The basis for our desire to advance, to stretch, not to hold back is not because of anyone, it is because we don’t want to meet with Jesus and he will tell us that only if we know what was wired into our ordination, that which he programmed for our life. It is out of wisdom for a man to begin to compare himself with another man.
Most people will get to heaven and as they are giving their stewardship, they will be shocked that God has a greater expectations over their lives. Like Joshua, a man can assume he has covered grounds only to meet with the lord and God told him, you tried but you did not finish, there are many more lands to cover. Same way there are lands to cover in your career, business, vision, dreams and pursuit. Don’t retire soon. We should have this desire that till we see Jesus face to face,the only singular pursuit in our heart will be that we want to be all that the lord has ordained us to be. What that we now translate to can be in different ways.
The foundation of advance is Gratitude. Gratitude is an attempt to shift our focus from what is lacking to what we already have. A shift of focus from what is lacking to what we already have is what gratitude is all about. A man that is full of gratitude and the spirit of gratitude is working in his life is a man that doesn’t shift focus away from what he already has or what God has perfected.
There is something called tokens of his goodness. It’s like a sign from God letting you know I have not forgotten you. Things may be hard but God is going to show you that he is still involved in your life. Gratitude will shift your focus from what is not working to what is working. Gratitude will help us to appreciate the people and experiences in our lives. It will strengthen our faith and trust in God’s goodness. It gives you boldness to speak in the face of the giant.
David was faced with a big problem but he remembered that it was God that saved him from the hands of the bear and lion. That’s the catalogue of God’s faithfulness, that even in the midst of difficulties and challenges and you remember how God saved you in time back, you will be able to find strength.
Grace: The empowerment for advance
When you are grateful to God he has a way of multiplying grace towards you.
1 Corinthians 15:10 reveals a type of grace. The grace Paul was talking about is not the grace for salvation, it was the grace for enablement and empowerment. He was referring to the level of results he had, the ground he had gained, how far God has helped him to make progress.
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (KJV). He was talking about the encounters that brought them to do what they were doing. It looks as if he was called last while others are already running the race. He was not privileged to be a disciple of Christ. How come such a man did much. He said he laboured. He said that labour was by the grace of God.
Amidst other factors that can cause a man to advance is the grace of God. It is the invisible factor. It is such a that it cannot be removed from the journey of a man. If any man will have consistent growth he cannot have undermine the grace of God. You cannot remove the grace factor. You cannot separate that from our journey. No matter how smart and dedicated a man can be, he cannot remove the factor called grace. When a man is talking it is about effort, it is not by prayer, that is not about a believer. A man that is fighting from the womb and armored head to toe. David saw him and fought him. When Goliath saw David, he asked if he was a dog that David has come to fight him with just a stone and catapult. David cursed with the name of his god.
1 Samuel 17:48-50 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David (KJV).
David said Goliath was uncircumcised. He told him he was naked. He did not have a covenant with God. What degree did David have that he knew was to shoot once. The Bible said that a little space left was touched by the stone. I have laid help upon the one who is mighty. Goliath saw a stone and catapult but did not see the help of God with David. The mighty need help. We can conclude that the stone was guided. David could not have brought Goliath down with just a stone. There are skilful men that are stranded in life. This is why the race is not to the swift. It is chance that happens to them all. The giant saw stone and catapult but there was something he could not capture.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all (KJV).
It is not understanding as it were. It is not about smartness as it were. Although these are factors that can make a man advance. You cannot scale without skills as a universal principle.The unbelievers have skills and they are also smart. However, as a believer, you have an advantage. A man that is helped but is now helped by God. This is a man that is smart, such a man is helped by God. A man that is skillful without the help of God is a naked man. Goliath was skillful but was not circumcised. That is the case of Goliath. David came to him with just stones and he was defeated. David won the battle with God’s help. His victory became the news in town that the women sang of his praise saying he killed tens of thousands and while Saul only killed a few thousand. David killing Goliath exceeded the expectation of the Israelites. You as an individual can break records with the help of God. Never come to a point where you bank on your skills and say it brought you to limelight or it brought these great achievements.
Never even say because you’re skilled you then underplay the significance of prayer and the help of God. The help of God has the way of multiplying your effort and multiplying your skills. The grace of God has a way of multiplying your skills. As a believer, you would not stand with your skill and efforts. Paul when he was to speak of God’s grace said he laboured more than they all yet it was the grace of God he enjoyed.