ChangeYourImage,ChangeYourLife

byBillWinston GodwantsallHischildrentoliveinabundance. Sadly,manyarenotlivinganabundantlifethekindofprosperouslifestyleGod hasplanned.Why?Becauseofvision.Theydontseethemselvesasanythingotherthan poorandinlack,orjustgettingby. Thatsoundsharsh,Iknow,butitisreality. MostChristianstodayarelivingbeneaththeirprivileges,andnotuptowhatGod haspromisedandexpectsofthem.Theyknowtheyaresaved,andtheyunderstandthey haveaninheritancethatincludeseternallifewhentheyleavethisearth.Butwhenit comestomanifestingwhatwehavebeengivenhereontheearth,thevastmajorityhas missedit.Why?Becausetheyhaveapoorselfimageadistortedmentalpictureof themselves. Meanwhile,theungodlyareincreasingBehold,thesearetheungodly,who prosperintheworldtheyincreaseinriches(Psalm73:12).Lookaroundandtakenote ofwhatsgoingoninindustriessuchasentertainment,gambling,realestate,oilandin business,andwhohasmostofthewealthintheworld.Iheardrecentlythatthereare33 billionairesinRussiaalone,andIwoulddaresaymostofthemarenotChristian.Inthe bookofJeremiahtheprophetasked,Whereforedoththewayofthewickedprosper? Whereforearealltheyhappythatdealverytreacherously?(Jeremiah12:1).Illtellyou howtheyareprosperingbyunderstandingandworkingthecorruptandfailingworld system.Jesussaid,Forthechildrenofthisworldareintheirgenerationwiserthanthe

childrenof[God](Luke16:8).Theyareusingtheirsystemandworkingtheirwaytothe top,whileatthesametimegainingrespectfromtheworld. WhatImsayingisthatthedevilhasasystemforgettinghispeopleaheadand keepingthemthere.

AProsperousImage Well,Godhasasystem,too.ButHissystemdoesntinvolvedeceptionnorisit corruptordishonestinanyway.ItinvolvesyouseeingyourselfasGodseesyouand recognizingthatyourinheritanceoftheabundantlifeishereandnow. WorkingGodssystembeginswithyoudevelopingaprosperousimageinside yourself,accordingtoHisWord. InMatthew12:34,Jesussaid,talkingtothereligiousleaders,Youoffspringof vipers!Howcanyouspeakgoodthingswhenyouareevil(wicked)?Foroutofthe fullness(theoverflow,thesuperabundance)oftheheartthemouthspeaks(The AmplifiedBible). Thatswhereyourprosperousimagebeginsinyourheartorspirit. AsIstudiedcarefullyGodswaysandthekingdomofGodsystem,Isawthat Jesusdidntspendtimetryingtogetmenoutofpoverty.Hegotthepovertyoutofthem andtheydidtherest.IfChristwereheretoday,Hewouldntmovepeopleoutofthe slumsHedsimplygettheslumsoutofthem.Theirnewinnerimagewouldeventually changetheirsurroundingstomatchthenewprosperousimageontheinside. Godswayofchangingyourworldisbyfirstchangingyourselfimagethrough HisWordandtheworkofHisSpiritontheinsideofyou.Jesusteaches,Thesower soweththeword(Mark4:14).WhenyouacknowledgeorconfessGodspromises,you

aresowingtheseedofHisWordintothesoilofyourheart(spirit)whereitbeginsto developandbringtopasswhatyouhavespoken.Outofthatseedgoodthingswillgrow. Jesusgoesontosay,Agoodmanoutofthegood[deposit] of theheartbringethforth goodthings:andanevilmanoutoftheevil [deposit]bringethforthevilthings (Matthew12:35). Theabundantlifeisalreadyyoursrightnow.Jesussawtothatalongtimeago. Hewasrichinallthings,butbecamepoorsothatyoucouldliveanabundant, prosperous,richlife(2Corinthians8:9).Abundance,orprosperity,issomuchmorethan money.Godsideaofbeingrichishavingmorethanenoughin everyareaofyourlife somuchyoucanbeablessingandgivegenerouslytoothers.

WhereIsYourWealth? ThequestionstillarisesfortheBodyofChrist, IfGodwantsHispeopleto aboundineveryareaoflife,andHehasalreadymadeprovision,whyaresomany believersnotwalkinginthatprosperity? Whenthe12spiescamebackfromspyingoutthelandofCanaan,10of themhadwhattheBiblecallsanevilreport.Whattheyallobservedwasapretty impossiblesituationinthenatural.JoshuaandCaleb,however,hadagoodreport. CalebstilledthepeoplebeforeMoses,andsaid,Letusgoupatonce,andpossessitfor wearewellabletoovercomeit(Numbers13:30).JoshuaandCalebsreportwas differentnotbecauseofwhattheyobservedwith theirnaturaleyes,butbecauseofhow theysawthemselvesontheinside.Theysawthemselvesandtheirsituationinthelightof GodsWordandnotaccordingtowhathadbeenprogrammedintothemduringtheir

