Let's all pray that God will give us the radical idea or strategy that will catapult us into destiny. It may come through something we read, something we see or directly through prayer. But there is something we can do in obedience to God that will shift us out of where we are and into the manifestation of His promises for our lives.
God gave Jacob a divine strategy as he was on his way to do the will of God. Jacob angered Laban and his sons. So, God told Jacob to get up from Laban's house, take all his family, flocks and household and return to his father's land where He promised to do him good and make him numerous. Jacob moved in obedience but was afraid of what Esau would do to him because he stole Esau's birthright. He sent his servants in front of him to tell Esau he was coming. His servants returned with the message that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. Jacob responded in fear by dividing his household in an effort to protect at least one if the other was destroyed. But then He prayed reminding God of His promises and asked God for deliverance. What God gave him was a strategy that would spare his life and that of those in his household. The scripture does not say God gave him a strategy. But right after he prayed, he made a bold strategic move that must have come from God. Before he prayed he sent a message. After he prayed, he enacted a plan of more than words. He took much from his flocks of all kinds and prepared a gift for Esau that he sent ahead of himself along with the messengers in a specific order and format. He moved his family and he remained alone. It was then that he wrestled with God and refused to let go until he received a blessing and the new name Israel. As we know, he was more than delivered from Esau but his relationship was restored even greater than ever before. Genesis 32.
We, too, as we walk in obedience to what God has instructed and promised may face what seems to be a death-defying challenge along the way. But if we pray, God will give us the pivotal instruction or move that will shift us not only into deliverance, not only into restoration but into promise.
Please get your copy of Live For Results, today at LiveForResults.com May God give you that thought to move you into promise and closer to Him.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
How to Start the Year Right - A Process and Prayer
Have you set your plans for the year? Have you taken the time to consecrate before God to determine what He wills for you in this year? Each December, take one to three days to just stay before the Lord assessing the year past and what changes need to be made in the upcoming year. Obviously gratitude to God should cover the entire consecration.
Now, if you missed doing this, it's not too late. Try to find one to three days this month, in addition to your corporate or individual fasts to lay before the Lord, specifically, concerning your life plan as He sees it. Here are some tips for going through the process (Keep pen and journal handy):
1-Start with praise and thanksgiving for all He has done and has already designed for you. Bombard heaven with thanksgiving because no matter what happened in 2013, you're still here and have the ability to advance the Kingdom for the Lord. Love on God, because He's loved on you whether you see how He has or not.
2-Read aloud scriptures of significance to you and those that will help you get your mind in the mode of obedience to God's word. Obedience is the key to any success in God. Some examples are Matthew 6 and 7, John 15:1-10, 14:21, James 1 and 4.
3-Empty out yourself, your desires and ambitions, and ask God to fill you with more of His Spirit and His desires for you. Pray in the Spirit until you feel the glory of the Lord resting upon you.
4-Now, if He begins to speak at any point in the process, LISTEN, DOCUMENT and UNDERSTAND. Get the revelation on His word. He will make it plain to you as you diligently seek His face. Be prepared for Him to pour out as He has your full attention. He may lead you to other scriptures. Follow His leading.
5-Stay there (not necessarily literally) until you have what you need. Stay consecrated before God for as many days as it takes for you to get the revelation you need to go forward with life. You wouldn't drive a school bus without having instructions because there are too many lives at risk including those of other's children. Likewise, your life impacts God's children everywhere including you. You don't want to error because you failed to get direction for how to be the gift that you are to God's Kingdom. Live purposefully, not recklessly. Every moment of life has great value.
6-Pray until you feel a shift in your mind and spirit. Even after the Lord has revealed some things. Keep worshipping and praising Him for the revealing His divine plans to you.
7- After revelation, document a plan for how to get to where God said you are to go. Even in this you still seek His direction and revelation: When to do which parts, Who to work with, Where to find the resources, etc.
8- Once you are done, live life with a focus on achieving the goals of your God-directed plan. No matter where you are and everywhere that you go, keep praise and worship in your heart and on your lips.
This is just a brief summary of a proven process. So, I pray God richly bless and keep you. That your mind would be renewed through His written and spoken Word, that you would grab a hold to the Kingdom and not let go and that the glory of God would continually rise upon you all year long. I pray that God will assist you at every turn as you move forward in obedience to His instructions and that you will fall more deeply in love with God than you've ever been before. That you will see He is the true lover of your soul and that from His love you learn how to properly love others. To God (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) be all glory honor and praise, now and forevermore!!
Don't forget to get your copy of Live For Results at www.LiveForResults.com I love you with the love of the Lord. Be encouraged and strengthened knowing that the Lord God is with you.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The Perspective of Expecting, Declaring and Proclaiming. Part II
I hoped to have written this before we entered 2014. But as it can be for each of us from time to time, I was so consumed with meeting other's needs at work, home and community, that I did not take time to get this done. My apologies. Here is part II of this blog post.
