Preparing for the Expansion
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.”
A couple nights ago, I received a powerful prophetic word from a friend about what this year has in store for me. And while I will not go into details, it was ON POINT.
Prophetic Sidenote #1: Prophetic words should always confirm what you already know. Even if you don’t know all the details or the directions or even if it’s something only your spirit-man recognizes, some level of you should recognize it. Otherwise, how will you know whether or not it’s of God?]
Anyhoo, as my friend “profirmed” (prophesied-confirmed) to me what I had already been feeling, he began to provide some of the conditions of the word.
Prophetic Sidenote #2: The prophetic word always comes with a condition. In Deuteronomy when Moses gave his parting sermon to the Nation of Israel, he told them “all these blessings will come upon you IF….” Then he proceeded to tell them what would happen if they did not adhere to those conditions. God’s Word is true. He is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. Yet it is us, our actions, that have the ability to delay or even prevent a word from coming to past. Thus it would behoove us to play close attention to not only receiving, but fulfilling the conditions.
Anyhoo (again) the conditions to my prophetic word regarding my professional life this year was as follows:
I must expect and prepare for all of the contacts, contracts, calls, and opportunities. I must be aware and discerning, not distracted, so I can recognize the opportunities as they come. I must be able to discern the opportunities. I need to write down my expectations [for this year] and call [declare] them. (paraphrase)
This admonishment is wholly biblical.
Prophetic Sidenote #3: Whenever you receive a prophetic word, check it against the Word of God. If it is true, it will not contradict what God clearly states in His Word because He is His Word. It will align with it.
Here are a few verses that back up the “prodmonishment” (prophetic admonishment).
(See the Isaiah 54:2, 3 above.)
...The sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do… (I Chronicles 12:32) [Discernment]
For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation. (Luke 19:43, 44) [Discernment]
...Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us… (Hebrews 12:1) [Focus]
Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:2, 3) [Expectation, Dream/Goal Journaling]
There are others, but that should give you an idea.
As my friend continued to prodmonish me, the question popped in my head: “how do I prepare?”
Shondoboing (speaking/praying in tongues) is awesome. But the Apostle Paul said, the natural first, then the spiritual.
As I logged in my last blogpost, January was AMAZING. But with promotion comes even greater responsibility. You handled the five talents fine. But will what you did with the five talents work once you’ve been promoted to the ten cities? Likely not. (See the Parable of the Talents.)
It’s kinda like the transition from high school to college. I was a good student in high school. I graduated with a healthy 3.05 GPA and took several Honors and AP classes. And then I went to college. All of my failures, bad habits, and some unforeseen emotional issues (distractions) came shining through much to my chagrin, my parents’ angst, and my anemic GPA. Bu-bye academic scholarship. In short, I realised that what may have worked in high school was surely not going to work in college. Only I realised that a bit too late.
Some of you may have experienced this in your transition from college to the “real world.” What worked for you in college won’t work for you now.
Maybe you recognize this situation from an actual on job or other promotion.
Ah, now you know what I’m talking about!
So then what do we do? How do we address this promotional shift?
We go back to what Paul said. We get practical. And what’s practical may not be practical for you, there’s a good chance something will carry over.
Frankly, I’m still in the process of figuring this out. But here are two steps that are guaranteed to work.
1) Stop Procrastinating.
I know, I know…it’s SO much easier said than done. But that doesn’t negate the fact that it is possible. Thinking you have all the time in the world is a lie. For any area of your life, but especially for work. Do what you can NOW so you don’t have to stress yourself out later. Trust me, you’ll thank me.
2) Use Evernote.
Or whatever electronic planner you choose. I personally chose Evernote because Michael Hyatt and my bro, Paul Brunson, keep singing it’s high praises. Paul told me I would love it and as I tweeted him earlier today, I’m slowly but surely becoming addicted to it! *smile*
You will NOT remember everything on your to-do list.
You will NOT remember all of those notes in your spiral or phone.
But you CAN uses Evernote’s awesome system to write the notes and create personal reminders for any and everything in the world of importance to you.
When the Prophet Isaiah told the Israelites to enlarge their tents and expand their dwellings, it was because he wanted them to be practically prepared for what God was about in their natural lives. A pregnant woman doesn’t wait until she’s given birth to start nesting and a pro athlete doesn’t make it to the big leagues to start practicing. Or as a friend of mine likes to say:
“You don’t get strong and go to the weight room. You go to the wait room to get strong.”
