(continued from last week)
1. God’s favour is tied to his purpose. If you really want God’s favour, find out why you are here and start doing it. The degree to which you yield yourself to his purpose is the degree to which his favour will rest on you.
2. Your association determines the progress of your vision. After giving Mary her vision, the angel informed her of someone else pregnant with a miracle. When you have a vision, associate with people or someone that has a vision. People without vision will kill yours.
3. The fulfillment of prophecy is not automatic. You believe, receive and then you become. You must position yourself for the fulfillment of prophecy. Prophecy does not violate the will of a man. He must agree with it and desire its fulfillment for it to come to pass. Mary submitted herself to God’s plan. She subordinated her will to the will of God. You can cut your life short through your behaviour- sinful living, unbelief, fear, negligence; even through negative confession. You can impoverish yourself through failure to pay your tithe, sow seeds etc. Saul, Eli, Israel, etc all lost their promises because of disobedience. Esau lost his birthright because of a bad choice.
4. Warfare plays a huge part in the fulfillment of prophecy (1 Timothy 1:18). “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” Knowing the will of God in advance helps you to stand firm in the time of crisis (Psalm 119: 49-50 “Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”). Many have given up their blessings because they simply did not know it was theirs. Stand your ground and insist on the word of promise you have received.
5. Every vision authored by God requires His participation. If you can handle it by yourself, it is not from God. Mary asked, “How shall this be?” God does not intend for you to fulfill the prophecy by yourself; he intends to work through you by His Spirit. Faith is absolutely essential to the fulfillment of prophecy. Only those who believe receive. “Blessed is she that believeth, there shall be a performance of those things that are told her.”
6. Sacrifice is essential for the fulfillment of prophecy. Not all dreams come to pass. Many have died with unfulfilled dreams because they were not prepared to pay the price required for the fulfillment of there dream. Mary literally gave up her own plans and hope of a normal life in order to have Jesus. What you are prepared to give up determines what you are going to get. Successful people give up in order to go up.
7. Love will always find a way. God’s love broke through every barrier to get us saved. The greatest force in the universe is love.