The life that we are meant to live!
It is always a pleasure to talk with you about the practical aspect of the Word of God! As I mentioned in my first blog, the Word of God is practical and up-to-date. One can only see or experience the power of the Word when it is applied, otherwise it will remain a theory.
I read the book "EXTRAORDINARY" by John Bevere last year, which is the basis for my blog today. The book deals with some biblical truths that I myself have applied or continue to apply and which I would like to share with you. My goal is to encourage you to seek this extraordinary/supernatural life that God has promised us.
What do I mean by extraordinary or supernatural life? I am talking about a life that is not "normal or common". Hold on, not normal? Yes, you got it: A life that goes beyond the "normal".
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" - 1. Corinthians 2:9
To be honest, we all want our lives to be meaningful. Everyone has this innate desire to rise above the ordinary, unless this desire is being suppressed. That is why movies such as Superman, Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia as well as heroes like Batman, Iron Man, Indiana Jones or Zorro, etc. are very popular. Most of these movie characters possess an abilitiy or power that goes beyond the human one with which they accomplish remarkable deeds! Why do such heroes attract us? Because God has created us to live extraordinarily. It was God's plan from the beginning! Unfortunately, God's plan and man's execution of His plan are often not the same. But thank God, Jesus has brought us back to this extraordinary/supernatural life through His redeeming work (Romans 5:18).
Through Jesus we have - eternal - LIFE, we have the ability to live an extraordinary/ supernatural life here on earth. That is God's will and purpose for us and He has also equipped us to live that kind of life.
An extraordinary and amazing life is not restricted to certain individuals or professions. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do in life: as housewife, CEO, businesswoman, sportsman, pastor, student, school teacher, blue collar, hairdresser, etc. - you were created to achieve exceptional things in that role.
Listen: The power to live an extraordinary life is not tied to your profession, but to the disposition of your heart! So you can have such a life if you're ready for it...
In the following you’ll find things that will help you to live an extraordinary/supernatural life:
1 - Be aware of God's plans and goals for your life:
Do you know that God has plans and goals for you? He created us and He already planned our path beforehand. Ephesians 2:10 clearly says that we are God's masterpiece, recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined for us, that we should walk in them. But fulfilling these assignments does not happen automatically, here is where our cooperation is requested! God has set the goals for our life - good works, good plans - but it is up to us to discover through prayer, reading, studying & meditating the Word as well as through other spiritual means, what is recorded for our life and then by His grace we fulfill them. For this reason, Paul prays in Colossians 1: 9-10 and Ephesians 5:17 that we may know God's will for us. For God expects us to seek and find His will for our lives. God says in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for us are good and extraordinary, which means that your life can only be unique, special and not an accident!
2 - Allow God to change your perception of who you are:
Do you know who you are? This question may sound funny, but I’m amazed at how many Christian do not know their true identity! Since you have been born again, you have become a child and heir of God and co-heir with Jesus (Romans 8: 16-17). Did you catch that? You are an heir of the king of the universe, the almighty God who created everything. You are one of the Royal company of people! You should know this and believe it in your heart, for it is only then that you can access the power of the divine nature and live an extraordinary/supernatural life. From birth, we knew nothing but the "normal/ordinary" life. Now as Christians, we must be liberated to think and believe extraordinarily. If we believe we are no different than those who have not yet accepted God's grace for salvation, then we will live in the ordinary - captive in this world system – as they do. However, if you allow God's Word to change our perception of who you are, and you truly believe it in your heart, you will begin to live a life like "Heaven on Earth" (1 Peter 2: 9) - Hallelujah!
3 - God's Grace empowers you beyond your abilities:
Grace is one of the most important truths in the Bible that every believer should grasp because it is the very foundation of our salvation and life in Christ! We must always remind ourselves that God saved us by grace and we continue to receive the benefits of our salvation by grace. Grace is God's power/ability on which we shall rely, rather than relying on our own abilities, in order to avoid a life of frustration. The good news is that there is more grace available than what we already have (James 4:6) and grace can be multiplied (2 Peter 1:2). You know what? God never wants us to have an extraordinary or supernatural life without supplying the power to live it. Grace is not just God's unmerited favor, but it’s also His empowering presence that gives us the ability to live a life that pleases Him: an extraordinary/supernatural life...
4 - The good condition of your heart produces good fruits in your life:
We are talking here about faith. What is your heart condition? Is your heart "a good soil" that listens to the Word and receive it in obedience? (Luke 8:15). When you act according to your faith, your life will bear extraordinary fruits. Moreover, our faith helps us to endure, resist or withstand hardship and persevere through any adversity that opposes God's plan and will for us. Therefore, it is very important that we receive God's Word with a good heart condition so that we may develop genuine faith out of it!
5 - Allow God to fill your heart with His hope:
I know that the present condition of the world does not give us any reason to hope at first sight. Still, you shall be full of Hope! I am talking about God's kind of hope. Unfortunately, we humans have reduced the word "hope" down to a "maybe so" word. When we say "I hope so," we really mean "it probably won’t happen, but it might." That is not the biblical view of Hope. The word Hope in the bible is defined as a confident expectation. Hope is the picture painted by God’s Word on the screen of our heart and faith gives substance to it or brings it into reality (Hebrews 11:1). If you're lacking hope, you will struggle with your faith because your faith has nothing to give substance to. This is why, Paul wrote to the believers in Rome while they were having a difficult time: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you have faith in Him…” (Romans 15:13)Can you see how hope and faith work together to create an extraordinary/supernatural life (joy, peace, happiness)?
6 - Do not limit God! He is able to do infinitely beyond your dreams:
Are you thinking big or extraordinary enough? I am always amazed at the infinity of God's promises for us! Look at the following verse: "Now all Glory to God, who is able, through his mighty Power at work within us, to accomplish more than we might ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). How incredibly beautiful are these words? - Hallelujah!!!
God does not just do what we ask abundantly, but He is able to do infinitely more beyond our dreams and hopes! That sounds like extraordinary or supernatural, doesn’t it? So why are we not experiencing this infinite power? The answer can be found in the word "able". God's power in us can only work according to what we actually believe in our heart. It doesn’t matter how big you can think or how endless your request may be. His power in us is able to do more. To sum it up, only you can limit God with your thinking, ideas and requests - nobody else.
So start thinking, praying and imaging on a larger scale because God has called you to an extraordinary and supernatural life!