Perspective is crucially important, especially when facing a threatening or difficult situation. I remember reading some research years ago that said when two equally matched athletes competed it was usually the one who maintained the intention to win that actually won. Perspective and intention work hand-in-hand!
Intention is the beginning of faith. A person has to choose to move the mountain (have the intention) before they can move the mountain! Intention makes a determination or decision about the outcome they desire while perspective is the way you look at the object to determine its size and strength… in relation to your size and strength. In one battle in the Old Testament the people saw themselves as “grasshoppers” in the eyes of their enemy. They really had no idea how the enemy saw them; in fact, it turned out to be just the opposite. But their perspective made them willing to surrender before there was even a battle.
Before being made king of Israel David walked the path of triumph because of the way he determined his perspective. You see it most clearly when he faced Goliath. All the other soldiers looked at Goliath’s size and strength and compared it to their own. David, on the other hand, looked at Goliath’s size and strength and compared it to God’s! It changed everything. The first thing it changed was his ability to choose the desired outcome. By bringing God into the equation Goliath’s size and personal strength was of little consequence.
Every day we look at the world around us and make a determination of the outcome based on our perspective. In the face of a troubled world and a shaky economy we ask, “Where is God?” But like the children of Israel in the wilderness, sometimes that is not actually a question, it can be more of an accusation. It is an accusation made by comparing the trouble of the world to our limited strength. When we do so we not only limit ourselves, but we limit God to what we are capable of seeing and understanding (Ps. 78:41).
No matter how good or bad circumstances look on the outside we must remember the Kingdom is within. Until we refocus from the perspective of the power that works in us, our view is only our personal perspective. But when we connect with Christ in us and all His resources, we can discover an accurate perspective. When that happens we reconnect the power of God that works in us. Goliath doesn’t look nearly as threatening. Therefore, we can only find God’s resources when we look inside.
In this month’s World Changers Message, Keeping Everything in Perspective, I will share some important keys to keeping your perspective in line with His. I often think of the Old Testament prophet and his servant who were surrounded by the enemy. When his servant was about to faint with fear the old prophet said, “There are more for us than against us.” The problem was the young servant’s heart was distorted because of his perspective. “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:16-17). We, like Elisha, must always look at every situation from the place of God’s power before we decide our outcome!
If we allow fear to overtake us our hearts will become faint! Jesus specifically said it was the fear of things that men expect that will cause their heart to become weak. “…men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Lk. 21:26). He isn’t talking about heart attacks; He is talking about our capacity to live victoriously from our heart.
I want you to know that I am fully committed to helping you face the world filled with the confidence that comes from Keeping Everything in Perspective… Christ in you, the hope of glory! Soon I’ll be sharing some great progress about Operation One Billion. Watch for it in this month’s Impact Magazine!