Listen!

Proverbs 4:^1-2 “My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions.”

Yesterday we shared the first of nine things that the Holy Spirit has been ministering to us. Key considerations as we approach the end of the year 2023, and as we trust God for the year 2024. And the first is Not All Addition Leads to Increase and Not All Subtraction Leads to Decrease. In fact, if you ask farmers when they prune the plant, the plant becomes more fruitful. The process of pruning is the process of subtraction, but it leads to an increase. Most times we hold on to subtractions because we do not particularly like subtractions. Yet God is saying not all subtraction leads to a decrease. Some subtractions actually lead to an increase. John 15:² “My Father examines every branch in Me and cuts away those who do not bear fruit. He leaves those bearing fruit and carefully prunes them so that they will bear more fruit” (Voice).

The second is, God doesn’t just want to promote you in spite of all the opposition against you. God Wants To Promote You In Front Of Your Opposition. Do you receive that today? Psalm 23:⁵ “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honour me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” (emphasis added). Are some of your enemies running away from you already? God says that the table will be so long, that even if they run to another country, the table will get there. God will not just promote you in spite of them, God will promote you in front of them. I can tell you stories upon stories of my life where I would have chosen that the enemy dies so that I can have peace. But God will say, “these ones will live so that they will see what you will become in the future.”

Have you seen that sticker that reads, “may my enemy live long so that they will see what I will become in the future?” Many people are praying for their enemies to die. But God is saying, “do not worry, I have something worse than death lined up for them. They will see you promoted; they will see you elevated.” There is nothing the enemy can do to stop your destiny if you do not agree. Absolutely nothing! And it is because you are indestructible. God does not just want to promote you despite your opposition, God wants to promote you in front of the opposition.

The third thing is, You Cannot Be Mighty And Be Petty At The Same Time. Every time you choose to be petty, you erode your greatness. Every time you walk in the path of greatness, you walk away from pettiness. Every time you choose to be petty, you erode your blessing.

Prayer: Father, ears to hear and eyes to see both are gifts from You, help me see as I ought to see and hear as I ought to hear, so I can be properly positioned, in Jesus Name. Amen!