And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. Mark 16:17–18 (NKJV) Many Christians see themselves as inferior. They were taught that self-deprecation is godly—that low self-esteem is the same thing as humility. It’s not that they believe God is inferior; they just don’t realize who God has made them to be. This identity crisis is a huge problem because it limits your ability to achieve your potential, as well as your ability to reach out to others with God’s love. To correct …

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 (NLT) When you gave your life to Jesus, you became a member of God’s family. You were made right with Him and, as a result, you are a citizen of Heaven. This is incredibly great news, but it isn’t the only good news Jesus talked about. When it comes to your life on this planet, you need to realize that you have a completely new identity as a child of God. Second Corinthians 5:16 says that we are not to regard Christians from a worldly point of view. In other words, …

But as for me, I will look expectantly for the Lord and with confidence in Him I will keep watch; I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Micah 7:7 (AMP) Many people wait till they have a problem to start waiting on God. But you can wait on Him every day. How? Simply by spending time with God. Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes to reset your mind. Other times you may spend an hour or two in the Word. The main thing is to set aside time every day to focus on and spend time with God. Don’t believe for a minute that prayer is only for problems. You can pray about the future …

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3 (NKJV) Over the last week, we’ve been studying what it means to wait on God. It’s not sitting back passively or thinking that God is withholding an answer to your prayers. Waiting on Him means getting into faith. When we go through a difficult situation, we tend to be focused on the problem at hand. We’re on high alert, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But you and I are self-fulfilling prophets. What we focus on, we magnify in our lives. That’s why it’s crucial for us to guard our focus. Years ago, Sally bought a magnifying glass. The kids loved using it hunt little bugs and make them look massive. I’ve …

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Isaiah 40:30–31 (NKJV) When it comes to waiting on God, many people think it’s a time-related thing. But it’s actually about preparing your heart and establishing faith. It’s about changing your beliefs with God’s Word. Several Hebrew words are used in the Bible to mean “wait.” One of them carries the meaning of twisting, braiding or binding something together. This reminds me of Ecclesiastes 4:12, which describes how a cord of three strands is not easily broken. Jesus also said in John 14:20 (NLT), “When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, …