Wonderful God, Wonderful Life

David CerulloBy David Cerullo9 Minutes

As we approach the Christmas season and the close of another year, I realize there are so many important things I could reflect upon right now.

And yet, I find myself thinking about George Bailey.

You remember that character in Frank Capra’s classic movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, don’t you? Played by the great actor Jimmy Stewart, George was facing tough times and was doubting whether his life mattered at all. Fortunately, God sent an angel-in-training to shake George out of his doldrums, and he showed him just how blessed and favored his life really was.

The movie makes me think of all the believers who often feel the same way George did – maybe not completely hopeless and helpless, but definitely doubting whether they are truly in God’s good graces. Perhaps even you are shaking your head at your circumstances, asking the question:

Is it a wonderful life after all?

Of course, I don’t know anything about what you’re going through or how much pain you’ve endured, but I can tell you that God loves you and wants you to have a new revelation of Him today.

I encourage you to resolve in your heart that you will trust God and believe His promises – whether for your healing, your financial breakthrough, or any other blessing you need. Take authority over the devil’s work, and choose to believe God to fulfill His Word. Remember, God is a faithful God…and He’s working in you and through you to bring about your breakthrough!

Enter into His Favor!

You can read a powerful proclamation of Jesus’ love for us in His very first sermon after beginning His ministry. Quoting a beautiful passage from Isaiah 61:1-2, He said:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19).

Right from the beginning, Jesus wanted people to understand His heart to give them His amazing favor. This was a message of good news…physical and emotional healing…and liberty for those who were oppressed by the devil in some area of their life.

Notice that this is not just a momentary breakthrough, as wonderful as that might be. Jesus was proclaiming something quite amazing…

You can enter into a wonderful, enduring life of God’s favor!

As we head into 2020, that is my prayer for you, my friend. And I want to share a few keys for what you can do to unlock more of God’s favor and blessings in your life.

1. Proclaim It

According to Jesus’ words here, there’s a vital step you need to take in order to make this a new season of blessings in your life:

You must proclaim God’s favor!

This is a very practical thing, for the Bible says, “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). Your words have a major impact in shaping your future.

But what if you’re facing a “winter season” of some kind, such as a job loss, an illness, the loss of a loved one, a financial setback, or struggles with your children? If so, you don’t have to be a passive victim. Speak boldly to your circumstances, declaring God’s promises for your victory. Tell your difficult circumstances that your life will be an example of God’s wonderful blessings and breakthroughs!

2. Go Beyond Superficial Resolutions

After this Christmas season, many people will begin making New Year’s resolutions of some kind. Losing weight…getting out of debt…rekindling romance in their marriage…spending more time with the Lord or their children – people are seeking fresh starts in many different areas of life.

Although I’m certainly not against resolutions, I believe God wants to give you something much greater than just a bunch of superficial, short-term resolutions:

God can give you a New Year’s revolution!

Instead of just changing a few troublesome symptoms, I’m convinced the Lord can transform every area of your life – dealing with root causes that have hindered you for years.

What difficult situations do you need God to turn around today? Has the enemy stolen something precious from you – whether it be your health, a close relationship, your finances, or simply your peace and joy?

Let’s pray big, audacious prayers today, claiming God’s promises like this one in Jeremiah 30:3 from The Message:

“The time is coming when I will turn everything around for My people!”

Isn’t that fantastic? When you draw near to the Lord and follow His instructions, He can “make all things new” in your life (Revelation 21:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

3. Seek God’s Wisdom

I meet many people who are frustrated that something seems missing in their Christian life. Perhaps they attend church, pay their tithes, and even sow additional financial seeds to reach the world with the Gospel. Although they’ve heard God’s promises about health, prosperity, and an abundant life, for some reason they aren’t seeing those promises activated.

What could be the missing ingredients in the lives of these well-meaning believers? Often I’ve found that people simply aren’t walking in God’s wisdom. You see, when you open your heart to God’s wisdom, everything else in your life is impacted. Not only will He reenergize your spiritual life, but there will also be a transformation of your health, finances, and relationships. In fact, His wisdom can change every area of your life, as King Solomon describes:

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown (Proverbs 4:5-9 NIV).

God’s wisdom and His favor go hand in hand. And if you sense a need for more of His wisdom and favor in your life, all you have to do is ask:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5 NIV).

Take a few minutes right now to pause and ask the Lord to fill you with His wisdom as you spend time reading His Word and coming into His presence. His wisdom will change your life!

I am praying for you, dear friend. We believe great things are ahead for you and for this ministry we share together.

Remember, it is a wonderful life, and He is a faithful God. As you put these three keys into practice, I’m convinced that your turnaround is just around the corner, bringing you more joy and victory this coming year than you’ve ever known before.

Your Partner to Reach the Lost,

David Sig

David Cerullo