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.
Scriptures we have been looking at all year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
(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.
Focus for today:
Setting the Stage. This is based on 2 Samuel 5:1-5.
When we read 2 Samuel 5:1-5, we see the leaders of Israel coming to make David their king. This was the fulfillment of a promise made two decades earlier. But what’s fascinating is what happened in those 20 years. David started as the youngest of eight brothers; he was picked out by God when a prophet came to his house to anoint him to be king. He became a national hero overnight; later, he married the king’s daughter and moved into the palace, but before long, he became a fugitive running for his life, lost everything at Ziklag, had to fight against his own people, and even spent time living with his enemies. The path to the throne was anything but straight. Yet every experience – good and bad – was working together for his good. When David finally took the throne at age 37, he had been shaped by his experiences into the king Israel needed. His story teaches us that God’s timing isn’t just about waiting; it’s about becoming. Let’s explore how God uses time to develop us into the men and women we need to be to handle His promises.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Time Reveals What’s Really In You.
When pressure was applied to David’s life, what came out was faith, integrity, and honor. When he had the chance to kill Saul in the cave, his true character was revealed. The waiting period doesn’t just develop you; it exposes what’s already in you.
How this applies to you:
— As you walk with God and attempt to live by faith, your goal should be for pressure to reveal your true character, not destroy it.
— View challenges as opportunities to display what God has placed in you.
— If you are facing something extremely challenging, you can either see it from a victim’s mentality (woe is me; why is this happening to me?), or you can see it as an invaluable opportunity to tap into the grace of God to overcome it.
— Remember that your response to trials shows what you really believe. Some people claim to be Christians, and they claim to believe God, but as soon as something negative happens, they allow their lives to fall apart, and God stands by to watch because He will allow whatever you allow. However, suppose you, instead, choose to stand in faith, without a doubt, without wavering, believing that God’s promises will come to pass in your life (like David did). In that case, it may take some time, but your season of challenge will eventually subside, and the tides will turn in your favor.
— Use waiting seasons to examine what’s in your heart. The longer the wait, the more your faith will be tested, and you will get to learn if you truly believe what you say you believe.
— Time will expose areas where you need to grow in God’s grace and in the knowledge of Him.
2. Vision Gives Your Pain A Purpose.
Every painful experience in David’s journey contributed to his development. The betrayals taught him forgiveness. The losses taught him dependency on God. The battles taught him strategy. The time that went by taught him to truly live by faith and not by sight. Nothing was wasted. It was time well spent.
How this applies to you:
— Ask God to reveal to you the purpose in the pain.
— The Holy Spirit can open your heart to see how God is using your current pain for future purposes.
— David kept going through tremendously painful situations because he knew he was called to be the King of Israel, so he could not afford to quit, and he also knew that somehow God was using all the pain to prepare him for the assignment.
— God may not cause the pain (many times satan does, and sometimes, we do it to ourselves), but God can certainly use the pain for His purpose.
— Know that your struggles are developing skills you’ll need later.
— Believe that every trial is teaching you something valuable.
— Understand that comfort zones don’t create exceptional leaders. David had his moments in a cave and in Ziklag. Elijah had his moments, including one when he asked God to take his life. Joseph had to spend years as a slave and many more as a prisoner. Saul of Tarsus had to spend three years in isolation, unlearning what he thought he knew so he could become the Apostle Paul. What kept them all was God’s call on their lives!
— See your challenges as preparation, not punishment.
3. God Is Working Behind The Scenes.
While David was going through his trials, God was working. He was dealing with Saul, preparing the hearts of the people, and establishing David’s reputation. Even when David couldn’t see it, God was moving pieces into place on the chessboard of his life.
How this applies to you:
— Trust that God is working, even when you can’t see the evidence.
— Know that divine timing involves other people and circumstances.
— Think about how long it has taken God to get you ready, then think about all the people he has to get ready to receive you. This is why big callings take time.
— Rest assured that God is orchestrating things beyond your knowledge or understanding.
— When negative things happen (and they will), believe that seeming setbacks are divine setups for what is next. Greater IS coming!
— Remember that God’s silence doesn’t mean His absence. When God speaks, He requires faith from you to believe what He said. But oftentimes, when God does NOT speak, it is because He is looking for you to trust Him. Faith and trust are not the same thing. I can have faith when I know what God said or promised. But I need to trust God when I have no idea what He is doing. God requires both from us!
4. What The Enemy Means For Evil, God Uses For Good.
Everything that was meant to destroy David became a stepping stone to his destiny. Saul’s persecution made him a skilled warrior and tactical leader. His time in the wilderness developed his prayer life and songwriting. Living with his enemies taught him strategy from a different perspective. Even his failures taught him valuable lessons about grace and restoration.
How this applies to you:
— Trust that God can turn every attack into a benefit.
— Know that what your adversity is doing will eventually turn around to your advantage.
— Believe that your obstacles will become your opportunities.
— Remember that your mess can become your message; your struggle will become your story!
— Rest assured that God can use everything for your good.
5. When The Time Is Right, Everything Falls Into Place.
When David finally took the throne, it wasn’t just about him being ready. The nation was ready, the people were united, and even his former enemies submitted to his leadership. God’s timing brought everything together perfectly.
How this applies to you:
— Trust that God’s timing considers all factors, not just your readiness.
— Know that divine timing brings complete, not partial victory.
— Believe that God is aligning people and circumstances for your good.
— Remember that forced timing brings friction; divine timing brings favor.
— Rest in knowing that when it’s your time, nothing can stop it.
— Understanding all of this will help you transition your life from LABOR to FAVOR. This is #TheGraceLife, and it is the foundation of our faith.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I declare that pressure reveals the faith, integrity, and honor You have placed within me.
I see every challenging moment as an opportunity to display the character You have developed in my heart.
I know the vision You have given me brings purpose to every painful experience I face.
You are working behind the scenes, moving pieces into place on the chessboard of my life.
I trust that what the enemy means for evil, You are already turning around for my good.
Every attack against me becomes a stepping stone to my divine destiny.
I rest in Your perfect timing, knowing You are aligning everything and everyone for my breakthrough.
When my season comes, nothing and no one can stop what You have ordained.
Your timing brings complete victory, and I transition from labor to favor as I walk in Your grace.
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!
