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
(Genesis 50:15-21 ERV)
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.”‘ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
(Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. God Prepared for Every Attack Against You – You May Not Be Ready, But God Is/Was Ready!
God knows everything about you—your thoughts, words, and actions, even before you do. His omniscience extends to the actions others will take for or against you. Just as God prepared Joseph for every trial he faced, He has already prepared for every attack against you.
— God knows everything. He knows your thoughts before you think them, your words before you speak them, and your actions before you take them. He knows the end from the beginning. This means that He knew all the actions Joseph would take and all the actions others would take, both for and against him.
— Not only is God aware of everything you are going to do, but He is also aware of everything others will do FOR YOU or in OPPOSITION TO YOU.
— God’s foreknowledge means He is never caught off guard. Yesterday, I was preaching in North Carolina, and while making a point about God’s omniscience, I asked the question, “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing occurs to God?” God never gets an epiphany. God never has to come to the realization. God knows everything, and He has already prepared for every attack against you, even if you were unprepared for it.
— Joseph was not prepared for the day his brothers betrayed him and threw him into a pit. He was not prepared for the day he wound up as a slave in Potiphar’s house. He was not prepared for the day he got registered into the prison for a crime he did not commit. And he was not even truly prepared to be the Prime Minister of Egypt. But the fact that God knew all these things would happen means that God was prepared, and He had already prepared the way for Joseph’s success!
— God is not moved by what people do to you. He is already prepared. Rest in the truth that God has already prepared a way for you to succeed through the opposition. As you are led by the Holy Spirit, God prepares for you for what He already prepared for you!
— Don’t freak out When something happens that you were not ready for. Remind yourself that God was already prepared and that He lives in you. If He was ready, then He will make you ready!
How this applies to you:
— When facing the unexpected, trust in God’s omniscience and His preparation for your life’s challenges.
— Lean on God when unanticipated difficulties arise, knowing He is never surprised.
— Strengthen your faith by remembering that God has already made provisions for your victory.
— Embrace the assurance that God’s plan includes triumph over every attack of the enemy.
— Live confidently, knowing that God’s foresight and preparation are your protection and guidance.
2. God can turn the enemy’s attacks around for your good.
Joseph’s life is a testament to how God can use the enemy’s attacks to propel you into your destiny. Every move the enemy makes is countered by God, who turns it around for your good, leading you to fulfill your divine purpose.
Looking back, Joseph could see that when his brothers sold him off as a slave, although painful, they were helping him get to Egypt, and Egypt was part of his destiny. When Potiphar decided to purchase Joseph as a slave, Joseph could see the hand of God there as well because Potiphar was a direct-report to Pharoah. When Joseph wound up in Potiphar’s house, he was one step closer to the king. When Mrs. Potiphar lied on Joseph, and he wound up in prison, that worked out too, because Joseph needed to meet the butler and the baker. Ultimately, when Joseph got an audience with the king, God took all the pain he had been through and turned it around for him in one day. So yes, looking back, Joseph could see how God used all this bad stuff to produce good stuff in His life. God did not make the bad stuff happen, but He used it for Joseph’s good!
How this applies to you:
— View challenges as opportunities for God to demonstrate His power in your life.
— In the middle of the challenge, remember that God is still God, and His plans for your life are still good!
— Remember that every setback is a setup for a comeback with God.
— Stay patient and faithful, knowing that God has the final move. God is moving pieces around on the chessboard of your life, and He has the final move (the last say).
— Cultivate a mindset that sees beyond immediate problems to God’s long-term victory.
— Reflect on past instances where God turned situations around, using them to build up your faith for your future.
3. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.
The enemy will do all he can to stop you, but he can’t, especially if you are Born-Again. Once you are Born-Again, no attack, curse, hex, vex, spell, or work of divination has any power over you!
In Luke 10, Jesus said to His disciples, “I saw satan fall like lightning from the sky. He is the enemy, but know that I have given you more power than he has. I have given you the power to crush his snakes and scorpions under your feet. Nothing will hurt you!” Jesus was saying, “Listen, I know satan has power. But I want you to know that I was there when he was kicked out of heaven. I was there when he fell like lightning from the sky. I know what power he has. But I want you to know that I HAVE GIVEN YOU MORE POWER THAN HE HAS! I have given you the power to trample all over his minions. Everything satan has is UNDER YOUR FEET! Nothing shall BY ANY MEANS harm you. You are deputized to OPERATE IN MY NAME!” (Luke 10:18,19 Rick Pina Version).
The Bible says that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isa 54:17). This means that:
— God never said the weapon would not be formed. You may face attacks. You may face more attacks once you are Born-Again than before. Just know that the weapons formed against you shall not prosper.
— If there is an attack that looks like it is working (like what happened to Joseph), then it is obviously NOT against you. God is going to TURN IT AROUND for your good!
— The enemy will try to derail you, but no weapon formed against you will succeed. Jesus assured His disciples that they had authority over all the power of the enemy. This promise is also for you today.
How this applies to you:
— Walk in the authority given to you by Jesus, knowing that the enemy is under your feet.
— Declare God’s protection over your life daily.
— Reject fear, understanding that God’s power within you is greater than any external threat.
— Apply the Word of God to counteract any spiritual attack you face.
— Celebrate the assurance that any weapon formed against you will be rendered ineffective by God.
— If it looks like it is working (meaning that it is doing what your enemies wanted it to do), then just know that God is allowing that because He has a purpose in it. God will ultimately use it and turn it around for your good!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, You are a Sovereign King and a Ruling Lord. You know all things that were, and are, and ever shall be. You know my thoughts before I think them, my words before I speak them, and my actions before I take them.
You knew every attack that will ever rise up against me and You prepared for it, even if I feel like I was not prepared for it.
Therefore, I declare that no devil, demon, or demonic force has any power over me. No hex, vex, spell, root, or act of sorcery or divination can touch me.
If any virus, negative bacteria, or diseased germ touches my body or my family, I declare that it has to die, and I will live!
I am on this planet representing You, Father, doing Your will, and no weapon formed against me shall prosper.
You are turning every attack around for my good.
I forgive those who have wronged me, aligning myself with Your purpose and opening the door for Your blessings and favor.
Living this way, I can boldly declare: GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
