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
(Gen 46:1-7 TPT)
1 Israel packed up all he had and went to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 God spoke to him in visions of the night, and called, “Jacob, Jacob!” “Yes, I’m here,” he answered.
3 “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt; for I will make your descendants a great nation there.
4 I will go with you to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back to this land. And the hand of Joseph will be there to close your eyes when you die.”
5 Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. His sons put him, their little ones, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent.
6-7 They took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan and went to Egypt. Jacob took all his descendants with him: his sons, his grandsons, his daughters, his granddaughters.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. The importance of worship.
Jacob was ready to see his long-lost son Joseph and also position his entire family to be blessed in the middle of a famine. So, he packed up everything to move to Egypt. This is not something you should do without hearing from God. So, on the way, he stopped near Beersheba to worship and offer sacrifices to God.
Worship must be a part of our normal routine. No matter the circumstances, we should always take time to praise and worship the Lord. Jacob was leaving everything he knew, stepping into the unknown, so he paused to worship. This teaches us to take a praise break, especially during uncertain times.
After worshipping, Jacob spent the night with God, who spoke to him, providing guidance and reassurance. Another important note about worship is that worship puts you in a position to hear from God. Worship helps you to forget about yourself and what you are going through, to concentrate on God and His goodness, and to open your heart to receive. It was in this posture that God spoke, and Jacob heard. God said, “Jacob, Jacob!” “Yes, I’m here,” he answered. ” I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt; for I will make your descendants a great nation there. I will go with you to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back to this land. And the hand of Joseph will be there to close your eyes when you die.”
Worship positions us to hear from God. It helps us shift our focus from ourselves to God, making us receptive to His voice. In worship, we exalt God for who He is, not just for what He has done. When we worship, God inhabits our praise, and some of our most profound experiences with Him can happen in these moments.
How this applies to you:
— Take time to worship God in all circumstances, as it positions you to hear from Him.
— Worship focuses your mind on God’s goodness and helps you to shift your attention from your troubles.
— Use worship as a way to recharge spiritually and gain divine perspective.
— Embrace worship as a tool to strengthen your relationship with God.
— Recognize that worship creates an atmosphere for divine encounters and revelations.
— I am a worshiper, and I love to worship for these reasons and many more.
2. The power of a Word of confirmation.
God graciously reassures us when we need it. As Jacob was about to embark on an unfamiliar journey, God gave him a confirming word: “Jacob, Jacob!” “Yes, I’m here,” he answered. ” I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt.” Sometimes, all we need is reassurance that we are on the right path. God provides confirmation through His Spirit, His Word, or through others, affirming that we are following His will.
God went on to say, “I will go with you to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back to this land. And the hand of Joseph will be there to close your eyes when you die.” This Word of confirmation did a few things for Jacob:
- It reassured him that he was on the right path.
- I am sure he was concerned about leaving Canaan (the land promised to his forefathers), so God reassured him that his descendants would be back.
- God not only reassured him that he would see Joseph, after 22 long years, but that Joseph would be with him until he died.
With this type of reassurance, Jacob was ready to lead his entire family (70 of them) into Egypt with confidence and peace.
How this applies to you:
— Be open to God’s confirmations, which can come through His Word, His Spirit, or other people.
— Seek reassurance from God in times of uncertainty to strengthen your faith.
— Thank God for the confirmations that assure you are on the right path.
— Use divine confirmations as motivation to keep moving forward in your faith journey.
— Understand that God’s confirmations are expressions of His love and guidance.
3. God’s plan is always in motion.
Jacob’s journey to Egypt was a significant step in God’s plan, a plan that had been in motion for generations. God told Abraham that his descendants would live as foreigners, be enslaved, but eventually come out with great wealth. Jacob’s move to Egypt was part of this divine orchestration. Even when we don’t see it, God’s plan is always at work, aligning our steps with His purpose. God’s plan, established before the world began, takes into account our decisions and actions, setting things up in our favor.
