Temptation Will Come

As I have counseled with numerous Christians I have come to realize temptation will come. I have seen temptation come in various forms such as addiction, pornography, homosexuality, and marital affairs. The enemy knows where you are the weakest and he will target those areas. If you have any areas in your life that has not be healed or exposed to the light of Jesus, satan can and often does attack in these “hidden” areas.

Here is my go to place, the beach when I feel tempted
 and need to get alone with God. Where is your go to place
when you need to flee, run from temptation?

No matter how strong of a Christian you think you are, temptation will eventually come, and you must know your weaknesses and stand your ground. You might say,” I don’t have to worry about this because I attend church weekly, serve at church, and I have a close walk with the Lord.” That is wonderful and that means you will recognize when temptation comes and what to do when it comes. I have seen and known countless “strong” Christians fall into temptation that lead into deep sin. No Christian is immune from the temptations of satan and his cohorts. We must know what to do when temptation comes and be guarded always. This is nothing new, satan tempted Eve first in the garden and she fell for it! Temptation never comes in its purest, evilest form; instead it comes packaged with a beautiful red bow on top, ready for you to open. The only problem with this beautiful gift is that it is deceiving, once you unwrap (or fall into sin), the box or sin is empty. There is nothing in the box, satan deceived you. The enemy set you up to take the beautiful gift and once you open the box it is hard to return the gift to the sender. However, you can always send the empty box (sin) back by repenting and turning away from that sin.

Not all temptation will led to sin, however, a lot of times if you keep “looking at the beautiful box with its shiny red bow” you will eventually open the box. Turn immediately from temptation. It is not a sin to be tempted, all will be tempted, but temptation is where satan tries to get his hook into you. If satan can get you to look and gaze long enough, he will set you up and hook you into his trap and web of deceit. Now, let’s take the analogy of a fisherman who “hooks” bait on his lure to “catch fish.” Satan “hooks, lures” (tempting things/people) into your life so that you will take the “bait.” We know that when a fish is caught on a hook that hook is lodged into the fish’s throat, it is very difficult for the fish to escape now. When the fish was in the water the fish saw this “shiny, beautiful lure” and the fish was deceived into thinking it was food and the fish took the first bite and was hooked. That is what satan does to us, if he can present that “shiny, lure” (temptation), he hopes we will take the “first bite,” because when we do that we become “hooked.” How many people I have spoken with tell me, “I am hooked on pornography and I can’t stop, I just looked once.” Or I have heard, “I can’t stop this adulterous relationship, I am hooked to this person. It did not start out this way, it was innocent at first, just office flirtation, but now I can’t let them go.” Once you enter into satan’s dark world of sin, you become trapped and ensnared. Think about those words, reflect for a moment, does it appear it would be easy to disengage satan’s throws of sin once he gets you “hooked?”

Don’t think for a moment that once the “hook” goes in, satan will just release you. Let’s go back to the analogy of a fisherman who just caught a fish. The fish is hooked and when the fisherman reels the fish in, the fish fights, but the fish is hooked and is not going anywhere. If you have ever fished, you know once a fish is reeled in the fish only can be released when the fisherman unhooks the fish from the lure. If you want to be released from the “hook” first know satan will put up a fight, there may be a battle to release you and you may want to give up because the battle is difficult, but if you allow Jesus to “unhook” the sin, He can truly release you from the grips of this sin.

There are some key steps to take to OVERCOME temptation and stay away from sin:

1.     FLEE. Flee, run, and get away from all situations that are tempting.

2.     Choose to change your thinking.  When thoughts come (and they will), replace that thought IMMEDIATELY with a faith-filled, positive thought and/or Scripture. DO NOT DWELL, PONDER on the tempting thought. The battlefield starts in your mind first! An example would be when a tempting thought comes replace immediately ( using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) with something like, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

3.    Stay away from ALL tempting places and people. Examples: bar, casino, nightclub, seducing people, people you are attracted to, and any others that are tempting to you.

4.   Be careful to guard your mind from T.V., movies, books, computer, phone (if your phone has internet), and all electronic devices. Replace these if they are a problem, place filters on electronic devices if you have to keep them, and NEVER use these devices ALONE if they are an issue for you. If you are alone in your bedroom and this is a problem for you, shut off ALL electronic devices including phone. Use these devices only when around others. I know this is difficult since we are the “age of technology.” But there is no other way. DO you TRULY want to be free?

