Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” with the point being that we should live with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
This is the main scripture we will be looking at this year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
We are also looking at these scriptures as we consider the life of Joseph.
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Gen 39:1-6 CEV)
1 The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard.
2 So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
3 Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did.
4 Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property.
5 Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields.
6 Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Never hold God hostage to a specific timeframe or expectation.
— One of the major mistakes baby Christians make is holding God hostage to their own expectations. While they are waiting on God, they come up with artificial time limits and dates. They say, “God, I want (or need) you to do this by X date.” They then live with an expectation of manifestation before that date and call their expectation “faith,” even though God never gave them a date. When it does not happen by the date they wanted, they shut down and hold God hostage, meaning that they refuse to do anything else with and/or for God until He does what He said He would do. This is no different than a 5-year-old holding a temper tantrum because he/she did not get what they wanted when they wanted it. This may sound funny, but grown men and women do this to God all the time. You will never truly mature as a believer until you get past this stage. James taught us that mature believers have patient endurance. They are not moved by time, circumstance, or conditions. They are only moved by God.
— People hold God hostage to giving them the answer or the breakthrough they’re looking for and then withhold from fully giving themselves over to God until God does what they want. This is childish, immature, and foolish, but it happens every day.
— We have to learn how to celebrate God, even in the midst of disappointment and challenging times, and even while we are waiting on God to do what He said He would do because God will not move before His time. God is not in a hurry. If we don’t understand this, we run the risk of living our lives with an expectation of tomorrow while missing out on the miracle of today.
— Joseph had God’s dream in his heart while he was living in Potiphar’s house as a slave. To mature, Joseph had to learn to keep the dream alive while not allowing the expectation of the dream to keep him from making the most of every day. Surprisingly enough, even though Joseph was just a teenager when he arrived in Egypt, he had the maturity to focus on his “today” while he was waiting on his “tomorrow.” He did not shut down or get upset with God. He sought to make the most of his current situation and trusted that God would open the door to the next season when that time came. We can all learn from Joseph.
*** Learning to rest in God’s timing is part of maturing in Christ!
2. Keys to embracing God’s timing.
— To embrace God’s timing, you must relinquish control of your life and your projected timeline so you can trust in God and His perfect schedule.
— Release artificial deadlines, living in the peace of God’s unchanging promise.
— Avoid setting limits on God; His ways and thoughts are higher than yours.
— Celebrate God continually, not just in anticipation of what He will do. Thank God for your “NOW” while you are waiting on your “NEXT.”
— Understand that maturity comes from trusting God’s timing, not dictating it.
— Cultivate patience, understanding that God’s timing is part of His providence.
— Let go of selfish demands, embracing the fullness of what God planned for your life.
— Find joy in the journey, not just the destination.
— Accept and enjoy the mystery associated with walking with God. Commit to living by faith even when you don’t see the full picture.
— Trust that God is working for your good, in His time, for His glory.
3. To make the most of your today while you wait on your tomorrow, constantly remind yourself of God’s goodness in the present.
— Constantly reminding yourself of God’s goodness in the present helps you create an atmosphere of expectation for the manifestation of what you know He will do.
— If you make it a practice to make the most of today and to feed your heart on what God is doing in the present while you’re waiting on your future, it will be hard for the enemy to discourage you. This is critical to living by faith and developing patience.
— If you meditate on the wrong things, you may get discouraged. This is dangerous. Once you are frustrated, it opens the door to fear, doubt, unbelief, despair, defeat, and depression. You can be Born-Again and depressed. Don’t let this be you. Meditate on the goodness of God daily, even when you know your current situation is not God’s best.
— It takes a certain level of maturity to walk with God in a certain level of mystery. It takes a certain level of maturity to know that there will be things you don’t know and will not understand until the fullness of time. So, walking with God requires accepting a certain level of mystery and being comfortable with a certain level of discomfort while waiting for God to do what he said he would do.
— If you don’t develop faith and patience, the expectation you have for the JOY of your tomorrow can actually ROB YOU of the JOY of your today! I let this happen to me a few years ago. I have something in my heart that I know God said, but since it has not happened yet, I was so “caught up” on God’s promise for my “tomorrow” that I was miserable in my “today.” Learn from me. Don’t make this mistake. Do what Joseph did. Make the most of your NOW while you believe God for your NEXT!
4. Keys to maintaining your JOY while you wait on God.
— Do you remember the song, “count your blessings”? Daily recount God’s current blessings and faithfulness in your life.
— Create an atmosphere of praise, focusing on God’s present goodness. Look around and give Him praise for where you are!
— Guard against discouragement by celebrating what God is doing NOW! You won’t have to look long before you can see things to be thankful for.
— Keep a thankful heart, which keeps you aligned with God’s presence and peace.
— See God’s hand (acknowledge what He is doing) in every detail of today, building your faith for tomorrow.
— Live fully in the now, seeing it as the foundation for God’s future promises.
— Encourage others with your journey, sharing how God is working in your today. Tell your story before you get to the destination. Share what God is doing!
— Stay rooted in the Word, drawing strength and perspective for each day.
— Believe that God’s goodness today is a preview of His plans for your tomorrow.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I declare my trust in Your divine timing, knowing You orchestrate every detail of my life for good.
I release every timeline and expectation I came up with and open my heart to accept Your plan, which will unfold at Your pace.
I commit to rejoicing in Your present goodness, finding joy in each day!
I refuse to be discouraged by delays, seeing them as opportunities for growth and deeper trust in You.
I embrace the lessons learned in waiting, knowing they are shaping me for Your purpose.
I trust in Your unseen work, believing that behind the scenes, You are arranging all things for my good and Your glory!
Father, I choose to live fully today, using it as a foundation for the future You promise.
I thank You for Your faithfulness, celebrating Your love and provision in every moment.
I stand firm in faith, confident that Your promises will manifest in Your perfect timing.
Father, I believe Your goodness today is just a glimpse of the glorious plans You have for me.
I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
