30 I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down.
32 WHEN I saw it, I considered it well; I LOOKED ON IT AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTION:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man."
Proverbs 24:30-34 (NKJV)
• A Vision, the set Plan of God for you as an individual Believer.
- Now, to accomplish or realize a Vision, you will face challenges. However, your vision should be your main focus.
WHEN you take your eyes away from the vision, you begin to see problems and challenges. - If you are doggedly committed to the vision or the assignment, you would even not know you are passing through anything.
- The Grace to go through the challenges is always made available in abundance by God—for whoever is running with a vision given by Him:
9 AND He [God] said to me [Paul], “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS.” THEREFORE most gladly I WILL RATHER BOAST IN MY INFIRMITIES, THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME. 10 THEREFORE I TAKE PLEASURE IN INFIRMITIES, IN REPROACHES, IN NEEDS, IN PERSECUTIONS, IN DISTRESSES, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG" (2 Corinthians 12:9,10 NKJV). - If you focus on the problems, you gazed solely on them, you might not reach your goal—fulfil in the assignment.
- What some people, even so-called Believers, always see is about problems.
- They would always tell you the reasons why what you are doing or about to do would not work or be a success.
HOW the vision would not stand or materialize, and they think such a Mindset is a sign of maturity. NO! - It is a sign of those who do not have a vision, and do not have anywhere to go—they are going nowhere. Do not associate with Such people!
- Such people do not make any move, or attempt any meaningful thing, because they see problems in whatever move or vision being proposed. Such are vision killers!
- Someone said: "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it."
"GOOD planning and hard work lead to prosperity...."
Proverbs 21:5 (NLT)
- Things you passed through in life which are called problems, are actually meant to perfect you—mature you (Romans 5:3,4: James 1:2-4).
- You learn obedience through challenges. Even Jesus Christ DID.
HE learnt obedience through what He suffered:
8 THOUGH HE WAS A SON, YET HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE BY THE THINGS WHICH HE SUFFERED. 9 AND having been PERFECTED, HE became THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM" (Hebrews 5:8–9 (NKJV). - You become mature through the EXPERIENCES of life; you have a large heart as a result, a big bowel of mercy and compassion, for others, through it.
- You will be able to identify with the needs and weaknesses of others:
"THIS High Priest [Jesus] of ours UNDERSTANDS our weaknesses, FOR HE FACED ALL OF THE SAME TESTINGS WE DO, YET HE DID NOT SIN" (Hebrews 4:15 NLT).
1 EVERY high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins.
2 AND HE IS ABLE TO DEAL GENTLY WITH IGNORANT AND WAYWARD PEOPLE BECAUSE HE HIMSELF IS SUBJECT TO THE SAME WEAKNESSES."
Hebrews 5:1,2 (NLT)
• Problems give meaning to life.
- If there were no challenges, as said in the first part of this teaching, there would be no Joy of victory.
- Challenges and the victories make life exciting?
- You face a challenge, you overcome and move to another level of greatness and honour; be confronted BY other challenges, at the new level, and you overcome again, and you get promoted as a result, and on, and on, Until you get to the top—the peak of where God is taking you.
• Take note of these:
(i) You would have to step out.
(ii) Improve your skills. Do something about your present levels. Update your knowledge in your field of endeavour. DO not stop learning, that is the way to improve your skillfulness.
AN improvement in your skills lead to Increase and success.
(iii) Confront whatever the challenge or problem that may be permitted to come your way. Do not dodge it, if you did, you have dodged or evaded your lifting or promotion—embedded in the problem.
(iv) Learn whatever God may want you to learn in it. God wanted you to learn from every situation or circumstance of life that is permitted to come your way.
(v) Be thankful and praiseful. Thank and praise God for every result, in your life and the assignment committed to your hands, no matter how minute the result looks: "THEREFORE by Him LET US CONTINUALLY OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD, that is, THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS, GIVING THANKS TO HIS NAME" (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV).
STAGNATION set in, when you stop acknowledging God and praising Him.
READ: Psalm 100:4
(vi) Commit everything to God in prayer. Pray on everything, no matter how insignificant it may look. Pray! Pray! And I said, Pray! (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
• That problem you are currently facing, could be a door to your breakthrough; you would do well to handle it with wisdom.
- Do not grumble:
10 AND DON'T GRUMBLE AS SOME OF THEM DID, and then were DESTROYED by the angel of death. 11 THESE things happened to them as EXAMPLES for US. THEY WERE WRITTEN DOWN TO WARN US WHO LIVE AT THE END OF THE AGE" (1 Corinthians 10:10,11 NLT). - Do not quit. God will make a way out for you! Even if you had not seen the way out, stay put, God will never come Late:
"NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT such as is COMMON TO MAN; BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will NOT allow you to be TEMPTED beyond what you are ABLE, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV).
16 THEREFORE we do not lose heart. Even though our OUTWARD MAN is PERISHING, yet the INWARD MAN is being RENEWED DAY BY DAY.
17 FOR our LIGHT AFFLICTION, which is BUT for A MOMENT, is WORKING for us a far more EXCEEDING and ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY,
18 while we do NOT LOOK at the THINGS which are SEEN, but at the THINGS which are NOT SEEN. For the THINGS which are SEEN are TEMPORARY, BUT the THINGS which are NOT SEEN are ETERNAL."
2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NKJV)
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Should there be any sickness in your body, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.
- Healthiness and Healing are part of redemptive package, thus healing you have received shall be permanent in Jesus' name.
Peace!