5.     Tell someone you trust, a pastor, Christian counselor, or friend. Confess your sins to one another so that you will be healed. James 5:16.

6.     Confess, Repent. Cleanse yourself of all known sins so that you can be healed and receive the forgiveness that is yours in Christ. No condemnation, just God’s forgiveness of sins. That’s why He died for us!

7.    Get an accountability partner if the sin is uncontrollable.

8.   Read the Bible daily, pray daily and as often as needed, and worship Jesus through thanksgiving, praise, and music. This step cannot be underestimated! You cannot get rid of the temptation or sin without replacing God’s truth. The lies of the enemy have to be exposed to the truth of God’s word! You cannot skip this step!

Here are some Scriptures to reflect and meditate on. They are truth and are not from the author but from the Word of God. Do not take what I say or anyone else but what the Word of God says.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in power of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgive all your sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.    Colossians 2:9-15, NIV.

Praise Jesus! We are not prisoners of sin any longer, He nailed our sins to the cross, know the truth, the enemy cannot hold you captive if you are a born-again Christian! You can tell the enemy he has to flee from you in Jesus name!

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.   1 John 4:4-6, NIV.

Once again, we see that if and when we sin we have Jesus, our High Priest to take away our sins. We do not need to live bound in sin any longer.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused live in us envies intensely? But He gives us more grace. That is why the Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.    James: 4-10, NIV.

Submit to God, Flee from the devil and repent with sorrow and God will cleanse you and lift you up.

Read carefully and meditate on this Scripture from Galatians 5:16-26

Additional resources from author can be located @ these websites:

Online Christian Counseling:www.gospelguidance.com/advisors/5311-sreck

Latest book publication, Wilderness Mentality, Stop your Stinkin’ 

Thinkin’:www.createspace.com/4036785

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Djeuz

Don't Give Up! Hope for the Wounded and the Downcast

                 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Psalm 13:12

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Psalm 13:2

Have you ever asked God, “How much longer? I can’t possibly endure this any longer.”

May the Peace of the Messiah fill you today, breathe! 

What are you struggling with? What has you up at night, and causes you deep distress? If I could hear your answers I can only imagine what your responses may sound like, “I desperately am wanting a Godly marriage, I am waiting for my prodigal child to return home, I long for a child, I suffer in secret with depression, I have an addiction that controls me, my family is toxic and dysfunctional, I suffering from physical illness, I feel rejected and alone, and the list can go on and on. It can be multiple issues you are dealing with, not just one or two. Multiple issues can cause heart-sickness and grief, you can begin to feel hopeless and without cause. You may wonder if others experience the depth of your pain and suffering. You are honestly tired and want to give up. You have tried to “put the mask” on for everybody but you cannot pretend any longer that everything is okay. You may even feel misunderstood and you may have isolated yourself from others for fear of what they would think of you.

You have had enough and your looking to just get by or not by at all. Don’t give up now! Hold and wait once again for the Lord. I know that may sound cliché, especially if you have been hurting a long time with no relief, believe me I understand. I have felt pain and experienced depths of depression that was debilitating. I will encourage you to seek Godly counsel and support, find someone who you trust that will hear your story and show you compassion and encourage you to “get up” again. There are plenty of resources on the internet if you are unable to find someone in your area or even feel more comfortable in your home. Get back into the Word of God and take time to pray, and even cry. You must let out the pain through tears and even through writing (journaling). God knows your pain, but you have to release it. Keeping things “bottled-up” inside can cause depression, anxiety, anger, and a host of physical ailments.

Know who your real enemy is, it’s not God, but the thief who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). You are in a real battle and the enemy would love to destroy you and whatever purpose God has for you. Get up! Stop letting the enemy walk all over you. Rest, be healed and then fight! Fight for your life, fight for your God-given rights. You are not alone in your suffering, many Christians have endured and walked through severe trials. God does love you and He does have a plan for your life. A plan of hope, victory, peace, and joy over-flowing. You will make it, you will get out of this pit. Let go of your expectations for your life and others and surrender your hopes and dreams to the One who created you. He is not done with you, the story is not over.

