Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” emphasizing living with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
Scriptures for today:
(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.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time
Setting the Stage. (Based on 1 Samuel 17:48-51)
Yesterday, I shared with you that David had said to Goliath, “Today, the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head.” This teenage shepherd boy, with nothing but a slingshot, a stone, a shepherd’s staff, and the grace of God, stood against a Philistine battle-tested, 9ft. tall, hardened elite Soldier. This would be like a teenage paperboy attempting to fight a member of Seal Team 6. In the natural, the odds were utterly against David, which is precisely how the Lord loves to operate. Remember, I said David was equipped with a slingshot, a stone, a shepherd’s staff, AND the grace of God. The grace of God makes all the difference.
David was being led by God. Therefore, God’s grace was on him for the victory. David had already seen, by faith, what was going to happen. Our present is heaven’s past, and heaven gave David a glimpse of his future. David saw himself killing Goliath by God’s grace and then cutting Goliath’s head off with his own sword. I love the fact that David had the audacity to say it before he did it! David received an image of the victory, and he had the faith to take God public. Anyone can say what they saw (by faith, in prayer) after the fact, but it takes faith to say what you believe the Lord wants to do through your life before you do it so that God gets even more glory out of the situation.
As Goliath moved closer to attack, David, unafraid, quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag, David took out a stone and hurled it from his sling. The stone hit the giant in the forehead and it sank in. Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. Just like that, the man who had been menacing King Saul and his entire army for over a month was killed within a few seconds by a teenager, with the grace of God on his life. The Bible says, “So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.” But wait, what David saw and what he said had not come to pass yet. So David then ran over to Goliath, pulled the giant’s sword from its sheath, and used it to kill him and cut off his head.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Our present is heaven’s past.
God can show you your future because, from heaven’s perspective, it’s already done. When you are able to see it, believe it, declare it, and step out into it, it’s called faith.
How this applies to you:
— Spending time with God, in His presence, discerning the voice of His Spirit, is critical to walking with Him.
— You can live a good life simply based on the Bible. But the Bible is what God said (past tense). You must have the ability to hear what God is saying (present tense).
— God speaks, and since He has already seen your future, if you spend time with Him, He will reveal things that have been concealed, and His revelation is designed to enable you to walk in His best.
— Seek God for His perspective on your life and future.
— Believe that God can reveal glimpses of your destiny to you.
— Align your present actions with the future God has shown you.
— Trust that what God has revealed is as good as done. It’s only a matter of time.
— Live with confidence, knowing your future is secure in God’s hands.
— Living by faith is all about making decisions based on what God has shown you about your future, even when everything you see today screams otherwise. It’s having the guts to say, “I don’t care what it looks like right now. God said it, so that settles it!” When you choose to believe what God revealed over what your eyes can see, you’re doing exactly what Paul meant when he said to walk by faith and not by sight. It’s like you’re living from your future, in your present. You’re allowing God’s promises for your tomorrow to shape your choices today. That’s faith in action! It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. Remember, your current situation is temporary, but God’s Word is eternal. So, keep your eyes on what God said, not on what you see. That’s how you navigate through life’s storms and come out on top!
2. Don’t be afraid to take God public.
When the Lord shows you your future, don’t be afraid to tell others about it (when He leads you to announce it). There will be times when God will lead us to keep it to ourselves. But when the timing is right, the Holy Spirit will lead us to announce it. However, many Christians fail to do so because of the risk of looking foolish. When you have the courage to announce it, before God does it, you let the Lord and everyone else know that you are confident that what God said shall come to pass.
How this applies to you:
— Boldly declare God’s promises for your life. When the Holy Spirit leads you to share or announce what He said to you, don’t allow the fear of other people’s opinions to keep you silent. David said, out loud, without a doubt in his heart, that he was going to kill Goliath and cut his head off, even though he did not have a sword. He said it because God revealed it. He said it at the risk of looking foolish. He said it by faith!
— Share your God-given vision with others when the Holy Spirit leads you to (because it will have to be the right people). Remember, when God blesses you, it’s not just for you. It’s so you can be a blessing to others.
— Stand firm in your convictions, even when others doubt. People might look at you like you’ve lost your mind. But guess what? Noah looked crazy too… until it started raining. Your job isn’t to convince everyone. Your job is simply to remain convinced yourself. Don’t allow what you see (with your natural eyes) to cause fear, doubt, or unbelief.
— Every time God comes through for you, it’s like He’s setting up a billboard of His goodness. Don’t be shy about pointing to it and saying, “Look what God did!”
— Remember that your public faith can pave the way for God’s public victory. When you step out and declare what God’s said, you’re actually rolling out the red carpet for His miracle-working power. Your faith becomes the stage on which God showcases His glory.
— Don’t let the fear of looking foolish keep you from being faithful. Sure, there’s a risk in taking God public. But there’s a greater risk in keeping Him private. You might just miss out on what God wants to do in, with, and through you!
3. The bigger the challenge, the greater the glory.
There is nothing too hard for God, and there are many things that are too hard for us. God likes to perform things in, with, and through us that are clearly too big for us so that He can get the glory. So when you are faced with something that is too big for you, instead of getting intimidated, get excited about God and what He can do through your life.
How this applies to you:
— Embrace challenges as opportunities for God to showcase His power.
— View impossible situations as a setup for divine intervention.
— Shift your focus from your inadequacy to God’s unlimited ability. Meditate and medicate on God’s grace.
— Prepare to give God all the glory when He brings you through.
— Trust that God’s grace is sufficient for every giant you face.
— Let your faith rise to match the size of your challenge.
Here are three more short bullet points in your style:
— Know that your testimony is being written through your trials.
— Understand that the bigger the battle, the sweeter the victory, and the more God will be glorified!
4. The enemy’s bark is bigger than his bite.
Goliath talked trash for 40 days and his words struck fear in the hearts of Saul and all his men. But at the end of the day, Goliath was killed by a teenage shepherd boy. That’s how satan is. He talks a big game, but he knows he can’t beat you when God’s grace is on your life. So don’t be afraid. Walk in faith (confidence in God) and not fear (confidence in satan).
How this applies to you:
— Recognize that the enemy’s threats are often empty when faced with God’s power.
— The enemy may be stronger than you when you are operating as a mere human. But when God’s grace is flowing through you, satan and his kingdom are no match for God and His angels.
— Stand firm in your faith, knowing that God’s grace empowers you to overcome.
— Refuse to be intimidated by the enemy’s tactics or words.
— Never allow fear to get a hold of your heart. Fear tolerated is faith contaminated!
— Remember past victories to build confidence for present battles.
— Choose to walk in faith, trusting in God’s ability rather than fearing the enemy’s threats.
— If you are yielded to God and He is moving through you, there is nothing satan can do to stop you because stopping you (at that point) will mean stopping God, and God cannot be stopped!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for revealing glimpses of my future, allowing me to live from heaven’s perspective.
I boldly declare Your promises for my life, taking my faith public when You lead me to do so.
I embrace every challenge as an opportunity for You to showcase Your power through me.
I shift my focus from my inadequacy to Your unlimited ability, knowing Your grace is sufficient for every giant I face.
I recognize that the enemy’s threats are empty when faced with Your power flowing through me.
I stand firm in my faith, refusing to be intimidated by the enemy’s tactics or words.
I choose to walk in confidence, trusting in Your ability rather than fearing any threat.
I prepare my heart to give You all the glory as You bring me through every trial and victory.
I align my present actions with the future You’ve revealed, living with assurance in Your promises.
Living this way, 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!
