Pastor John D Jakes

Everyone has an idea of what they are capable of. Sometimes it comes from training. Our athletes, soldiers, and doctors have this idea. They have been trained for a job. It becomes second nature to them and they know that they can do it. Their training has tested them. Their training has also showed them that they can do what they need to do in their field. Sometimes our idea of what we are capable of comes from the encouragement of others. A parent, a big brother or sister, or a respected family member or friend intentionally encourages us to see our potential they way they do. At other times our idea of what we can do comes from our experiences. We experience success or disappointment and we conclude that our abilities must reflect those experiences. We believe our failures or the offhand comments that people make about our stumbles and agree that they must be right.

Yet, what do you do when the people or person who knows you best disagrees with your experience? Do you believe them or your experience? What if the one who knows you and loves you believes that you can do more and be more than your experience has taught you thus far? Who will you believe?

This is the great challenge of daily living by faith with Jesus. Our experiences so often teach us that sin always wins and that we cannot truly walk by faith. They tell us that our actions and reactions are simply natural. Yet, we hear Jesus call us to abide in Him. (John 15) We are told that we can live by the Spirit rather than the flesh. He tells us that we can have faith!

Now comes the hard part: who will we listen to? Will we listen to our experiences or Jesus? Which vision of our life will we embrace? Will we embrace a natural vision where sin is inevitable? Or will we embrace a supernatural vision where faith overcomes the flesh?

There is a choice here. It is a choice of who we will believe. God puts it this way through the apostle,:

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please…If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16-17, 25)

Do you hear the choice? You can live by the Spirit. You can live by the flesh. If Jesus is your Savior then the choice is truly before you. Will you believe it? Will you embrace Jesus’ vision for your life?

This is our challenge this week – Be transformed by Christ’s vision of man. Will you live by that different vision?

Something to think about,

Pastor John