…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 NKJV

One of the great failings of the teaching ministry in the Church is the failure to teach the practicality of revelation. Yes, God can show us who and where to witness to someone. Yes, God can show us what to minister to when we lay hands on people. But can God show us how to find a job, and not just any job, but the best possible job today? Can God show us how to make sales, and get signed contracts? Can God show us who He has appointed for us to marry? Can He show us, can He give us ‘instant insight,’ on how to solve any problem in the best possible way at that moment? Is God practical? The answer is, most emphatically…YES!

My goal as a teacher is that my students can be so taught and trained that they can go anywhere, under any circumstances, and not only survive…but thrive.

The hardest thing to break through as a cross cultural teacher is a cultural apathy. “We’ve heard that before!” No…you haven’t. I say that because if you had heard it and received it in your heart you wouldn’t be living with the same unfulfilled expectations today. God is practical. He is a problem solver. God works!

I told the young man in our congregation that I would help him start a window cleaning business. As I was driving into town one day, the Holy Spirit told me to go to this certain business on this certain street and inquire about their window cleaning needs. I did what I was told. The manager told me to have the young man come in the next morning. The next morning the district manager was present. The young man left the store that morning with twenty-two new accounts with which to start his business. God at work…

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NKJV

Is Philippians 4:19 the Word of God? Is it just as much the Word of God as John 3:16 and Romans 10:9, 10? If I have a genuine need – say, for my business to grow and prosper – can’t God show me how to meet that need, just as He meets my need for salvation? This is the crux of the problem. If we can believe that we will be saved when we confess Jesus as Lord, knowing God raised Him from the dead, then why can’t we believe that God will guide us to solve our problems and meet our needs? It’s the same God. It’s the same Bible. We don’t believe because we haven’t been taught the practicality of revelation.

Instead of believing God for revelation to solve our problems, we make excuses. “Oh, the economy is so bad!” Listen, in any economy, there is an opportunity. In the above-mentioned example there was 18% unemployment in that city…yet there were twenty-two businesses that were ready and willing to hire someone who would solve their window cleaning problem. We need to stop making excuses and start getting revelation. There has to be a job available to you because you need a job…and God supplies needs. When you stop making excuses and start taking responsibility for God working in your life, things can and will change.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NKJV

Our God is the triumphant God! To triumph means to go through a fight, and win conclusively. That is exactly what Jesus did for us. He won conclusively. His victory at the Cross and the open tomb ended the war. Satan CANNOT change the outcome. Our challenge is only to enforce the victory of Calvary over the lies of the enemy. This is where revelation comes in. Revelation teaches us how to bring into practical manifestation the victory of the Cross.

SEEK HIM EARLY

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. Mark 1:35 NKJV

Generally speaking, I have observed that God works in the morning, man works in the afternoon and the devil works at night. Therefore I have learned that ideas or suggestions that come to my mind later in the day require greater scrutiny than those that come early in the morning. Morning is the time to worship and hear from God.

“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned. Isaiah 50:4 NKJV

Morning is the time to pray and seek God for the specific gifts of the Spirit you will need that day. For instance, if you expect to talk to anyone about anything important ( sales interviews, job interviews, business strategy sessions, board meetings, meeting a senior person in any category, etc. ) seek to specifically receive the word of wisdom and the gift of prophecy.

…for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. Luke 21:15 NKJV

The gift of prophecy will enable you to say what needs to be said, when it needs to be said, and how it needs to be said, in love. The word of wisdom will give you ‘instant insight,’ specific instruction on how to solve conflicts, launch new ventures and bring in resources, as well as specific knowledge of the future.

Receiving the gifts you need before you start your day will fill you with confident faith to handle anything.

GOD IN A CRISIS

…and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. And there he went into a cave and spent the night in that place… 1 Kings 19:8-9 NKJV

Israel was in a great crisis. A wicked king and queen ruled the land. When the wicked queen threatened the life of the man of God, he ran to seek God. When he sought God with all his heart, God met him and ministered to him.

A young man was to be drafted into the US army to fight in World War One. His name was Alvin York. When he discovered that he was to report for induction, he took three days to get alone with God in the woods. He had two questions to ask God: “Was the war just?” and “Would he come home safely?” God said ‘YES!’ to both questions. He went home, told his mother she would see him again and went into the army. Armed with that RHEMA word, a pocket New Testament, and an expert ability to shoot a carbine rifle, he performed so heroically that three national governments awarded him their highest honors for valor. Alvin York knew how to handle a crisis…

…and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 NKJV

When you are faced with a crisis, be it personal – with your health, your children, your marriage, or in business, or your ministry, in your community or nation, take the time alone to seek God’s specific instruction before you make any decision. Lay your heart out before Him. He will show you what to do when to do it, and how it will all work out.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

1). Pray in tongues much!

2). Practice and develop yourself in the art of listening to God. One night the Holy Spirit slammed me to the ground. He said, “Stop! You run up the hill, you pray, pray, pray, and you run down the hill. You never stop to listen to Me!”

Listening to God is an art that involves all of your spiritual senses. God can’t speak until He has your attention. Have you ever noticed in conversation how other speakers are more intent on what they want to say, rather than listening to what you have to say, even if they have come to you for advice? You can’t really communicate with them until they are ready to listen. Same with God! He can’t talk to us until we are ready to listen. Some times it takes a crisis before we are ready to listen to God. If you won’t listen to God in a crisis, then don’t blame Him for the consequences.

3). Remember in all your business doings, you are really dealing with Jesus Christ. Act accordingly.

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.  But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. Colossians 3:23-25 NKJV

Treat your employers, your customers, your employees and your competitors just like you would the Lord Jesus because it is all about serving Him.

God will walk with you IN EVERY CATEGORY OF YOUR LIFE. Just learn to walk with Him. He is ready, willing and able to help you be blessed, be successful, and be an overcomer in all that you do. Practice and apply the gifts of the Spirit to receive the promises of God. Amen? Amen!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…