To better understand what was going on in the “big picture” of God’s plan, we have to go back to Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham. Part of my assignment, as a Bible teacher, is to help you connect the dots in the Bible. So, let’s do just that.
Back when Abraham was still referred to as Abram, God spoke to him and said, “Abram, you will live to an old age and die in peace. But I solemnly promise that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that doesn’t belong to them. They will be forced into slavery and abused for four hundred years. But I will be the judge of that nation whose servants they are, and they will come out from among them with great wealth.” (Gen 15:13,14).
Although it is not documented in the Bible, I believe it is safe to assume that Abraham passed down what God had told him to his son Isaac, and Isaac passed it down to Jacob. Even if Jacob did not connect the dots between what God said to his grandfather and what was happening with his family, looking back, Abraham’s descendants can see that God was working, even when Jacob and his boys did not realize He was working.
How this applies to you:
— God has a plan for your life, and it was set before the world began.
— God’s plan took into account your decisions and actions because God had foreknowledge of all you would do and would not do.
— Remember that God’s plan is based on His foreknowledge and is designed for your good.
— Trust that God’s plan for your life is constantly unfolding, even when you can’t see it.
— Take comfort in the fact that God’s plan is bigger than any single moment in your life.
— Believe that every step you take is a part of God’s grand design for your destiny.
4. God uses pressure to process you!
As Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, they were still a family, not yet a nation. God’s promise to Abraham was to make his descendants a great nation. Under the pressure of 400 years of bondage in Egypt, Jacob’s family grew from 70 members to millions, forming the nation of Israel. Pressure can either make or break you. In this case, it was the catalyst for growth. Joseph’s journey from the pit, through Potiphar’s house, to prison, and finally to the palace is a testament to how God uses pressure to develop and elevate us.
When Jacob spent the night near Beersheba to worship God, that night God reiterated to Jacob that someday his family would become a great nation. The Bible tells us that Jacob’s family, at this point, totaled 70 people (Gen 46:27). A family with 70 members is a pretty big family, but it is far from being a nation.
Here’s my point: Jacob’s family of 70, under the pressure of 400 years of bondage to the Egyptians, would come out as millions of people. These people would form the nation of Israel (aka Jacob). This is the nation God promised they would become. But it would not happen without pressure!
A few thoughts about pressure:
— Pressure can work for you or against you. Some people buckle under pressure. Others thrive under it. The people of God in this case exponentially multiplied under pressure and we can do the same.
— Jacob went into Egypt with 70. His descendants came out 400 years later, after tremendous pressure, as a nation. And they came out with the wealth of the Egyptians.
— Joseph was forced out of his home and sold into slavery. At that point, he was just a boy. But after the PRESSURE of the PIT phase, POTIPHAR phase, and PRISON phase, he came out of the other side of the processing as the PRIME MINISTER of Egypt!
— Many today are under tremendous pressure. God is not using pressure to punish you. He is using the pressure to process you. You will come out on the other side of this much better than you went it!
How this applies to you:
— Embrace pressure as a tool God uses to shape and refine you for greater purposes.
— Understand that pressure can lead to significant personal and spiritual growth.
— Trust that God is not punishing you with pressure but preparing you for greater things.
— Look at the pressure points in your life as opportunities for God to develop your character.
— Stay encouraged, knowing that enduring pressure will lead to a greater outcome and blessing if you don’t give up!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I worship You with my whole heart, creating an atmosphere for Your divine presence.
I embrace Your confirmations, knowing they guide me and strengthen my faith.
I trust in Your grand plan for my life, believing it is constantly unfolding for my good.
I welcome pressure as a tool You use to shape and refine me for greater purposes.
I thank You for working behind the scenes, orchestrating every detail of my life.
I stand firm in faith, confident that Your plans for me are good and perfect.
I open my heart to receive Your overwhelming blessings and favor.
I rely on Your timing, knowing that You will manifest Your promises in due season.
As Your plans unfold, I boldly declare that GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
