Blogs/News/PSAs

When it just can't be done

Read Joshua 3

Have you ever been here? everything seemed to be going against you.

You thought you should do something but nothing seemed to work out right.

You may have thought that God had directed you this way but now you are starting to wonder.

You’re not the first to be in this situation and neither will you be the last.

Do you know what is really happening and do you know how to deal with it?

If there is a God given opportunity before you and it doesn’t seem to be working out don’t despair,
“for what the devil meant for evil for you, God will use for good.”

 “We know that all things work together for good for those that love God, to those that are called according to His purposes.” Rom 8.28

Not every door that God presents to us is an open door

but still He intends for us to go through.

Before we can do that we have to:-

get to the door,  -  many obstacles in our way 

the door won’t open. -   locks,   bolts to unfasten,

find the keys to unlock the locks

slide back the bolts

turn the handle and

PUSH the door.

The kind of obstacles we face to going through the door may be:

people not doing what they said they would do;

something not happening at an appointed time;

people, even well meaning people, family or friends, mislead you   - take offence at you -                              although you fail to see how or why;

there’s a strike;

the weather is adverse;

some scheduling changes;

a relationship with someone suddenly deteriorates over a small thing.

The door  is the Jordan river and the problem is -water, people, carts, animals -millions of them.

It just can't be done.

but no-one said it.

Can you say while you are going through these obstacles?
“If God is for me who can be against me.”  Rom 8.31

“He has blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Eph 1.3 

“No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against me in judgement I shall condemn.”  Isa 54.17

“I am saying to this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, and I shall not doubt in my heart, but shall believe that those things which I saith shall come to pass, I shall have whatsoever I saith.”      Mark 11.23

personalised Scriptures  - in the first person  - that they relate to me, not someone else – 

You can do that when things go wrong?

Crossing Jordan -  bapt HS - Spirit led life

no sin   - they've all died in wilderness

no rebellion  - all swallowed up by ground

no carnal/natural thinking - poisoned by snakes and died

There's more to the total solution than simply saying positive statements from God’s word  but without doing that we can’t proceed to the next step.

We must believe in what we are saying and that it is making a difference,

We need to keep on confessing these principles of God regardless of the situation we find ourselves in.

Recognise the real problems, whether - people or circumstances,

it’s not people disagreeing with us and purposely trying to make it hard for us.

                  Most often in their hearts - well meaning people

recognise that

• Satan uses people/events trying to prevent Christians living in the promises
• If he can stop you making your positive faith confession he’ll stop you.
• If he can get you thinking that people are against you, - you may get an unnecessary attitude against people;

It will stop you until you repent of it.

Hold no grudge against the people that SEEM to be part of your problem.

People and things are not your problem, Satan is.

"We fight not with flesh and blood (people) but against principalities, against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Satan and his hordes). Eph 6.12

Now start to exercise that authority that Jesus has placed in you,

“You are the head and not the tail,” Duet 28.13

“all power is given to you in Jesus name, go ye therefore…”   Matt 28.18

Even Jesus said to one of his closest disciples, Peter, “Get thee behind me Satan.” Matt 16.23.

He understood that Satan was using Peter, (albeit unknowingly) to try to prevent Jesus fulfilling the plan of God.

Through all this keep your heart pure.

“there is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor 10.13

Prior to crossing Joshua 3.5

consecrate yourselves

“…but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Phil 4.6 

“Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” Prov 4.23

Don’t say you’re the only one that has to go through this – it’s happened to others – the question is, how are you going to travel this road? 

Prior to Crossing

Ark & priests have to lead

People must follow - or you won't go in

(Because you haven't been this way before)

Now it was the time of harvest and the Jordan river was in flood. 
 

get your feet wet before evidence of river drying up

water stopped flowing from Adam (natural man) Joshua 3.16
about 30km away 

took some time for water to flow past    1-2 hours

spirit led  vs  natural thinking       ( a great distance away)

all the nation crossed over

ark stayed in the river until they were all across

God will hold back the tide that is against you if you follow the plan.

BLOG Makers instructions When All Else Fails - read the instructions

Summary

keep your heart pure,

see the good in all,

repent of natural thinking

recognise Satan as your enemy, the deceiver and destroyer,

confidently speak to your circumstances

tell Satan that his deceits won’t work with you.

Keep a pure heart

stay in worship to God and fellowship with the saints.

Put faith to work by saying and believing the word of God,

use your authority against the deceiver

nothing can stop you from possessing the promises of God.

The victory is yours,

repent, confess it, believe it, and stick to it until you physically take hold of it,

That’s Faith. Heb 11.1

YOU WILL BE CHANGED.

YOU WILL CROSS OVER & POSSESS THE PROMISED LAND

Delivered at Global Faith Coalition World Congress Nairobi Kenya 22-26 Aug 2023                                                          by  Howard Sands

Vision and Goals

volunteers  needed for demonstration
5 occupations - dentist, hairdresser, mechanic, doctor, pharmacist

5 Volunteers – all with the same problem but different response actions

Person with very sore open infected leg, painful, weeping sore.

Same problem – different beliefs and actions

Who to go to, to get leg fixed?

1/ Visits dentist, my leg is sore, dentist says, open your mouth,
I see the problem, your back molar is twisted it needs to come out.

Reaction – I am not sure.

2/ Lady, my friend is a hairdresser, I need a haircut, I will go and ask her.
Sitting in chair getting her hair done and asks about leg

I see the problem, its not clean, I recommend this shampoo to all my customers it works wonders for them, take some and try it.

