Hebrews 11: 6 ; Luke 11: 9-10

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”.

Have you ever been involved in a team project, or an endeavor that requires collaborative effort? You’ll concur that the contribution and participation of every member (of that team) is required for the overall success of the team. The team lead clarifies expectations, and communicates the responsibility of each team member – everyone in that team must fulfil their respective roles and act in accordance with the team’s expectation(s).

In our relationship with God, specifically as it relates to obtaining things from God, it takes a team effort to receive our healing, blessings, opportunities, breakthroughs, etc. We often imbibe the mindset that ‘we cannot help God’, and thus leave all the work (so to speak) for God to do – this misconception is far from the truth! God needs our co-operation so He would fulfil our expectations.

In order to receive from God, we must play our part; there are certain things we should do as stated below:

Ask God – in Matthew 7:7, the Bible makes it clear that only those who ask receive; if you seek, you’ll find, and when you knock, the door shall be opened unto you. Even though God knows our needs at any point in time, He still wants us to present our requests to Him in a father-child relationship.

Have faith – In Hebrews 11: 6, the Bible states that ‘without faith, it is impossible to please God’. Without doubt, we must believe God is able to do the things we ask of Him – believing is a criterion for receiving.

Declare God’s word – In Job 22: 28, the Bible gives the assurance that whatever we decree shall be established unto us. Therefore, it is paramount that we keep declaring our expectations, regardless of the prevailing circumstances. We stir God into action when we do this.

Confess positively – The words of our mouth must align with our belief and actions. Our confessions should be congruent with the results we expect to obtain from God; thus our words cannot be contrary to our expectations if we expect God to move.

Watch your attitude – In 1 Samuel 1:18, the Bible says ‘Hannah’s face was no more sad’; your attitude must reflect the reality of your desires. If it’s truly settled in your heart that God will do it, then make this assurance evident in your attitude and day-to-day living. Quit being sad, complaining, or anxious.

Folks, let us adopt the perspective of team effort going forward. Whatever we are hoping to receive from God, let us fulfil our own end of the bargain; if we deliver our part according to expectations, God will surely deliver His.

Shalom!