Group Discussion:
- What are you doing while you wait?
- Share about a time when you believed for a miracle and received it, even though you had to wait for it.
Believing for Miracles: Stories of Hope and Patience
Tag: Hope
Waiting with Certainty: Trusting God’s Timing
Waiting on God and being certain of His blessings is not pie-in-the-sky or wishful thinking. This faith choice is not presumptuous or improper. Blessings are the divine energy of God empowering us to succeed because we choose to believe in His goodness. He has equipped us with a divine destiny. He wants to see us succeed as much as we do.
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And so, we wait for what God has promised, in the same way we might wait at a bus stop, in eager anticipation. We aren’t sitting at some random corner, hoping a bus might drive by. We are positioned at the right place at the right time, waiting for what we know is on its way. We aren’t waiting to see if a hopeful future will appear. We are waiting with confidence, certain of it.
The Electric Flow of Faith: Harnessing God’s Promises
The power of God flows into each person like an electric current. For it to have an effect, there must be a conductor to draw it out. Our beliefs create the cord that connects us to the Source.
An electrical outlet by itself will not turn on a fan. The receptacle may hold the promise of power to run the fan, but if the cord is not plugged in, the current cannot flow.
Imagine the outlet as one of God’s promises found in scripture. The cord is our belief which connects us to the current. Sure, we can become shamelessly independent from time to time, using arrogance and aggression to empower ourselves, but in that frame of mind, we are turning the blades of the fan by spinning them with our fingers. It is neither efficient, nor productive.
Self-induced exhaustion is the result when we resist plugging in and letting the energy flow. We use our own manipulations and self-defense mechanisms, rather than just resting on the promises of a hopeful future because of God’s goodness.
Freedom from the Curse: A Life of Blessings
We live under Grace, not Law. Jesus broke the power of the curse, so we can all live in the blessing if we choose to believe it. We need not fear the curse or the consequences of our own mistakes. Those issues have been resolved.
We are in a continual state of cleansing, like standing beneath a waterfall. Even a sin committed one second ago, is already washed away in the living water. We live exclusively in the blessings and enjoy firm standing on the promises. Curses do not cling to us. Blessings chase us down.
Curiosity and Mystery: A Journey into the Unknown
We don’t have all the answers, and that’s okay. In fact, sitting in the unknown is what keeps us intrigued and engaged. It places our curiosity on high alert and keeps us digging for more clues. We enjoy stumbling through the vast expanse of the unknown because that’s where we are introduced to an Intelligence that outpaces our own.
We pray for a fresh word and feel certain there is always one on its way. We make peace with our unanswered questions. We know they will serve as the driving force that keeps us captivated with the vast expanse of this great eternal mystery.
Embracing Positivity in Faith Communities
As we level up, we begin to realize how unproductive it is to spend time analyzing controversial topics or arguing over the meaning of obscure scriptures. We avoid the debaters and instigators. We steer clear of the loud, sweaty preachers yelling about sin and eternal damnation.
We choose rather to participate in worship services, recovery groups, and Bible studies that are surging with positivity and hope. Our fellowship gatherings serve as a recharging station where we plug into the power and become energized for the work ahead.
We focus on encouraging the gifts and talents of fellow believers.
We remain open to new opportunities, even though we feel awkward outside of our comfort zones. We understand that fear of the unknown is an obstacle everyone encounters, but it need not hold us back.
We stay open to change and ready to pivot at a moment’s notice, in response to the Spirit’s directives.
The Impact of Non-Drug Addictions: Find Your Freedom
We concluded that all humans suffer from at least one type of addiction. However, we also know that every addiction can be called out and destroyed, using the pronouncement of Jesus, “Tetelestai” (It is finished).
Last Word Recovery Ministries developed the Tetelestai Recovery program that is based on the power of Jesus declaration which offers the possibility of permanent freedom for anyone struggling with addiction.
As the ripple effect of this program began to reach the families and friends of those who were enjoying permanent sobriety, we received requests for an expanded version of the program which could address other destructive addictions and dysfunctions beyond the scope of drug or alcohol dependence. We were intrigued by this idea and excited to pursue it.
In this third volume of Tetelestai Recovery, we address some non-drug addictions, along with other dysfunctional behaviors related to the human condition. We offer Sacred Text selections that can break these strongholds and prevent further harm.
Tetelestai Recovery is not just for addicts. It is for everyone. Jesus says, “It is finished!” to the behaviors and dysfunctions that weigh us down and hold us back.
Healing from Emotional Tar Pits: Fuel for the Future
In the natural realm, we knew that all dead things did not fossilize. Some decomposed and turned into fuel. We realized it was no different in the spirit realm. We had spoken the words of God to our hard hearts and fossilized past. We watched as He brought our dead dreams back to life.
But we were also faced with the dilemma of what to do with the decomposing compost heap of our past, which should never be called back to life? What of the crimes, the addiction, the lost relationships, and wasted years? We certainly didn’t wish to see those carcasses rising up like zombies from the swamp.
Through this conflict, we discovered the significance of fossil fuels. As the hardened skeletal remains were good for a resurrection, the fossil fuel, made from decomposing waste, could be purified, and used as fuel to propel us into our destiny. A criminal history could be transformed into the fuel which would activate a prison ministry. A struggle with addiction and relapse could fuel a new recovery program. A failed relationship could provide the energy for personal growth in matters of romance and respect…
From Disappointment to Destiny: Finding Purpose Again
In time, we became willing to enter our own valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) to speak life over what had been dead for so long.
We found the lifeless remains of enthusiasm, which had been suffocated by disappointment. We found fossils of unfinished projects, which might have been profound, had we not given up. We unearthed splintered fragments of gifts, talents, and abilities which had become casualties of our own sense of inadequacy.
Rather than viewing the carnage as evidence of a wasted life, we began to see it as dry bones coming back to life. By faith, we saw a powerful future rising up from the wreckage of our past.
In our New Normal, we spoke life over anything which reeked of death. In our New Normal, we commanded our dead dreams to rise up in service to our King. We did not think this was too much to expect, for we had been given the resurrection power of Christ. We had been urged to follow in the footsteps of our Creator, who…
“Gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t yet exist.” (Romans 4:17)
Earning Respect Instead of Demanding It: A New Perspective
Our New Normal offered many pleasant surprises. Some of our upgrades were unfamiliar, yet welcome. We enjoyed becoming an honorable person. We were delighted to be viewed as trustworthy. We stopped demanding respect and began earning it. We appreciated the new opportunities God sent our way. We looked in amazement at the doors which stood open in front of us. We looked with gratitude at the doors which had closed behind us.
The glaringly obvious issues had been removed with Jesus’ words, “It is finished!” and once we began moving out of our active addiction, much of the chaos connected with our former lifestyle settled down. We looked to the future with hope and knew that God was working out the more subtle issues, one at a time, little by little…
