk to my parents from my heart, and that’s the way they liked it. I talk to the Lord from my heart as well. I tell Him how I feel, how I believe in Him, what I’m expecting Him to do, that I’m waiting in prayer.

Answers to prayer from Heaven are not accidents at any time. God is moving on the throne, including man in His plans. I like that. When you earnestly talk to God in righteousness and holiness, He includes you in His plans always. If you aren’t getting any prayers answered, there’s something wrong, but the problem isn’t in Heaven. Don’t look around and ask God what’s wrong, check inside to see how many wires are down. When everything on the inside is right, you’ll find the Lord will hear your prayer. God answers prayers. Maybe you’ve whispered a prayer and didn’t get an answer, but don’t doubt that the Lord loves you. 

He wants your heart, no one ever prays alone.  When you to pray to God, there is a multitude of angels of prayer, they’re praying with you, regardless of your religious faith or how you are behaving. They are there enhancing your prayer, interceding on your behalf and imploring God to grant your prayer. Every time you pray, even if it is only one word, the angels of prayer are like a never ending stream, flowing at tremendous speed to Heaven with your prayers. Nothing is too trivial. Sometimes we get overwhelmed by a situation such as war or famine and we can do nothing to help. We can pray.

When we are moved by something we see on TV news or read about in a newspaper, we should say a prayer. When you hear an ambulance, or walk past a hospital, say a quick prayer for whoever is sick and for those who are caring for them. When you see someone in difficulties on the street, say a prayer for them. We all need to expand our circle of prayers out from ourselves, our family and friends. You are being called upon to pray for other people including people in the world who you have never met. I believe that every one of you has been demonstrated the power of prayer in your own life.

When your mind is all cumbered down with other things and you got to pray, your mind is running one program while your heart is trying to run another. You must get past that place. This is one of the reasons why I say it’s good to have a set prayer time, a quiet time when you can shut all else out and get completely alone with the Lord. The morning is usually the best time to pray, but if you were anything like me, I pray all during the day or whenever I feel like I need to pray. There’s no limit to prayer! Stay connected to God in every aspect of your life. Many good things will come to you when you become consistent in your prayer life. Trust me, your life will take a turn  for the better! Stay prayed up! 

#ThePowerofGod #ConsultGODFirst #TheFaithWalk #TheSpiritualBattle #DiscoverYourPurpose #DeliveranceIsMyTestimony #AWomanClothedInStrength 

http://www.lucretiacargill.com 

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The Renewing of The Mind

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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” (Romans 12:1-2)

 When we begin to change our mindset and our thoughts, we have to begin to SPEAK the True Word of God over our lives! What does the Word of God say about you? Who does God say you are? Dive into the Word today and find out just who you are in Christ!!! Once you KNOW who you are and WHOSE you are, it becomes easier to change your thoughts and words from negative to positive!!! God’s Word, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12).

We must begin confessing what the Word of God has to say about our lives and circumstances instead of what those in the world may speak about the situation. When you change your words, you change your world. If you continually speak negative words over your life, then eventually defeat will be the result. In the same way, if you speak words of faith and victory, you will see a harvest of blessing not only in your own life but also in the lives of those around you.

Remember your mother telling you: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all?” That was good advice. Don’t give life to your negative thoughts by speaking them out. You can’t continue to speak negative words filled with doubt and unbelief and expect to have a positive life full of joy and hope. You can change your situation by changing your words. Talk about your visions and your dreams. Declare that you can do all things through Christ.

Declare you are more than a conqueror. When you find yourself in a difficult situation, don’t say the first thing that pops into your head. Learn to control your emotions and take those thoughts captive. When you use words of faith and victory, God will fight your battles for you. You’ll overcome every challenge that you face and live the abundant life that God has in store for you. God can set you free from the dungeon of despair. Know how to exercise your mind.

As Christians, we have so many struggles we are dealing with that we may get caught up with the battles in our minds. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” But where the reality hits the road-we fall short-especially in our thought life. The old way of thinking has not gone away. Many still struggle with temptations in their mind, bitterness, depression, fear, hopelessness, frustrations, problems, and putting it bluntly-evil thoughts.

To be a successful Christian means to follow Jesus, to obey His teachings, to love others, to grow spiritually. But this battle still rages in the mind. God’s solution to this battle is not simply to pray more. Prayer is important but we need to do more than pray. Romans 12:2 goes to the heart of the problem and offers God’s solution-“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV)

Every day I am praying and asking God to “create in me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me”. To be honest, it is a struggle in this world we live in and if we don’t keep our minds stayed on the Word of God daily, then we are easily to get off track. Once we renew our minds, God has some great benefits and rewards for us. We will not just be transformed and cleaned up on the outside but also on the inside, too. You will understand what God’s will is for your life then. How many times have you said, “I wish I knew what God wanted me to do in this situation?” Well, the answer to your question is the renewing of your mind! The God of peace will be with you and me when renewing our minds (Philippians 4:9).

