Topic: Keep Increasing from Within [Church of God Mission International] Above Only Daily Devotional 31 December 2021
Click HERE for Previous Above Only
Above Only Daily Devotional
Friday December, 31 2021
Keep Increasing from Within
1 Samuel 16:7b, 2 Corinthians 4:16 (GNB), Exodus 23:29-30 (AMP)
…man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” *For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day. *I will not drive them out before you in a single year, so that the land does not become desolate …and the … animals of the field do not become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you have increased and are strong enough to take possession of the land.
Also Read: Open Heaven 31 December 2021 –Topic: PRAYERS FOR 2022
There are times that you are waiting for a certain manifestation of increase from God when it is actually God that is waiting for you to increase from within before He can bring you into the increase that He has in mind for you. While you are waiting on God for increase, God expects that from within, you will be renewing your strength and mounting up with wings as eagles. God expects that you will be becoming more like Christ because that is His utmost desire for you. He expects all these from you especially as you go through trials in your waiting periods. James 1:2-4 (GNT) says, “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
In Exodus 13:17-18, the Bible tells us that even though the land of the Philistines was a shorter route to the Promised Land, God did not allow the children of Israel pass that way so that they would not meet wars that they were not ready for and eventually returned back to Egypt. God led them through the wilderness instead to prepare and position them for where He was taking them to. Your trials and difficulties are opportunities for you to increase. Joseph kept increasing though things were challenging on the outside. He was developing wisdom, character and various capacities for where God was taking him to and at the right time his outside aligned with the increase that has taken place within. Keep your focus on Christ and keep increasing from within.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I receive your grace to continue focusing on Christ and to keep increasing from within.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR READING PLAN
Malachi 3:1-4:6, Revelation 22:1-22, Psalm 150:1-6, Proverbs 31:25-31