by Linda Foss | Sep 2, 2016 | Inspiration |
Your “circle of influence” is a key factor to your success. One of my favorite Proverbs says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another .” Think about what happens when two iron blades are rubbed together. It causes the knives to become sharper making them more efficient to slice and cut and do its tasks. In the same way, Hebrews 4:12 says “God’s word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double edged sword…” This is how we sharpen one another with God’s spoken Word so that we push each other to succeed at whatever is in front of us.
I don’t know what I would do without my circle of influencers. They are my biggest cheerleaders, mentors, encouragers, prayer warriors and best friends. (Yes, you know who you are and this includes my amazing husband!) And just as much as they influence me, I influence them. We sharpen one another. Jim Rohn once said, “Success isn’t to be pursued, it is to be attracted by the person you become.” I keep a tight inner circle because I know the kind of person I desire to be. The same goes for you — you will attract what you become. If you are anything like me, then I want to keep flying with the eagles. I want to keep challenging myself to come up higher which means I’ve got to continue surrounding myself with positive influencers. I have big dreams and goals and I can only afford to surround myself with those influencers who believe I will get there.
Our spoken words are powerful. Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”. Know this, “power” is an “energy” and every word you speak to another or a word spoken to you produces of its own kind whether good or bad. This is why it is vital that we guard our minds and hearts against the wiles of the enemy. We have the choice to surround ourselves with positive influencers or negative ones. The end result will be a life well lived or not. Hopefully, you choose the better of the two. You were already born with a spirit of success, keep surrounding yourself with “positive influencers” and you will succeed.
Remember this: Iron Sharpens Iron.
by Linda Foss | Jul 11, 2016 | Inspiration |
F E A R… it’s that four letter word that rears its ugly head in our lives at some point or another. Fear is the one thing that will try to shoot us down, leave us disappointed or keep us in a place of stagnancy or complacency. It tries to rob us of our dreams and goals and steal our joy.
But I’ve got great news for those of you reading this – FEAR IS A LIAR!
Fear is a pretty broad topic of discussion, but I will say this, “Fear stems from doubt and doubt feeds off of ignorance.” Think about a time in your life where you had a situation come up that left you in emotional turmoil or for better words — “Fear”. Did you have faith in the midst of your circumstance but still doubted? Was there still a lot of anxiety and distress? Were you able to find peace in the midst of the clamor?
So what is the cure for fear and doubt? It’s knowing what the Word of God says. Remember what I said earlier – Fear stems from doubt and doubt feeds off of ignorance.
First of all, the bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “God has not given us a spirit of Fear, but of power, love and sound mind”. Fear is not of God. Fear is of the enemy and we know Satan is the father of lies.
As an entrepreneur, I have had to deal with some pretty big challenges in business and these things brought fear into my life. Initially, I couldn’t see past the problem until I started getting into agreement with God’s Word. John 8:32 says, “And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”.
Recently, God reminded me of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego found in Daniel 3. This was the story of three men who refused to bow down and worship the gold statue built by King Nebuchadnezzar. Those who refused to bow down and worship the statue, he ordered to have thrown into the blazing furnace. The three men told the King, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it,,,.but even if he doesn’t, we want you to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” The king was so furious with the men that he commanded that the furnace be turned up seven times hotter than normal and he had the men bound with all of their clothes on and thrown into the fiery furnace. The Bible says the furnace was so hot that the flames jumped out and killed the soldiers who were told to throw the three men in. Then the King leaped up in amazement and noticed that the three men “were walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed and he saw a fourth man in the fire with them that he referred to as looking like the son of gods.” (vs 26) The king called the men out of the furnace and saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was hair on their heads singed, their robes were not scorched and there was no smell of fire on them.
This is such a powerful story about God’s faithfulness and protection in the midst of a horrible situation!
I believe God showed up and saved the men because:
- The men trusted and believed that God would rescue them. We have the promise found in Proverbs 29:25 that says, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe”.
- The men stood their ground with the King and no matter what they refused to worship the statue. We have the promise found in Hebrews 10:23 that says, “Let us hold fast to the confession of our faith without waivering, for He who promised is faithful”.
So when we are faced with circumstances that want to keep us in fear and doubt, remember and hold fast to the promises of God! We have the power and authority to overcome the fiery flames in our lives. God says in John 15:7, “If we abide in Him and His Word abides in us, ask whatever we wish and it will be done for us”.
God loves us and He is always with us. He says to be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, He will never leave you or forsake you. (Deut 31:6)
So the next time fear tries to creep up in your life, Remember this: Fear is a Liar.
by Linda Foss | May 13, 2016 | Inspiration |
“What are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? I gave this dream to you. I could have given this dream to anyone, but I didn’t. I gave it to you, so what are you going to do with it?” These were the prophetic words spoken to me when I was seeking the Lord’s direction for my business. I didn’t want to step in the wrong direction, I wanted to do this right, but how was I going to accomplish this? (more…)
by Linda Foss | May 6, 2016 | Inspiration |
I once heard a pastor say, “Inspiration without Revelation leaves you weak-minded”. I will never forget those words only because I live a faith-based life and I have experienced the “revelation knowledge” of God’s wisdom that has literally shaped and changed the circumstances of my life in a very positive and powerful way. My life will never be the same and it will continue to get better and better in every possible way thanks to the truth of God’s Word living inside of me, renewing my mind daily and walking this earth with God’s given authority. (more…)
