Such as I HAVE

There is no such thing as a Christian who has nothing to give, there are only Christians who are failing to access what they have been given.

Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."  Acts 3:6-7  NIV

The difference between us and Peter is not that he was an Apostle and we are not but that he knew what he had… and we are in doubt about it - always thinking that it’s not what we HAVE but what we will have …one day…if we are really good.

May God give us the confidence of Peter to be walking around knowing what we HAVE and being able to face the challenges of life, knowing we can access what we HAVE!
 
There is authority in knowing what you have…

In Exodus 4:1-2 Moses is asking God for some ‘back up’…
God responds by shifting the expectation of Moses away from heaven and onto something he already had… “What is in your hand?”
 
Perhaps you are struggling with disappointment because for some time now you have been praying and looking up to Heaven waiting for an answer to come and …nothing is coming from heaven to help you.
 
The primary nature of God toward you is to ‘Father’ you.
• In Fathering you He will Love you;
• And in loving you He will seek your highest good;
• And in seeking your highest good, He will discipline you;
• And in disciplining you, He will place you on the path of maturity not pleasure.

Sometimes when you ask Him to answer the problems, His ‘Fathering’ heart will say ‘What do you have in your hand?’

So in answering your prayer, expect Him to do it in such a way that is ‘Fathering’ you; expect to hear Him say …‘What do you have in your hand?'  When you have something in your hand it is within your possession so it is within your ability to use it.

Your Father is seeking to involve you in the answer so that you learn and grow, and when the storm is over, you will see that the Father did more than give you an answer; in ‘Fathering’ you through the Storm…YOU HAVE BECOME THE ANSWER!

• We are not limited by what we don’t have – we are limited by our ignorance of what we do have.
 
One of the things we ‘do have’ is the ability to ‘become what we believe’.
 
“According to your faith will it be done to you."  Matthew 9:29  NIV
 
If everyone has the ability to ‘become what they believe,’ why is it of critical importance for us to be spreading the gospel and making disciples of all people groups on the planet?
 
The urgency of our mission to spread the good news of God is because people are ‘becoming what they believe,’ or as Romans 1 puts it, ‘God has given them up to become what they believe.’
 
As a result, the vast majority of humanity is manifesting the beliefs of their heart through every conceivable perversity which makes up the content of our 6pm News.

• Are we sitting here today with the sum total of our outward lives being the result of our inner beliefs?

• Could the beliefs and images we hold in our heart have such a dramatic, shaping power on who we are becoming?

“Whether you believe you can or whether you believe you can't, either way you are right.”
 
Your repetitive thinking, visualizing and believing have become the things that are now in your life.

‘You become what you believe’ and it’s your call whether you make that into a Heaven or a Hell for yourself.

• “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”  Proverbs 4:23  NKJV
 
• “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  Proverbs 4:23  NIV
 
What is it that we have in our hearts that could warrant the Word of God making such a statement?....
• We hold our beliefs in our heart.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1
 
Your faith gives substance to things hoped for and is working to bring into reality the expectations you have in your heart.

So is that good?  Well that depends on what you are expecting!  Either way, you can be sure of this…
Your faith reaches over into the realm of the invisible images of your heart, lays hold of that expectation and pulls it over into the realm of substance.
 
Your imagination is yet another part of your function in God-likeness and forms the bridging link between the supernatural resources of the spirit world and our personal lives.  God has always intended that you use your imagination to bring His will into your life.

This is another reason why our repentance is so important - so that we can see the Kingdom of God.
• ‘REPENT’ means to ‘change the beliefs of the heart’ – or, ‘to change the images that are there.’

‘Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’  2 Corinthians 10:5  KJV

When God’s truth is spoken over you and something inside you rises up to challenge that then what we have discovered inside of you is what the bible calls a ‘stronghold’.  In other words – an imagination that needs to be cast down because it is working within you to create a lifestyle that is contrary to the truth of God. 

God says, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Psalm 46:10 - This is a statement about shifting our awareness off of ourselves and onto all that God is for us...
 
But for years it’s like we read the same verse this way… ‘Be still and know that you are BAD’ and when we shift our focus onto all that we are NOT, we look away from all that God is for us.
 
When you pray for peace, for healing and for mercy… don’t look to yourself to create peace, healing and mercy – access all that is here for you already in the presence of God.

When you pray for strength to overcome, don’t try to find that strength in yourself - access that strength in the presence of God.

Be still and shift your awareness onto all that God is for you right now… Don’t look in … look up.