My mind needs a refresher every day by reading and studying the Word of God. I also have to ask the Lord to guard and direct my mind. My mind is the place of my intellect, reasoning, and intentions; my behavior begins in my mind and my mind is where spiritual transformation happens (Romans 12:2). The object of my regular thinking will determine how my days, years, and ultimately my life will play out. Everything starts in the mind. Too often, I simply don’t bother to ask for the Lord’s protection, direction, and oversight of my mind.

From now on, I will do my best to start my day with a simple prayer: “Jesus, by your Holy Spirit, keep my mind firmly set where you want it to be focused today.” Being able to recognize the source of self-focused and self-defeating thoughts given that my behavior begins in my mind and my mind is where spiritual transformation happens, is it any surprise that the adversary wants to mess with my thinking? It must be his favorite first attempt to distract and disarm Christians and it usually works. I have experienced periods of mental oppression that seems almost physical.

A feeling of heaviness accompanies my self-defeating thoughts. Most of the time, I realize that I am engaged in a spiritual battle of some sort, but I cannot immediately free myself of it. I pray. I confess. I read God’s Word. I pray some more. (It should be noted that in my case this is not clinical depression and, if it were, I would seek medical treatment.) Eventually my mind is unencumbered, but it is not because I thought positively enough or talked myself out of it. That may work temporarily, but it won’t root out the problem.

I know who the enemy is and I also know the only One who can defeat him. Recognize the enemy and fight him with God’s power and with Scriptural truth. I had to learn how to replace self-focused thinking with a God-focused mindset. After praying for the Lord to protect my mind and recognizing the enemy, I have a choice. Will I train my brain to concentrate on the things of God, or will I let it be consumed by the things of this world? To focus my mind on God requires some work. If I don’t take purposeful action to set my mind on Jesus Christ, then I’m allowing my mind to go anywhere it wants to go. I know where it will go, and it’s nowhere good. But let God do His inner surgery on you through the Holy Spirit and you will be much better off for it in the long run! God wants us to be so in depth with Him, so He can transform our mind, body, and soul. It’s nothing like having a renewed mind in God! 

#RenewYourMindsetInGOD #ConsultGODFirst #ThePowerofGOD #TheSpiritualBattle #DeliveranceIsMyTestimony #DiscoverYourPurpose #AWomanClothedInStrength #TheFAITHWalk

http://www.lucretiacrgill.com

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“Overcoming Fear of Criticism”

Are you ready to say “No” to the fear of criticism and “Yes” to God’s purpose on your life? It’s time to trust our God who holds all the resources and power needed for you to step out in faith and live out your God-given purpose for the sake of others and for Christ. I have learned to overcome my fear while writing because I know that I would be criticized for God’s sake. I am doing the works of the Lord.

I have come to realization that, “If God is for me, who can be against me”? (Romans 8:31). No matter what comes your way when you are trying to fulfill your God-given purpose, you stay in the race. Have the courage to stand against anything that comes your way.  As we progress on our spiritual journeys, we discover that God has a life purpose for each one of us. We also come to know that this purpose is unique and extraordinary in scope. Often, we can’t begin to imagine how we can muster the courage to tackle a God-sized life purpose. 

But the good news is that we don’t have to muster anything. Courage is a gift from God. To receive it, we only need to show up and rely on God’s complete faithfulness. The Gospel writer Matthew describes the step of taking courage as a directive from Jesus (see Matthew 14:27). That means Jesus commands us to be fearless. This is not to say that God can never use us to accomplish His purpose if we are afraid. And it doesn’t mean that if we take this step of courage all our fears will magically vanish. Taking courage is a determined act of our will that helps us release our fears and enables us to move forward.

Taking courage begins with understanding that the Lord God has called each of us by name and promises to be with us. The prophet Isaiah explains this concept best when he reminds us that we are precious and honored in God’s sight, that we are loved, and that our Heavenly Father will never leave us nor forsake us (see Isaiah 43:1-5). This encouragement gives me great comfort and peace of mind. Even when I feel afraid, I can persevere because God has promised to be with me.

Jesus vividly illustrated the same message to His disciples while He was with them on Earth. In the darkness of a stormy night, the disciples were in a boat that was being tossed about by violent waves. Jesus appeared to them on the water, and the already frightened disciples became terrified that He was a ghost. How did Jesus respond? He said, Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). How comforting it is to know that Jesus is the one who encourages us as He did Peter that night. He will reach out His hand to catch us when we start to sink under the fearful pressures of life. He is the reason we can be fearless. 

Overcome your fears by having faith in God!!!! Nobody can stop the plans that God has for you. Keep pressing forward in this lifetime and allow God to work in you, through, you and for you!! God Bless! 

#ConsultGodFirst #TheFaithWalk #ThePowerofGod #TheSpiritualBattle #DeliveranceisMyTestimony #DiscoverYourPurpose #AWomanClothedInStrength 

http://www.lucretiacargill.com

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“Our Mission For God”

But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus-the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love”-Acts 20:24 

God gave you a mission, and it’s a mission only you can accomplish. Nothing matters more than this mission.

