I feel like I am trying to keep a dozen balls under the water with my own two hands. Every time I push one down, some more pop up. Those were my thoughts many years ago when I first started to pray for the sick.
I guarantee you that there is an enemy who does not want you to do what God has called you to do, just as he did not want me to do what I am called to do. He will tell you whatever he knows will work to knock you off course, and those lies may feel like "balls" that you are trying to keep under. He will send delays and frustrations along the way, but don't give into them!
Recently, as I was reading Hebrews 11 in the Passion translation, the Lord spoke to me about keys to arriving at the fullness of what God has called us to do, and they all involve faith
The Keys
Keep your dreams alive!
Hebrews 11:1 says that "...faith brings our HOPES into reality..."
Have you let your dreams and hopes die because you have become frustrated? It's time to believe again! You must have hope in order to have faith to do what God has for you.
Take steps of obedience!
Hebrews 11:7 says that Noah "stepped out in reverent obedience to God and built an ark."
Are you stepping out NOW in obedience to what God has said to do? I have had many people tell me about the glowing prophecies that they have gotten concerning platform healing ministry. When I ask them if they are praying for people now, they often tell me "no." FAITH STEPS OUT! Do what you can do NOW.
Be willing to leave the familiar and start moving even if you don't know the path you will take!
Hebrews 11:8 says that "Faith motivated Abraham to obey God's call and leave the familiar......and without even knowing ahead of time where he was going."
Are you stepping into the new even when it does not feel comfortable to you? Are you moving ahead even if you only know the first few steps? Faith trusts God to get you to where He has called you even when you don't see the entire road. Faith is willing to move into the new.
Even when your dream seems "dead," believe God for a resurrection!
Hebrews 11:19 says that after God asked Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice, "Abraham's faith made it logical to him that God could raise Isaac from the dead...."
Are you continuing to believe what God has spoken to you no matter what it looks like in the natural? Faith sees that God can even raise "dead dreams."
Be willing to experience rejection in order to see your dream come into fruition!
Hebrews 11:26 says that Moses "found his true wealth in suffering abuse for being anointed, more than in anything the world could offer him."
Have you backed off of what you feel God has called you to do because of criticism or rejection? Settle it in your heart that doing what God desires for you to do - those things that will last for eternity - are worth any hardships that may come along the way.
Be willing to take risks!
Hebrews 11:29 tells us that "Faith opened the way for the Hebrews to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land,...."
Are you willing do something that "feels" risky to you? I can't image what it would feel like to walk across a dry sea with piles of water on both sides of me. That might be scary! But FAITH causes one to believe God enough to take risks.
Believe God and keep on moving for as long as it takes!
Hebrews 11:30 says that "Faith pulled down Jericho's walls after the people marched around for seven days."
Are you willing to persevere for as long as it takes when others have gotten discouraged and quit? I would think that at some point in those seven days, the people would have thought that those walls were NEVER going to come down. BUT THEY DID! True faith does not give up no matter how long it takes!
One of the saddest things that I have seen is lost potential. I have seen so many with such great potential fall along the wayside just to live a mediocre life. My challenge to you is DON'T BE ONE OF THEM!
Never, never, never give up!
Sherry Evans