Open Heavens July 8, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Titus 1-3
RELEASE YOUR POTENTIAL
MEMORIZE: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things,ye shall never fall" (2 Peter 1:10) READ: Acts 2:40-43 One crucial task every child of destiny must perform is to discover his or her potential. Your potential refers to possibilities in and through you, by the help of the Holy Spirit. Every child of God is loaded with potentials. Unfortunately, many never discover or fully develop them for the purpose they were given. In many believers today, great abilities and possibilities are lying fallow- untapped, latent and uncultivated. To accomplish God’s purpose for your life, turn your potentials into reality. Heaven will rate you by your ability to convert potentials into practical, workable steps capable of impacting God’s Kingdom. After a major breakthrough at the lake of Genesaret, Jesus offered Peter a higher call. He asked him to quit fishing for soul winning. The call changed his focus from physical to spiritual. In Philippians 3:14, Paul says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. Whatever your career, profession, or personal ambition, God has a higher calling for you. The Lord asked Peter to leave fishing because he had something better, something more lucrative and fulfilling for him. If there is a call of God upon your life, it is because God has something better for you. If you refuse to accept the higher calling, you will waste your potentials. They will remain buried, unutilized and might eventually be lost to those who can profitably use them for the Lord. Do you know some people are fasting and praying for God to give them what you have? Their intentions are sincere, and they have plans on how to use such gifts, abilities, and financial resources, to glorify God. If you fail to use yours, you may lose out to them because God is result-oriented. The best way to secure anything God has given you, is by investing it maximally, this proves God has not made a mistake in giving it to you in the first place. After Peter accepted the higher calling, on the day of Pentecost, he preached a single sermon and won 3000 souls at a ago! That was a feat none of the disciples had ever performed. His second sermon raked in 5000 souls. Peter’s third sermon brought a multitude into the Kingdom! They were so many, the ushers lost count. Peter utilized his God -given potentials. According to John 4:12, every believer has great potentials. You have potentials to heal the sick, raise the dead, set the captives free, etc. How many people have benefited from these potentials? If you do not go out to preach, these potentials may never translate into miracles and testimonies. It is time people saw your empowered self that has been bottled up all these years. Going out in obedience to Christ releases it. ACTIONPOINT: Fast at least once weekly but pray daily using Ephesians 1:16-19, 3:16-19 and Colossians 1:9-11 for personal spiritual growth.