Thank God It’s the beginning of a new season. It’s the beginning of a new season of reaping, reaping, reaping, just the blessings of God in your life.
This morning I want us to think about all the victories He helped you accomplish. All the prayers He answered. So let it go, whoever we do not like, resentments, gossiping, holding offenses. Take a hard look at what you are doing. Is there anything about us that we need to tweak or adjust before coming into the New Year? This is a new year, and God has so much more for you in this coming year. My prayers are with you as you prepare for 2022. I am believing with you that it will be your best year ever! Nothing of eternal value will be accomplished in 2022 if you depend on your own flesh to accomplish it. it will be because you walked in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 65:11, "You START the NEW YEAR with a good harvest. You END THE YEAR with many crops." (ERV)
Keep your focus on what Jesus is focused on. Jesus is all about seeking and saving those who are lost. That's His number one passion and that means it should be our passion as well. Who can you reach for Christ in 2022? How many kids and families can you see follow Jesus in baptism in 2022? When you make reaching people with the Gospel your top priority, then you are in sync with the heart of Jesus.
Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the day, if 2022 is your best year ever, it will be because you walked in the power of the Holy Spirit. Nothing of eternal value will be accomplished in 2022, if you depend on your own flesh to accomplish it.
The power of the Holy Spirit is the "it factor" that is crucial for a ministry that sees miracles happen.
It's like baking a cake. Your job is to put the right ingredients in the mix. But the ingredients must have the power of heat to rise and make it complete. So it is with the Holy Spirit. We should prepare the batter and get everything ready. And then we should ask the Holy Spirit to "bring the heat" that will make the ministry flourish and grow. Without the "heat" nothing will happen.
- My prayers are with you as you prepare for 2022. I'm believing with you that it will be your best ministry year ever! Minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the day, if 2022 is your best ministry year ever, it will be because you walked in the power of the Holy Spirit. Nothing of eternal value will be accomplished in 2022, if you depend on your own flesh to accomplish it.
Someone shared this with me recently. "I have given God a million reasons not to love me……yet none of them has changed His mind." Can anyone relate?
Right now, God is whispering: Seasons are changing...soon I will do a new thing.
God knows how to cut things off and He knows how to put people together... He can remove the wrong, repair the broken, mend the torn, make it brand new again. I SEE ENDINGS AND NEW BEGINNINGS. New outcomes are being created!
Dr. Robert Schuller's hobbies include raising koi fish. When asked why some grow BIG while others stay SMALL, he replied with these words, "If a koi fish lives in a small tank, it will never grow longer than two or three inches. In a larger pond they can grow up to ten inches long – in ponds the size of mine they'll get to be eighteen inches long – but if they live in a huge lake where they can swim and stretch, they can grow up to three feet long! The size of the pond determines the size of the fish! Similarly, little ideas in little-thinking minds produce little achievements. However, LITTLE IDEAS embraced by BIG-THINKING MINDS produce enormous achievements."
So How Big Is Your Thinking? Remember: "As a man thinketh in his heart; so he is" (Proverbs 23:7) Therefore, my first admonishment to you is to THINK BIG!
Jesus said: “…I came that they may have and enjoy life, AND HAVE IT IN ABUNDANCE [TO THE FULL, TIL IT OVERFLOWS].” (John 10:10 AMP). So, Seize Your Abundant Life That’s Full and Overflowing and Stop Settling for a Mundane, Mediocre Life! Are you meant to have such a Big Life? Absolutely! Your Limitless God is Ready to Bless You in a Manner that is Beyond Your Greatest Prayers, Hopes and Dreams! Now is the Time You Start to Embrace It and Live Like You Know it to Be True! However, the blessing God is about to release on your life has no size restrictions! It’s too big to even measure! So why are your prayers, requests, petitions, and faith still so very small?
For instance, are you looking to attain a job or begin a career? Are you looking to sing a song or sign a recording contract? Are you looking to work for a company or start one? Are you looking to lease a car or own one? Are you hoping for a grant to add on to the building, or are you looking for an entirely larger space altogether? Are you looking for an apartment to rent or a house to buy? Are you looking to just get started, or do you already see the finished project clearly in view?
Note: The Size of What You SEE Will Determine the Size of What You SEIZE!
The word 'seize' is defined as, 'to take hold suddenly and forcibly; to take forcible possession of; to take possession of by warrant or legal right. And if 2022 is to be for you a Bigger, Better and Greater Year, than this is the mindset you need to cultivate. Big Sight…Big Seize!
