Need A Breakthrough? Change Your Outlook!!

If you are reading this blog you are already a winner and a conqueror. Yes, I know today was hard, and everything imaginable thing under the sun happened. From the dog ate the homework to those of us in school, our biggest fear came to pass when we were served with the divorce papers, we got fired from the dream job without warning after numerous years service and lost our pension, the notice of foreclosure was pinned on the door when we got home, the car was repossessed while at work and the entire office saw from their windows, and to crown it off the doctor wants us to come in and discuss the results of the blood work in person; and on an on and on, and on and on…..Get the picture?

And here comes the marching band to accompany our pity party….wahh…wahh… wahhh…boom…boom..boom.. boom…poor me! How long will we continue to allow ourselves to let our circumstances dictate our freedom? We need a breakthrough? Control our circumstances! Change our outlook? The serenity prayer from the ‘rooms’ are exactly what we need to be our daily, hourly, or minute by minute mantra for breakthrough during the circumstances mentioned at the beginning. There are times in our lives that we have to surrender all to God.

In my early morning lecture on ‘mindfulness’, a female client shared that she experienced breakthrough when she finally surrendered all; and vowed that if she was to ever fall again, this time she would fall forward and never backward. What a ‘changed outlook’! The lights finally went on after numerous failed attempts at sobriety, when she saw her destiny was doomed if she did not do something drastic, something desperate, something new!

Let’s examine what a change in our outlook can do to our addiction and mental health. And this is where everything changes. If we only continue to selfishly trust in ourselves we are setting ourselves up for failure. Lack of trust in something bigger than us has been one of our greatest setbacks. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

That is the leadership that we seek for ‘breakthrough’; when and where we throw in the towel, and ‘change our outlook.’ What are we holding on to today, right now, that does not belong to us, and we stubbornly refuse to give it all up? Especially with the handwriting on the wall? Every situation in our lives belongs to God. However, in the past, we surrendered the things we are 100% sure we cannot handle. But, we tightly hold on to the things we selfishly believe that we can handle. That very thing that we are holding on to is our addiction? Our breakthrough is right here, right now. We need to give ourselves away!

In Genesis 22:12-13 we have the perfect example of trust displayed by Abraham with full obedience- “12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

Now that’s a perfect display of big-time trust. But God ALWAYS provides. I repeat, God ALWAYS provides.

The key is obedience. Obedience to who we may ask? Obedience to someone greater than us who has the whole world in HIs hands. You see, partial disobedience is disobedience. Where in our lives have we been disobedient? What has God, your Higher Power, the God of your Understanding, the God of your construct instructed you to do and you have partially obeyed? God ALWAYS provide when we surrender all; And He is an on-time God.

Notice when Abraham fully obeyed what God said? He says, “Now I know!” Can we get to that moment in our lives when the creator of the universe says, “Now I know?” When are we ready to hear this in our hearts so that we can achieve breakthrough? In fact, when we surrender ALL, the breakthrough (the Comforter..the Holy Spirit), who was on standby at the door of your hearts for quite some time IMMEDIATELY kicks into gear. With a brand new heart and brand new eyes, we now have a ‘changed outlook.’. We are now seeing EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING, through the eyes (lens) of God; the author and finisher of our faith. This is mentioned clearly in Hebrews 12: 2. “2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

I have ‘good news’ which by the way is the meaning of the Gospel, like the Prodigal son or daughter in Luke 15:11-32. Take some time and read it. Yes we have to do the work. That also is our breakthrough, DOING the work. Not just listening to the advise, but acting on it. James 1:22-25 explains this perfectly. It says,” 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” That is the remedy for the breakthrough that we seek.! Boy, what a pleasure and privilege it is to have the Comforter living on the inside in our new hearts, new mindsets, changed outlook.'

The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-11, “10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” And in tomorrow’s blog we will be talking about the ‘Armor of God’ as we diligently seek to break the obsession with our DOC.

Until next time, Psalm 118:24 reminds us “This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Another version says it like this, “The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Philippians 4:4 says, ”Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” What encouragements from the Holy scriptures. Yes. Rejoice in our ‘breakthrough and our changed outlook’. God is good ALL the time. ALL the time God is good. You think about it!

Remember, “nothing changes, if nothing changes: and “the same person will always use.”.

Have a Blessed day in the Lord. You deserve it.

Good morning!!!

From the desk of Andy Ansola