You can ignore reality but you cannot ignore the consequence of reality. Wrong thinking producing wrong believing.
Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2nd Peter chapter 1:
3 Everything we could ever need for life and complete devotion to God has already been deposited in us by HIS Divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing Him Who has called us by name and invited us to come to Him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.
Most believers are waiting for GOD to act on their behalf to fulfill needs in one or more areas of their life. I must admit that for many years, I counted myself among them. The teaching I received was incomplete and did not focus on passages such as the one above.
The fivefold ministry was not living the fullness of what FATHER provided for us so they did not teach such fullness. Their bias was based on their own past experience rather than fully trusting in what The Word was revealing to those who sought full understanding. I am not critical of them but simply making an observation of history.
James Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in his epistle chapter 1:
3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
Trials and tribulations will come to every one of us in one form or another. I know I have had my share. It is easy to give up and move toward a passive/submissive state and succumb to the trial. However, we must not let ourselves accept failure when it comes to our faith being tested.
FATHER has revealed through HIS Word that the power resides on the inside of us thus we are to access this power by faith. I know that it is easier said than done!
I was a jogger for years and about ten years ago, my daughter wanted to run a half-marathon (13.1 miles), it was on her bucket list. I told her that I would train and run with her. The most I had run at one time was a 10K race (6 miles). Runners know that they will come against the proverbial wall when the body cries out for you to quit during a long run. I experienced that myself at about mile 7. You have to take command over your body and press on. Some runners give in and simply stop or walk. If you have faith that your body will respond, you press on. I know this to be true. I finished four half-marathons and called it “good”. I saw that it was easy to become obsessed with such activity and FATHER had another “corrective” interview with me. It is easy to lose focus on the Spiritual when you direct your focus on the physical… with intensity. My mistake!
It is written by THE SPIRIT in Jeremiah 17:
10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
We must guard our intent in everything we set our hand to. This is why we must renew our minds daily so that our intent stays aligned with FATHER. We must keep HIS Word before us at all times in order to test our focus.
Jesus spoke in John 15:
5 “I am the sprouting vine and you’re My branches. As you live in union with Me as your Source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from Me you are powerless.”
When our minds are in complete union with Jesus, our fruit abounds. To the degree that our focus has been diverted, our fruit will be lacking. Let us not ignore the reality of that Truth.