Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) There are a lot of things that we allow to stop or limit us, often without realizing it. Years ago, a great series was put together for pastors called “How to break the 300 barrier”. It was about how to grow a congregation beyond 300 members. The information was great, but I sensed God encouraging me to ignore the number in the title, since it could influence me to view 300 as some sort of impossible barrier to grow beyond. Years later, around the same time that a news article reported there would never be mega-churches …

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NLT) Do you allow your theories to override truth? A theory is a self-made doctrine, used to explain a situation or justify a course of action. Perhaps you grew up with a family member that regularly struggled with anxiety and couldn’t seem to experience freedom from it. Over time, you developed the theory that God doesn’t care about our struggles. But God’s Word says He cares deeply about us and He is intimately invested in our lives (See 1 Peter 5:7, Luke 12:6-7, Matthew 6:25-34.) God’s Word provides weapons to pull down and destroy theories that set themselves up against the knowledge of Him. …

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword…it exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) Everyone has experienced the judgement fence. On one side, we’ve felt judged, and on the other, we’ve judged people too. We’ve all been trained in varying degrees to judge others. We question why someone acts a certain way or why they did something to us. Now, there are times when we should judge others. If you’re in business or leadership, it’s wise to judge potential employees’ track records or follow your gut feeling. There’s a time and place for judging someone’s actions; however, you don’t know someone’s heart—their motives and intentions. When you get into the habit of judging others’ hearts, you will introduce a level …

Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life. Proverbs 4:23 (ICB) Do you struggle with your thought life? If so, there’s help! God’s Word speaks about weapons He has given us such as His truth, righteousness, peace, love, faith and salvation (Ephesians 6:13-17, MSG). These aren’t earthly weapons, so what are these weapons for? They are for arming and preparing minds. Now, if God gives us weapons to help us deal with our minds, then our thought lives must be pretty powerful! So, how do we arm ourselves with God’s mighty arsenal? We prepare for mental combat by meditating on His Word, and continue to renew our minds. Otherwise, it’s like going weaponless into battle! In an attack, a renewed mind in Christ is prepared to knock down strongholds, destroy …

Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (MSG) Have you ever read one Bible verse that seemed to completely contradict another? As you read the Old Testament and the Gospels, it’s so vital to keep in mind what Jesus accomplished on the cross. I often say that as believers, we need to bring the Old Testament scriptures through the cross because we’re under a new covenant.  Misunderstanding the context can lead to misinterpretation. Let me give you an example of how understanding context changes everything. In Matthew 6:15, Jesus said, “But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins” (NLT). Many believers think this means that those who don’t forgive can’t go to heaven—but Jesus made that …