There are so many
variables in each person’s life and circumstances that it is difficult to
address them all, but there are things one can examine to help diagnose a
problematic situation. Sometimes people get so caught up in trying to deal with
the difficulties of life that they forget to ask the important questions up
front. Scripture gives us guidelines for many of the things we may encounter,
but we cannot presume to know God’s will about every situation unless we seek
Him. When we find ourselves struggling with renegade thoughts, difficult
circumstances or situations that seem determined not to give us a break, we
must pray and ask the Lord, “What is Your will in this situation?” Perhaps a
couple other very good questions are, “What do you want me to learn from this?”
or “What action would you like me to take?” More often than not, when things
aren’t going well figuring out whether we are trying to enforce our will or God’s
will can make all the difference. We need His perspective, His leadership, and
His directives. Without them, we will end up struggling unnecessarily, lose our
peace and joy, and feel completely frustrated. When we understand God’s
intention and we sense His leadership in our life, our spirit can find a place
of rest.
In order for hope to
find an anchor in our soul, it must be grounded in something steadfast,
immovable and proven. Hope will turn to faith when it’s anchored in something
that has a proven track record of success. We have a rock in Jesus Christ; a
solid, trustworthy person whose character is proven.
If a person is not a
born again believer in Jesus Christ, they may well become a victim of
circumstance. A person that confesses their faith in Jesus Christ, however,
always has hope because God is bound by His covenant to honor His promises.
When people look at their circumstances and feel that they are too overwhelming,
they may feel it is impossible to change or break free from such limiting
situations. It can be easy for a person in that state of mind to succumb to
self-pity if they are not alert to that possibility. When life doesn’t go as we
hoped, it can be very easy to feel sorry for ourselves, but staying in that
place too long can be dangerous. Complaining and bitterness provide an open
door to the spirit of self-pity, and if the enemy finds it, the spirits of
poverty, death and ruin come right along with it.
This might not be easy
to read, but it does need to be addressed. Sometimes people enjoy the attention
they get from their problems more than they actually want to receive a
breakthrough. The sympathetic responses of others can feed a need to feel
validated, recognized or affirmed. The person bound by self-pity and unbelief
has actually traded in the truth in exchange for a false belief system built
around the deception of the enemy. These things reinforce negative emotions
that feed unbelief. We are all entitled to our emotions, but we must also guard
our heart and mouth lest we drown ourselves in bitterness and misery. These things
work together to cripple a person’s faith. As unbelief grows stronger, life
becomes a downward spiral that continues to paralyze the individual and make
them completely trapped in their circumstances. The result is a person that has
broken faith with God, and they may not even realize they have done so. The
spiritual reality is that unbelief is aligned with rebellion towards God, and
He cannot bless us when we are in agreement with the wrong things. He blesses
faith and obedience. It is dangerous to adopt a victim mentality. Don’t do it! The
person that has their hope anchored in Christ, however, must make a choice to fight
that lie and embrace the war cry of an overcomer: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Nothing
is impossible with God!"
·
Faith
believes in God’s ability.
·
Faith
declares the promises of God.
·
Faith
is a confident expectation that God will move on our behalf.
·
Faith
trusts the covenant relationship established by God.
If you are feeling
trapped by your circumstances, one of the first things to understand is the
need to surrender every bit of it to the Lord. A need to control others or the
way we feel circumstances should go indicates the presence of fear and a lack
of trust towards the Lord. If you have broken faith with God in some area or
have spoken the wrong things, confess them so that they can be forgiven. God
waits until we realize our own limitations and weaknesses and let Him have
control. People often experience pain and frustration because they have not yet
learned to let go and surrender control. There will be times when God wants to
close doors or redirect us to something different. A person may never
experience God’s best if they insist on trying to stay where they are or keep
doing what they’ve been doing - even
though their best efforts fail to produce a desirable outcome. One definition of insanity is to continue
doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Friend,
it’s time to get off the merry-go-round! No matter what you’re facing, you must
be willing to trust God and surrender your storm!