Which is why I must also admonish you to stop procrastinating; hesitating; doubting; wavering in your faith; waiting for somebody else to give it to you or give you permission to go get it! Jesus said: "…I came that they may have and enjoy life, AND HAVE IT IN ABUNDANCE [TO THE FULL, TIL IT OVERFLOWS]." (John 10:10 AMP). So, Seize Your Abundant Life That's Full and Overflowing and Stop Settling for a Mundane, Mediocre Life! Are you meant to have such a Big Life? Absolutely! The Word of God declares: "Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do SUPERABUNDANTLY MORE THAN ALL THAT WE DARE ASK OR THINK [INFINITELY BEYOND OUR GREATEST PRAYERS, HOPES, OR DREAMS], according to His power that is at work within US." (Ephesians 3:20 AMP) The word 'infinite' is defined as, 'limitless in space, extent, or size; very great in amount or degree.' Your Limitless God is Ready to Bless You in a Manner that is Beyond Your Greatest Prayers, Hopes and Dreams! Now is the Time You Start to Embrace It and Live Like You Know it to Be True!
Think of it like this, when shopping, you must check the size before you make a purchase to make sure the merchandise fits. However, the blessing God is about to release on your life has no size restrictions! It's too big to even measure! So why are your prayers, requests, petitions, and faith still so very small?!
In 2022, condition your daily mindset to be: FROM START TO FINISH, 2022 WILL BE FOR ME – A YEAR OF BIGGER, BETTER, and GREATER!
Jesus said, "…According to your FAITH be it unto you" (Matthew 9:29). Not according to your bank account, where or how you were raised, if you have a degree, if you're the right color, if your resume is impressive enough, if you wear the latest fashion, or if you're in the right circle of people of influence to open closed doors on your behalf. Not according to any of that, but "…According to your FAITH be it unto you" However, The Message Bible says it like this: "He touched their eyes and said, "Become what you believe." It happened. They saw…" (Matthew 9:29-31 MSG). Don't miss the vital key: "…Become what you BELIEVE." It happened. They saw…" With that said, perhaps all you're seeing in your life is all you saw for your life! Because the Bible says, He told them, simply, "…Become what YOU believe…" and guess what happened next? The Scripture says, "…It happened…They saw…" They believed in what they could become, and as a result, they became it! Don't you think it's high time you start to BELIEVE…so you can finally BECOME?!
Listen, if it was possible for those fishermen in Luke 5, please know that it is certainly possible for YOU! The Bible says: "When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!" (Luke 5:4 TLB) And what was Simon's response? "Sir,"…we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, we'll try again." (vs. 5) And what was the result? "And this time their nets were so full that they began to tear!.." (vs. 6) People of God bear in mind: Just because it didn't happen before, doesn't mean it can't happen now, and happen just like that, just for you! How do I know? Because the Bible says, "…Jesus doesn't change – yesterday, today, tomorrow, He's always totally Himself" (Hebrews 13:8 MSG) Your God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore! He's not changing! What He Did THEN He can still do NOW! The issue is Do YOU BELIEVE It?! The Bible states this: "A man cannot please God unless he has FAITH. Anyone who comes to God must BELIEVE that He is. That one must also know that God gives what is promised to the one who keeps on looking for Him." (Hebrews 11:6 NLV); "Only it must be in FAITH that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord," (James 1:6-7 AMP); "For the one right with God lives by FAITH. If anyone turns back, I will not be pleased with him." (Hebrews 10:38 NLV); "…The just shall live by FAITH" (Romans 1:17); "…but the just shall live by his FAITH." (Habakkuk 2:4)
Are you getting this? In other words, you must walk, move, and live by FAITH! BELIEVE IT AND BECOME IT! The Opportunity For You to Experience a Year of Bigger, Better, and Greater is Just One Faith Belief Away!
Please understand, those fishermen were no better or no worse than YOU! So keep in mind: "…God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from – if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open… He's doing it everywhere, among everyone." (Acts 10:34-36 MSG) God Can and Will Do It For YOU! Unlike man, He doesn't play favorites! The door is open for the janitor, the bus driver, the teacher, the waiter, the preacher, and the singer alike! So, what are you waiting for? Believe God and Launch Out Into the Deep! A BIGGER, BETTER, AND GREATER YEAR IS WAITING FOR YOU TO ARRIVE!
