Positioning Yourself for More

Positioning Yourself for More

 

What story do you tell yourself when your circumstances do not match what you have in your head?  Do you position yourself to partner with God or do you position yourself to have more faith in what you think should happen than God?  If we are partnered with a God who promises to do more than we can imagine or think, how come we are so locked into making what we think happen?  These are all questions that have come out of working with business leaders and people around the world who want more of God, but struggle to let go of the version they are telling themselves in their head.  Here are 3 specific areas where we can position ourselves to let go of the story we are telling ourselves and open ourselves up to more of God.

 

What are you talking about? – How are you speaking about yourself and your circumstances?  God created when He spoke and if we are made in His image we create when we speak too.  So, what are you creating?  How are you talking about people and how are you speaking about your circumstances?  When we said yes to Jesus we got adopted into the family business which is the restoration business.  We should not be surprised then by circumstances, people, or situations that need to change, it is a huge part of our purpose.  Forgiveness and testimony are two powerful areas where change what we talk about and by changing the subject we get to create freedom and peace.  Positioning ourselves to experience more of what God designed starts changing what we create in our speech and what we agree with in how we think.

 

Forgiveness – Jesus instructed His followers a lot about forgiveness.  There are two passages in Matthew where He gives the disciples the keys of the kingdom of heaven with instruction about how to release it.  Matt 16:19 – I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”  Matt 18:18 – Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.  Forgiveness is one of the keys to the release of the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  Also, Jesus instructs His disciples in John 20:23 about the impact of forgiveness, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”  Jesus is saying, I trust and empower you this much that whoever you forgive I forgive.  I will release from heaven freedom for the people you forgive.  So, our partnership with Jesus in forgiveness creates a spiritual atmosphere for more freedom for us and the people we are forgiving.

 

In Christian culture we are very good at noticing what is wrong or what needs to be bound, but we do a very poor job of releasing what is right or what is available for us in heaven ready to be loosed.  Speaking forgiveness is a powerful tool for our freedom and to position us for more.

 

Application of Forgiveness: 

• 1^st layer – Forgiveness for what was done (situations or actions).
• 2^nd layer – Forgiveness for what I learned from that person.
  • Break with the lies created and get the truth associated with the people you just forgave and the circumstances surrounding the lies.

Forgiveness Steps:  Speak as though the person you need to forgive is sitting right in front of you.  Speak out loud and

• Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit, Is there anyone I need to forgive?
• (Person’s name), I forgive you for…(example: yelling at me)
• I release you from all my judgments and expectations
• I give up my right to judge you
• I love you and I bless you
• Is there anyone else I need to forgive?

 

Trading Lies for Truth: 

• What is the lie I’m believing? (Example: I’m un-protected)
• I renounce (or break with) the lie that …….(example: I’m un-protected)
• Father, what is the truth? (Example:  I am your Protector)
• Proclaim that truth. I proclaim that…(example:  Father God is my Protector)
• Is there another lie that I am believing?

 

Testimony – Jesus started His ministry by declaring, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.”  In other words, you need to change how you think because I brought my world with me.  But how do you change your thinking?  If you try naturally, it is very difficult, but if you partner with God’s presence in an encounter, your thinking just begins to change through encounter with Him.

 

Testimony is the language of the marketplace for a change of mind.  It is one of the basis or key elements for making decisions.  When we are trying to decide about a vendor in business we ask for references (or testimonies) about the company and we use those stories to make decisions.  When we are looking for a restaurant to eat at, we look on Yelp and read the reviews (testimonies) about the restaurant and others’ experiences to decide on whether or not to eat there.  We are wired to use testimonies to make new decisions and change our current state of thinking.

 

Many people have begun to understand and put into practice the passage from Revelation 19:10, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The reality of sharing testimony about what Jesus has done creates hope and an atmosphere for more.  However, we typically think about this for someone and not ourselves.  What I mean is that we are quick to tell someone else a testimony but rarely tell ourselves a testimony.

 

In Joshua 4, God instructs Joshua to tell the people to collect stones from the Jordan river in the middle of the river where the priest feet were on dry ground and where God parted the river.  They were supposed to carry the stones and place them where they were going to sleep.  The 12 standing stones were to act as a reminder for you, your family, and all the peoples of the earth would remember what God did.

 

So if it is true that when I speak I create and I change my thinking when I hear stories and testimonies about what God has done, then why don’t I do that for myself and take myself back to the places were God and I have created standing stones and release that over my circumstances and my thinking about situations?

 

Application for Testimony:

• Create a record (standing stones) of when God did a miracle for you. Write it down and keep your stories in a place where they can be readily accessed and remembered.
• Be specific about how you record them – S.T.A.R. stories – What were the specific Situations, Tactics, Actions, and Results. Tactic and Actions usually look like us praying and inviting God into the mess to help…
• Release the testimonies from previous breakthrough you have experienced into your current circumstances. What has God done before?  What are your standing stones with Him?  Tell other people the story out loud so they can hear, you can hear it, and your circumstances can hear it.

 

When I was in grade school, I wanted to get the Dr. J (Julius Erving) red, white, and blue ABA basketball.  I was relentless in my efforts to ask my parents for this basketball.  I wanted to change the basketball I played with and it was going to be the ultimate experience.  Even though I wanted to new basketball so badly, I had a whole closet filled with flat, lopsided, and basketballs that were worn out.  My mom said I had to get rid of the old ones in order for me to get the new ones and I had to make space to receive the new ball.  The Kingdom of Heaven is like the Dr. J basketball and you have to get rid of what is worn out, useless, and just doesn’t work in order to possess the ultimate thing you were design to have.

 

So how do you position yourself for more?  Pay attention to what you talk about especially as it pertains to yourself and your circumstances.  Speak life!  No complaining!  Actively forgive and release outload.  Tell your testimonies to others and yourself about where God had moved before in your circumstances or relationships and get ready for more!

 

 

Blake Schellenberg – Co-Labor Ministries