LIVING AN ALIGNED LIFE

IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, you’ve completely given up the notion that life
has to be a struggle. Conventional thinking says that life is hard. That bad
things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. Life is
viewed as a war zone that we’re inadvertently thrust into when we’re born.
But I believe this perspective is flawed.

If your car engine is knocking, there’s something wrong. Part of the

mechanics are out of alignment. But when every part of the vehicle is
working together harmoniously, it will operate with ease and efficiency.
Unfortunately, when it comes to living on Planet Earth, many people see
adversity as spiritual validation. But adversity is just a part of life! It happens
to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. If adversity isn’t overcome–just
like a knocking engine left unrepaired–you will break and be rendered
inoperative. But when every aspect is aligned, there is ease. In relationships,
in finances, in character growth, and even in trials.

Christians especially think that an increase in trials means that they’re

doing something right-that satan is attacking them more fervently because
he’s threatened. Now he may hate you and feel threatened by you, but that
doesn’t mean he can hinder you! He’s defeated, and you’ve been given all
authority over him!

At the other end of the spectrum, some think trials are punishment from
God for their misbehavior. But this isn’t correct either. Adversity is not God’s
punishment for your misbehavior. Do you suppose that God’s blessings are
contingent upon your performance? If so, you do not understand Christianity.
If anything is based on our performance rather than Jesus blood, it is by
works, not by grace. It becomes wages rather than a gift. No, God doesn’t
respond to your behavior, but rather to your righteousness.

Understand this: You can be totally wrong, and still be righteous. God
doesn’t love you, bless you, or help you because you are necessarily right,
but because you are necessarily righteous. If you are in Christ, you are one
hundred percent righteous-all the time. That means there’s never a time
when God isn’t looking and longing to bless you and be good to you. That
means there isn’t a single adversity that your heavenly Father hasn’t
overcome on your behalf.

God is always looking for an inroad into your life. That inroad is faith.
Inasmuch as you are in alignment with God, believing His promises and
expecting them, your life will be successful, precise, and effective. In the
same way, if you are in alignment with the devil or the world’s way of
thinking, you life will be like that knocking engine. Things will always seem to
go wrong. Satan is always trying to cause adversity. God is always trying to
cause blessings.
 So what’s the determining factor?

You. You are the one who decides whose will is accomplished in your life.
This begins in your thoughts. If something is wrong in your thinking, it will
reflect outwardly in your experience. Your thoughts and your life directly
coincide.

The Bible says, “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above
all that you guard, for out of it flow the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Of course, if you go around making poor choices and bad decisions all
the time, you will reap the harvest of an uneasy life. But your choices and
decisions themselves are simply manifestations of your thoughts. Good
choices are a result of a mind aligned to God. Bad decisions come from
spiritual incongruence. Bringing your mind into alignment with God will cure
bad choices and decisions forever.

The more you align yourself with God, the more of His will can be done
in your life. You must always be aware, however, that this world is vying for
your attention. If you believe the evil reports of the world, you will end up
experiencing the same results as the world. And that isn’t what you want, is
it?

Picture a train speeding down the track. This is your life. It is always
moving forward, sometimes faster than we’d like. In the distance there is a
switching station. You are the one with the lever in your hand. The train of
your life will continue down the tracks that you determine. One track will
lead to things like sickness, poverty, depression, and divorce. The other track
leads to prosperity, health, longevity, and life. You must decide which
direction to send your train.

Deuteronomy 28 is devoted to describing these two tracks. It shouldn’t

take much study to determine which option you’d like. Here is a sample:

Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.
Blessed shall be the
fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your
beasts, the increase
of your cattle and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket
and your knead-
ing trough. Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall
you be when you go out.
(28:3-6)

Cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the field.
Cursed shall be the
fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your
beasts, the increase

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 of your cattle and the young of your flock. Cursed shall be your basket
and your kneading
trough. Cursed shall you be when you come in and cursed shall you be
when you go out.
(28:1-19)

The choice is yours. Either align yourself to God, or align yourself to the
devil. Align yourself to blessings, or align yourself to curses. According to the
New Testament, if you are in Christ Jesus, you have been completely, utterly
redeemed from the curse (see Galatians 3:13)! That means that none of
those things have a right to touch you! It doesn’t matter if you struggle with
sin! It doesn’t matter if you feel like you deserve it! It’s not based on you, it’s
based on Jesus!

Then why do many Christians suffer as if they’re under the curse?

Because they lack faith. They don’t truly believe that they’ve been redeemed
from the curse. They still think they are subject to the same sicknesses and
tragedies that the world has. This is wrong thinking! There should be a
significant difference between how members of the Church are faring and
how members of the world are faring. We don’t have to receive the same
sicknesses that they get! We don’t have to depend on a flu shot every year!
Our redemption from the curse of this world is completely solidified in the
Cross of Jesus Christ. If only we will believe!

Our minds must be renewed to realize this truth. Too many Christians
suffer needlessly because they simply don’t realize that they are immune.
When adversity roars, don’t lay down and take it. Don’t call it your “cross to
bear.” No, the only cross you have to bear is the Cross of Jesus! And that
cross means life! Peace! Joy! Power! Success! It’s time to reject all those old
beliefs. If what you’re experiencing doesn’t fall under the “blessing”
category, reject it. As a son or daughter of God, you are entitled to blessings,
not curses. Align your mind with this truth. Let this be the abundance that
fills your heart. Remember: The issues of your life flow out of the abundance
of your heart, no one else’s.

You are at the switching station. You are responsible for your own
results. Next time the devil offers you a curse, laugh in his face! It doesn’t
matter what he tries to throw at you, Jesus has already overcome it. If you
believe this, if you will cling to this like your life depends on it-it does!-then
your life will begin to resemble a little more of Heaven each day. And this is
God’s will for you. Heaven on Earth (see Matthew 6:10).

If you don’t know how to start experiencing this transformation, mediate

on this passage from the Apostle Paul. Whenever you find yourself thinking
negative thoughts or harboring negative expectations, let this verse
permeate your mind. This is a significant step toward living an aligned life!

Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable

and seemly,
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 whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and loveable,
whatever is
kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence,
if there is
anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of
these things
(fix your minds on them). (Philippians 4:8)