Living The "Rollover" Life: A Mandate for Marketplace MinistersWritten by Theresa V. Wilson
We work in a society that thrives on an endless jargon of terms for building financial security and success. We can transfer “deposits,”multiply “dividends,” manipulate “stock portfolios,” and calculate “capital gains”. We understand depreciation of assets and can analyze and refocus options. We push buttons and punch keys. We re-route traffic, mark paper trails, and can “buy high and sell low.” As marketplace ministers, however, we need to perfect our ability to “roll” our problems over to God.We are spirit beings living in natural world. We are “passing through,” fulfilling our individual God-given assignments. By choice, we are not our own master, but rather lean on unchanging nature of our God. Our assignments include living life of Christ, depending on God, and leading and teaching as He did during His “natural” walk on earth. This life we lead requires that we handle our problems and challenges differently than we handle stock market. By “rolling” our problems over to author and finisher of our fate, we acknowledge gift of grace (which is unmerited favor of God) and power we have been given. We also open doors of success in our business and personal lives. We must learn to enter “rest” of God, comfortable that when time is right what we need for our business and personal success will be in place. We must keep “Word” before us, remembering that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age (Ephesians 6:12). Our power and victory over business or personal challenges, therefore, cannot be attained through earthly means neither through our earthly actions. We must turn away from our natural responses and stop “taking charge” over making things happen. We must transform our thinking and roll issues and situations over to God. We must seek His wisdom, knowledge, and His perfect timing. “Not my will but thy will”(Luke22:42) must be our lifelong philosophy. In so doing, we demonstrate to all who observe supernatural power we have within us to overcome and withstand obstacles and succeed in our personal and business endeavors. As children of living God, our response to our business struggles have far reaching impact on those who observe us. We cannot afford luxury of wallowing or whining and complaining, fearing and fretting, or being anxious and distressed. Our steps are observed and critiqued by those who may be weak in faith, or who do not believe at all in power of prayer through submission. We must remember we exist on this earth to be living examples that God we serve will take care of us in time of trouble and struggle, stress or pain. Because of this fact, we cannot allow ourselves to be impatient or decide we will help God resolve our problems. We have a responsibility to remind ourselves and others that God’s timing is perfect, and He is working it out. “Unless God builds a house, those who labor will labor in vain. (Psalm 127:1) When we operate outside of God’s timing, we waste valuable energy and resources. We also begin to travel in circles accumulating fear, frustration, ill health and doubt in future—all of which are darts of attack from enemy. Living “roll over” life can reap enormous benefits which cannot be manifested without some actions on our part. We are required to have faith, be obedient and be committed. Faith in power of God, obedience to Word of God, and commitment to Will of God are ingredients to successful rolled over lifestyle we must seek in order to defeat plots and plans of enemy. Faith is an action word. We must actively believe that God is in charge, with full oversight and control of our lives. In order to have faith in power of God, you must recognize how to access that power.
| | Fear and Faith Cannot Occupy the Same PlaceWritten by Theresa V. Wilson
The product package and design meeting had been cancelled. The marketing staff was notified there had been another shooting. The interstate was a parking lot. Traffic jams and roadblocks were a daily routine. No one felt safe to travel in or around area while sniper was still free to kill at will. They promised to do all they could to catch culprit, but there was no relief in sight. “What were we going to do?” This scenario read like a story out of a detective novel that would have sold a million copies. Unfortunately, this was not a fantasy. We were experiencing a tragic event.We lived in a city that was not alien to violence. Domestic upheaval, drug wars, school vandalism, parent and child tragedies—all of these were all too familiar to our lifestyle. But random violence from an unknown assailant day after day, this was new. This was mind blowing. This was fear. How could we operate with “business as usual” when we were awakened daily feeling no one was safe, and everyone was target. Our employees, families and friends were openly confessing they were afraid to perform simple “daily living” tasks like going to store, mowing lawn, or catching bus much less going to work. The local news media had been inundated with helplessness, frustration, sorrow and pain. In addition, our police security had confirmed our worse concerns. They had no idea how to fight battle and guarantee our safety. Daily we faced question what were we to do now? People expressed fear. “But God hath not given us spirit of fear; but of power and love and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7 KJV). We must continue to remind ourselves that we are living in a time when we must know that we know who we are and whose we are. The enemy, working through men, has threatened to destroy our economy and abolish our freedoms. If we continue with “carnal” thinking, we will continue to respond to tragic situations with our natural eyes only. We will fall in enemy’s hands and become slaves to follow their dictate and commands. We will continue to close schools, shut down businesses, avoid daily routines and hide in our homes awaiting final blow. If we maintain carnal thinking, we will keep our youth from quality education, shut libraries, museums and other public facilities. If we respond to tragedy carnally, we will begin to trade our freedom for a hostage lifestyle and begin living like captives in our own land. Faith is now. It is time for us to address our natural life challenges using spirit-based guidelines. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”. (Ephesians 6:12 KJV) We must acknowledge real enemy when experiencing violence related battles, and take unto ourselves “whole armor of God” so that we may be able to withstand “in evil day”. And, after having done all in natural, stand in prayer “spiritually.” This is our charge as parents, businesspeople, law enforcers and politicians. After all our efforts of closing highways, arriving on scene with guns blazing, pulling over mini vans and trucks, and shutting down schools and businesses has been exhausted, we must pray then stand. “Stand firm then, with belt of truth buckled around your waist, with breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with readiness that comes from gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all flaming arrows of evil one……and pray in spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:14-18, NIV)
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