I DECLARE (2 page)

You may think your situation is permanent. You've been in it a long time. You don't see how you could ever rise any higher. All the facts are telling you it's impossible. But God is saying today, "You need to get ready. Where you are is not permanent. I have explosive blessings coming your way. I will increase you beyond your salary. I will bless you beyond your normal income. I will suddenly change things in your life."

That's how the word explosion is defined. It means, "sudden, widespread increase." That's what God wants to do for each one of us. Suddenly. You won't expect it. It's out of the ordinary and it's not small. It's not mediocre. It's widespread increase. That means it's so amazing you know it had to be the hand of God.

That's what happened to one gentleman. He stopped by the church a while back and brought a very large donation to the ministry. It was his tithe. He said he had received an inheritance from a family member he had never met before. In fact, he didn't even really know that they were related, but this man left him a gift that thrust his family to a whole new level. He was able to not only pay his house off but he also had paid off several other people's houses as well.

I don't know about you, but I'm believing for some long-lost relatives like that. I'm believing for explosive blessings.

I'm believing for explosive blessings!

The Apostle Paul talked about this in Ephesians 2:7 (amp). He said that we would see "the unlimited, immeasurable, surpassing greatness of God's favor." He was saying we would see favor like we've never seen it before.

In the real world, it may look like you could never accomplish your dreams. You've already calculated how you'll never get out of debt. You've run all the numbers— but God is saying, "You haven't seen My explosive blessings. You haven't seen the surpassing greatness of My favor. I have blessings that will catapult you years ahead. I have increase that goes beyond your normal calculations."

I've learned God doesn't always take us in normal increments. There are times He will increase us little by little. We have to be faithful day in and day out. But when you come to one of these explosive blessings, instead of going from 7 to 8 to 9, God will take you from 7 to 8 to 63 to 64. That's widespread increase!

I DECLARE I will experience God's faithfulness. I will not worry. I will not doubt. I will keep my trust in Him, knowing that He will not fail me. I will give birth to every promise God put in my heart and I will become everything God created me to be. This is my declaration.

Every one of us has dreams and goals in our heart. There are promises that we are standing on. Maybe you are believing for a child to turn around, or believing to get healthy again, believing to start a business or to be in ministry. Deep down you know God has spoken that to your spirit. He has birthed it on the inside. But so often, because it's taking a long time and we've been through disappointments, we get negative and start thinking that it will not happen.

Just because you don't see anything

happening doesn't God is not working.

The reason many people don't see God's promises come to pass is because they become discouraged and give up too soon. But just because you don't see anything happening doesn't God is not working. Just because it's taking a long time doesn't mean God ran out of options. Your mind is saying, It's over. Your emotions are saying, No way. The circumstances look impossible. That doesn't mean God won't do what He said.

God is faithful to His word. All of His promises are "Yes" and "Amen." That means if you will do your part and believe even though it looks impossible, and not let your mind, your emotions, or other people talk you out of it, then God promises in due season and at the right time He will bring it to pass. It may not happen the way you expect it or on your timetable, but God is a faithful God. It will happen.

He will not let you down. That's what He said in Hebrews 13: "I will not in any way fail you or leave you without support. Therefore we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my Helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'"

You need to let that sink down on the inside: "I will not fail you." God is saying, "Everything will work out. I'm in complete control. I know what the medical report says. I know what the financial situation looks like. I see the people who are coming against you. I know how big your dreams are. And hear me clearly; I will not fail you. I will not let you down. I will not let that problem overtake you. I will cause you to be the overcomer."

God is saying if we will keep our trust in Him, He will always make a way even though it looks like there is no way. He will give you strength for every battle, wisdom for every decision, peace that passes understanding. God will vindicate you for the wrongs that have been done. He will pay you back for unfair situations. He promised He will not only bring your dreams to pass but He will give you even the secret desires of your heart.

Dare to trust Him. Come back to that place of peace. Quit being worried, stressed out, wondering if it will happen. God has you in the palm of His hand. He has never once failed before, and the good news is He is not about to start now.

I DECLARE I have the grace I need for today. I am full of power, strength, and determination. Nothing I face will be too much for me. I will overcome every obstacle, outlast every challenge, and come through every difficulty better off than I was before. This is my declaration.

When the people of Israel were in the wilderness headed toward the Promised Land, God gave them manna each morning to eat. It would appear on the ground. But He specifically instructed them to gather up only enough for one day's supply. In fact, if they took more it wouldn't last. It would spoil. In the same way, God doesn't give us grace for a year at a time, a month at a time.

No, every twenty-four hours God has new supply of grace, afresh new supply of grace, of favor, of wisdom, of favor, of wisdom, of forgiveness.

How will you make it through the slow season at work? One day at a time.

How will you raise a difficult child? One day at a time.

Every twenty-four hours God has new supply

of grace, afresh new supply of grace, of favor, of

wisdom, of favor, of wisdom, of forgiveness.

I heard Corrie Ten Boom say something very interesting on this topic. During World War II, she and her Dutch family hid Jews from the Nazis and saved many lives. Eventually she was caught and put in prison. In the concentration camps she saw all kinds of atrocities. She even witnessed the deaths of her own father and sister. Through a series of unusual events Corrie was accidentally released and her life was spared. In spite of seeing all the senseless killings she never really became bitter. She even forgave the man who killed her family members.