Even David in the book of Psalms understood depression.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:5-6, 11; 43:5)

To contact author and to find additional resources: 

www.christianhopecounseling.com

Online Christian Counselors: www.gospelguidance.com/advisors/5311-sreck

You tube videos on HOPE & ENCOURAGEMNT: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOEx8uKfKE

Hope & Encouragement BLOG: www.onlinechristiancounselingforwomen.blogspot.com

Latest publication, Wilderness Mentality, Stop your Stinkin’ Thinkin: www.createspace.com/4036785

Hope in the Waiting

HOPE AND WAIT FOR HIM

What have you been waiting for God to answer, or what promises are you waiting for Him to fulfill? Waiting is most difficult, and if we are not careful we can grow weary and despondent as we wait. Sometimes we may even lose hope, as hope deferred can make our hearts sick. What lies have you believed about God and His love for you because you are tired in the waiting?

Here are some practical steps that you can take as you wait:

1.      Enjoy your time as you wait. So many of us do not enjoy our lives as we are waiting for things in our lives to be fulfilled.

2.      Stop being all wrought up, anxious, and worried all the time. Have peace as you wait, peace that God does hear and know your prayers and desires.

3.      Stop fretting. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and stop your self-pity. It will only make matters worse. CHOOSE to be thankful for the things that are good in your life, and don’t CHOOSE to reflect on what you don’t have. Actively look, seek the good in your life.

4.      Revive your hope and stir up your dreams and desires again. Take time to ask and seek God for a new vision for your life, and to rekindle the promises that he has already given you.

5.      Seek God first above everything else you desire, you want, or you are waiting for. Simple, but so many of us just don’t put God first. Time in His presence will fill you up and bring answers to your thirsty soul.

6.      Stay away from desiring to have someone else’s life. You are unique and God has a unique plan for your life, so don’t compare your life to others or want what they have.

7.      Be content with the lot you have been given and the lot you are currently in. Contentment breeds peace and joy.

Here are some scriptures that have helped me personally get through the waiting times:

Wait for the Lord,

Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. 

Psalm 27:13-14, NIV

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

For His compassion never fails.

They are new every morning;

Great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion, therefore, I will wait for Him.”

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.

Lamentations 3:22-25, NIV

Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.

For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of God.

Lamentations 3:31-33, NIV

Here are some things to meditate on from the above scriptures and to replace any lies that you have been believing about God and His love for you as you are waiting:

1.      God encourages us to wait for Him.

2.      The Lord has great love for us and His compassion for us never fails.

3.      The Lord is faithful.

4.      The Lord is good to those who hope in Him, and to the ones who seek Him.

5.      Though God does bring grief, He shows us compassion and great is His unfailing love.

6.      God does not willing bring affliction or grief to His children.

To order a copy of author’s book, Wilderness Mentality, Stop Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’ go to www.createspace.com/4036785

New Perspective

Change your thoughts and change your life. How do you view your life? Do you see the glass half empty or half full? Maybe you need an attitude adjustment and a new perspective. You may be seeing your life through faulty lenses.

We lose perspective in our lives when:

1.      Discouragement occurs

2.      Disappointment happens

3.      Defeat, failure and regret sets in

4.      Hope is deferred once again for those things we are waiting for

5.      We become weary in our waiting time

6.      We stop being thankful and become complainers and murmurs

7.      Trials, circumstances, crisis and trauma that are out of our control

All the above can change our perspective in life. Life can let us down and our expectations about life can let us down. We can become disillusioned very quickly when our lives take a detour. A detour happens when the path we would like to stay on gets detoured by life’s circumstances. If we are not careful our attitudes can become rotten.

Maybe it’s time to get your perspective back today. You might need new lenses to see out of today. When you put on these new lenses your life will look differently.

How do you get a new perspective?

1.      In every situation, trial or circumstance know that God will bring good from it. Maybe not right away but good eventually can come from your worst circumstances.

2.      Be thankful for the good and blessings in your life. If you want the enemy to flee from you, then praise God in everything; this will send the enemy packing. When you do this you are telling God,” I trust you and I know you will turn this around for my good.”

3.      Take the garbage out and stop your stinkin’ thinkin’. Renew your mind and take all your thoughts into the obedience of Jesus Christ. Don’t just allow anything to fall into your mind. You must be proactive and stop the A.N.T.S. (automatic negative thoughts).