Remember: The size of your faith and your vision determines the outcome of your idea! So, stretch yourself and reach your greatest potential!
Listen: Edison had to install electric lights for free in an office building before anyone even came to look at them. The first sewing machine invented was destroyed by a mob in France. Morse waited for ten years before the world showed any interest in his telegraph. And when the idea of traveling by railroad was introduced, people scoffed because it was widely believed that traveling at thirty miles per hour stopped blood circulation in the human body. In other words, YOU are no exception! It will be just as hard for you as it has been for anyone else, but the level of Belief you have in your Beliefs is what makes the difference! All you have to do is maintain your faith, even in the midst of failure and fear, believing that God is still able to produce what He promised you! Which means you need to ask yourself a few questions: Will I still hold on when the contract doesn't come through? When the mortgage is not approved? When the idea breaks down? When the plans go south? When the direction is changed? When my favorites walk out? When I'm overlooked, unappreciated, taken for granted, mishandled, misused, underestimated, and passed over…Will I still Hold On To What I Believe God is Able to Do for Me?
Ronald E. Osborn said, "Undertake something difficult; it will do you good. Unless you try something beyond what you have already mastered, you'll never grow." Therefore, get out of your Comfort Zone and Stretch yourself into uncommon, unknown, and unfamiliar territory! Walk where you've never walked, go where you've never gone, try what you've never tried! You never know the unforeseen blessing you may finally discover!
Hebrews 11:8-10, "By an act of FAITH, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an UNKNOWN PLACE that would become his home. When he left, HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS GOING. By an act of FAITH, he lived in the country PROMISED HIM, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same PROMISE. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an UNSEEN city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God." (MSG) In other words, when you walk with God by faith, even in an unknown place, God can still connect your path to His promise for your life! All you must do is commit to believing it!
With that said, Yes, you can attend that school, Yes, you can start that ministry, Yes, you can own that company, Yes, you can live in that house, Yes, you can travel this world over, Yes you can receive an unqualified promotion and position, Yes, you can drive that car, Yes, you can experience financial independence, Yes you can purchase that building and start that business, Yes, you can finally walk in complete and total healing, wholeness and deliverance! Yes, you can finally be happy, have unspeakable joy, and rest in the comforting peace of God! Yes, you can do it, achieve it, accomplish it, and overcome it! Yes, you can, and all you must do is Believe it!
I had a great friend Dr. Walter Seymore say something to me 10 years ago that I still hold dear today! He said "just because you're a preacher doesn't mean you hang around only preachers. You'll never grow or stretch beyond the circle you surround yourself with. Instead befriend doctors, lawyers, politicians, athletes, sanitation workers, bank tellers etc.…this way your growth, potential and open doors are limitless because they'll come from every walk of life. If you want to make a big mark, you can't make small moves in little circles. Diversify your connections!"
Now, anyone who really knows me knows I am a "Parable Preacher/Teacher". I've preached and taught on everything from trees, ants, spiders, conies, and rock badgers, to eagles, termites, donkeys, gerbils, heifers, and snakes, to sewage, ice, storms, birds, ticks, planes, football, and even the one word "AND"! And the only reason I'm able to do what I do, and do it effectively is because I broadened my circle! I learned to talk with NON-PREACHERS! That's what sharpened my skills and gifts for teaching! Think about it, if I'm preaching about elephants, why talk to another preacher when I can get better substance from talking with a veterinarian? I was able to get out of debt because I stopped talking to preachers only, about tithes and offerings, and I learned to make friends with those who are financial counselors, loan officers and CFO's! Talking to different people from different walks of life, different backgrounds, upbringing, employment etc…is what Jesus did too! He talked to the blind, lame, deaf, mute, adulterous, thieves, trees, wind, waves and even the dead! Why should we do anything different?!
"Move out of your comfort zone! You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." (Brian Tracey)
"A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there." (Author Unknown)
"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done." (Thomas Jefferson)
In other words, IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE BIGGER, BETTER AND GREATER, YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO FINALLY GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! Like the Fisherman in Luke 5, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE THE SURFACE AND GO OUT INTO THE DEEP! IF YOU WANT BLESSINGS WITH DEPTH, YOU WILL NEED TO GO OUT INTO THE DEEP! Consider this: your promotion, mortgage approval, career, new job, degree, car, business etc.…may all be in the Deep…But You're Too Surface To Get It! So, are you really willing to pass all that up just because you're afraid to go where you've never gone and try what you've never tried?! Don't Allow Your Limits to Limit You! Broaden Your Circle So You Can Embrace Bigger, Better, and Greater!
