Excuses of Failure 2
Chapter 2 - Where failure ends and success begins
Now that we have determined the foundation to success and destroyed the excuse of our foundations of where we come from or who we are we have to know how to walk in this freedom that God has given us or placed us into. In the title of this chapter I have placed to significant words (Ends & Begins). These words are very significant to the outcome and journey of our faith and life. The word (Ends) is used much like book ends in the sense that its role is both at the beginning and the end of our success. The beginning is where we see the end of the old life its failures or ways and at the other end we see the desired vision of outcome or goal.
Pro 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
If you have been around any type of teaching for faith or success you have most likely become familiar with this verse. The reason is that success or accomplishment must be seen from the beginning not stumbled into and discovered. The principal behind this truth is found in the description of Gods ways and actions.
Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
This is vital to the outcome of any belief and faith that will be attempted. The reason is because of the seed principal that God has placed within the earth to produce the fruit or outcome of our goal. You see a seed is required of like kind or I could say the seed of the vision. This brings us to excuse number two “I don’t know how”. This has most likely prevented more people from achieving their desires, ministries or advancements in life than any other excuse or at the least is within the top of the list. The reason is that it is many times kept hidden in the mind and avoided by the individuals public acknowledgement. No one likes to admit they don’t know how to accomplish things. And sadly most people are hanging around others that don’t know either. Jesus called this the blind leading the blind.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
This why teaching from the church is so important to the believer. You can have all of Gods power and resources at your disposal and fail to achieve anything if there is no understanding how to apply it. In the beginning of this book I quoted the parable of the sower because God instructed me to take this message from it. So I will return to it again now to see a truth within its passage from the account given in Luke.
Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luk 8:11 ¶ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
We can see here in the account given through Luke that the sower had a seed and that the seed is the word of God. Seeds are very interesting in the light of what can be produced from a single seed. When I think of an apple seed or any type of fruit seed it is amazing that from one single seed thousands of ripe fruit can come forth over the years of its life span. So I could say that within a small tiny seed is the explosive creative power of God to cause life to be given. This tells me that God intends for every seed to be filled with the abundance of life. We see this truth also instilled in our savior who is the foundation of our life.
Jhn 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
We can also see that Jesus is the word or seed truth of God in Johns opening statements of his Gospel.
Jhn 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jhn 1:14 ¶ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Our seed of success is not based upon our abilities, talents or education but upon the life of the seed and its creative power to produce. So now lets talk about the forming of the seed and its inner strength and ability. Many of Gods children know to confess or speak the word but never place much thought on the life within the seed. The results many times is a seed of promise with no understanding to the power of fulfillment. There is a relationship between the seed and the heart of man for the seed to grow and produce. I would like to offer a thought along this line that I believe is worth examination and consideration. Is the heart of man in a position to become compatible with the life of the seed? We know from this parable that the dangers to the seed were the conditions of mans heart. As I stated earlier I believe the seed has the power to change the heart but have you considered the willingness on your part to allow God to change its condition to one of compatibility. In the revelation or discovery of Gods promise there must be a meditation that acknowledges the need and desire to receive Gods help for the promise to be fulfilled. It is not enough to just desire the fruit there must be the willingness of obedience to its health. The seed is not just a thing but a living part of Christ himself coming forth in our life. Just as the apple is a living part of the apple seed. Seeds produce after their own kind. So the “how of success” is found in the likeness of Christ being formed within us. I could say the roots of the seed have been given their place of nourishment within the heart.
Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, Our failures end when Christ can be formed within us and our success starts as he produces his fruits of promise. The fruit of our life will reveal itself as being of good fruit or bad according to Jesus in Matt. 7:17.
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. This means that the condition of the heart will determine what type of fruit is produced. Though the power of good is within the seed of Christ the motive and attitude of life is within us. The seed must be allowed to consume the unrighteous attitude and motives that pure and righteous ones may be produced. I believe that is why our success seems so limited at times. Although the seed of Gods word will produce abundance the growth is determined by the hearts condition as revealed in the parable.
Luk 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Notice here that Luke’s account describes 100 fold where in Marks account listed below it was 30,60,100.
Mar 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
How could both of these individuals hear the same message and have two different versions? I believe the answer was in Luke 8:8 at the latter end “Let him who has ears hear”. It was in the hearing of God not simply the ability of God. In Marks account the statement seems to be separated from the previous statement where Luke’s is included with it. I realize there were no chapter and verse in the original writings but it caused me to think about the differences and where the importance may have been placed causing the ear to hear a difference in the outcome and possibilities of the words harvest and potential. So according to the parable that we are looking at how we hear the word will determine the potential of its success. With this thought in mind we will look at the earlier part of the chapter again concerning vision. What do you consider a hundred fold success to your vision or desire? *Write it down. What obstacles could prevent the hundred fold from coming to pass in your lifestyle? * Write them down. Do not look at what you think you will struggle to do just write the things you mentally see with no commitment at this point to anything. If you are unclear about the areas of lifestyle the vision is unclear and the objective of the seed and its success is unclear. Take time to pray and ask God to give you a vision of the Christian lifestyle associated with your desire. As you see the mannerisms and spiritual lifestyle of your desire write it down. Don’t question the difficulty or your ability they are non relevant at this point of the vision. God is still forming the seed after its kind. This type of prayer needs to be done for the clarity of what is the 100 fold and the lifestyle.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
We have to know what we are asking if we are to know what we are believing. Believing is not just for the end results but for all of the changes and provisions necessary to bring the end results. God spoke to the earth and it produced the garden with its beauty until God said it is good. Good soil or a good heart comes from the expectation of the spoken words power to transform it into the compatible surroundings for the fruitfulness. Your commitment is in the spirit to the seed and prayer. Your labor is to enter a place of rest where the soil grows what was in the seed.
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
You must now believe what you have seen and discussed with God as an outcome of his word during prayer. Be expecting Gods word to produce what was placed within it for your supply of strength, faith, commitment, attitude, character etc. Learning to expect the strength of God should be a natural thing for us as Christians it is through his strength that we do all things.
Phl 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
You now know how to receive the seed to sow that will produce after its own kind bringing your desired results containing its own power within to transform your life to its fruitfulness. So we have successfully destroyed the excuse of “I don’t know how”. If you are still unclear reread the chapter and think about it.