Somebody asked her how she could make it through those dark days of seeing such terrible acts of hatred and still be loving and kind and forgiving. She answered that question with a story. She told how when she was a little girl, her father would take her on train rides throughout Europe. He would always purchase the tickets several weeks in advance. But he would never give her the ticket until right before they were boarding. Of course, she was a small girl, and he was concerned she might lose it or leave it at home. But whenever her father saw the headlights of the train pulling into the station he would hand his little daughter the ticket and they would step onboard together.

Corrie said to the person who asked how she could be so forgiving: "The reason you can't fathom how I could forgive the person who killed my family, how I could not be filled with bitterness and hatred, is because just like my father and our train tickets, God doesn't give us the grace we need until we're about to step onboard. But if you were to ever go through something like I went through I can assure you God's grace will be there to help you make it through the dark valleys and still keep your head held high and your heart filled with love."

Maybe right now you can't see how to overcome an obstacle, accomplish your dreams, or forgive someone who hurt you, but understand that when you get there God will hand you the ticket. He purchased it two thousand years ago on a cross at Calvary.

Now when you come to a dark valley, a difficult season, a sickness, don't worry about it. Your Heavenly Father will hand you the ticket. He will give you the grace, the strength, the favor, the forgiveness, to do what you need to do.

I DECLARE it is not too late to accomplish everything God has placed in my heart. I have not missed my window of opportunity. God has moments of favor in my future. He is preparing me right now because He is about to release a special grace to help me accomplish that dream. This is my time. This is my moment. I receive it today! This is my declaration.

Many times we put off what we know God wants us to do. Maybe down deep God has been dealing with you about forgiving a wrong, getting back in shape, having a better attitude, spending more time with your family. Or maybe it's a dream or goal that you know you should be pursuing, such as starting a business, writing a book, joining the choir, learning a new hobby.

You know God put it on the inside but so often we make excuses that hold us back. Things like, "I'm too busy. I tried and failed. I'm not that talented. They hurt me too badly."

It's easy to talk yourself out of your dreams and goals. Too many people settle for mediocrity. But the good news is God never aborts a dream. We may give up on them. We may quit pursuing new opportunities, quit believing to overcome an obstacle. But God still has every intention of bringing to pass every dream, every promise, He put in your heart.

You may have put off taking the first step for a week, a year, or twenty-five years, but God is saying, "It's not too late to get started." You can still become everything God created you to be. But you must do your part and move off dead center. You're not too old or too young. You haven't missed your window of opportunity. The dream is still alive on the inside.

You can still become everything

God created you to be.

Now you should rise up in faith and say, "This is my time. This is my moment. I'm not settling where I am. I've let excuses hold me back long enough. But today, I will take steps of faith to pursue new opportunities, to explore new hobbies, to break bad habits, to get rid of wrong mind-sets. I know it's not too late to accomplish everything God has placed in my heart."

If you have this kind of attitude, the rest of your life can be the best of your life. In the Bible when Paul told Timothy, "Stir up the gift. Fan the flame" (2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV), he was saying, "Timothy, life is flying by. Get busy pursuing your destiny.

Every setback means you're one step

closer to seeing the dream come to pass.

You have to stay passionate about what God put in your heart. Don't let one disappointment or even a series of disappointments convince you to give up and settle where you are. I've learned every setback means you're one step closer to seeing the dream come to pass. You have to come to your closed doors before you'll ever get to your open doors. You may have tried and failed a thousand times. But you never know; number one thousand and one may be the door that swings open wide. Get your fire back.

You may have been through disappointments. Things might not be the way you'd hoped they would be. Shake off your disappointment. Create a fresh new vision for your life.

I DECLARE I am grateful for who God is in my life and for what He's done. I will not take for granted the people, the opportunities, and the favor He has blessed me with. I will look at what is right and not what is wrong. I will thank Him for what I have and not complain about what I don't have. I will see each day as a gift from God. My heart will overflow with praise and gratitude for all of His goodness. This is my declaration.

Whenever I talk to people who have had life-threatening experiences, whether from an illness, an accident, or some other challenge, without fail they talk about how they have come to appreciate each and every day more than ever before. They don't take a minute for granted. They see every day as a gift from God.

We have to realize that our lives could be gone in a moment. There are no guarantees that we will be here at this time next year. Learn to live each day to the fullest. Don't complain. Don't focus on what's wrong. Be grateful for the opportunity to experience each day.

You need to live every day

like it could be your last.

Things may not be perfect. You may have some aches and pains. You may have some adversity. But in the big scope of things your life could be a whole lot worse. And really you need to live every day like it could be your last.

I heard somebody say, "If you only had an hour to live, whom would you call? What would you say? And what are you waiting for?" Don't take for granted what God has already given you.

You may not realize it but we are living in the good old days. I'm convinced twenty or thirty years from now you will look back and say, "Those were some great times. I remember when Lakewood was over in East Houston. I remember when Joel was just a young man. I remember when his brother, Paul, still had some hair!" These are the good old days.

I used to play basketball with a young man, a strong athlete, who began having problems with one of his eyes. He went to the doctor and was told that he had a form of cancer that threatened his vision in the eye.

As you can imagine he was devastated. He could not believe it. Then, he went in for surgery and his doctors found that he didn't have cancer. Instead, they found an unusual fungus, which they were able to remove. His vision was saved. When my friend woke up from the operation and heard the good news he said, "This is the greatest day of my life!"

Think about it. He didn't just win the lottery. He didn't just earn a big promotion. He didn't just buy a new home. He simply learned that he would continue to have the vision he'd always had.