Look at it this way: In all these years, if you haven't gained what you desired yet…what have you got to lose?! So Go for it! Launch Out! Remember This: You attain in direct proportion to what you attempt, which is why Jesus said to His disciples: "Launch out into the DEEP"…You Will Not Attain Greater Until You're Willing To Attempt Greater! So, the next time you're asked to preach, teach, pray, preside, oversee, lead, sing, dance, paint, draw, build, etc.… Don't Hold Back! Loose Yourself and Let Your Own Self Go! Do Something Different and Go Deeper! Stop being complacent, comfortable, fearful, and timid!
Go Deep In Faith, and You Won't Drown in Fear!
Look at the text of Luke 5 in these two translations:
"…Now GO out where it is deeper and let down your nets to catch some fish." (NLT)
"…PUSH out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." (ISV)
The word "GO" in its simplest form means: "To Move To Or From a Place". And that's what you need to do if you are going to get what you've never gotten before! You're going to have to Move From Where You Are and Move Towards Where You Need To Be! You Can't Get It Standing Still or Staying Here! Your Destiny Is Not On The Shore, It's Out In The Deep, So Get Up Off Your Hind Parts and GO! Move Out Into the Deep!
The word "PUSH" in its simplest form means: "To Exert Force So As To Move From and Move To". Listen, You Are Not Going to Get This Passively! You are going to have to Exert Force! Which is why Comfort Zones are so Dangerous! They make you Complacent! And worse yet, they make you Stagnant! The word "Complacent" means: "Smug and uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements". Which is why so many miss out on greater blessings because they've become so satisfied with where they are currently and what they've achieved and attained thus far! It's Latin Origin "Complacere" means: "To Please". And that's all they did, was reach a certain goal, and sit back with the 3rd place ribbon in their hands and never getting back in the next race to try for the number one slot! Don't You Do It! Don't Become Complacent! There Is Far MORE For You To Attain, But You've Got to Believe You Can and Then Exert Force to Attain It!
The word "Stagnant" means "Motionless and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence". Don't Let This Happen To You! Stagnant Water Stinks because it goes No Where! So animals in particular, go to the bathroom in Stagnant Water! And any waste just lying around gets stuck in Stagnant Water furthering its Awful Smell! Sidebar Warning: Gossip Garbage Is Always Dumped In the Lives of Stagnant People! After All, They're Going No Where and Doing Nothing and So Everyone with Everything and Anything Just Dumps and Deposits! On the other hand, When You're Moving You Have No Time For Mess! So Don't Just Stand There…MOVE…AND LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP! BIGGER, BETTER AND GREATER IS WAITING FOR YOU TO SIMPLY LET DOWN YOUR NET IN FAITH!
KEY: Only take what you need into the deep! They took the BOAT and NETS! Make sure you only take WHAT and dare I say WHO is Essential to Your Catch! Don't take family because you assume that they're family so they must go! That is not always the case! Sometimes Family Will Sink Your Boat the Fastest! Don't take all your friends because all your friends are not there to help you catch or clean the fish…they just want to fry it up and eat your spoils! So be careful! In the words of my professor…You Only Need What You Need! Don't attempt to take extra!
If you think about it, that's the first thing they do when a boat is sinking, they begin to unload unnecessary cargo! Sometimes you have to throw overboard your overload! Jonah 1:15, "They took Jonah and threw him overboard. IMMEDIATELY the sea was quieted down." (MSG) However, you are getting your warning in advance of your trip to Bigger, Better and Greater! So, before you even go out into the deep, make sure you only have on your boat WHAT and WHO you NEED for the Catch! In case you don't know "Need" is defined as "Something Required Because It Is Essential or Very Important". And "Essential" means "Absolutely Necessary"! So, Whether It Is a Person, Place or Thing, You Only Need What You Need!
GET ready, because your entire 2022 year will be filled with bounty, goodness, and fatness! believe it! And All You Need To Do Is Believe It, Receive It, And Live In The Abundance Of It! God has already done his part, now it's your turn. have faith in it, believe it, embrace it! Happy bigger, better, greater, prosperous, brand-new year!
ENJOY YOUR CROWNED YEAR, ALL YEAR! Happy, Healthy, Healed, Whole, Safe, 2022!
Blessings
J.P. Olson
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