Taking Aim By Taking Authority Part 2 Series

Taking AIM for a Better Life Part 3

1 Corinthians chapter 9 .......

I believe will all my heart that God intends for His People to have a GREAT LIFE......

...an Abundant.....Victorious.....Satisfying.... and a LONG LIFE

.....full of JOY, ....Peace, and the Blessing of God.....

Now, It is true, whether you believe it or not.....

Just Study the Bible and you’ll see the Promises of LONG LIFE and GOOD THINGS that He’s promised.....

HOWEVER.....this also is true.....

And you’ll see this also in the Bible..... that......He will not force His Good Will on you.....

....but He simply Gives YOU a CHOICE

And....So, it’s up to you and to me.... to LAY HOLD of what He’s Made Available to us OR NOT to......

But.....If we want Better......It’s AVAILABLE to us in Christ Jesus.....

And WE CAN REALLY have a Better Life......a Blessed Life.....

But We WON’T have it....WITHOUT our Desire AND our Active Participation.....

You’ve got to WANT Better AND be willing to Do something about getting Better or it won’t happen.....

and really......If you’re not Interested in IMPROVING your life and situation......

....there’s probably nothing here for you today.....

...because .....I don’t intend to preach a message to make you just FEEL Better....

there’s enough of that kind of junk in the world.....

.......People who will pat you on the back and tickle your ears

.,..... and tell you that you’re all right just like you are.....

.......even though you’re a wreck and you’re life’s a stinking mess....and you’re dying in a hog pen.....

....you don’t need me for that.....

....and you don’t need God for that.....

.....but I’ve come with a Word from the Lord for people who want to BE BETTER...........

.....That’s what we really need.....

Paul said "the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Power of God unto SALVATION....."

Salvation includes Saving for the Lost.....

...and healing for the sick......and Deliverance for the Captive.....and Recovering of sight for the blind.....

It’s the Power to SET YOU FREE......not so you can STAY just like you’ve always been.....

but so you can be BETTER....

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

(Tell your neighbor "you’ve got to RUN to Get It")

verse 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Now, ....in this passage of Scripture.......

There are 3 things that I hear the Apostle Paul saying about himself.....as he teaches us about Winning the Prize....

He says "I’m Temperate" (self controlled)

"I therefore so Run....."

"I keep under...lest.....I should be a castaway."

I think I told you earlier that as I received this message from the Lord.....

....those things came out making an Acrostic for the word AIM....

"self control".... became Taking Authority.....

"I ....run".......... became Taking Initiative......

and "I keep....". became Maintaining the Ground we gain.........

and the Message became "Taking AIM for a Better Life.........

"Take Authority....Take Initiative.....Maintain your gains...."

Taking Authority, we said in an earlier message,.....BEGINS with Taking PERSONAL AUTHORITY......

WE CAN ....and WE MUST Learn that WE are Responsible for Controlling OUR OWN SELVES.......

....spirit, soul and body.....

Now if you’re Born Again....you won’t have Control Issues with our Born-Again spirits.....

Our spiritual rebellion goes away in the New Birth....

And....It’s not your body that messes with you so much.....

Paul said in Eph 6:12 .... we Wrestle Not with Flesh and Blood....

So our Toughest Authority Battle isn’t with our Bodies either....

our Bodies really don’t have much of a MIND of their own.....

That’s why it takes Multiple Repetitions to create most Bad Habits....

You don’t usually get a body addicted to Alcohol with one or two drinks.....

No, it takes some doing to get most bodies ADDICTED to that stuff.....

And its the same way with a lot of other things that our bodies become accustomed to.......

It takes exposure to a thing,...usually....to get your body into a routine.....

But the Real Control Issues STEM from our MIND.....our thoughts, Ideas and Emotions....

Now without a doubt We are FREE to be in control even in these areas........

....Jesus said in Jn 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

That means you are REALLY FREE....

.... you DO NOT have a DOMINATING RULER.....

Not the devil NOR God....has the right to Dominate in your life.....without your submission

but you are the one who ALLOWS Either of them to work in your situation.....