Never let them see you sweat.

Do you remember that the Gillette Corporation began using that tagline in their advertisements for the antiperspirants “Dry Idea” back in 1964?

Interestingly enough, the slogan was created by the same man who wrote the Navy’s slogan. . . “It’s not a job, it’s an adventure.”

In case you’ve forgotten or are too young to remember, the “never let them see you sweat” ads featured famous people from various professions.

For me, I never want to see satan, the enemy, Beelzebb or any of the hosts of hell...see me sweat over what the  try to perpetuate in my life.

Instead, I want to make the enemy and his horde from hell SWEAT because I know the Word of God.

Here are seven times you don’t want the enemy to see you sweat.

1.      When you’re disappointed

Here’s the great news. . .regardless of the intensity of the enemy’s attack. . .you will never be put to shame or disappointed.  I realize that’s a bold statement. . . but there are eight verses in the Amplified Bible translation which say exactly that and here are five of them.

Do you have “it”?  You should …

Romans 12:8 in the New International Version says:

“If it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Everybody should have the gift of encouragement.

“Well, I’m not sure God wanted me to have that gift.”  Then it’s apparent that you’ve never read Hebrews 3:13 in the Amplified Bible:

“But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him].”

We’re to encourage one another. . .HOW OFTEN?. . .EVERY DAY.

So let’s look at what encouragement means.

According to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary the word encouragement is defined as:

Have you ever heard the saying “you’re not getting older…you’re getting better?”

It’s a beautiful thought…flattering…bound to make the recipient feel good even if they question the sincerity.

Hopefully, we are all getting better…I mean it would be tragic to think we can live a day and not improve something in our mental thought processes or the quality of life.

However, the reality is…we’re getting older and there’s nothing we can do about it.

Yes, we can get nipped, clipped, tucked…having our face drawn tighter than someone sucking on a lemon…but we’re still getting older.

With all due respect…there’s a reason they call it plastic surgery…because many people come out looking plastic.

Let me hasten to add…there are some who look great.

But truthfully, I don’t even know why I’m talking about this…because I’m not as interested in a person altering their looks as I am…teaching them how to alter their lifestyles for the greater good.

Wow…let’s get back on track.

While I can’t help someone with how they look…I can definitely help them learn to take the worry out of getting older…which I believe is a far more effective wrinkle reducer.

1.         Simplify your life.

Simplify means:  “Remove anything that complicates your life and prevents you from freely pursuing your purpose for living. . .while enjoying the journey.”

My fine wife and I are moving from Fort Worth, TX to Goldsboro, North Carolina after twenty-two years in Texas.  On a direct order from the Lord I might add.

What is the most communicable disease in the world today?

Your thoughts….

Proverbs 23: 7 says:

“As a man thinketh so is he…”

For years, I’ve taught that a debt free mentality….is not determined by where you work, where you live, what you drive, what you wear or who your parents are.   Your mentality is not even determined by how smart you are … but by the dominant thoughts in your mind.

Whatever thoughts you allow to dominate your life will have a direct impact on who and what you draw into your life.

Like a magnet, your thoughts will draw to you the people and circumstances that harmonize with your dominant thoughts.

Life is not determined by outward acts or circumstances.  Each of us creates our own life by our thoughts.

Marcus Aurelius once said:

Make no mistake. . .God created you to be a leader.

You can also know that the enemy has used and is continuing to use some clever tactics to keep you from realizing that YOU ARE A LEADER.  Sadly, many believers allow him to get away with this deadly deception.

You may never have thought of yourself as a leader and truthfully, what you think will hinder what you accomplish.  Why not trust what God thinks of you over other people’s opinion.

The real question is what does God think about you being a leader. . .how does God see you?

Ephesians 2:10 in the New Living Translation says:

“For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

You are God’s masterpiece. . .does that sound like you’re a failure, a has been or a never was.  Not only are you His masterpiece. . .but He has plans for you. Don’t you want to start living up to them?

I’m going to make a statement and I want you to get it down inside of you . . . in fact, if you get nothing else from this teaching, get this:

You have much more influence in life than you know.  You are a leader.

Are you married?