can take inventory of the tools God has supplied
us and choose ways to apply them to our lives.
And we must courageously put on God’s armor
and rely on it daily, because spiritual victory only
comes to believers who are equipped for the
battle.
through God’s Word searching for answers (“I
know it’s in here somewhere!”). And there is
no better way to train yourself for spiritual
emergencies than by memorizing key portions
of God’s Word.
6. Bend, Don’t Break
4. Develop a Victor, Not a Victim Mindset
God can use even the most difficult situations
in our lives for our good and His glory. That’s
the promise of Romans 8:28: “God causes all
things to work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are called according to
His purpose.” And what is the highest good God
could imagine coming out of our trials? Paul
provided the answer in verse 29: that we might
“become conformed to the image of His Son.”
God’s purpose is to use every circumstance we
face to mold our character to become more like
Jesus Christ.
We may not always be able to change our
circumstances, but we can change our attitudes.
And changed attitudes result in changed lives.
5. Trust Your Training
When thrown into survival situations, police
officers, firefighters, and military personnel often
encourage one another with three simple words:
“Trust your training.” We are trained spiritually
by reading and studying God’s Word—and then
committing His Word to memory. Why is that
important?
Because just as airline pilots can’t afford to read
an exhaustive flight manual after an engine
catches fire, Christians rarely have time to fumble
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“The wind doesn’t break a tree that bends,”
an African proverb says. Resilience is the trait
of being able to return to an original shape
after being twisted, compressed, or stretched.
Survivalists use the term to refer to the ability
to pick oneself up after a setback, dust off, and
continue to move forward.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to develop
the ability to bend and not break in a culture
that is drifting further and further from God.
Now, perhaps more than ever, we need to stand
firm in our Christian convictions. But how we
maintain our convictions is just as important
as our convictions themselves.
7. Beware of Celebrating the Summit
If we are not careful, we can allow our dreams
to consume us and distract us from what is truly
important. And when we fulfill those dreams,
the temptation to stay there and celebrate can
cause us to lose sight of three important truths.
Your life is about much more than
accomplishing one all-consuming
aspiration; it is about fulfilling God’s
ultimate purpose for your life.
First, your life is about much more than
accomplishing one all-consuming aspiration;