New Year Challenge

Thinking about the challenges and opportunities this new year will bring, I came across a verse that speaks to the leadership call in all of us. In I Corinthians 6:6, the apostle Paul says, "We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit." I believe that 2006 will be a year of proving for many of us. We have already made goals--goals for our health, our finances, our family, our walk with God. We must be prepared for the tests that are to come. Even your best commitments will be tested this year.

After months, even years of persuading, I finally convinced Rachel to join a health club. She has always walked in the neighborhood, but she cannot stand to work out. After lifting kids, lifting toys, lifting dishes, and lifting mops, the last thing she wants to lift is a dumbbell. Three days into her workout routine, she experienced incredible soreness and wanted to give up. I encouraged her to fight through soreness and fatigue and stay committed to her goals. The results she wants are just on the other side of her pain!

Paul gives us a list of 6 ways we must prove ourselves if we are going to achieve the spiritual results we are looking for...and purity is at the top of the list! If we want God to anoint us and use us in a supernatural way this year, we must be clean vessels inside and out. In order to maintain Godly purity, we cannot trust our flesh. On the wrong day, at the wrong time, given the wrong circumstances, even the best Christian will do something wrong. Safeguard yourself with accountability and pursue purity everyday.

Second, Paul talks about understanding. If we are going to lead people and minister to their needs, we must have understanding. I am learning that when you are committed to earnestly praying for someone, God will speak to you about the things they need. You can speak life to someone who is struggling when you have divine perspective on their situation.

Third, Paul mentions patience. Don't give up on the people you are working with this year. Hang in there with them and operate in patience. When you learn the power of giving mercy, it will bring out the best in your people. Consider your own journey--aren't you glad God has been patient with you?

The fourth area we must prove ourselves in is kindness. I believe this is what has put Healing Place Church on the map. We value kind words and compassionate deeds, believing they have more conversion power than the most eloquent sermon. Kindness is the universal language...a blind man can see it, a deaf man can hear it, and a lost man can feel it!

Sincere love is what ties all of this together. Regardless of our frantic activity this year, if we do not saturate everything we do in love, we are simply spinning our wheels and going nowhere.

I love how Paul finishes this series by listing the power of the Holy Spirit. If we focus our energies toward the first 5 things, we can be guaranteed the Holy Spirit's power to help us!! Have a high-impact 2006 as you populate heaven and plunder hell!!