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How often do we forfeit our opportunities to go to the next level because we give up too soon?
The smallest obstacle and we throw in the towel. The slightest discomfort and we take it as a “sign” that it wasn’t meant to be ours. Discouraging words from loved ones and we let go of our dream.
There’s a false narrative in our time that things are supposed to be easy, go relatively smoothly, and be approved by our inner circle as proof that we are on the right track.
The truth is that the path that was set for us is going to require courage, strength, and a deep faith in the God who has sent us this way. When no one else believes in us, we must have an overwhelming sense of security that the Almighty, who does not waver nor sleep, has got our back. God sends us on our journey knowing very well all that we will encounter, therefore we can be certain that all that we need is already taken care of.
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” ~ Numbers 23: 19
The bible gives us many examples of people destined for greatness where nothing went smoothly, and yet the word spoken upon their lives was fulfilled. This lets us know that nothing can stand in the way of our divine destiny. It’s already written! We just have to keep moving. One of the most powerful quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to the fact that we must always be moving forward. No matter how small the step forward is. Let it be a forward step.
“If you can’t fly, then run,
If you can’t run, then walk,
If you can’t walk, then crawl,
But whatever you do,
You have to keep moving forward.”
It’s going to take courage and strength to reach our destiny. Don’t be fooled to think it will require any other thing. It won’t be about the things we think: money, being connected, great knowledge, charisma, mega talents etc. Remember the promise: when we ask according to His will, it will be done. 1 John 5: 14 - 15 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” So, the things we need for the journey will be provided because we are aligned with the will of the Father.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1: 9
This is a season to stand on the promises of God for no other reason but because He tells us in His word. It’s not a coincidence that one of the names of our Lord is Jehovah Jireh, ‘the Lord will provide’ (Genesis 22: 14). The vision comes with it’s provision. The journey will boil down to what’s on the inside of us: the spirit of courage and strength. Even this the Lord has already given us. 2 Timothy 1: 7 reminds us of this truth, “For God did not give us a spirit of fearfulness, but of power and love and a sound-mind.” Let’s use what we have been given.
“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” ~ 2 Peter 1: 2 - 4
The journey of King David: he was just a boy tending sheep when he was anointed to be King by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16: 12) and he remained keeping sheep after being anointed. He didn’t immediately take up the throne! The vision is for an appointed time. Don’t grow weary. He was just a boy, but a boy with the calling of God upon his life. Things had already changed even though they seemed the same in the natural. God speaking the vision into your life has already changed everything!
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” ~ Habakkuk 2: 3
David was going about his ordinary life when King Saul needed someone to play music during his episodes of a “harmful spirit”, and his servants recommended David. Doesn’t sound like an opportunity for someone who has been anointed to be King, but he accepted it anyway. David entered the King’s service because of his musical skill (1 Samuel 16: 21). Soon enough he gained favour with the King and became his armour bearer, and yet he was still tending to his father’s sheep (1 Samuel 17: 15). Something had changed in the natural, but not really. When he wasn’t in the King’s service, David was still tending sheep.
Then David volunteers himself to fight the Philistine giant Goliath while on an errand to bring food to his brothers. His eldest brother, Eliab, is angered by this action (1 Samuel 17: 28). Imagine that all the experienced warriors of Israel were trembling at the sight of Goliath, and here comes a boy who says he will fight the giant. It’s not like there was a queue of volunteers. David was bold enough to ignore the facts and stand on what he knew about the God he served. Perhaps his youth made him naive. Or perhaps this is why the bible says if we don’t become like children we will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18: 3).
A person walking their path of destiny can be easily misunderstood even by the people who love them. David wasn’t naive, or trying to get himself killed. The reason he could boldly volunteer to fight a man several times his size, power, and military training was that he had experienced God’s power working through him while tending sheep. David never attended a formal military training academy, but where he was, doing the mundane God had sent opposition in the form of wild animals to teach him how to conquer (1 Samuel 17: 34 - 37). Having conquered in the wilderness, David knew with certainty that he could do it again god willing. Could it be that even the challenges we face in our day to day lives are preparation for tomorrow? Even though David had not yet been named as King, his rise to leadership had begun while he was in the fields tending sheep.
“Nothing is wasted in God’s economy.” ~ Anonymous.
The Israelites journey from captivity: God led them the long way to the promised land rather than the short way because the bible tells us that they were not yet ready for war. The Israelites had just been freed from over 400 years of hard labor as slaves (Exodus 12: 40 - 41). This leads us to believe that they were physically in top shape, so why were they not ready for war? Mentally they had been enslaved for over 400 years. Even if physically they were set free, their minds were still captured, at the first sign of difficulty they would return to bondage.
“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." ~ Exodus 13: 17
There is danger in familiarity, even a bad situation can seem better than the unknown. When we’ve been in a situation for a long time, a good or bad situation, after a while it’s all we see. There is no room for vision. That saying, ‘life begins at the end of your comfort zone’ couldn’t ring more true. A leap of faith can’t happen as part of our daily routine. Faith requires us to dismantle the experiences that have brought us this far, believe and stand on promises of God.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” ~ Hebrews 11: 1
God had performed miracle after miracle in order for the Egyptian Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites. With each plague the Israelites went untouched. God speaks through His ways! They witnessed and experienced the impossible one plague after another. The Israelites had to have seen that what was happening was supernatural favour. Perhaps after being broken by slavery for so long, they had to witness miracles in order to believe that God himself was setting them free. Even Moses when God told him to go and lead the Israelites out of Egypt said, they won’t believe me that you (God) have sent me (Exodus 4: 1). Scepticism is a friend to prolonged disappointment. It’s true, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13: 12). God knows the longing of our hearts, He placed it there. Let’s not base our future on the past. That’s not our yardstick. Even a good past is not our yardstick. Remove the limitations on what God can do. It’s more than we can even imagine.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” ~ Ephesians 3 : 20 - 21
Take an honest look at your life, and call a spade a spade. Self-awareness is the journey to mastering yourself. No more excuses. It’s our time. God has a purpose that requires you to be at your best. Recognise what is in your control, and dominate it. Turn over every stone that you have the ability to lift, then leave the rest to God.
“The easiest person to deceive is one’s own self.” ~ Edward George Bulwer-Lytton
May the truth, found only in God’s Word always be our compass.
What can you do today to dominate your sphere of control and influence?
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