Where the Power Lies
Everyone faces challenges in life. There are times we face them with faith and hope, knowing we can find the steps to overcome; and at other times we may feel overwhelmed, powerless, and without hope. This is the difference between a sonship mentality and a slave mentality. Discerning our mentality in the midst of the challenge is key to overcoming what we are facing.
Slave mentality statements say:
“I can’t ever make a good grade in that class, the teacher just doesn’t like me.”
“That person makes me so mad.”
“My boss makes me feel hopeless, he has no idea what it takes to do this job!”
What do all these statements have in common?
These statements declare that the power lies with others and a lack of a sonship mentality overcoming the obstacles in our way.
If other people have the power to:
- “make me fail a class,”
- “make me angry,” or even to
- “make me feel hopeless,”
then we have a slave mentality. This is when the power to determine my outcome lies with another person or circumstance rather than with me cooperating with God.
These are common struggles that get dealt with in Prayer Ministry and most everyone struggles with these at some level. No one is able to always take initiative, to always take appropriate responsibility for their actions and their circumstances. We are all in the process of growing.
The Power of Being Teachable for Overcoming Challenges
This presents some crucial challenges to growth, especially to our ability to be teachable.
When power lies with others, life has a sense of randomness. We are never entirely sure if we are “in” or “out” of favor. To defend against this, we may take on suspicion, prejudice (opinion formed without knowledge or examination of facts), even intolerance, legalism, and control issues. So since the power lies with others, life really is unknown and unpredictable.
This has huge implications for being able to learn new things and grow. If we have no ability to take responsibility within ourselves, we are unable to learn new insights and learn from our life experiences.
God wants to place tools in our hands as sons (and daughters) to possess our individual promised land. We really can shed these “Israel in the wilderness” mentalities and become sons who can fight successfully in the Promised Land.
Here are some steps to help you move towards a sonship mentality:
- Take a moment right now and consider the challenges you are facing. Is it a job situation? Are you struggling with a family member and it seems it will never change? Maybe it is a health, diet, or debt issue.
- Now check your heart. Do you feel empowered or powerless?
- If you discern some feelings of powerlessness or that others must change in order for you to move forward, talk to God about it. Ask Him if there are some steps you haven’t yet seen to help you move forward. Maybe God will point you toward some research and new learning for your situation. Maybe He will refocus your faith. He may call you into some repentance. He may lead you to reach out to a particular person for help.
Whatever He reveals, please don’t stay stuck. Take some action today and get moving towards your destiny. “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.”
We would love to hear from you. Was this post helpful? Are there topics you’d like to hear more about? Any questions?
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Please Leave A Comment and Let Us Know Your Thoughts.
lynn lindsay says
Dear Robert and Cyndi
you are Such an inspiration and help!!
May God Bless you both as you continue the ministry He has given you!!
with much love
Lynn
Miriam Cecilia Salas says
Dear Robert,
Thank you for this encouraging article. You are such a blessing to the body of Christ.
God bless you and family.