4.      Ask God to renew your faith as your waiting for His promise to come to pass in your life. Some of you have been waiting a long time for certain things, and you have grown weary and disillusioned.

5.      See the good in every situation. Don’t see the negative in a situation but see the potential and the good that can come from it.

6.      Surrender your life to God totally. That means giving up controlling your life and others.

From our perspective, God seems slow to intervene on our behalf. But what might appear slow to us is good timing from God’s perspective. It is easy to become impatient while waiting for God to act, but we must never give up on Him! God is worth the wait. Change your perspective and change your life.

To contact author go to http://www.christianhopecounseling.com

For additional reading on Wilderness Mentality, Stop Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’ go to http://www.createspace.com/4036785

NewSeason

Have you been in a rut lately? Are you going through the motions of life? Maybe it’s time to get stirred up again in the spirit. You might be wondering, how? Sometimes God speaks to us or gives us things to do, and we either ignore what He says to do or we procrastinate doing what He said; hoping He will change His mind.

What I have learned is to obey God as soon as you know He has said something. God is not pushy, nor will He make us feel guilty and condemned if we decide not to follow what He says. But we may notice a few things if we don’t obey God. We may notice our connection to God feels distant, we may lack joy or peace, and we may even feel confused. Why these things? It’s God’s desire to get you to follow His ways, which are for our good not harm. God won’t keep telling you to do the same things over and over again. He will step back and leave your life up to you; how you think your life should be. Living out of God’s obedience can cause a sense of unrest in your spirit. You can be affected in your mind, body, and spirit when you decide to follow your ways.

Maybe it’s time for a new season. Maybe it’s time to follow what God is telling you. Do you want more peace, more joy, and a more fulfilling relationship with God? Maybe it’s time to ask God, “What do you want me to do?” And then do it!

Here are some things the Lord gave me to be obedient with a while ago. I did not follow immediately, and I can say, “It is worth following God the first time.” Use these as a guideline, but seek God for yourself as to what He wants you to do. You may modify or add to this list.

·         Stop looking back. The past is over. This is a new day and a new season.

·         Don’t project the future, what it will be like or what it won’t.

·         Focus on the day you have been given. Take it one day at a time.

·         Trust me to work out your situations. Don’t try and figure them out.

·         Remain calm and peaceful at all times.

·         Do not complain, murmur or find-fault.

·         Do not criticize or judge others.

·         Speak faith-filled, positive thoughts not negative, defeated thoughts.

·         Be hopeful in all things.

·         Do not react in anger or hostility. Do not be easily provoked.

·         Do not be easily offended. Forgive continually.

·         Do not react to your circumstances.

·         Stop worrying and being anxious, instead pray.

Copyright ©2013. HopeCounselingMinistry. All rights reserved.

http://www.christianhopecounseling.com

Trouble with negative thinking? Check out Wilderness Mentality, Stop Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’@

http://www.createspace.com/4036785

Wilderness Mentality: New Life Changing Book Out

Wilderness Mentality: New Life Changing Book Out: List Price: $9.99  Add to Cart About the author: Stephanie R. Reck is a Licensed Master Social Worker, Licensed Belief Ther...

New Life Changing Book Out

List Price: $9.99  Add to Cart About the author: Stephanie R. Reck is a Licensed Master Social Worker, Licensed Belief Therapist and a Board Certified Christian Counselor. Stephanie has served with a Crisis Pregnancy Center, led Celebrate Recovery groups, has led Bible studies for women, and has given her public testimony on several occasions. Stephanie has a heart and a passion to see women free from bondage and healed from their wounds. Stephanie, has endured much heartache and trials throughout her life, and she uses her experiences to reach out to others with the compassion of Christ. Her desire to see the hurting know the love of God and to have a personal, intimate, life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ. Stephanie continues to write and counsel women through her counseling ministry, Hope Ministry. She has been married for 15 years to her husband, Stephen, they have one grown son, Jonathon, a doggie child named Gizmo and their beloved doggie angel in heaven, Kobe.  Wilderness Mentality   Stop Your Stinkin' Thinkin' Authored by Mrs. Stephanie Rene ReckDo you ever stop and think what you are thinking about? The way you feel is directly related to what you think about. This book will take you on a journey on how God views a negative mindset, and how you can enter into a "wilderness mentality." A wilderness mentality will keep you in bondage, and you will not experience the life that God has for you. You know your mind is in the wilderness when you start to complain about your life's circumstances, you are envious of others, you find fault and critize, you lack thankfulness, you worry and are plagued by fear, and you have an overall negative mindset. Throughout this book I will give you practical steps to staying out of the wilderness mentality. I use practical applications, real-life examples from my life, scripture, research and ulitize my education in forming this book's application and purpose. Do you want to live a joy-filled, peaceful life? A life filled with hope no matter your circumstances? If you answered yes to these questions, then begin reading and applying" The Wilderness Mentality." Publication Date: Apr 09 2013 ISBN/EAN13: 1480231517 / 9781480231511 Page Count: 104 Binding Type: US Trade Paper Trim Size: 6" x 9" Language: English Color: Black and White Related Categories: Religion / Christian Life / Personal Growth

