4th Quarter
9/16/16
Some of you may be aware that I’m a former triathlete. I played volleyball, basketball and track. This week I was thinking about basketball and the fourth quarter. We are currently about to enter the 4th quarter of this year. As an athlete you play hard the first 3 quarters but everything can change in the 4th quarter. The person who's been winning the whole game can suddenly shift. I wanted to encourage many of you as we enter September that so much can shift and so much can change as we enter into the 4th quarter of 2016. I’m so excited about this 4th quarter. While thinking about the fourth quarter a few words came to mind. You can use this as a launching pad or a point of reference as you enter the months of September, October, November and December.
Focus- this last portion of the year requires us to stay focused. For some there were instructions that were given to us that we have yet to capitalize on. We need to focus on what should have been done and what needs to be done. Many times when we make the decision to focus there will be many distractions that come our way. But in this last part of the year focus is key.
Obey- this is a time of strict obedience. You will be able to accomplish a lot as you obey instructions given. As you get downloads, instructions and information please be quick to obey.
Upgrade- for some of us its not that we haven’t been moving we just need to upgrade what we believe. We need to upgrade what we are believing God for. We need to upgrade our expectations. We need to upgrade our dreams. Some of us are thinking too low and believing too low. We need to expand our cords. We need to upgrade our faith level for the remainder of the year.
Remember- We need to remember what God has said. We need to remember what God has promised us. Some of us need to go back and look at what God has promised us even at the beginning of this year. I actually went and read my journal from Aug 2015 and there were some words spoken and dreams which are fuel for my fire today. We also need to remember some of the gifts we had even as children. God may want to breathe on them again. There were some things which needed to be brought back to my remembrance to keep moving in the things of God and know that I’m in His timing.
Trust- for the last portion of the year we will have to trust God for the greater. Many are being pushed to trust God in ways that we’ve never trusted Him before. Some of us are being beckoned to step out of the boat. To step away from that which is familiar and only have Him to lean on. We are going to have to believe God on a whole new level. He’s beckoning us even though it may be unfamiliar. When we step out in faith that’s when we really learn to depend on Him. He’s who we depend on, He's who we run to and for many of us He wants to get us to that place. Where we’ve been is too small for what He’s preparing us for. We are going to have to trust God with all of our heart, soul and mind.
Hope- This is one area where the enemy attacks believers. The enemy really wants us not to hope in God
If you do these things I believe you will be thrusted into 2017 with a level of momentum like you’ve never known before. Everything in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter has brought you this far. In the 4th quarter you can definitely accelerate and even see things expedited. Make sure you focus, obey, upgrade your expectation, remember His promise, trust Him on another level and hope thou in God. Many are going to finish strong and feel accomplished.
