Whether you’re new to the Christian faith or have walked it out with Jesus for years, have you ever pounded your head against a tree trying to wrap yourself around versus such as:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. -Philippians 4:13

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. -Matthew 17:20

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. -John 14:13

We all want to believe versus like this, but many of us don’t experience the promises that these verses offer. Have you noticed that no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem do ALL things through Christ?

My childhood dream was to be a fighter pilot in the US Air Force. I got into the Air Force Academy, I tested into the pilots training program…but failed my eye exam! Not sure if things changed, but back in the 80’s one needed 20/20 vision without correction. I prayed hard for my eyesight to be miraculously healed, but it wasn’t.

The dilemma here is that if you’re a person of faith you’re supposed to believe all this stuff. We try our best to live it out and we discover it’s not quite true, right? What happens over time is we either (1) live out our faith only focused on God’s commands thinking that if we obey enough the promises will come (legalistic) or (2) we allow others to rate us on their pious meter (unrealistic). You know…your not doing it right, you don’t have enough faith or you didn’t say “In Jesus name” right.

Have you ever wondered when the promises are going to kick in…in your life?

Ok, let’s hit the pause button. I’m not suggesting at all that’s God’s promises are not true and I’m not saying that He doesn’t answer prayer. I’m framing up a reality that most of us find ourselves in…if we’re honest with ourselves. We have all wondered what the heck is keeping God from doing what He promises to do in our lives, don’t we? Some good news here is that Paul offers up context as to the “why” in Galatians.

Paul is saying is that as long as the heir is underage or childish, he is no different from a slave — even though some day he will inherit the estate. If we continue reading, we discover that we have become heirs of God through Jesus. Awesome stuff, but what’s missing? When do we get all the stuff an heir is supposed to get? The promises, right?

Re-read the verse again, because Paul answers also answers all this. When one becomes an heir of something, they don’t necessarily get it all at once. There is often a journey, a process and maturity involved before they can receive their inheritance.

Good parents do not let their children decide whats best for them when they’re young or immature. Good parents will set parameters and establish healthy boundaries for their kids because they would make destructive decisions if they were left to themselves. We tend to focus on the stuff that we don’t really need or things that would hurt us in the long run. We are so out of alignment with God and we wonder why the promises don’t come our way.

Are you starting to connect the dots here?

The challenge we face is that many of us just refuse to grow up and mature. Paul is telling us that its time to put this behind us, because we have to STOP acting like a child if we’re going to STOP living like a slave. We need to STOP living like a slave and START living like a son and daughter of God!

The only thing the slave mentality does is dulls our hope of who we can become in life.

If we’re going to start living like an heir, its important to know what we’re supposed to receive and how to enter that space to receive it. An heir thinks differently than a slave because poverty changes our way of thinking and changes our entire life narrative.

When we live in a slave mentality our prayers reflect it and we are not aligned with God’s will for our lives. Take a hard look at the things you pray for because often it starts with “God, I want this and I want that and I want it NOW!”

Most of us act just like Veruca Salt from the 1971 movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, with the “but Daddy…I want it NOW” attitude.

A poverty mentality always focuses on what we want to have, but the mindset of a person who achieves great things always focuses on who they want to become.

Move from what you want to have, to what you want to do, to what you want to be! [Tweet that]

A slave always has to think about what they want to have and an heir already has it…and they can focus what they want to become.

Perhaps the promises have not come into reality in our lives because we are still thinking like slaves and not taking on the mindset of an heir. Heirs pray, long for and strive for different things!

Move out of your poverty and slave mentality and step into the heir mentality that our generous God is wooing us into! Remember that this passage is not about having stuff, its more about being in alignment with God;’s will, Christ’s ability to meet our needs and being content in any circumstance. The only limitations we have are the things that are not in God’s will for our lives!?

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19