Evict the Invisibles! by Paul Wilson, Jr.

Some people have invisible friends. Others have invisible enemies. People with invisible enemies make statements like:
 “They don’t like me…”
 “They won’t help me…”
 “They might laugh at me…”
 “They don’t want me to succeed…”

Any of these sound familiar?

Until now I didn’t really know who “they” was, but now I do. “They” is an invisible enemy that causes fear and attacks your self-esteem. Consequently, fear is the silent killer of dreams.

These invisible, silent influencers - often disguised as negativity and pessimism – trigger a cancer of your confidence that eats away at your creativity and productivity. “They” prompt you to second guess your ideas and question your abilities. “They” poison your thinking and prompt you to dismiss legitimate opportunities. “They” erode trust in your relationships and short-circuit your potential.

“They” start off as little concerns, but then grows to doubts, worries, anxiety, apprehension, paralysis, and finally death. This death is not literal, but represents the creative, mental, or emotional death of one’s aspirations.

Delete these unhealthy, unproductive, and unprofitable influencers by refocusing your attention on things that are righteous, pure, inspiring, motivating, uplifting, encouraging, excellent, praise-worthy, and faith-building.

Instead of imagining all the ways things could go wrong, how about using your imagination for something more fruitful like imagining all the great things that could go right?

Also, crank up the volume of your “faith-tunes” – songs, words, images and other positive spiritual nutriments that will feed your faith and frustrate your fears. Make sure the voice of your faith is louder than the voice of your fears.

It’s time to evict the invisibles. Quit letting “they” keep your from pursuing your dreams and fulfilling your destiny.

Dream B.I.G.,
Paul Wilson, Jr.
www.DreamBIGin3D.com

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Experience A Full-Flavored Life by Paul Wilson, Jr.

They say people are willing to pay a premium for coffee at Starbucks, not just because of the coffee itself, but because of the “experience.” If that’s true, then a full-flavored life is about the “experience” not just the time lived.

I am by no means a coffee connoisseur. If I drink coffee it has to have a good amount of sugar and cream (I especially like flavored cream). I am just as likely to indulge a 99-cent cup from McDonald’s as I would a $4 grande from Starbucks – as long as it has lots of sugar and cream…

For those who are coffee connoisseurs, how often do you think about what it takes to provide you with a great java experience? Have you ever thought about what the beans have to go through to get to the point where they provide the fresh taste, pleasing aroma, and comforting warmth that you come to expect from a superb cup of coffee.
Coffee beans in their natural form don’t taste very good. They have to go through a long, strenuous process of grinding, heating, and (in my case) sweetening in order to be desired and enjoyed. Without this process, the full-flavored potential of the coffee bean is never achieved.

A full-flavored life is one where you are able to achieve your full potential in terms accomplishing your purpose, pursuing your passions, and leveraging your professional skills to create wealth. When you are flowing in all these areas simultaneously your life experience will have a fresh taste, pleasing aroma, and comforting warmth. Not only will you enjoy your life, others also will have a positive experience and lasting impression as they engage and interact with you.

Like the best coffee, achieving a full-flavored life involves a process similar to the coffee bean - grinding, heating, and sweetening…
- Grinding: Tough situations and circumstances that press the mess out of you, so that you can be pure in your intentions and motivations.
- Heating: Challenging events that serve to forge your character, i.e. the times you are compelled to do the right thing even when you don’t want to.
- Sweetening: Rich and refreshing experiences that make life worth living – relationships, recreation, relaxation, and other rejuvenating rewards.

I’ve heard people say that life is a grind. When I really think about it, they are absolutely correct. So why not use the grind to your advantage? Like the coffee bean, the grind should help to make you better not bitter.

You may or may not be a coffee connoisseur, but you are a life connoisseur. You should want to indulge in the best that life has to offer. Just understand that enjoying a full-flavored life is going to cost you something, whether you want to pay the price or not. However, when you do pay the price, it will be an experience worth enjoying over and over and over again! Drink up!

Dream B.I.G.,
Paul Wilson, Jr.

B.I.G. Dreams are coming soon to a mind near you! www.DreamBIGin3D.com

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Battle Between Flesh and Spirit: My un-Confirmation of Singleness

This week has definitely been interesting for me. It’s been filled with sleepless nights, which have led me to tune my ears for what the Lord is trying to communicate to me. It has also been one of un-Confirming a gift of singleness over my life. I have been wrestling with the Lord over the past couple of years about my overall life purpose, and asked Him to confirm whether or not I should be focused on a life of singleness? Well…I have definitely received a un-Confirmation of Singleness over my life. I still have a high desire for sex! I still have a high desire for marriage! I still have a high desire to have kids! MY FLESH HAS BEEN TRYING TO CALL ME TO ACTION THIS WEEK!! Whew…I’m glad I got that off of my chest.

