Things are Subject to Change part 4
We’re going to pick up where we left off last week. We’ve been teaching on “God turning your situation around.”
I) Turn with me to PHIL 1:15-18
The (18th V) from the NIV reads, “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” NIV
A) As we’ve seen, Paul is in prison for preaching the Gospel when he was writing this letter.
1) From reading after Paul’s writings and by seeing the example of his life, Paul expected God to turn every negative situation into a positive one.
(a) He fully expected every crisis to be transformed into a victory.
(b) He said in (PHIL 1:18), “I rejoice and I will continue to rejoice.”
(c) (PHIL 1:19) form the Ben Campbell Johnson translation called “The Heart of Paul,” says this “I will keep on celebrating because I know this ATTITUDE will bring my deliverance.”
2) Paul was not what you would call today a ‘Positive Thinker.’
(a) Paul’s optimism was based on the Word of God. He kept his eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ.
(b) (Psalm 118:24) Says, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” KJV
(i) Can you wake up in the morning and face the situations that you’re going through with this attitude.
(ii) Christians need to have a little spring in their step, a little hop in their skip, a little zing in their zang, a little zig in their zag.
(c) I’m not talking about being phony. I’ve seen that too often.
(d) We need to base our attitude on the Word of God.
(i) As the Palmist said, “We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
(ii) You have to tell yourself to rejoice.
(iii) As Paul said, It’s this attitude of JOY that is going to bring about your deliverance.
(iv) Again from the book of (Philippians 4:4) Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” KJV
B) In (PHIL 1:20) Paul said, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope…”
1) We receive in direct proportion to what we expect.
(a) Jesus expressed the same idea.
(i) (Matthew 8:13) Says, “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” KJV
(b) Jesus said something very similar to that in (MAT 9:29) when He was talking to the 2 blind men, He said, “According to your faith be it unto you.”
2) Faith produces a very positive attitude, an attitude of EXPECTANCY.
(a) Faith is not pretending that there is no problem. Many believers have this misconception.
(b) When I twist an ankle, I don’t go around saying, “That’s not pain I fell. I don’t believe in pain.”
(i) When the house payment is due, I don’t go around saying, “I don’t have a house payment. I don’t owe any money.”
(ii) The scriptural principle that we get from God according to (ROM 4:17) Is to call those things which be not as though they were.
(iii) He doesn’t say that we should “Call those things that BE AS THOUGH THEY BE NOT.”
(c) In other words, you don’t say that your situation doesn’t exist, you speak the answer to the problem.
(i) If your sick and in pain, you don’t deny the sickness and pain, but you speak the answer. By Jesus strips I am healed.
(ii) If you lack finances, you don’t deny the lack, you speak the answer. My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
(d) Denying the problem is not going to get you anywhere, but when you speak the answer and believe it in your heart, it will come to pass.
(i) Now when I say you don’t deny the problem, you don’t want to go around speaking the problem EITHER.
(ii) When you speak the problem, you’re going to make the situation worse.
(iii) Whatever it is that’s in your heart, when you speak it, you’re releasing a spiritual force.
3) Turn with me to MARK 11:23
(a) Notice the last ½ of this V. “But shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” KJV
(i) If you believe that something is going to happen and you speak it out of your mouth, Jesus said that you are going to have it. GOOD OR BAD
(ii) That’s why I said. “You don’t want to go around speaking the problem.” You could make things worse.
(b) If you have thoughts that are negative. Thoughts like, every year I get into a car accident, or every winter I get the flu, or maybe I can never keep a job, and if you believe those things, when you speak them out of your mouth you’re going to have those things.
(i) But there is a way that you can put a stop to those things from happening. DON’T LET IT COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
(ii) Train yourself to speak the answer, the Word of God, and not the problem. (RENEW YOUR MIND TO THE Word of God).
4) But this coin has 2 sides; you can also stop a miracle from being birthed BY NOT SPEAKING IT OUT.
C) If you want your situation or problem to turn around or if your want things to get better 1st you have to believe what God says about your situation.
1) If you really believe God’s Word you’re going to act like its so. That’s where your attitude comes in.
(a) Your attitude towards the problems you face is a picture of the faith that is in your heart.
(b) If you believe God’s Word, your attitude is going to reflect your knowing that God will come through.
2) The 3rd thing that you need to do to turn your problems into victories is to speak the answer, not the problem.
3) # 4 we need Patience.
(a) Wait and see God will turn it around.
WOLCC Sunday 4/20/97