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
(1 Sam 17:52,53 ERV)
52 The soldiers of Israel and Judah shouted and started chasing the Philistines. The Israelites chased them all the way to the city limits of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. They killed many of the Philistines. Their bodies were scattered along the Shaaraim road all the way to Gath and Ekron.
53 After chasing the Philistines, the Israelites came back to the Philistine camp and took many things from that camp.
Setting the Stage. (From 1 Samuel 17:52-57)
By this point in David’s story, we know that his victory over Goliath stirred up the faith of the Israelite army, and they rushed the Philistine army prepared for battle. The Israelites chased the Philistines as far as Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were spread out for miles. The Israelite army then returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp, and with that, the battle was over.
David took Goliath’s armor off his corpse and kept it as a trophy, but he carried Goliath’s head to present to the king. While this was going on, King Saul asked Abner, the commander of his army (who was obviously not in command that day), “Abner, whose son is this young man?” This is an interesting question. Saul already knew David as his harp player, but while David was playing the harp king, Saul never thought of asking who his father was or what family he came from. David’s lineage did not seem important to Saul when David was just a harp player, but now that he was going to be hailed as a mighty warrior, Saul wanted to know more about him and his family. Abner replied, “I really don’t know.” Saul responded, “Well, find out who he is!“
When David returned from the victory, General Abner Abner brought him to King Saul. David walked up to the king with the giant’s head still dangling from his fingers, and the king said, “Tell me about your father, young man.” David replied, “His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem.” We will stop here for today.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Private victories precede public ones.
The Lord made sure David experienced killing a lion and a bear in private, without any fanfare, well before he killed the giant. Why? Because if you can’t handle private success, you will certainly not be able to deal with public success when it comes. Pride has been the downfall of many great people. So, while you are winning your battles in private and asking God when He will expose you to the public, don’t worry; keep winning the private battles, and the time will come when the Father shines His spotlight on you.
How this applies to you:
— Develop character and faith in private, knowing it’s the foundation for public success.
— Use private challenges as opportunities to grow in your relationship with God.
— Remember that God sees your faithfulness, even when others don’t.
— Embrace the seasons when you feel like you are hidden as preparation for future public victories.
— Greatness is developed in obscurity.
— God needs to see your faithfulness when no one is watching so He can trust you in situations where everyone is watching.
— David was faithful to kill a lion and a bear when no one knew his name, so God trusted him to kill a giant, which led to everyone knowing his name.
— If you feel like you are plugging away daily, being faithful, and no one notices, don’t give up. God sees you, and He will make sure that the seeds you sow in private will eventually produce a harvest in public.
2. The grace to handle success is often more important than the grace to handle struggles.
Handling failure is difficult, but handling success can be even more difficult. Success has a way of chewing you up and spitting you out if you are not ready for it. But just like the Father will not allow you to face challenges you are not ready for, He will not allow you to face success you can’t handle either. So, if you are experiencing it, then you can take it. If you accept success with grace, it will not destroy you.
How this applies to you:
— Trust that God’s grace is sufficient for both your trials and your triumphs.
— Recognize that success is a responsibility, not just a reward.
— Stay humble and dependent on God, even (or especially) in times of great achievement.
— When God elevates you, use your success as a platform to glorify God and serve others.
— Continually seek God’s guidance on how to steward your success wisely.
— If you don’t handle success with humility and grace, it can ruin your life and your relationship with God.
— Never allow a blessing to keep you from the God who gave it to you.
3. Never forget where you came from.
David knew he had just won a great victory and knew his life would change forever. But when asked about his Dad, David said, “His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem.” Notice that David said, “we” and not “he.” Although David would soon leave Bethlehem, he was proud to say that he lived there and that he was from there. David also brought honor to his family name that day. Here’s the point: while God wants to deal with your future and not your past, God does not want you to be embarrassed of your past. The mess of your past becomes the message of your story! Look back and be thankful, just never judge your future by your past.
How this applies to you:
— Honor your roots and the people who have contributed to your journey.
— Use your past experiences, both good and bad, as a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
— Stay connected to your community, even as God elevates you to new levels.
— Allow your success to be a blessing to those who have supported you along the way.
— Maintain a humble and grateful attitude, recognizing that every step of your journey has shaped who you are today.????????????????
— We serve a God who can turn your scars into stars, but you must get to the point where you are not ashamed of your past.
— God can make your mess part of your message; your test part of your testimony. But you will keep God from doing so if you are ashamed of your past.
— I have no problem saying how Isabella and I grew up. Our humble beginnings have helped shape us into who we are, and it is certainly a part of our story.
4. Success is about stewardship, not ownership.
David’s victory over Goliath wasn’t just about personal glory. It was about stewarding the victory for the benefit of the entire nation of Israel. When David defeated Goliath, he didn’t just walk away with a personal trophy. He sparked a national turnaround that led to a decisive victory for Israel. This teaches us that true success isn’t just about what we achieve for ourselves, but how we use that success to benefit others and glorify God.
How this applies to you:
— Remember that every success you experience is a gift from God, meant to be stewarded wisely.
— Use your victories as a platform to encourage and uplift others who are still in their battles.
— Recognize that with greater success comes greater responsibility to impact lives positively.
— Stay connected to God’s purpose, ensuring that your success aligns with His will and not just your personal ambitions.
— Be generous with the fruits of your success, understanding that you are blessed to be a blessing to others.????????????????
— If you prove to God that you can handle success with humility and grace, there is no limit to the levels He will ascend you to. Remember, God is looking to impact the people and systems of this world. To do so, He needs sons and daughters who can embrace THE BLESSING without forgetting the God who gave it to them. When He finds sons and daughters with this type of heart, He elevates their influence in this world so His Kingdom can advance through them! Are you one of these people? If so, keep stewarding success, and God will continue to elevate you!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for Your divine preparation in my life. Every private victory is shaping me for public success.
Your grace empowers me to handle both challenges and triumphs with equal strength and humility.
I embrace the responsibility that comes with success, using it as a platform to glorify You and serve others.
I am proud of my roots and honor those who have been part of my journey, recognizing how every experience has shaped me into who I am today.
I maintain a humble and grateful attitude, even as You elevate me to new levels of influence and impact.
My mess becomes my message, my stress part of my story, and my tests feed my testimony, all for Your glory.
I stand ready for this day and every day to come, fully equipped by Your immeasurable grace to fulfill my divine purpose.????????????????
I have shown You, Father, that I can handle struggles. Now, I am showing You that I can also steward success. The more You elevate me, the more I will glorify THEE!
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!