The ongoing battle between the flesh and spirit can be very intense and I’m here to testify that I’ve been in quite a battle this past week. Did I give way to my eye gate which allowed images to penetrate my mind? YES! Did I give way to my ear gate which allowed my mind to visualize some of the things that were going in? YES! Am I any less than a man for admitting some of my weaknesses? Absolutely not!

Some of the most highly influential and ‘God-focused’ men of biblical antiquity dealt with the same things that I am dealing with today. Praise be to God that I recognize that men’s lack of self-control, in addition to the lure of God’s beautifully crafted vessels (known as women), have served as a great formula for the downfall of many leaders. Otherwise, I’d probably give in to my fleshly desires and tell the critics around me to ‘KICK ROCKS!’ However, I’ve learned this is more than a battle between the flesh and the spirit, but one of ongoing processing in the life of one of God’s chosen vessels. The battle I deal with periodically is one that has a little to do with being a man, but is more of a penalty for experiencing sex outside of God’s original framework and plan.

What has this recent episode of being sex-starved taught me? Well…I need to get back in sync with the Word of God so that I’m able to keep withstanding the temptation of my flesh. I need to keep preaching against this battle, knowing that I must be on the right track since the enemy has turned his attention to me. Finally, I need to stop playing around in my single season and focus on pursuing a helpmeet that can help me transition into the next phase of my life :).

For those who know about the struggle, here are some verses to help you:
1 Corinthians 6:18 - Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 - It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
1 Corinthians 7:2 - But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:9 - but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Hebrews 13:4 - Let marriage be held in honor...and let the bed be
undefiled

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Change of Direction

Last night I suffered through the worst night of sleep I’ve encountered in quite some time. However, after further reflection, the restlessness of my sleep pattern has now been revealed as a sign of God trying to recapture my attention. I find myself operating at such a hectic, ongoing pace, that God can only really speak to me when I’m dead tired and my environment is silent.

This recurring wrestling match between life and ministry is a personal battle of me discerning the difference between my will and God’s will. Ultimately, no matter how much we put our hands in the ongoing details of life, God will ultimately show His hand and guide us in the direction we are supposed to go.

It is very apparent that I’m really supposed to be going in a different direction with my life, but only remain attached to certain areas so I won’t disappoint others around me. I know and recognize the expanded assignments on the horizon, but need to first release some of my current assignments in order to be positioned to receive my new ones. Luke 9:23 speaks specifically about picking up one’s cross (burdens, barriers, assignments) with a willingness to follow Him. Far too many times we find ourselves fixed in certain phases of life and refuse to let go of certain assignments in order to move forward.

Thank you Lord for meeting me with Your mercy not allowing me to serve as a continued barrier to my greater purpose in life!

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Put Feet to Your Faith! by Paul Wilson, Jr.

Have you ever known anyone with incredible talent, but were afraid or hesitant to use it? They don’t think they are as good at their talent as others or care too much about what others would think if they failed. People always praise them for their skills, but they dismiss or ignore their compliments.

Maybe that person is you.
“Just as a person's body that does not have a spirit is dead,
so faith that does nothing is dead!” ~ James 2:26

We are creatures of habit. Unfortunately, many of the habits we embrace are self-sabotaging, which slow our positive momentum. These habits are detrimental to our ability to fulfill our long-term potential and purpose. Not believing in God is a self-sabotaging habit. Another self-sabotaging habit is not believing that He has given you the ability to do what you can do.

While many people say they have faith in God, they don’t necessarily demonstrate that faith with their actions. Your action or inaction is a key indicator of the legitimacy your faith. The truth is you don't need faith if you're not doing anything worthwhile.

It’s not enough to have faith in yourself, because you are flawed and will eventually fail at something that you can’t overcome by yourself. It’s not enough to have faith in your faith, because eventually you’ll run into something that is bigger than your measure of faith can handle. The only true source and object of faith who has the ability to be unfailing and everlasting is God.

“Your life is shaped more by your daily steps than by your occasional leaps.”
~ Andrew Morgan

I realize that many people need to take baby steps in order to start applying and stretching their faith. The more you embrace discomfort the bigger your comfort zone will become. Here are some daily suggestions to stride forward in your faith:
 Activate your faith by reading and meditating on God’s Word. What you focus your thoughts on will either feed your faith or frustrate it.
 Ask yourself everyday: What am I doing to accomplish my goals?
 Do something everyday that’s outside of your normal routine, even if it’s driving to work on a different route.
 Do something everyday that you don’t like doing.
 Find an accountability coach who will challenge you to do new things.

If you practice these steps, eventually you will begin to stretch your faith. Ultimately you want to be at the place where you increase your faith by intentionally putting yourself in positively challenging situations where God has to come through for you. Most people I know don’t live like that, but I believe that’s the adventurous way that God wants all of us to live.

If you want your life to count for something significant, stop just talking about faith and really start walking by faith!

Dream B.I.G.,
Paul Wilson, Jr.
Are you dreaming B.I.G. in 3D yet? www.DreamBIGin3D.com

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