Built To Last : Bishop Tony Samuels
When a person becomes a Christian, they are reconnected back to the supernatural Power of God. The Bible says that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold all things have become new! So there is the old…and then there is the new. The challenge is to live a life continually in the new order. What God has done on the inside of you is powerful! There is more to you than meets the eye. You are built to last. Ephesians 2:10 explains it well: For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art] created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used]…
We are living in a time when, if you focus on the wrong things, it’s possible to become discouraged. Discouraged means: to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit; to obstruct by opposition or difficulty; hinder. We need to focus on the things that feed our new man; the things that feed our destiny in God. We need to protect the inner image of victory.
A pregnant woman has to completely change her life, because while she is carrying that baby, it is no longer about her; it’s about the new life that is growing on the inside of her. She has a due date, and she must do everything in her power to ensure that she has a healthy delivery. Proverbs 4:23 says, So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are.Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life. It’s not about your old life; it’s about the new life in God that He has placed on the inside of you. And you must protect it; guard it; make sure you are spiritually healthy.
Every year, I am amazed at my life in God. Even though challenges come, I have seen God take me through everything, so that I know I am walking in something new, and with a greater power that is beyond me. I am coming to a place where I don’t see challenges as obstacles; I am actually viewing them as opportunities, to walk in my new life. These challenges, and how I respond to them, become a snapshot of my spiritual development in God.
Romans 5:3-4 says, Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. You don’t really grow in smooth times; you grow in rough times. The rough times become the place of growth; when you understand that, nothing can come into your life without God knowing it. And you know that He has placed in you everything that you need to overcome it.
Philemon 6 says, That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Notice, it says to acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ, and in doing this, the communication of your faith will be powerful. So that means, when you are going through something, don’t focus on and talk about what you are going through; begin to focus on and acknowledge the good things that are in you. By saying, “I am more than a conqueror,” you just activated your faith and true identity. You will not be conquered; you will conquer what’s trying to come against your life!
So, my brothers and sisters, be encouraged in your new identity in Christ. You have what it takes to be victorious; you are built to last!
