Build A Better You
Step 1: Let It Go.
Philippians 3:13-14 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Every building has a designer, an architect to draw out plans. To make it beautiful. The architect has a unique way of designing the building. The architect makes each design, each building different. Each building is built with a future, a purpose. Each building that is designed by the architect is designed to last. To hold up against storms and all different kinds of elements.
Once the architect is done, the construction begins. A foundation has to be laid. The frame goes up, followed by the walls, the roof, the interior and then someone has to take care of the building to make sure it stays in shape. So you need maintenance.
Without maintenance, the building will fall and the all you will have left standing is an dump.
Over the next few weeks we are going to concentrate on how to “Build A Better you.”
There’s a new year around the corner, so there is another opportunity that God has provided, for you to become the best he wants you to be.
The best he built you to be. 3 elements take place here.
1: The Architect: God. The designer.
Hebrews 11:40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
You are important to God. His plan cannot work without you. He designed you, planned you out thousands of years ago.
Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
He gave you a purpose. He said “ I need to get this certain thing done and I can’t do it without YOU.”
So he planned you, he designed you. He allowed you to be born at the
precise time, to begin to do His will.
2: The Construction: Life
In order to become a person of impact, you have to learn. You have to
become strong. You do this by being raised. Guided and by falling
down.
Psalm 119:71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
I know some of you may be saying “If affliction is good, that God stop
being so good to me!”
How do you learn not to touch fire? By being burned.
How do you truly know not to speed. By getting a ticket.
All it takes is one time, for things to sink in.
So am I saying that bad things are sticking around you because you
just haven’t learned yet?
Maybe.
Maybe it’s a combination of things.
3: Maintenance: YOU
In order to keep something running well, you have to take care of it.
Give it regular check ups.
For a car to run correctly, you have to change the oil, replace the
plugs, wipers, make sure you have the correct grade of gas. You are
that way too.
You have to take care of you, or you will become a dump.
Not just by the things you put in your body, but your surroundings, the
things you allow into your brain.
The things you hear, the things you see.
The enemy wants to come into your life, your home, your work, your
finances, your thoughts.
He wants to destroy everything that God has ever given you and the
things that God has in store for you.
You have the power to stop him.
All you have to do is make up your mind. Become positive and not
negative.
Now saying “I’m positive that things will never work out for me.” is
not positive at all.
That’s negative.
To say “I’m never going to break this habit of smoking or drinking” is
negative.
God don’t talk that way. He didn’t make you to think that way.
Every morning you have to get up and give yourself a tune-up.
It only takes a second or two to defeat the enemy at his game.
When you wake up in the morning, you should say…”God, I thank you
that you are with me, guiding me and protecting me. Cause I am one
day closer to never having another cigarette again.”
“God, it’s because of you, that I am able to walk, to breathe to see
kids play.”
God, I may not have the best car in the world, but at least I have legs
to walk to where I need to go.”
Don’t get trapped into feeling sorry for yourself. Don’t keep deling on
the things that have happened. That ’s what the Devil wants.
Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
Look ahead to what you can be. Not what you once were.
I once heard someone say; The past - you cannot change it.
The present - you can give God everything.
The future - your future is hidden in your daily routine.
Focus on the fact that God has made you, not to be perfect, but to be a person.
Starting taking care of yourself with the foods you eat, the thatnks that surround you.
Be careful of the things you see and hear. Stay away from the junk that can get into your home.
Don’t let things cloud your life and get in the way of God.
Don’t allow the enemy to tell you that you can never be better.
Don’t allow sickness to keep you down.
Don’t allow an addiction to control you.
Don’t let yourself be controlled by the enemies of the world.
Tell yourself that you are worth the time to spend with God.
You are a child of the most high God.
You are a success at life and yes I may have fallen, but God is always around to life me up and stand me back on my feet again.
You need to start saying things like, I am going to get that promotion at work. My finances are going to grow.
Favor is being poured all over me and God has got my back.
Do some maintenance work.
It only takes a minute or two a day.
Keep that building in shape. Keep your brain in shape.
Keep the Holy Spirit flowing through your life.
Keep the DNA of Jesus Christ flowing through your blood and remember; Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Or as the Amplified Bible puts it: I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].
(End in prayer)
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