SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 9:7-8
You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram, And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, And gave him the name Abraham; You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites,the Amorites,The Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites — To give it to his descendants.You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.
Key Points
How to follow God deliberately and actively:
1. When God speaks, record what he says.
Habakkuk 2:2: – Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
When you share your vision, people that hear it become witnesses.
2. While you wait for the vision to manifest.
Remind yourself of Habakkuk 2:3. “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” What you do while you wait is a demonstration of your level of faith. Will you worry or will you rehearse the Word of the Lord?
3. Work with what is in our hands as the Lord supplies.
Philippians 4:19 – And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Don’t focus on what you don’t have. Focus on what you DO have – and work it.
4. Don’t look back.
Don’t rehearse the past. Isaiah 43:18-19a “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing”… Luke 9:2 – “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow,and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” The past is gone. Don’t use it as an excuse to disobey God. Move forward!
5. Think Positive Thoughts
As Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts.
6. Combat Doubt and Negativity with the Word of God
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
7. Speak Life
Proverbs 18:21- “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Whatever you speak becomes part of your life. Is your back really killing you? If you say so, then it is so.
8. Look forward to the promises with expectancy.
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This is a promise worth living for. God does not lie.
9. Write your Petitions. Make your requests in Faith.
John said in 1 John 5:14 – “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”Jesus is quoted as saying in John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” And Matthew 21:22 quoted him as saying, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Believe God!
10. Remember the ultimate goal.Philippians 3:14 – “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Everything we do is for His glory!
CONCLUSION: We can make memorials with pen and paper like Abraham made altars to the Lord. We can use them to remember the promise, praise God for answered prayers, and encourage ourselves when we grow weary. But we have to be deliberate and intentional about it. We have to listen, obey and follow.
I pray some of these tips inspire you to be more intentional about the way you follow God through the teachings of the Holy Bible.