Don't Complain About Your Circumstances

Don’t Complain About Your Circumstances

In my new book, Wilderness Mentality, I discuss why complaining and lack of thankfulness will keep you in the wilderness mentality. A wilderness mentality is dry, barren, and not producing any “good fruit.” We will stay in the wilderness as long as we complain. If we complain we will remain.

Reasons we complain and lack thankfulness:

1.      We think we deserve better, more.

2.      We compare our lives to others.

3.      We believe life is not fair and should meet all of our needs.

4.      Unmet expectations and needs.

5.      Difficult trials and circumstances that we are not walking in faith about.

When we complain the enemy takes notice and hears us. It is music to the enemy’s ears when we complain, but when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God that is music to God’s ears. You may not understand all of your trials, but God wants us to trust Him with each one.

For God works ALL things out for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. Romans 8:28

You might say, “I don’t have anything to thank God for.” Really? Stop right now and list 5 things that you have to be thankful for. Everyday write down 5 things to be thankful for until you are conditioned to count your blessings and be thankful.

…Nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

1 Corinthians 10:10.  Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-11.

Complaining is negative and it will drain your physical and mental energy. Discipline your mind not to react to your circumstances. Remember complain and remain or praise and be raised!

Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused.  Numbers 11:1

The Israelites in this passage complained and then Moses complained. But God responded positively to Moses and negatively to the rest of the people, because the people complained to one another, and nothing was accomplished. Moses, however, took his complaints to God directly who could solve his problems. Many of us are good at complaining to one another, but we need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do something about it.

Who do you complain to, friends, family, strangers, your spouse? Or do you complain to the One who can raise you?

The Israelites were dissatisfied with God’s provision for them. Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t have. The people of Israel did not seem to notice what God was doing for them. Do you notice what God is doing for you, or are you dissatisfied and a complainer?

Make a change today!

To contact author: www.christianhopecounseling.com

To purchase, Wilderness Mentality, go to www.amazon.com

or find it on author’s website.

Copyright©2013, HopeCounselingMinistry. All rights reserved.

Discipline Your Mind

Discipline your mind; otherwise it will be out of control. You cannot just think whatever falls into your mind. You must take every thought captive into the obedience of Christ. What are your thoughts generally like? Do you just allow whatever comes to your mind and start believing it and then eventually feeling it?

Every minute we have about 38 thoughts. That means we have a different thought every 1.2 seconds. The average person has about 50,000 thoughts per day. What we choose to accept as truth in our thoughts, we will eventually begin to feel that way.  Our thoughts are powerful and they can encourage us or destroy us. The battlefield is in the mind, and that is where satan plants his seeds. As these “seeds” are planted into your mind, do you water the seeds and let them take root?

You cannot help how you feel, but you can choose what you think and in turn what you choose to think about will affect how you feel. Your thoughts produce feelings. What are you agreeing with when the enemy plants a seed in your mind? It could be a seed of doubt or a seed of fear. Do you agree with what enters in your mind, because you believe it must be true if It is in your mind? Your feelings are deceptive and cannot be trusted.

We must discipline our minds not only to take every thought captive but also to replace the negative mind-set with positive, faith-filled thoughts. If you have a negative mind-set and you take every thought captive, you might be taking a lot of thoughts captive in the beginning. If we on estimate have 38 thoughts per minute and most of them are negative we will be up for a challenge. However, in time you can break this habit if you keep at it and totally rely on God’s help.