We last spoke about expecting and what to expect from God. Once you make up your mind to change your mind to expecting the "right" things of God, you can move to Declaring and Proclaiming. "Name it and Claim it" only works if your declarations line up with the will and wisdom of God. Matthew 7:7 says, "ask and you shall receive..." and then a couple of verses later Jesus relates this to a parent giving good gifts to their children. If you are a parent or can relate to being a child with expectations of a parent you can better understand how the principle of asking and receiving works. A loving parent will give "good" gifts to their children, that being the best they can give and only things that will bless and not harm them. If your child asks for a Maserati at the age of 12, most parents that can afford that vehicle would not give it at that time since the child would have no driver's license and more than likely lack the maturity to manage such an expensive gift. The parent would consider that if they did give that particular gift there would be great risk to the child's life at this time, even the risk of death due to an accident. So as much as the child may admire the Maserati, can imagine themselves driving it and have picked the perfect color, the wise parent would not give it as their life is more valuable than that particular gift. Not only that car, but any car would be off the table for this time.
However, when the child matures, graduates college, starts work and can handle responsibilities-say in their late-20"s or 30"s, the parent may remember their childhood request and give them that Maserati even without their asking again. For the parent recognizes the growth and readiness of the child to receive the gift and remembers the desire to have it. Likewise, God does us the same way. He may have everything but He won't give us anything we are not ready for even if we do ask. But once we are ready and it is good for us, He will do it. This is most often the reason we ask repeatedly for something and it does not manifest when we want. We must prepare in whichever way God needs for us to in order to receive and retain the gifts He gives without losing ourselves.
Therefore, we expect only the best from God; we expect Him to only give what we are ready for that will not harm or hinder us and THEN we declare those things shall come to pass. We proclaim the faithfulness and love of God in order to encourage us as we wait in preparation. We proclaim in a position of worship those things that will glorify Him whether we have received or not, and we continually affirm our unwavering faith through declaring that He will do it. Again, in James 1:17, the scripture declares that every good and perfect gift comes from The Father. The same analogy in Matthew to help us understand how to ask, what to expect, what to declare and what to proclaim. This is going to be a phenomenal year as we work to prepare our minds for action (I Peter 1:13) and live out the destinies for which we were born into the earth. Only the best belongs to you.
We last spoke about expecting and what to expect from God. Once you make up your mind to change your mind to expecting the "right" things of God, you can move to Declaring and Proclaiming. "Name it and Claim it" only works if your declarations line up with the will and wisdom of God. Matthew 7:7 says, "ask and you shall receive..." and then a couple of verses later Jesus relates this to a parent giving good gifts to their children. If you are a parent or can relate to being a child with expectations of a parent you can better understand how the principle of asking and receiving works. A loving parent will give "good" gifts to their children, that being the best they can give and only things that will bless and not harm them. If your child asks for a Maserati at the age of 12, most parents that can afford that vehicle would not give it at that time since the child would have no driver's license and more than likely lack the maturity to manage such an expensive gift. The parent would consider that if they did give that particular gift there would be great risk to the child's life at this time, even the risk of death due to an accident. So as much as the child may admire the Maserati, can imagine themselves driving it and have picked the perfect color, the wise parent would not give it as their life is more valuable than that particular gift. Not only that car, but any car would be off the table for this time.
However, when the child matures, graduates college, starts work and can handle responsibilities-say in their late-20"s or 30"s, the parent may remember their childhood request and give them that Maserati even without their asking again. For the parent recognizes the growth and readiness of the child to receive the gift and remembers the desire to have it. Likewise, God does us the same way. He may have everything but He won't give us anything we are not ready for even if we do ask. But once we are ready and it is good for us, He will do it. This is most often the reason we ask repeatedly for something and it does not manifest when we want. We must prepare in whichever way God needs for us to in order to receive and retain the gifts He gives without losing ourselves.
Therefore, we expect only the best from God; we expect Him to only give what we are ready for that will not harm or hinder us and THEN we declare those things shall come to pass. We proclaim the faithfulness and love of God in order to encourage us as we wait in preparation. We proclaim in a position of worship those things that will glorify Him whether we have received or not, and we continually affirm our unwavering faith through declaring that He will do it. Again, in James 1:17, the scripture declares that every good and perfect gift comes from The Father. The same analogy in Matthew to help us understand how to ask, what to expect, what to declare and what to proclaim. This is going to be a phenomenal year as we work to prepare our minds for action (I Peter 1:13) and live out the destinies for which we were born into the earth. Only the best belongs to you.
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