This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 26. We have been looking at the life of Abraham for weeks. Yesterday I made the connection between the God the Father offering up Jesus as a sacrifice and Abraham doing the same with Isaac. God stopped Abraham from actually going through with it. He would do this Himself in the New Testament. As I continue to make a connection between Isaac and Jesus, let’s focus on this thought this morning: “Seeing the big picture.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- The point I made yesterday was one about seed and harvest. God the Father was willing to offer up His own Son as a seed. He went through with it and His seed (Jesus) is still producing a harvest (of souls) today. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son. Isaac became a seed. This seed is also still producing fruit to this day. Thousands of years later the descendants of Abraham are still multiplying. In both cases the promise would not have been truly fulfilled if the offerers had HELD ON TO THE SEED. Isaac was a tremendous blessing, but he was NOT the full promise. He was only part of the story. Jesus coming to the earth was a true blessing. But even Jesus’ amazing life on this planet was only part of the story. The Father was looking at the bigger picture. He was focused on the bigger promise. He was looking to save the world from sin, and He did, because He was willing to sow Jesus as a seed.
- God calls us to do things that are SO BIG that they will not be manifested all at once. The manifestation of God’s dream often comes in levels and stages. Sometimes the journey is so long, and the path is so difficult, that it is easy to get tired along the way and settle for partial manifestation. The enemy will sow thoughts in your mind. He will say things like, “Well, this is good enough.” Or, “I am okay with this. I don’t need to go further.” Or, “God has already done enough. If He does not do anything else, I already have enough to give Him praise for the rest of my days.” These statements, especially the last one, seem holy on the surface. They sound right, but they are not right. God made plans for you before the world began. When He gives you a promise, He is revealing to you His divine intent. He is revealing to you what He plans to do in your life. He expects NOTHING LESS than the FULL manifestation of His purpose IN and THROUGH you while you are in the earth. He did not create you to settle for part of your purpose. He created you to fulfill your purpose before you die. So while it is true that you must be content with whatever state you find yourself in, contentment does not mean complacency. You must never be satisfied until you FIND, FOLLOW and FINISH your divine assignment. Anything less is a misappropriation of God’s grace. Anything less is a waste of purpose. Anything less is a failure to remain focused on the BIG PICTURE.
- Your future is God’s past. He has already been there. He has already seen it. It has already played out before Him. So when He looks at your life today, He is looking for what He saw (Ecc 3:15).
- When God gives you a promise He is revealing to you what He planned to do IN you and THROUGH you. He planned this before the world began. He planned it in levels and stages. It is not going to happen overnight. It will take time. It will take growth. When other people are involved, it will take time for them to be ready as well. It will take time for things to fall in place. The problem with many believers is that God’s promises are SO BIG, and they take so much time to unfold and fully manifest, that people get tired, frustrated, or distracted. They appreciate what God has already done and they settle for that, not holding on to the BIG PICTURE; not holding on to the FULL PROMISE!
- You must keep God’s promise before your eyes. You must meditate and medicate on it day and night. You must keep the BIG PICTURE before you. Even if it comes in bits and pieces. Even if it comes in levels and stages. Even if it comes fits and starts. Thank God for every part of the journey, but never stop until until you can say, “MISSION COMPLETE!” Keep the big picture before your eyes. If you do, you will keep going when you feel like giving up.
- When Jesus was going to the cross it was extremely painful. But do you know what kept Him going? It was the BIG PICTURE. He looked down through the annals of time and saw your face. The Bible calls this “the JOY that was set before Him!” (Heb 12:2). Jesus got JOY from looking at the BIG PICTURE. We must learn to do the saem. If we keep the BIG PICTURE before us, we will keep going when the world is telling us to give up, cave in and quit.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. I live with an expectation of full manifestation. I live with an expectation that everything You promised me shall come to pass before I die. I have learned to be content. I appreciate the journey. I thank You Father for every experience. But I will never be satisfied until I complete my divine assignment. I will never be satisfied until I get OUT of me, everything You placed IN me before the world began. I will never be satisfied until I can say, “MISSION COMPLETE!” On that day I will die… NOT because I am sick, and NOT because I am old. I will only die when I am DONE! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