yearsofbondageinEgypt.TheWord,thegooddeposit,intheirhearts,wascomingout oftheirmouthsandGodwasboundtohonorit.Godsaid,ForIamalertandactive, watchingoverMywordtoperformit(Jeremiah1:12,TheAmplifiedBible). DoyouseehowboldJoshuaandCalebwere?TheBiblesays,Therighteousare boldasalion.Itwasillogicaltobelievetheycouldfightanationofgiants,win the battleandtaketheirland.Buttheimagethetwospieshadofthemselvesandtheir confidencethatGodwasontheirsidecausedthemtodeclaretheimpossible:Letusgo upatonce,andpossessitforwearewellabletoovercomeit.Thisiswheremost Christiansfeartotread.Itswherewemustwalkbyfaithandnotbysight. Theother10spieshadwitnessedthemiraculouspartingoftheRedSeawhenGod deliveredthemoutofthehandsoftheEgyptianarmy.Hewasleadingthemintoaland ofmilkandhoney,buttheimagetheyhadofthemselvesasgrasshoppersgavethema senseofinferiorityandpowerlessness.TheirconfessionwasWebenotabletogoup againstthepeoplefortheyarestrongerthanwe,whichsoundedlogical.However,it wasnotinagreementwithGodsWordandthepromiseHemadetotheseedof Abraham.Theydiedinthewildernesswithoutreceivingtheirinheritance.Thisshows thatyouroutlookisbasedonwhatyourelookingoutfrom.The10spieshadanimageof lackandinferiorityfrom400yearsofbeingbrainwashed. Remember,thekeytoourperformanceandachievementinlifeisourselfimage. Thepoorimageof the10spiescausedwhatmadeperfectsensetoCalebandJoshuaseem impossibletothem.

ComeOutFromBehindYourFence!

InsideeveryoneofusisanimageIcallaninvisiblefence,whichdictateshow farwecangoandwhatweseeourselvesdoingandbeing.Itisaninvisiblewallbetween youandGod,holdingyouback,andkeepingyoufromsteppingoutanddoingwhat seemsimpossible.Ifyouattempttogooutsidethisfence,yoursubconsciousmindbrings youback.Icallityourautopilot.Itsdesignedtokeepyouoncourseatthelevelof yourselfimage. Anotherbarrier(fence)topossessingyourinheritancecanbecondemnation. Satanusesittogetyoutolookatyourpastanddestroyyourfaithforsomethingyouneed ordesire.Perhapsyoulivedasinfullifeorhavesomethinginyourpastthedevilis accusingyouabout.Well,heresthegoodnews.Goddoesnotrememberit!Whenyou gotbornagainthroughthepreciousbloodofJesus,yourpastwasexpungedfromHis records.Hesaid,I,evenI,amHethatblottethoutthytransgressionsformyownsake, andwillnotrememberthysins(Isaiah43:25).IfHedoesntrememberthem,why shouldyou? Inthissituation,theinvisiblefenceisnothingmorethancondemnationwhich bringsasenseofguilt,shameandinferiority,andabsolutelydestroysfaith.Itisadisease thatweakensyourspiritsoyoucannotreceivefromGod.InsteadofgoingtoGodin faith,youfindyourselfcrying,whiningandbegging.Nothingdelightsthedevilmore than tobringupthepasttogetyouofftrackwhenyouareabouttostepoutinfaithand allowGodtoblessyou. Paulsays,ThereisthereforenownocondemnationtothemwhichareinChrist Jesus,whowalknotaftertheflesh,butaftertheSpirit(Romans8:1).God willconvict you,butHenevercondemns.ForHimtobringupyourpastwouldbeaviolationofHis

Word.Heforgets,andsoshouldyou.Forgettingyourpastisamajorstepinrootingout youroldselfimage. Joshua1:8isthesuccessformulaIusedtobreakthroughbarriersinmylife.God toldJoshuaashewasabouttoleadthechildrenofIsraelintothelandofabundance: Thisbookofthelawshallnotdepartoutofthymouthbutthoushaltmeditatetherein dayandnight,thatthoumayestobservetodoaccordingtoallthatiswrittentherein:for thenthoushaltmakethywayprosperous,andthenthoushalthavegoodsuccess.Thisis Godswayofchangingwhatyoubelieveandmakingwhatisimpossiblepossible. TheApostleJohnwrote,Beloved,Iwishaboveallthingsthatthoumayest prosperandbeinhealth,evenasthysoulprospereth(3John2).Godswayof prosperingHispeopleisfromtheinsideout.Ifyourelivingbelowyourprivileges,ifit seemslikeyouregoingaroundthesamemountainandnotmakinganyprogress,dont complainorstartblaming.GetintotheWordofGod,allowittochangeyouontheinside andexperienceGodsbestforyourlife.Youllnolongerbeworkingforthesystembut thesystemwillworkforyou. Thechangebeginswithyou.YoucanchangeyourimagewiththeWordand changeyourlife.

BillWinstonisfounderandpastorofLivingWordChristianCenter,a15,000 memberchurchlocatedinForestPark,Ill.HeisalsothefounderandchairmanofThe JosephCenter forBusinessDevelopment.Formoreinformationorministrymaterials writetoBillWinstonMinistries,P.O.Box947,OakPark,IL60303call (800)7119327 orvisithisWebsiteatwww.bwm.org.