Have you had a bad day. . .or maybe even a bad day or two or three this past week?

Do you feel like nothing is going right?

Are things that you thought not coming to pass as you had planned them?

Are other people raining on your parade or plans?

Are you taking your lack of success (financial or otherwise) personally?

Does it feel like nobody cares about what’s happening in your life?

If you get nothing else from what we’re going to say in this teaching. . .let this next sentence get deep down in your mind and in your spirit.

God loves you even on your bad days.

Let me say that again.

God loves you even on your bad days.

Have you ever wondered. . .God, why do I have to go through this?

Or perhaps, you thought. . .why am I having to go through the fire?

While I realize that no one wants to go through hard times… I can tell you with absolute certainty what you will find in the fire.

It’s your miracle. 

That’s right.

Your miracle is in the fire.

My favorite Bible story as a child was about the three Hebrews thrown into the fiery furnace.  I loved this story even more than Daniel in the lion’s den.

Before we go any further. . .once again. . .I’m going to make a powerful, life-changing statement that I want you to write down.

“My miracle is in the fire.”

One of the favorite tactics of the enemy is to create an illusion which makes you think that the problems you encounter. . .are unique to you. . .that no one else has to face what you face. And they cannot be overcome.

Not true.  Let’s establish three facts.

First, the devil is a defeated foe.

John 12:31 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is coming on [sentence is now being passed on this world]. Now the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world shall be cast out (expelled).”

John 16:11 in the Amplified Bible says:

“About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.”

Second, the devil is a liar.

John 8:44 in the Amplified Bible says:

If it isn’t obvious that we’re living in the end-times. . .just watch your favorite TV news service or internet news source.

There’s always going to be things happening in this world that make you sad, mad or feeling bad; however, we all know that the Word of God teaches us to filter the troubles of this world as well as the troubles in our own home in light of God’s Word.

Jesus said:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

Here are seven ways to overcome troubled times.

1.     Don’t RSVP The Pity Party

There’s one party. . .no one ever wants to attend or even be invited to. . .it’s a pity party.

One of my favorite signs says:

“Good morning!  I’ll be handling all your problems today.  So relax and enjoy your day.  Blessings, God. P.S. I love you.”

Someone once said:

“Do not face the day, until you have faced God in prayer.”

When you woke up this morning. . .did you expect this to be your best day ever?

What was your expectation for the day?  Was it different than yesterday or the day before?

Did you have any expectation for today or were you just glad you made it through another night?

Do you expect to feel better today than you did yesterday?  And, just as importantly, do you expect to feel even better tomorrow?

Do you expect God to move in the lives of your loved ones?

Do you see your days filled with previously unknown opportunities where you can tap into previously unused potential?

Do you expect to make divine appointments or supernatural connections?

I will always remember the first person who said to me. . .you don’t know the problems I’ve got.

I said, “You’re right and I don’t want to know.” 

It’s not that I wasn’t compassionate about his situation but I knew I had to provoke this man’s thinking because his focus was on his problems and not his solution.

I told him that circumstances are defined as the circle you’re standing in. . .but if you’re moving from glory unto glory. . .you will be leaving your circumstances and those problems behind.

Then I shared Romans 8:26 in The Living Bible which says:

“And in the same way—by our faith—the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words.”

I’m not sure why this event came to my remembrance, but it prompted me to share with you four ways to deal with whatever problems you’re facing.

First, you can run away from your problems, but they won’t go away.

God doesn’t give us wings to fly away from problems.  He doesn’t take us out of this world to keep us from experiencing pressure.  Instead, He gives us the opportunity to look to Him for the strength to walk through the pressure and be spiritually enriched by the experience.

Second, if you avoid or go around problems. . .you are only putting them off to face at a later date.

Procrastination magnifies and, many times, multiplies your problems. 

We are about to enter the last four months of 2025.

We believe the Lord wants each of us to establish a vision that will never perish.

In Proverbs 29:18 King Solomon said:

"Where there is no vision, the people perish:  but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

According to Strong’s Concordance the Hebrew word for vision is chazown (H2377) which means:

“vision, oracle, prophecy (divine communication).”

This literally means a revelatory unction and direction from the Lord.

When you have a vision, it is personal . . . it’s unique to you. . .something that’s God ordained and visualized to be a part of your life.  That’s why a vision is different from a goal.

Your goals will flow out of your vision.  If you don’t have a vision, then it’s not possible to set proper goals because you would have no idea where you’re going.

In Strong’s Concordance, the word perish is the Hebrew word para (H6944) and it means:

“to let go, let loose, ignore, let alone.”

It’s one thing to think about what you want to do.  It’s another thing to speak about what you plan to do.

But, it’s an entirely different matter to act on what you’ve been thinking and speaking about doing.

One evening, after a particularly long day. . .I came across James 1:22-24 in the Message Bible which says:

“Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

I was struck by five words in this passage of scripture when it says:

ACT ON WHAT YOU HEAR!

Even before the Lord dropped Rich Thoughts into my spirit nearly twelve years ago, I’ve always considered myself a Rich Thinker. . .someone who acted on what they believed.

As I was reflecting on this. . .the Lord directed me to challenge us to think differently.

Action Step #1        Start with Rich Thoughts.

Success or failure. . .victory or defeat. . .excellence or mediocrity all begin in the mind.

Never allow what other people think or say about you change your thoughts about your ability to achieve your dreams and goals.

Early. . .very early one Sunday morning. . .I was pondering a question that demands an answer.

Do we want to succeed enough to plan our actions and then act on the plan?

It’s one thing to think about what we want to do. . .and that’s good. . .just not good enough.

It’s another thing to talk/speak/confess what we want to do. . .that’s good. . .just not good enough.

It’s something else to plan what we’re thinking about. . .and that’s good. . .just not good enough.

However, what we are thinking, speaking and planning will never become a reality until we actually act on what we’ve been thinking, speaking and planning.

Here are seven reasons success can be yours if you take action now.

Action # 1     Think about something. . .good.

Proverbs 23:7 says:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. . .”

Have you ever had someone. . .perhaps your spouse or best friend. . .ask you what you were thinking about. . .only to say “nothing.”

First off, thinking about nothing is not humanly possible.

It’s one thing to think about what you want to do.  It’s another thing to speak about what you plan to do.

But, it’s an entirely different matter to act on what you’ve been thinking and speaking about doing.

One evening, after a particularly long day. . .I came across James 1:22-24 in the Message Bible which says:

“Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

I was struck by five words in this passage of scripture when it says:

ACT ON WHAT YOU HEAR!

Even before the Lord dropped Rich Thoughts into my spirit nearly twelve years ago, I’ve always considered myself a Rich Thinker. . .someone who acted on what they believed.

As I was reflecting on this. . .the Lord directed me to challenge us to think differently.

Action Step #1        Start with Rich Thoughts.

Success or failure. . .victory or defeat. . .excellence or mediocrity all begin in the mind.