OVERCOMING We often are tempted to think and say that we can not fulfill our purpose giving any number of reasons.  Even some statistics may say that you were born to be a failure, but you don't have to believe or live that!  However, for a parent to demand that a two year old child drive an automobile would be abusive.  To say that God would ask us to do something that He would not give us the ability to do is to say that God is CRUEL and UNFAIR!   Here are some common negative thoughts and the answers from the Word of God for your encouragement and the renewing of your mind. 1. "I am too young." "But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak" (Jeremiah 1:7). Paul told the young man timothy, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (I Timothy 4:12). 2. "I am too old." At the age of 85, Caleb said, "As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.    Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said" (Joshua 14:11-12). 3. "I have had a bad role model." Samuel was put in the care of Eli as a young boy.  Although Eli was the priest, he permitted his own sons to have relations with the women that came to the temple. "Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation" (I Samuel 2:22).     He was also extremely overweight.  "And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years" (I Samuel 4:18). 4. "My parents were bad." Gideon's father worshiped an idol of Baal in a grove, but this did not keep Gideon from obeying God. "And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it." (Judges 6:25). I knew a young woman whose parents were Satanist, but that did not keep her from accepting Christ and obeying Him. 5. "My father was absent." "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation" (Psalm 68:5). 6. "My health is bad." Many scholars believe that Paul may have gotten malaria.   "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." (II Corinthians 12:7). 7. "My past life was really bad." Saul (who became Paul) was a murder. Paul said that he was the worse sinner.  "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (I Timothy 1:15). Moses was a murder.  David was an adulterer and murder. 8. "I didn't have a good religious background." Abram lived in the land of Ur where the people worship the sun god and the god of fertility.   "And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there" (Genesis 11:31). 9. "I am the wrong sex." Quite often women feel like they are the wrong sex, but God used women in Scripture. Deborah was a Judge of Israel and fought against Sisera..  "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all  his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet"   (Judges 4:4, 15).  Esther also provided freedom for her people. 10. "I am the least in my family." David was chosen of God to be king being the rut of the litter.  "And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither" (I Samuel 16:11). 11. "I was born into a minority." Saul saw himself this way.  "And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?" (I Samuel 9:21). 12. "I come from a poor family." Gideon saw himself this way.  "And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house" (Judges 6:15). 13. "My siblings were cruel to me." David's brother became jealous of him and first sought to kill him, but later decided to sell him as a slave.  "Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt" (Genesis 27:38). 14. "I am just too poor." "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6).   Furthermore, God provides what we need.  "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). 15. "I am of the wrong race." Rahab was not a Israelite, but a Canaanite.  Furthermore, she was a woman and a prostitute, but God used her to save her family.   "And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho" (Joshua 6:25). 16. "I am physically confined." God used Joseph beginning when he was in prison.  God used Jeremiah while he was in prison.   "Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying...." (Jeremiah 39:15). 17. "I am dying of a disease." God used four lepers to bring good news to the king of Jerusalem that the Syrians had left.   "Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household" (II Kings 7:9). God even used the bones of Elisha after his death.  "And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet" (II Kings 13:21). 18. "We are only a few." "And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few" (I Samuel 14:6). 19. "I am only one person." "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none" (Ezekiel 22:30). 20. "I can't speak." "And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.   And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?" (Exodus 4:10-11). 21. "I am not educated."  "Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:   And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel" (Amos 7:14-15). 22. "The authority over me is not following God." David could have said this; however, instead he ministered unto the authority.   "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him" (I Samuel 16:23).  Not David ministered through the music to Saul's body (refreshed), soul (was well), and the spirit (the evil spirit departed). Later Saul became jealous of David and tried to kill him, but that did not keep David from becoming the next king. REMEMBER:  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).          O.K., lets face the truth,    The reality is that we CAN DO anything that God tells us to do.  If He tells us to share our faith with someone else, He will give us the ability to do just that.  If He tells us to walk on water, we can walk on water.      Jesus just said one word to Peter.  At the word "Come", Peter was able to walk on water.  There is no excuse because God will give us both the "will" and the "power" to do whatever He asks.    "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).     God will not allow us to be tempted beyond the ability that He gives us to endure the temptation. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Corinthians 10:13). Final word:  There is no greater accomplishment than to hear and obey the voice of God! AMEN!