Todays entry gets me all kinds of excited. As I'm working on my hopeful, willing, restrained and watchful character - God brings encouragement in such a breathtaking way...to me..and maybe you'll find it equally beautiful and timely.
Enlarging. Love this word. We are created to want BIG. We dream on a daily basis for BETTER..for ABUNDANCE. That's from God...yet can be preverted by Satan...but still we must remember - its in us to want to ENLARGE our territory. We want our lives to be important and effective. We want our days to mean something. Believer in Jesus Christ or not.
Enlarging. Such a great word. Enlarge in the Webster Dictionary means 1. to make larger; extend. 2. to give greater scope to; expand. 3. to set free. (the last one I thought interesting)
When a woman is pregnant - though we are wise not to say it - she enlarges...but for good reason. It is a sign that she is not barren and her husband will have offspring.
God - who gives life - abundant life for His people - does not hope for them to be barren. Not just in the form of not having children....but also barren in their life. He wants His people - all people to possess a FRUITFUL life - ABUNDANT in JOY...a life that is CLEARLY MARKED BY HIM - due to our life's FAVOR, FRUIT AND ABUNDANCE.
When we seek God - even in times where we are being positioned in high places and fleshing out promises God has already given to us..we become rooted. Much like a tree - the taller and wider it becomes the deeper - thicker - more grounded the roots become. He wants us to be OAKS of RIGHTEOUSNESS - a PLANTING OF THE LORD (see Isaiah 61:3)
Enlarging - I'm going to give you the same verses in two different versions.
“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities. “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth. Isaiah 54:2-4 - NLT
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. "Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth. Isaiah 54:2-4 -NIV
God is asking a RESTRAINED, HOPEFUL, WILLING AND WATCHFUL generation to ENLARGE. And as you're enlarging, strengthen your personal relationship with your Maker, lengthen your sphere of influence, believe God for territory - lives - favor - postitions - dreams that you don't even have yet. AND I love it - it says in verse 2 DON'T HOLD BACK. The NLT says in the last part of verse 2 - 'FOR SOON YOU WILL BE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS.'
When we're enlarged. When God enlarges our territory - our faith - our influence - our favor...it makes no room for your past to hang out....His favor and love and faithfulness and dreams and promises to you WHEN ENLARGED - tells your past shame that there's NO VACANCY in your life, your thoughts, your heart. And did you see it...the end of Isaiah says 'You will not be put to shame and YOU WILL FORGET THE SHAME OF YOUR YOUTH.' Not only will God blot out your every sin from His memory..they all will be blotted from YOURS. Remember the 3rd definition from Websters Dictionary - 'to set free.' Wow. I'd say that's some serious freedom!
When we ENLARGE. The TRUTH says 'You will not be put to shame - you will not be humiliated'...
God wants DREAMERS - those who speak and live in HOPE - who are WILLING to believe God will act on their behalf - and that we are WATCHFUL and know what it is God is giving us and if what we recieve is from HIM.
I serve a GOD who wants me to ENLARGE my territory. NOT limit me. But to give EVERY DESIRE and PROMISE. A God who WANTS me to believe HE will act/perform/bring about all on HIS own - the desires HE knitted me intricately FOR. He truly wants this for you too!
HE WANTS US TO ENLARGE - BUT HE WANTS TO BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING IT HAPPEN - while we stay confident solely in Him and being sure to strengthen ourselves with His word no matter what season.
Remember when enlarging happens so does stretch marks. When we enlarge - God wants us to stay sharp in His Word and surrounded by people who will stretch us.
Be blessed. BE ENLARGED.
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