The more important work in our lives is not to get married, fund our retirement, travel, or have lots of fun. All of that is fine and dandy but the most important thing you can ever do is to fulfill God’s mission for your life. If you don’t, the Bible states your life is a waste. Jesus died on the cross to bring grace to you and me to give us a mission. We all have a mission!!! Part of our mission is to tell other people about the Good News, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You came to faith in Christ because someone told you about Jesus. Now, who are you going to tell? 

Jesus died for every single person including you and me. Most people live their lives as if they’re totally unaware that Jesus died for them. If those people live and die without ever knowing what Jesus did for them, then His death was a waste in reference to that person. Because God cares about every single person on the planet, we must too. Because God showed grace and mercy to us when He saved us, we must tell other people about the amazing grace of God. We must tell them that they can have a relationship with God and eternal home in Heaven.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, God has given you a mission in this world. You’re not here to just take up space; you’re not here to just strive after your own personal goals. You have an assignment from God himself. Once you’re in the family, your life changes. You have a new reason for living. Your life isn’t about you anymore; it’s about God’s mission. And your mission fits into God’s mission for all of history. God created everything in the universe because He wanted a family. He didn’t need Earth. He didn’t need the other planets. He didn’t need the stars. He created all of it because He knew some of us would willingly choose to be a part of His family.

The mission God gave Jesus He now gives to the Body of Christ — the Church. He wants us to help get other people into His family. Jesus said it like this: “As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world” (John 17:18). Once we know Jesus, we have to go! We must tell our friends and families about Him. But we can’t stop there. God has never made anyone He doesn’t want saved. He loves everyone — across the entire globe. God wants us to live out His mission everywhere: in our families, our communities, and our world.

His mission for your life is both global and local. The Bible says, “Now the Lord says to me, ‘It isn’t enough for you to be merely my servant. You must do more than lead back survivors from the tribes of Israel. I have placed you here as a light for other nations; you must take my saving power to everyone on earth’” (Isaiah 49:6). That’s God’s plan for the world. That’s His mission for you and for me. He wants everyone on Earth to know Him. And He wants to use you to see that happen. God didn’t just say that to pastors. If you’re in His family, He gave His mission to you!

It’s Our mission!!!! 

Talk It Over

Why is God’s mission for your life so important?

What keeps you from sharing the Gospel with others?

Telling others about God’s grace isn’t the only mission of your life. What do you believe is the rest of your mission? 

#ConsultGodFirst #TheFaithWalk #ThePowerofGod #TheSpiritualBattle #DeliveranceIsMyTestimony #DiscoverYourPurpose #AWomanClothedInStrength

http://www.lucretiacargilll.com

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Suffering Is A Part Of Life

I was raised in the church as a little girl and I renewed my relationship with God over 4 years ago after deciding to go my own way for many years. If you are anything like me, you thought that once you completely surrendered your life to Christ that all the suffering would end. Unfortunately, suffering is a part of life and it is also a part of the Christian’s life. The difference is that once we enter a new life with Christ, our suffering takes on a new meaning. Our ability to understand the spiritual truths concerning testing and hardship is vital to our continued spiritual growth and development. I want to share with you FOUR spiritual truths that have helped me to overcome many difficult and trying times in my life:

1.) Suffering is temporary. “In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus, So, after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation”. (1 Peter 5:10). While you are in your season of suffering. it seems to fell as though it will last forever. It’s easy to get caught up in the “fact” that you are experiencing hard times and neglect God’s truth. The truth is that He has called you to share in His eternal glory because He loves you and your suffering is only temporary.

2.) Your suffering does not define you. “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are” (Romans 8:18-19) Many times, when we experience very difficult or trying times in our lives, we allow our temporary hardships to define us. You are not the events that have transpired in your life. God has yet to reveal the fullness of who you are and His Word confirms that what you are currently facing is nothing compared to what He has in store for you. 

3.) Suffering produces fruit. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1:2-4). The Word of God tells us to consider the troubles and hardships we face in life as an opportunity for great joy. Understanding of this scripture has literally transformed my life and it can do the same for you.

4.) Suffering opens the door to God’s grace. “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). This is one of my life scriptures. It is a scripture that has brought me through some of the most trying times of my life. When you are facing situations that just seem to suck the very life out of you, the door to grace is wide open. The key is understanding how to access and embrace God’s grace. When you are weak, God is waiting to stand up on your behalf. Your job is to step back and allow Him to do just that. Allow the power of God to work through you and carry you through your hard times.

I am a living testimony that He will bring you out if you let Him. Sometimes we may not understand why God allows to let us go through some seemingly horrible situations, but continue to trust HIM and the process. I am learning to say like Job said in in Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him”. It may seem like God is unfair, but I’ll just have to believe that one day I will look back and thank Him for not withholding the “bad” things from me. After all, it was the “bad” things and the undesirable events that have produced a stronger, wiser, free, and more mature Christian!!

#TheSpiritualBattle #ConsultGODFirst #TheFaithWALK #ThePowerofGOD #DeliveranceISMyTestimony #DiscoverYourpurpose #AWomanClothedInStrength

http://www.lucretiacargill.com

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