God is the chief of change. He is always doing a new thing—always working in our lives. However, His promises for us don’t just automatically happen. All things are possible with God, but not all things will positively happen.
There are some things that can hinder us from moving forward in life. One is an old mindset. Mark 2:22 (NIV) says, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour the new wine into new wineskins.”
In other words, your mind needs to be renewed. You need a fresh new outlook based on God’s Word and His promises. Knowing God’s will for your life will help you in your determination to keep moving.
Opportunity and Opposition
When you decide to move forward, be prepared because you will be opposed. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:9 that “a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” I like to call them “giants.” Whatever you call it, the enemy will not make it easy for you to do God’s will. It will be up to you to stay determined and keep pressing on.
One of the tactics of the enemy is to lie to you. For example, he may tell you, “It’s too late.” You may be thinking of going back to school after many years. Or maybe you need to make up for some past mistakes. It’s not too late. You might have had a big dream at one time that you never fulfilled. It’s never too late for you to follow your passion. Don’t believe Satan’s lies. You can always begin again!
Be Steadfast
One word of caution: Don’t start if you aren’t determined to finish. The reason I say this is because the enemy certainly won’t stop fighting your advancement. He is determined to stop you, so you must be unwavering about moving forward.
I will never forget when I first started talking about the call of God on my life. Some of my friends decided I must be mistaken. They told me I didn’t have the personality to do this kind of ministry. It was discouraging to say the least. But I knew God had spoken to me about the ministry He was calling me to do, and I was determined to see it through. I was eventually asked to leave my church; I lost friends; and even some family members turned their backs on me.
I had to press through quite a few obstacles to do what I do now. But what if I had given up when I felt that rejection? I would not be fulfilling God’s call on my life today—and I would be miserable, because this is my passion.
Have you asked God to use you? If you are feeling a real passion to do something that aids or brings peace and encouragement to other people, it’s very likely that is from God. And if you don’t do it, you will probably live a frustrated life.
Also, as you move forward, beware: The devil wants to set you up to get upset. That is another part of his strategy to stop you from making progress. He will use people to distract you, criticize you or outright reject you. And if that doesn’t stop you, he will likely attack other areas of your life to try and discourage you.
Keep Moving
Just remember, greater is He that is in you! (See 1 John 4:4.) You have all you need, through Christ, to endure and outlast the devil. As you press in and press on, don’t look at yourself—look at God. Ignore others’ criticism and unbelief and follow your God-given dream. Be determined to press past every lie of the enemy, every discouragement and even rejection from others.
Whatever you do, just keep moving! When you feel disheartened, keep moving. When others condemn you, keep moving. Never give up!
Take a lesson from David who was anointed 20 years before he became king (see 1 Sam. 17). He endured and overcame many obstacles in the meantime, including a bear, a lion and a giant! Like David, don’t be afraid to face your enemy. Remember the things God has brought you through before and talk about your past victories, knowing that He is with you now.
As long as you lean on, trust in and depend on God, it will never be too late for your victory! {eoa}
For more on this topic, order Joyce’s three-CD series “Pressing In and Pressing On.” You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting joycemeyer.org.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times’ bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc. She has authored more than 100 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Your Battles Belong to the Lord (FaithWords). She hosts the “Enjoying Everyday Life” radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
