“When we believe God, we begin to prepare for what He tells us to prepare for. You have to kick into preparation mode. No matter how small it might seem, you should be putting your hands on something.”- Banning Liebscher
As Banning Liebscher concludes Chapter 8 of Rooted, he talks about the third and fourth ways to carry the word of the Lord and let it abide in our lives.
3. Make carrying the word of the Lord your central focus. Lock in on what the Lord’s doing. He’ll help you do that. Thus, you need to carry, keep, and hold the word of the Lord close to you at all times. For the word comes to full term and fulfillment only when it abides in you.
4. Prepare for carrying the word. Pastor Liebscher posits that our level of outpouring is determined by our level of preparation. Of course, that outpouring doesn’t depend on our works. Yet, we must demonstrate active involvement in what God wants to do.
However, Banning observes, some people admit a lack of interest in preparing for the word the Lord’s given them. As a result, they fail to prepare because they don’t:
- really believe the word given to them – their actions indicate either belief or unbelief
- relish doing anything that pales in comparison to the scope of Christ’s calling – in contrast, small things prepare you as you move toward that calling
- want to make a wrong decision – when crippled with indecision, you stay put, so God can’t direct you
In conclusion, Pastor Liebscher exhorts that living as God’s son or daughter represents the greatest success:
“Go after the things God has spoken to you, even if it’s scary. Don’t let the fear of failure paralyze you from acting on what God has said. You aren’t as fragile as you think you are. Things may not work out exactly as you planned, but you are moving forward, refusing to stay neutral to what He has spoken to your heart.”
Today’s question: What Bible verses help kick you into preparation mode? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Greatness looks different than you think”
