In the last two days, as we have been preparing for Leaps and Bounds, we have learnt that anytime God calls a meeting, He is set to meet with his people; therefore, the people themselves must prepare to meet with him. Scripture shows us precedence for how to prepare. We talked about taking heed to yourself, consecrating yourself even more to God, spending more time praying, and building your expectations for what you can receive from his presence. 

We’ve also learnt that when it comes to meeting with God, we shouldn’t only anticipate what would happen during the meeting, but what would change in our lives because of that meeting. Look at the likes of Moses that after his call to the ministry, later had an experience with God where he was face to face with him like a man speaks to a friend or the apostles who once were so tired that they couldn’t tarry with Jesus in his most agonizing time, later became men that were given to the ministry of the word and prayer. Scriptures show us that no doubt, meeting with God draws you in deeper with him, and it helps us have a stronger devotion to him. This will be our experience over the next few days. 

But today, we want to take it a step further to talk about another very important way meetings like this can have a long-lasting impact on us

Do you know that many great men and women of God who have done so much for the kingdom and have been a huge blessing to the body of Christ, usually can trace all that we see and praise God for in their lives to one meeting in their lifetime. One meeting where the ministry of the word and the spirit, a fire was ignited in them, and their hearts began to burn bright for the LORD, and they followed God since then to write a great story of faith.

Look at Moses,

Exodus 3:10
New King James Version

10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh, that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 

In the burning bush encounter, Moses heard God’s call, and his life was forever changed by that encounter, propelling him into a ministry that delivered an entire nation. When you think about all of the great things that he did, also remember that it all had a starting point, which was this meeting here, where God commissioned him to his own service and he obeyed the LORD. He was awakened unto his divine destiny in that meeting. This is why meetings like this are important, because God can separate you for your divine call, he can commission into our hearts a specific task to do.

What about Abraham?

Genesis 12:7
New King James Version

7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

The Bible tells us that God called Abraham and told him to leave his home country to a land where he would show him and he would give it to him as an inheritance for his generations. He called him the father of many nations. He told him in this text that he would give his descendants the land to dwell in.

God then begins to take him out, to show him physically the extent of what he was promising to do with his life

Genesis 13:14-16
New King James Version

14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are-northward, southward, eastward, and westward;

15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.

God had to take him out to show him the expense of land that it would take to cover his generations forever. He told him that his descendants would be as many as the dust of the earth, that if anybody could number it, it would be numbered. But imagine what counting sand is like, how long it will take, how many grains there would be, that’s the point he was trying to make to show him that his descendants would be many, though his life didn’t look at the moment God wanted to make out of him a father of many nations! God wanted to raise a generation from his lineage. This was God trying to open his mind to see and understand what he was going to do through his life! God was convicting his heart of his promises!

Such is obtainable when we meet with God. Just maybe leaps and bounds is that meeting where God is asking you to look to the sky and count the stars, and see that they are innumerable. God wants to use meetings like this to show you what is possible in him, what he can do in your life in the next 8 months of the year. He wants to help you look beyond what you’ve seen to what is available in Him. God could open your eyes to more of him.

In meetings like this, God can spark a fire in your heart, such that you won’t only see more you will be willing to do more than you’ve ever done. It’s in meetings like this where men and women of God who are radical in the faith are born

Look at Paul’s ministry,

From murderer to apostle

Apostle to the nations

Acts 21:13
New King James Version

13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

What can God do in this year of your life?
Paul teaches the church to present themselves to the lord to be used by God. That is the posture you need to attend this meeting.

Romans 12:1-2
New King James Version

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Be ready to present yourself as a living sacrifice. Whatever is possible for God to do through a meeting, He can do in your life. Let this be the cry of your heart.

Prayer Point:
Father! As I prepare towards Leaps and Bounds, I declare that my heart will burn more with fire for you, fire for ministry, my eyes will be opened to see the visions of God, and I will align myself with them.