Forward Thinkers, our entire life can be summed up as a walk of faith. Jesus often told us our results would be directly associated with our level of faith.
Forward Thinkers, we are also told in the book of Ephesians that God is able to do more than we can ask, think, or imagine. Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
Anyone remember the answer to the question is there anything too hard for God? The answer will always be NO!!!
Forward Thinkers, today I want to encourage someone out of a negative place and declare to others God can and will increase you out of a defeated situation.
Forward Thinkers, I’m believing someone will even come out of a place called NOWHERE.
Genesis 17:20 New International Version (NIV)
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
Genesis 21:17-20 New International Version (NIV)
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up.
Forward Thinkers, in Genesis chapter 17 and 21 Ishmael is the focus of the text so let’s look at his story: Ishmael
- born in a dysfunctional situation
- unwanted by others
- raised by a single mother with no support from his father
- voted most likely to fail
- unfairly compared to others
- made to feel like the black sheep
- odds stacked against him to succeed from birth
Forward Thinkers, to sum it up, Ishmael’s situation looked bad, hopeless, and defeated but like your story, thank God that’s not how the story ends.
OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD, NO MATTER OUR SITUATION
I. I Have Heard You (Abraham)
Abraham was praying for Ishmael even though he was a part of Ishmael’s problem.
Forward Thinkers, you never know who is praying for you or who is preying against you; therefore, we must put our faith in God and not man.
Side-note: Forward Thinkers, people will have you on spiritual Prozac with their hot and cold ways if you allow them to control you.
II. I Will Bless Him
God promised to bless Ishmael no matter what Abraham did. Forward Thinkers, I’m so glad what God has for us is not dependent on what others do or don’t do for us. In 2018 stop chasing people and start chasing God.
III. I Will Make Him Fruitful
Ishmael like many others are stuck in the spirit of abandonment meaning they are unproductive because they can’t get over someone disconnecting themselves from them. Forward Thinkers, remember the bible is clear if we stay connected to Jesus and the Word of God we will be productive. I declare and touch and agree with you from this day forward you will never allow a human disconnection to disconnect you from Increased Growth in your life.
IV. I Will Increase Greatly
Forward Thinkers, this is the year where those who have been left behind, pushed out the door, and mishandled by others discover their Godly covenant to Increased Growth. According to your level of faith in 2018 you can shift from a low place to a place of Increased Growth.
(BUT) please note what God is doing in the life of Ishmael has nothing to do with what God is going in the life of Isaac. God is able to bless both Ishmael and Isaac with Increased Growth. There is no need for jealously in the Kingdom of God because God is big enough to do something big in all our lives at the same time.
Genesis 21:14-20
Forward Thinkers, have you ever felt like you were stuck in a place called NOWHERE while others around you appear to be moving forward?
We see Hagar (Ishmael’s mother) and Ishmael crying but there is a prophetic word for all those crying in a place called nowhere. Increased Growth will wipe all your tears away. NOTE: Abraham is no longer crying that’s why we can’t be moved by human emotions. People will change up on you but God will always be with you.
God heard Ishmael crying and He hears you crying from a place called nowhere and He has assigned Increased Growth to flow into your life.
Question Asked: What’s the matter?
Forward Thinkers, don’t be afraid. Remember you have a covenant promise with God and God has already released Increased Growth into your life to shift you into a greater place.
It’s time for a position shift:
They start out down and crying out but God says get up.
Forward Thinkers, we must get up and declare faith don’t fail me now because we can’t have the blessings of Abraham with the attitude of doubting Thomas.
Covenant Confirmation of Increased Growth
God said I will make him greatly increase and in 2018 what God confirmed to Ishmael back then I’m declaring He is confirming to us today.
Look at verse 19- then God opened her eyes and she saw a well full of water.
Forward Thinkers, things changed once she opened her eyes in faith. It’s amazing how the well was always there but her fear spoke louder than her faith.
Forward Thinkers, once we change our vision and see our situation through the eyes of faith we will discover our season of Increased Growth and actually realize it was always there waiting on us and we will shift from NOWHERE to NOW HERE.
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church located at 200 W. Greens Road, Houston, Texas, 77067. Pastor Deckard is also the Co-Founder of the No More Bloodshed Movement. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pastoreadeckard@pdq.net , follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Periscope @ Pastor E A Deckard or the church website www.ghic.net.