Generational curses or
spiritual blocks to prayer can be another reason why people often feel stuck in
their circumstances. The spirit realm sees things much differently than we do. Demons
know if they have a legitimate entry point into a person’s life and thus are
able to prevent answers to prayer from coming forth. Perhaps the best course of
action is to ask God to show you if one of these issues could be a reason why
answers to prayer are withheld. Blocked prayer is not necessarily the same thing
as a generational curse, or an unbroken curse of some sort, but both are
important to address. This is not an exhaustive list of spiritual blocks to
prayer, but some of them include: bitterness or unforgiveness, an attitude of
unbelief or double-mindedness, slander or speaking against others in the body
of Christ, personal sin, expecting God to move on our terms, misplaced faith, no
personal relationship with God, asking for the wrong thing, murmuring and
complaining, and idolatry. God has said in His word that His people are
destroyed for lack of knowledge. The responsibility falls on us to determine
where we might be missing an important truth. In one form or another, all sin
comes from separation from our true identity, separation from others (broken
relationships) and separation from God. These things can cause us to stay stuck
in our circumstances until we address them properly – not according to our own
feelings, opinions or beliefs - but according to God’s word. Generational
curses also keep people trapped in old cycles so that they cannot seem to move
forward. When we are unsure of the reason why
we are stuck or feeling trapped by our circumstances, if we will seek God for
answers, He will send the
answer we need.
God is not daunted by
the things that are beyond our control. He works outside the norm. It is not up
to us to figure out HOW our prayers will be answered; simply to trust that He
will. When life seems overwhelming and you feel frustrated, remind yourself
that it’s not your job to figure out the details. We have to trust Him to work
in ways we do not always understand. God’s ways are infinitely higher than our
ways. He knows people we don’t know, and He works with pieces of the puzzle we don’t
know even exist! As we trust Him to work out the details, He causes us to cross
paths with those that He has chosen to bless us. His favor towards us is what
compels others to release the things we need.
Part of getting
‘unstuck’ from your current circumstances is to have an understanding of your
identity in Christ. Do you realize that there are some doors that will not open
until you see yourself the way God wants you to see yourself? It is easy to
feel defeated or unable to see a way out of your present situation if you don’t
know who you are or how to utilize what God has made available. A child of God
has the same DNA as their Father. We are made in the image and likeness of God.
Because the Spirit of God lives within us, the power to create with Him resides within us. Romans 4:17 reminds us
that we have the ability to ‘call those things that are not as though they
were.’ Truth displaces lies and has the power to restore faith. Faith comes by
hearing the word of God. Faith assures us in our ability to use the authority
God has given us. The authority of God in the believer often times has the
ability to create the breakthrough that is needed. As we speak forth the
promises of God, the way opens up before us. Sometimes we think we are waiting
on God but perhaps He is waiting on us to get a revelation and run with it. Our
pressing needs and a sense of desperation are not always what releases answers;
faith and obedience moves
God’s hand.
Whatever your
circumstance, God can make a way where there doesn’t seem to be one. My husband
and I have experienced many, many breakthroughs. It’s when we thought we had
nothing to work with that God moved. When we didn’t have a job, God gave my
husband a creative idea that led to work. When we didn’t have any money in the
bank, God had us start our own business. When we didn’t have a ministry, God
launched one off of a little tuna casserole. When I miscarried and was told I
wouldn’t have any more children, my husband prophesied into an empty womb and
it brought forth our son. We have so many testimonies of God breaking through
difficult circumstances. Every one of them seemed
impossible – until God showed up. When you place a demand on the
anointing, your faith pulls the answer out of the unseen realm. Your
circumstances can change in a moment.
Never give up on the
brink of a miracle! God delights in difficult situations because it creates a
new story the world is waiting to hear. Your story could be next! All things
become possible to him who believes. Would you like to encounter the Lord of
all your impossible situations? “Call
on the name of the Lord and He will show you great and mighty things you know
not of!” Jer. 33:3.
**Please browse the many prayers on this site. The Breakthrough Prayer is great for getting people 'unstuck!'**
This article was recently published in the premier issue of Godspeed magazine.
http://godspeedmag.com/magazine/issues/premiere-issue/mission-possible
#Doyoufeeltrappedbyyourcircumstances? #Getunstuck, #Prayingforbreakthrough
#Doyoufeeltrappedbyyourcircumstances? #Getunstuck, #Prayingforbreakthrough
Thank you for this encouragement. You have a gift and it has blessed me, thank you.
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