God cares about what we are thinking about because what we think about eventually becomes what we do. Our rotten thinking will eventually become our rotten attitudes. We will become what we think. Our thoughts are tied to our behavior. Most of us just think about whatever comes into our minds. Is your mind like a wilderness? All over the place and barren, not producing anything of value.

We are to have the mind of Christ, and any thoughts contrary to the Word of God we must get rid of immediately.

Contact author @ www.christianhopecounseling.com

Copyright@2013, HopeCounselingMinistry. All Rights Reserved.

Get Out of the Wilderness

Dictionary.com defines wilderness as: A wild and uncultivated region, as of forest or desert, uninhabited or inhabited by wild animals; a tract of wasteland.

So are you in the wilderness? Is your mind in the wilderness, and not under control of the Holy Spirit? Where have you been living, in the “wilderness” or in the “Promised Land?”

Now is the time to let go of former things and your wilderness living. You have dwelt in the wilderness long enough. In the wilderness you held onto the past. You had no peace, no joy, and no hope. You were burdened in the wilderness. You were not free, but held in captivity. You were in bondage. In the wilderness, you cared about what people thought about you. You pleased man rather than God. You looked at your circumstances and complained. You threw yourself a little pity party, and became a victim rather than a victor. You allowed negative emotions to rule over you. You wandered aimlessly in the wilderness but could not find a way out.

Are you sick and tired of your life yet, your wilderness? Have you tried everything and it is just not working? If so, you may be in the wilderness. Just as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 long years, so can we remain in a type of wilderness? God does not want you to stay in the wilderness, but you may not know how to get out of the wilderness. You may have been in the wilderness for so long that you do not know how to get out of the wilderness. The good news is if you are tired of your ways enough, change is possible.

You know you are in the wilderness if your life is full of negativity, burdens too heavy to carry, a lack of joy and peace, confusion (lack of direction), oppression, and fear (anxiety). If you are in the wilderness you are not living the abundant life that God says that you can have.

Would you dare to believe there can be change? Would you like to be in the Promised Land instead of living in the wilderness? In the Promised Land your eyes are on Jesus not your circumstances or the “giants” in your life. You have God’s eyes and His ears. You are now His vessel that His spirit can flow through. Your life is marked with peace and joy despite your circumstances. You have a hope that is unshakeable.

Here are some practical steps to get you out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land living:

1.      Believe God is bigger than your problems.

2.      Speak faith-filled words. Watch what you are speaking over yourself and others. Your words are powerful. They can produce life or death. Choose your words carefully.

3.      Don’t speak what you see but what God can do. Speak to that “mountain” in your life. Don’t let that “mountain” speak to you, or it will!

4.      Enjoy right where you are at. Be content with the season you are in. Knowing all seasons does eventually end. Don’t “curse” your next season with your words.

5.      Do not complain find-fault or judge yourself or others.

6.      Do not look at your problems/circumstances and speak negatively or defeat over them. The enemy WILL present things and situations to stir you up and get you to speak out what you see.

7.      Carry hope continually. Never, ever let hope disappear. Even if you have failed, made mistakes, and have been defeated. NEVER stop hoping. We will soon end up discouraged and eventually defeated if we stop hoping. Always hope for better!

8.      Pray before reacting to what the enemy shows you or tells you. DO NOT react, the enemy sees and will use your reaction against you.

9.      Maintain peace with yourself and others. Walk in peace, talk peace, be peace. Refrain from arguments, contentions, strife, anger, and division. Live in peace.

10.  Be easy on yourself. Be gentle and loving with yourself. Stop belittling and beating yourself up. God does not do this to you, so why should you do this to yourself.

11.  Keep all sin out of your life. Continually purge and confess sin. Be cleansed by the blood of Jesus not condemnation.

12.  CHOOSE to walk in faith and not fear. Yes, I say choose because fear will try and come against you but CHOOSE to rise in faith.

Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19, NKJV

Side note from author: I believe so much in helping people understand being free from wilderness living that I wrote an entire book called, Wilderness Mentality. You can find this book on amazon.com.

Copyright@2013, HopeCounselingMinistry. All Rights Reserved.