Dwight Fletcher | Launch out by faith and harness opportunities around you

AFTER WE have prayed, written and planned the new things we will do in this new year, we need to launch out. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” Philippians 3:13. Forgetting the former failures, hindrances, setbacks, and bad habits and launching help us harness opportunities around us. Launching out is a sign of obedience to God. It’s faith in operation. “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him to help you do it, and he will.” Psalm 37:5 (NIV).

When launching out, finish what you started and whatever you start, determine to finish it. Secondly, courageously act against your fears. If you commit your plans to the Lord, He helps you to execute them. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV).

One of Satan’s favourite strategies is to stop a new move of God in its infancy. If you don’t force the start, it will never happen, and it will require effort. Half the battle is won once you’ve started that new diet, or the renewed or new spiritual journey and began to see some positive results. The most energy-intensive part of a rocket launch is the first 60 seconds. It can use 30-50 per cent of the fuel in this phase. After about 90 seconds, the rocket exceeds the speed of sound after having travelled to much thinner air and continues accelerating rapidly from there. The first challenge is to get moving. Once we move, it gets easier.

Then, we need to disrupt our bad patterns.”If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” – Henry Ford. If we’re to break our current momentum, we must create a new approach. Shock yourself into action. Make an about-turn and start to make new patterns that will succeed. Getting on the right track will require changing course. Start with the easiest things first and begin to set yourself up to win. Set the stage for the actions that you want to take. If you say you’re going to start attending church, for example, iron your clothes from the night before and set the alarm to wake early. Set things up to help you succeed.

Don’t fall into the trap of laziness. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth,” Proverbs 10:4 (NIV). Lazy people don’t have a plan, are presumptuous, tend to procrastinate and make excuses. “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed,” Proverbs 12:24 (TLB). If you’re finding it hard to do by yourself, ask for help. Find someone who has a good pattern in the area you need that you can emulate and follow them.

Finally, stay in tune with God because the only way to sustain our momentum is to constantly fellowship with God. He is our source of strength and sustaining power. He carries us when the going is tough and gives us an unbreakable spirit. “The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way,” Psalm 37:23 (ESV).