Spiritually speaking, we want that “winning feeling” too. We don’t want to live under a cloud of guilt and condemnation or shame. Sadly, many Christians live under these clouds of gloom, doom and despair, especially if you have experienced “performance-based-religion.” This is man’s religious system, based on the Old Testament Law with a long list of do’s and don’ts. The truth is that no-one could keep all the rules, not one person on the face of the earth! So why do we still try? Jesus was the only person (God-in-the-flesh) who could actually keep all the Law. Trying and failing over and over again will just wear you out and leave you tired and frustrated. So why live this way?

You want to do what’s right and try to please God, but you can’t seem to actually “act” like it. You let your temper get the best of you, or can’t possibly forgive someone who has hurt you. Quite the contrary, you want revenge… you want to hurt them like they hurt you. Therein lies the problem. We can’t change ourselves. We need God’s help and He is happy to oblige. He has given us His own Spirit, the Holy Spirits as our personal coach, to teach us and train us, and help us win in every situation! We never have to make the wrong decision again, or try to do it in our own strength. We are weak, but He is strong! Like rebar reinforces steel, He reinforces us so we won’t cave in under pressure every time! Isn’t that great?

You can win every time! How?

Don’t listen to your Flesh (your human side), instead listen to God’s Spirit and follow His instructions.

There is a better way! It’s called Grace (God’s favor), and following the Holy Spirit’s directions (your Inner Guidance System – IGS). Quit wasting time asking your “Self” or “Soul” how to do something and just ask the “Spirit.” James 1:5 tells us just to ask if we need wisdom and it will be freely given. Matthew 7:7 encourages us to ask for whatever we need, because everyone who asks receives. You will get the wise answer and correct answer! Whether we are wanting to have a regular devotional time before we go to work, or need to monitor our emotions, guard our mouth, get an attitude adjustment, change from a negative to a positive mindset, or simply memorize the Word of God to transform our thought process, we cannot do any of this without His help. I have also learned that I can’t even obey God without His strength to actually “do” what I know to do! But I trust Him to help me keep it in the road and do what I need to do to get the results I desire, and He is always there to help. I just need to listen… and give in to doing things His way instead of holding onto my old ways of doing things. He is trying to help me get to my destination, so cooperation is needed if I want to get there! I am the one driving and have my hand on the steering wheel, not God. So, I can either keep trying to “find my own way” and keep driving in circles, running out of gas, getting tired and frustrated, or I can “listen to my IGS,” the Holy Spirit, who is trying to give me directions and get there much quicker. This is the SMART life… SPIRIT life!

This is how to win every time, how to turn every problem into a win-win. With God’s help, nothing will be impossible to you… even conquering yourself! He can help you can get that “bad boy” in line in no time. He can help you grow out of your “Self,” so you want to make the right choices, and you want to listen and cooperate with His Spirit. He is not trying to kill you but trying to help you. Once you realize that He is on “your” side, things go a lot smoother and you advance a lot quicker.

God is not mad at you, like performance-based religion teaches us. In fact, He loves you more than you can imagine, and is far more lenient than we are on ourselves. Like any good child, we just have to really know that He loves us and wants the best for us as His children. He wants to help us discover all the hopes and dreams that are inside each one of our hearts, and help us be able to live out those dreams. He put them inside us to begin with, like little surprises to be discovered on a treasure hunt. He wants us to live full, happy, prosperous, overcoming lives. And with His help, we can!

I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me! Philippians 4:13

So start asking for His help. Listen and follow your Inner Guidance System (the Holy Spirit). Trust Him, and He will get you there. If you mess up and take a wrong turn, just turn around and get back on the right path. Quit beating yourself up… religion and the devil do enough of that! Just ask forgiveness from your heavenly father and go again. The best part is He will give you as many “do-ers” as needed. Track your progress and make sure you are actually making progress… two steps forward, one step back, and you will get to your destination and start living your dream instead of just dreaming. Then you will live every day with that “Winning Feeling,” being an “Overcomer” instead of getting beat up by the enemy of your soul and feeling like an underdog. Once you have tasted “Victory” a time or two… it tastes much better, and you’re ready to do it again and again. You can supervise yourself and keep yourself in line and be disciplined. You don’t need anyone overseeing you… of course other than the Holy Spirit. You can’t live without Him. He is your “secret weapon” and you’re never going back to your old way of living, doing things your old way and losing… no way! From now on, it’s His way or no way. Like Moses said, “I’m not taking one step unless you go with me!” We have wised up and follow the Spirit. He makes us winners every time. It’s time to “Get-a-Life,” a real life! 😉