Welcome back to our series: How to be Released from your Past, Stand in the Present and Prepare for your Future.
Let’s recap: In Part one we learnt the importance of being released from your past and how to do that. In Part two we saw the importance of living and being in the present, which is where God is and asks us to be.
Today we are going to look at Part three: How we PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE
Let’s start with the Word, in 1 Corinthians 3:22 Paul reads our inheritance we get because of the death of our Saviour Jesus. 3 things stand out: Life, Death, all things Present & things to come (future).
From this list you will see two things that apply to this series all things present & all things to come. Did you see it? That Paul never mentions the past. Why is that? It is because the past is land we simply don’t own, in other words it’s land that has been RECEIVED and REDEEMED at the Cross. The land of the present is what we stand in and the future land is what we will stand in, and also what we own. This is the Picture Christ took our past as payment and freely gave us our present and future things to come. Hallelujah!
But this is the biggie, we need to understand and operate in. All the FUTURE opportunities, blessings, miracles, breakthroughs Christ has for us, these can only be received and seen in the present, when our past is left behind us or laid at the Cross. And in turn we TRUST & BELIEVE in and for the future that is in and through Jesus.
This is one of the most well known and quoted verses of the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, would you look it up in other versions for unpacking more meaning yourself.
“I know the plans I have for you,” announces the LORD. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.” (NIrV)
We see the Lord has given to us hope for years to come, which is our future. This we like and can say amen it right? But the problem is that IF we are always trying to live in the future, and be in the future plans Christ has for us, then we MISS His instructions, opportunities and the wonderful people he brings into our life, that are part of the plans for our future success.
So the present is a place for preparing for the future. It’s the TRAINING GROUND for things to come in the future.
The question becomes how do we do this, Prepare Well for Our Future?
We start with prayer! The Word says we are too PRAY at all times, in all ways, for this is the will of God (1 Th 5:16-18). So today we’re going to look at the Serenity Prayer.
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can,And the Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time.
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,Taking, as he did, this sinful world as it is,Not as I would like it.
Trusting that he will make all things right,
If I surrender to his will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this world And supremely happy in the next.
Amen.
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
Simply put:
“Lord help me today do all You have prepared for me to do,
put off for tomorrow what is not for today,
keep me recognizing and giving to You everything I cannot do.
Trusting that in You, it shall come to pass in my life through You, Amen”.
In other words our GREATEST PREPARATION for our amazing future to come is to Trust and believe in the One that has created it for us: Our Lord and Saviour
For without Our Lord & Saviour, it’s like we’re trying to find our way to a remote land or an address without a GPS or a compass. We’re trying to do it as the song says: ”my way” not His way. Have you ever been so lost looking for a place, you thought if only I’d used my GPS, oh why didn’t I? Or how often do you use your GPS? I’m sure just about every time when you are in the car trying to find an address or destination, that’s true of myself. Now imagine if you didn’t have a GPS how would you know how to find the destination?
Did you know that GPS means: Global Positioning System? The Holy Spirit wants you to think of and know Him like that. The One who directs, leads and positions you to receive ALL God has for you when He wants it to happen. Especially for all to receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour!
I mean how can we expect to make it happen without Him? The Word says “His sheep know Him and follow His voice”
If you are reading this and your heart is saying I don’t know You, or Your voice Lord, may I have the honour of introducing you to Him, through this simple prayer:
Lord Jesus, I admit I am a sinner, but You died on the cross for my sins, I ask You to come into my heart and manage my life from this day forward. Please be my Lord and Saviour in Jesus Name Amen
** Congratulations and Hallelujah you now Know Him and He’s delighted with you, as He already knew you, you are His Son or Daughter, His beloved.
Let’s recap key points:
To live in the present we need to let go of the past and future.
To prepare for the future we need to trust and believe that the Lord has created & prepared our future.
There’s still THREE more steps for how we Grow: LISTENING, OBEYING & APPLYING
Listening is when we are taking & making time to listen to what He is saying, Obeying is when we are being obedient to His word, both spoken & written. Applying is when we are activating and letting His word to lead our lives.
Reflection Time: how you going with Listening, Obeying and Applying?
Paul shares this remarkable thought in a verse in 1 Corinthians 3:6 about why the church of Christ was growing in His time, that contains revelation for how we can grow too.
“I was the one who planted the church and Apollos came and cared for it, but it was God who caused it to grow” TPT
We have Paul who received the word to plant, in this case a church, another guy Apollos heard the word to water and care for it, which he did, BUT it was the Lord who made it grow. Growth is always the WORK and WONDER of God.
This same pattern is true for everything the Lord gives us in seed form. Including every prophetic word (forth telling and foretelling word) comes with a responsibility to active it once we’ve sought God on what that is.This is called planting and caring for it by watering it, or obeying and applying.
The fantastic thing here is this takes all the pressure off our lives and shoulders. Once we know and get that we are not the one who will make it happen, we can get on with our part in the planting and watering. Remember He is the ONE who makes and gives all growth.
So many of our favourite characters in the bible lived this out, including our Lord himself who was a witness when He was living in earth. Do you remember the verse John 5:19?
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” NIV
We as sons and daughters are called to do the same, and leave the rest up to Him. For as Jesus did this the Father moved Jesus towards and released him into His amazing future. He wants to do the same for you. Will you let Him?
Challenge Time: Find a quiet space free of distractions to ask the Lord questions.
1. LISTENING & OBEYING: Go through the words He has spoken over your life, write
them down. Ask Him – Where to plant them? And How to water them?
2. NOTE: Now you have all you need to see them come to pass.
3. APPLYING: Take your time, one point/word at a time doing exactly what He said, then carry onto the next one.
4. REMEMBER: the greatest fertiliser is TRUST & BELIEVE. First Trust He will accomplish it and Second Believe it will be in perfect timing. Remember they are things to happen in your future. Get excited.
5. READ: Meditate and apply Proverb 3:5-6 in different versions daily and live it out
6. NOTE: There is a big difference between meditating and complaining. Remember Mary and what she did with the word the angel gave her? She didn’t complain, she accepted it, placed it in her heart, and meditated on it. She viewed the word with the same view or lens she received it. Let this be your default when you view these words and remember the testimony around receiving it. This will help you keep the flame continually lit leading the way to the eventual completion of the journey in His timing.
7. GIVE THANKS
8. WORSHIP & PRAISE Him Continually
Father God, thank You that you gave us a Helper to be with us on this journey. Would You continually prepare our hearts, minds and lives to be set on the remarkable future You have planned for us Your children. In Jesus name, Amen
Craig and Winnie Patten
Itinerate Pastor / Apostolic Leaders
Encounter Ministries