Shampoo on leg – condition gets worse and more painful.

3/ Smart guy, My mechanic says he can fix anything, he’s fixed my car many times.

I see the problem, If you put this high grade oil in your car it works better, maybe it will work for your leg too.

Puts oil on leg, infection and pain worse.

4/ Even smarter guy, Maybe I should go to the doctor. Visits doctor.

I see the problem, you have an infection, we need to kill the bacteria with cream and antibiotic tablets, go get these and apply cream to leg and take antibiotics, come back and see me in a week.

Man goes to Pharmacy,  the cream is cheap but the tablets expensive.

Doesn’t buy tablets because he can’t afford.

Leg stops weeping but infection swelling and pain still there,

back to doctor in a week.

I couldn’t afford tablets but why is my leg not better?

5/ Even smarter still lady, Maybe I should go to the doctor.

Visits doctor

I see the problem, you have an infection, we need to kill the bacteria with cream and antibiotic tablets, go get these and apply cream to leg and take antiobiotics, come back and see me in a week.

Goes to pharmacy, gets cream, can’t afford tablets, goes home to family and friends, I have to get $X, searches, asks, borrows from family friends, goes back to pharmacy, gets tablets and uses.
After a week goes back to doctor, leg healed.

POINT

Don’t take your advice from someone who is not experienced AND qualified in the appropriate field.
Take the action recommended by the expert.

Do Whatever it Takes.

Jesus had goals
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. Lk 8.22

Then a storm came but he stilled the storm because he had a goal. 
He did not say, let's go out in the boat, go to the middle of the lake and drown in a big storm.
He had a goal and did whatever it took to complete the goal.  

Set his face to go to Jerusalem Luke 9.51

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

Had clear goals and pursued them, in spite of difficulties.

Difference between a failure and a person who has failed.

you are NOT a failure, you are more than conquerors, BUT …

you may have failed:-

And continue to fail

perhaps because

• You take advice from unqualified people
• You don’t follow the advice of experts
• Have been beaten by the circumstances, economy, culture, resistant people

BUT you don’t have to stay there …

You may have a general idea of a vision you want to follow

But most will not get there

Because:-

• you don’t even ask any questions
• some ask, but not the right questions,
• you don’t ask the right people and
• when you do get good advice, you don’t follow it.

You are either:-

• Stubborn
• Rebellious
• Stupid
• Or looking for a quick way or shortcut

What does God say about the person that knows to do good but does not do it?
To him who fails to respond to God, to him it is sin.

To act without faith is sin.

A few succeed,

• They follow the advice of the expert
• and act on it
• and persist in faith despite obstacles until it works.

A success is a person that got up and tries again after every failure

A failure is one who says:-  

• It can’t be done
• I don’t know how to do it
• I can’t afford it
• It’s too hard
• Nobody will help me
• In our country you can’t do that because – long list of cultural, economic or social excuses.

Elite Sportspeople spend hours, weeks months and years in obscurity – practicing for their big moment.
But the sports stars all have one thing that most Christian leaders lack -

GOALS

Clearly defined, exact objective, time specific

And a
Strategy to get to the goal.

If it costs you nothing you will not value it.
if the cost is beyond your natural means, must use faith and persistence to obtain.

Stop looking for a free everything.

Some won’t come to an event if it’s not free lunch.

Free will not help you.

Pay for it and appreciate it.

I apologies on behalf of all western missionaries that have come to you and taught by their example that you don’t have to pay for anything.
They have (perhaps unknowingly), taught you a poverty mentality.

You must escape the poverty mentality.

Those wanting a free lunch are free loaders – they will still be looking for a free lunch when Jesus comes and their excuse for not doing the job will be we couldn’t afford it.

Lk 13.27 But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

John 6.26Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

If you have a vision, but no goals

You will –

• Never know what is best to do next
• Easily get diverted from the best path
• Not knuckle down and work hard because there is no deadline
• And never know whether you have achieved your goal.

Follow the blueprint
Exodus 25:9 You must make the tabernacle and design all its furnishings according to the pattern ...

As part of our program to help you learn how to hear God and set Godly specific goals for your ministry we have established

Growing African Christian Leaders facebook group

We discovered by asking admission questions. 
1/ What is the biggest goal you have in your ministry? Share the specific activity or project, the deadline and measurement.

Less than 10% could provide a clear goal.

We changed question to:- 

1/ What is the next big goal/project your ministry is working towards? Include specific project, how many, what size, describe the people by location, ethnicity, age, gender, interest or other factor & date to achieve.

Still only 17% can explain a clear goal that they have.

That's why we provide this training, to help you understand, create goals and fulfil them. 

Now after more 3000 applications, & 2500+ waiting to get in that didn’t provide answers at all.
We can clearly say that:-  
Africans need help with setting goals

That’s why we have a 10 Day Challenge to show you how to hear from God and do it,

and take your ministry to the next level in 10 days – and its free,

but you won’t learn if you don’t do the assigned tasks.

To Sign Up click here 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/growingafricanchristianleaders

Answer all 4 questions. 
When you are admitted check for private messenger message from Howard Sands

AND email (if not found check your email spam filter);

click CONFIRM link in email and start receiving email training.

get started on understanding and setting goals then achieving them and changing your life, ministry and community. 
I look forward to seeing your reports in the facebook group on your progress with setting and achieving goals to move you closer to your vision.

Let me know in the comments below what you think about this blog. 
What has it stirred up in you?

. 

Speicifications of cartoon badge reels

Material: PVC

Size:2.5*2.5cm

Attachment: Clip

Application: ID Badge Holder