What do I want my legacy to BE?
A lasting impact for eternity in the lives around me.
How can I leave that kind of legacy?
First, we learned that we must BE fruitful in the season we are in. Different fruit for different seasons, wherever we are. We learned that fruit contains seeds - the Holy Spirit will produce fruit in us that continues to bear fruit wherever it's planted. And we learned that the seed to produce fruit is the Word of God.
OK, so what does that mean for us? On a practical, daily basis?
Step #2 of leaving a lasting legacy -
BE-lieve God.
Yep. BE-lieve God.
You might say, well, ok, great - I already believe in God, so is that all there is?
That's great but notice I didn't say that step #2 for a lasting legacy is to believe IN God. I said we must BElieve God! We must know His Word so that we trust Him so that we obey what He says! Friends, we BEHAVE what we BELIEVE - saying we believe God is tested in our obedience. We BEHAVE what we truly BELIEVE.
God's Word has the power to transform us. I Thessalonians 2:13b tells us "...the word of God, which performs its work in you who believe".
God's Word has the power to defeat our enemies. Ephesians 6:17,18 urges us to "take..the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, with all prayers and petitions and pray at all times" PRAY the Word of God! That is combining the two offensive weapons God has provided for us and, together, they are powerful indeed! The Greek word for their power is "dunamis" - if that sounds familiar, it's because that is where we get our word for dynamite! So praying God's Word is like strapping together two sticks of dynamite to blow up the forces that seek to wreak havoc in our lives. YES!
God's Word has the power. Period. Isaiah 55:10, 11 promises "For as the rain and the snow come down from Heaven and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."
BE-lieve God. To leave a lasting legacy, we must BE-lieve God. We must know His Word. Trust His Word. Obey His Word. And SOW His Word into the lives of others.
Then watch what He will do!!!!
Just a word (of His!) in closing. One of my most favorite verses to proclaim is a promise He showed me years ago. I've been trusting Him to prove His faithfulness in this and you can, too. It's a powerful promise, my friends. Powerful. Check out Isaiah 59:21 and BE-lieve God for this in YOUR life, too! I'm talking about FOREVERMORE!!!!
“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”