2020:  THE YEAR TO GROW UP SO WE CAN GO UP!

POSSESSING THE PROMISED LAND

Until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature]. Ephesians 4:13-14 AMP

As we sit on the edge of 2019, about to cross over into 2020, let us look back over this past year and the things we went through, whether good or bad.  In this present moment, we can reflect on the goodness of God.  Just the fact that you are reading this is proof that His love has prevailed in your life, you still believe Him, and you are still serving Him.  His plan for your life continues into a brand new year!

Now, let's set our eyes on this new year knowing this: we serve a God of increase and progress, and He never desires for a year to repeat itself.  On the contrary, He desires this coming year to be greater than 2019.  So let's enter this new year with a high expectation of greater things to come. Over the last two years, this church has been going through a transition.  The Lord has been doing great things to get everything in its proper place, and do you know why?  So He can take His ministry from transition to moving forward, to take us from addition to multiplication.

The Word is not just for the church corporately; it’s for the individual church. The Lord wants to do things in your life that have never been done before, things you have desired. Now understand this: your level of blessing is determined by your level of maturity. In the natural, a father would not give his nine-year-old son a car.  Not because he does not want him to have it, and not because he does not love him; it’s simply because he is not mature enough to handle the responsibility of owning a car.  I guarantee you, that same father, when that child grows up to the maturity level he needs to be, will not hesitate; he will not procrastinate; he will release that blessing into his son’s life!

Look at what Galatians 4:1-2 (Living Bible) says: “But remember this, that if a father dies and leaves great wealth for his little son, that child is not much better off than a slave until he grows up, even though he actually owns everything his father had. He has to do what his guardians and managers tell him to until he reaches whatever age his father set.”  There is an awesome principle in these Scriptures.  An inheritance belongs to a child, but it is not released to the child until a set time.  I call it the maturity date. David was anointed King, but there was a maturity date set before he could walk in it. Joseph was given a dream, but there was a maturity date he had to attain before he walked in it. Even our Lord Jesus didn’t step into the mission for His life until He was 30 years old.  The Bible says in Luke 2:52 (TPT), “As Jesus grew, so did his wisdom and maturity.”

The Lord is no different when it comes to us.  He wants to do great things for us, but He has been waiting on us to grow up in some areas. One of the worst things you could do to yourself in this new year is to repeat behavior patterns that hindered you instead of advancing you.  It's not bad to make a mistake; it's bad when we don’t learn from those mistakes. When I received this word, I thought it was just for a few, but the Lord corrected me and said it is for everyone in the church…because truthfully, no one has arrived.  We all have room to grow.

This year, I believe you are going to grow up in some areas where there has been a struggle.  As you yield to the Holy Spirit, His Grace is going to supernaturally mature you.  God is not asking you to change yourself; He is going to change you as you turn to and yield to Him, and as soon as that maturity is achieved, you are going to enter into that new place the Lord has for you…your promised land!  We are growing up so we can go up and possess our inheritance.  It’s a spiritual inheritance and a natural inheritance. God has been bubbling inside with His Goodness to lavish your life with it. Pastor Jeannette & I are excited about what is going to happen at the Lighthouse Freedom Center and in your personal life in 2020. We are growing up so we can go up and possess our promised land!

December 29th, 2019