At the beginning of this year, God spoke to me about preparing, but I really didn't know what for. Yet again I am hearing, "Prepare." Recently, as I meditated on this, a friend texted me and said she was hearing, "Prepare the way of the Lord."
I believe God is going to do mighty things in our midst, but are we ready for them? They won't always look like we think they will. Today I encourage you to prepare your heart for what lies ahead, tune into God's voice, and prepare in any other ways He leads you.
I want to share again a writing I sent out earlier this year – actually two – on this very subject. I needed the reminder, and perhaps you do too.
"Prepare" (Message 1)
As I walked down the hallway, I heard those all-too-familiar words again...Prepare. It wasn't the first time I had heard the Lord tell me to prepare, but it was the first time I had heard it in a long time.
Frankly, I don't even ask what to prepare for anymore; I simply tune into His voice for further instruction, knowing it will come when He is ready to share it with me.
Sure enough, hours later, He was speaking to my heart again. He said, "Martha thought she was preparing well."
Most of us are familiar with the story of Mary and Martha:
"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.'
"And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 8:38-42 NKJV)
As we see in the Scriptures, Martha was busy preparing for what she felt Jesus would want or need at this gathering. She was cooking, serving, making sure everyone was fed and comfortable. Martha was obviously troubled that Mary wasn't as worried about the same things she was.
Mary, on the other hand, was not going to miss this moment. She wasn't concerned with other people. She wasn't worried or troubled about anything. She was in perfect peace. She had one thing on her mind: Jesus, her Master, her Lord. (Photo via Pxfuel)
Both women were preparing.
Martha felt she was doing what was necessary to properly serve Jesus. Martha really thought she was preparing well. There are times we must prepare things in the natural...keeping our houses clean, making sure everyone is fed and well cared for...these things are important to us and to God. However, there are times when one thing is needed; that one way of preparing is what is required.
What is it? It is sitting at the feet of Jesus.
I knew from our conversation that Jesus was instructing me to prepare for the season we have entered, sitting at His feet, listening to His Word, and learning His ways. I knew He was telling me it is not the time to be worried or troubled about all the things I must accomplish in the natural; it is the time to make certain that I set aside time to prepare my heart, and my spirit, for what is ahead – to make time and to spend time in His presence – face-to-face time.
It reminds me of my little granddaughter, Brailee. There are times she tells her mom that she needs "Nana" time. That means she wants time alone with me. Whether we realize it or not, we all need Jesus time, time alone with just us and Him.
Lay everything else aside for a few minutes and get before His face, be in His presence – not to get a message, not to ask for something you have need of, but to spend time cultivating the relationship between the two of you. Intimate time with your Lord is the most important preparation time you will ever have. Being in His presence is all you have need of; it is time well invested.
Today, I encourage you to prepare. Prepare for the wonderful place God is taking you. Prepare by spending time in His presence; intimate time, quiet time, time where you have one thing on your mind...Him. Again, I say, it will be time well invested and it will reap an abundant harvest. Time at His feet...the one needed thing.
"Prepare" (Message 2)
I can't seem to get away from this subject. The subject I am speaking of is planning and preparing.
Don't misunderstand, I am not a gloom-and-doom person; I'm a glass-is-running-over kind of person. With that being said, I keep hearing the same things in my spirit: plan and prepare.
I came across a Scripture in The Passion Translation. It is found in Psalm 20:4 and it says: "May God give you every desire of your heart and carry out your every plan as you go to battle." The New King James Version says it like this: "May He grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose."
I love both these translations. I even like that The Passion Translation talks about it being a battle. This is not saying that we are daily in a fierce battle to gain victory; we are not fighting for victory, but from a place of victory. Victory was already won at the Cross. Our fight is a fight of faith; our battle is a battle of standing firm on the promises of God.
Yet, the truth remains, there are times God will tell us to prepare for what is ahead. He did it all throughout the Bible and He still does it today.
When He begins to speak to me this way, the first thing I prepare is my heart. I make sure everything is right in my heart. I make sure I am hearing His voice correctly. I set aside quiet time with God to ensure that my heart and faith are in position. Beyond that, if there is anything more He leads me to do, I do it. (Photo via Pixabay)
I heard a minister say just the other morning, "The victory is in the obedience." This reminded me of a Scripture found in Proverbs 21:31: "The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD." Yes, we prepare and we plan when God leads us to do so, however, the deliverance, the victory, comes only from Him. May we always remember that. My victory is in Christ, and my victory for this time is in obeying ALL He tells me to do.
It's vital that we appoint our days during this time; by that I mean plan our days, making sure to include God through prayer and taking His Word in every single day. In doing so, we will be spiritually ready for anything that comes our way.
For me, I make lists. I have found that if I do this I am much more productive. Just the other day I had more things than I thought I could accomplish in a day, but still I made my list. I was able to complete everything and remain in peace. I had appointed my day. I had planned my day and God honored my plan and made it succeed, just as His Word says. Even as I write this, I feel compelled to spend my day in God. Therefore, everything else can wait. This, too, is part of my preparation.
Again, as Proverbs 21:31 says, we can prepare the horse in the day of battle, but the horse doesn't bring victory or deliverance...God does. Yes, prepare! That's important. It's just as important, if not even more so, to keep your ear open to God and what He is saying in this hour.
I don't know how God will lead you to prepare today, however, I am praying He will make it plain to you.
In the Old Testament, when God was about to show up and come into the presence of His people, He always told them to prepare. That excites me! God is about to show up and show out! Are we ready? Are we prepared? I sure hope so.
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Kim Potter
A New Thing Ministries
Email:Â kim@anewthingministries.com
Website:Â www.anewthingministries.com
Kim Potter is the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to over 10,000 people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim's message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged and disappointed by the circumstances of life and imparts the desire and ability to stand against all odds; to stand for victory. She encourages people to press into God and discover that He is who He says He is.
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This is an excellent and important word from our friend, Kim Potter. 
