When I take a moment to think about God’s blessings on my life and all the times that He has answered prayers or He has worked a miracle in my life or in the lives of those around me I am in awe. We all have desires, visions, hopes and dreams. As believers in Christ, many times we want God to answer our prayers. To help us to fulfill our dreams. But are we truly ready for Him to do so? Have we prepared?
God wants us to have dreams and visions. A goal for the future. “ Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18. We need to fill our hearts with the thoughts and dreams that we seek. God wants to give them all to us. But it is a matter of timing, preparation and faith that allows God to move in our lives and to begin to answer our prayers. Living in an instant gratification society, it is easy to get caught up in the desire for things to happen immediately. A sort of “Fast Food” mentality, We want what we want and we want it now. We expect our miracles and the answers to our prayers to happen immediately. Although God is able to perform supernatural, spontaneous blessings, most often the answers take a little more time and more action on our part.
In Psalms 37:4 it says “delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” When we delight in something, we certainly spend time in it. To delight also means to entertain, or to captivate. When we entertain ourselves or captivate ourselves in Him, we draw closer in our relationship. We can hear His voice speaking to us and we can know what He is telling us. But this requires time, and action on our part. It requires us to have faith and to be obedient in what God is telling us to do. We have to take the step of faith first in order to see Him begin the miracle.
What does that step of faith look like? How do we get ready to receive our blessing? “ I will stand my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected, Then the Lord answered me and said: Write down the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run, who reads it” Habakkuk 2:1-2 God’s word tells us to stand watch. To wait and listen to what He is telling us. What is he speaking to your heart when you are seeking him? What does he say during your prayer time? Whatever He has revealed to you, WRITE IT DOWN. Put it on paper, or a computer, or notes on your phone. Someplace where you can see it. The hopes, visions , and desires that God has given you, take them and put them into action. Faith requires action. Put your faith into action by doing what it is that God is telling you to do. It may be something that seems strange, or doesn’t make sense at the time. It may be a sacrifice or a removal of something in your life that is getting in the way.
A wonderful example of this is found in the story of turning water into wine. Jesus was about to perform the first miracle. He could have just told all the servants not to worry, and with one simple word, fixed the problem and made more wine. However, He makes the servants follow His instructions FIRST. Before the miracle is performed, they have to fill the jugs with water. Then on FAITH, they have to go pour the water into the wine goblets. I am sure that all of this seemed strange to them and made absolutely no sense. They had no idea what was about to happen. They were just doing what they were told to do and acting in faith. They moved first. They prepared. Then Jesus performed the miracle. Not only did he turn the water into wine, but Jesus made the best quality wine. “…and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” JOHN 2:9-10. Acting in obedience to what God tells us, always results in the best outcome.
When we begin to seek God and lift our petitions up to heaven, God begins to move on our behalf. Our obedience to His voice takes us to the place where He can then show up in all of his glory. We must be faithful today and not become anxious or doubtful. We must prepare for God to move by putting our faith into action. God is not in a hurry. His timing is perfect.
I encourage you this week, continue to be faithful, and surrender to Him. I know as you step out in faith, you will see Him move miraculously.
Until next time remember…
Stay Calm and Be Empowered.
