Rewiring the thought: I just don’t have what it takes.

 Have you ever felt like that? You don’t have what it takes to be a Christian; you just don’t have what it takes to be a good parent; to stop sinning; to overcome the devil, the flesh and temptation.

Perhaps you’ve thought that you didn’t have what it takes to be promoted at your job, or to get the job you need, or to be the wife or mother you’re supposed to be.

 You’re not the only one who has thought these things.  Paul the apostle dealt with the same thoughts you and I face.  

In fact, this thought: “I just don’t have what it takes,” is a quote right out of the Bible (Message translation). In Romans 7:17-20, Paul says: “I need something more…I realize I don’t have what it takes…something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.”

We often fall short and then embrace defeat. REMEMBER, there is no stopping the man or woman who is set free from wrong thinking.

Paul gives us insight into the struggle we all face, and then reveals the secret to being set free.  True freedom and true victory come from being free from wrong thinking.  Let’s overcome this thought that we don’t have what it takes:

1.       EMBRACE YOUR FREEDOM FROM CONDEMNATION.  The first step toward breaking out of this defeated mindset is to realize that even when you’ve fallen short, or messed up, GOD DOES NOT CONDEMN YOU.

The Apostle Paul comes right out of Romans 7, and declares in Romans 8:1 “There is NOW therefore NO condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus…”   Has something gone wrong deep within you, like Paul?  Well, don’t be condemned about it.  God has just the remedy!

2.       Believe in the patience of God toward you.When you realize how patient He is, you’ll be more patient with yourself.  Remember, it took him a week to make the universe, and yet He’s STILL WORKING ON YOU! Philippians 1:6 says, “Faithful is He who began the good work in you, and He will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ!”  Time is on your side.  He will never give up on you, until His work is done!

3.       Start with what you have! David said in Psalm 103, “Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me…who pardons all my sins, heals all my diseases, redeems my life from destruction…”  He started listing what he already had in his life.  Before you go shopping, look in your cupboard!  There’s more there than you realize! But notice also:

4.       David talked to himself.  Too often we listen to ourselves tell ourselves what we don’t have, what we’ve failed at, what we’re missing in life.  Stop that today and begin to TALK TO YOURSELF.
  

5.       Tell yourself what you DO HAVE. Philemon verse 6 says, “Your faith becomes effective through acknowledging what is already in you, in Christ Jesus.”  This verse is so liberating.  Our faith overcomes our flesh and the devil by acknowledging what we already have.

6.       YOU HAVE THE HELPER—THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING INSIDE YOU. Romans 8:11 says that the SAME SPIRIT that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. How’s that for HAVING WHAT IT TAKES.  If you have the person who has what it takes to resurrect the dead, LIVING IN YOU, then you have what it takes to do AND to overcome ANYTHING.

7.       You have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16) God’s thoughts are not beyond you.  You are not separated from God anymore.  He lives in you.  His thoughts are in you.  As you read His Word, you realize how He thinks, and that is the gateway to your new way of thinking.

• THINK IT & SAY IT:
  Even when I’ve fallen short, sinned and felt like a failure, I AM NOT CONDEMNED.  I am in Christ and I am free.

• God is patient with me, and will finish what He started.  I recognize what He has put in me.

• When I feel like I don’t have what it takes, I realize the greatest power in the universe lives in me!

•  I DO HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.  It takes the Holy Spirit, and He lives in me. He is my helper!

• (John 14:16, John 15:26, John 16:7)  It takes the mind of Christ, and I have it!

• I have everything I need, and amply supplied—My God supplies and I will never lack what it takes again, in Jesus’ Name!