Isaiah 28:10 (NKJV): "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."
The word 'precept' in this verse is 'tsav' in Hebrew, which can mean 'guidance, command, or order'. That's how God leads, teaches, and guides His people - little by little, guidance by guidance, command by command, order by order, and line upon line.
Recently, the Lord spoke these words, "Little by little, one step at a time." He also said, "Let not My people be overwhelmed!" And that's when I opened the dictionary to see what exactly 'being overwhelmed' is defined as! The Oxford Dictionary defines it this way: 'being overcome or being overpowered by force of numbers or quantity'.
How many of you are 'overwhelmed' by the enormity of your 'task' ahead? Or you are 'overwhelmed' by something 'big' that you are going to do this year. Maybe it's a 'calling', a prophecy, a dream, or a vision you have received recently, and you know it's from the Lord. Or it's a new phase in your life this year! But yet, you have no idea how it's going to happen, or how you are going to 'achieve' it. It also seems naturally impossible anyway, considering the 'limited' resources you have at the moment!
So, the big question here is:
"How in the world am I going to see all these come to pass?"
Look now at Moses, Joshua, and Paul in the Bible. All these men likewise had seemingly impossible 'tasks' and 'callings', but God somehow did it through them! And it's by His ability, not theirs.
Moses:
'He was to go to Egypt and tell the Pharaoh to let God's people go'.
But the problem was he had no idea how he's going to do it! In fact, he thought it was impossible! He said, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11). He also said, "... but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." (Exodus 4:10). But then God said, "Who has made man's mouth? ... Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." (Exodus 4:11-12)
What Moses needed to do was to listen to God's specific instruction, and then speak forth or raise the rod accordingly! And that's how the waters turned into blood, the frogs came, the lice came, etc, and all the way till the Red Sea opened! So, it really wasn't Moses' part to figure out, say, how the frogs were to come (or how was he going to get or buy that many frogs?), but the frogs did come! That was God's part! And God's ways are always beyond man's ways. Moses just needed to be a willing 'channel' for God's instructions, step by step, one step at a time!
Joshua:
'He was to face the wall of Jericho upon crossing the River Jordan and conquer the city'.
But again, the problem was (as in Moses' case) he had no idea how the wall was going to come down! Again, it seemed quite humanly impossible for that to happen! And that's when he heard God's specific instruction to 'march around the city...' (Joshua 6:3-5). Again, 'God's specific instruction for a specific situation' was at work! Joshua didn't have to figure out how to 'knock the wall down' by his own ability or scientifically, but when he did according to what God has said, down came the wall! Again, that was God's part, not Joshua's! And that also marked the beginning of Joshua's successful conquest of Canaan, from the middle to the south, and then to the north, step by step, one step at a time!
Paul:
'He had an enormous 'calling' of reaching out to the whole Mediterranean world with the gospel of grace'.
And again, the problem was he had no idea how he's going to 'achieve' this 'calling' within the duration of his lifetime! It also seemed humanly impossible, considering there wasn't any facebook, twitter, skype, e-mail, mobile phones, telephone lines, etc, not even proper postmen at that time! But God did it through him, and amazingly within just a short twenty years!
According to Bible scholars, Paul was converted (on his way to Damascus) at about thirty, and martyred at about sixty years old. It means he only lived as a Christian for about thirty years. Within these thirty years, the first ten years was spent in preparation (with the last seven years under Barnabas) before he had his own apostolic team. So, this comes up to only about twenty years of 'real' ministry! And within these short twenty years, he wrote almost half of the books in the New Testament, went on all his missionary journeys, built disciples and churches, etc, and impacted the whole Mediterranean world! "How on earth did he do it?" Again, it's not his ability, but God's ability working through him! He's definitely a man who knew how to hear God in his spirit, and again, step by step, one step at a time!
"But pastor, you don't understand! Easier said than done. My situation is worse off!"
Now, who can be worse off than Paul? See the list in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. It's a 'been there, done that' list. But yet, through all these testings and trials, Paul said he always remembered God's vision for him (2 Corinthians 12:1-4, Acts 26:19) and God's grace (ability) that is sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Point to note: It doesn't mean as a believer, there's no 'storm' in life. One cannot live in a fantasy. But when the 'storm' comes, you know He is the One who can calm the 'storm' for you. He is in you, and He cares for you (see Mark 4:35-41).
Paul also learned to let go of the past (the things behind him), and look forward (Philippians 3:13-14), and eventually, that's how he could say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness..." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
More often than not, a God-given 'destiny' or 'calling' is 'bigger' than the person himself/herself, and it looks humanly impossible to 'achieve'. So, if you think your 'task' ahead is too big for you, you are not alone. Just look at Moses, Joshua, and Paul. Today, God wants to show you that it's His ability, and not yours. You just need to be a willing 'channel'. In other words, it's by His grace (i.e. His ability to do for you what you cannot do by your own ability). Paul knew this very well, and he wrote, "Yet of myself I will not boast..." (2 Corinthians 12:5).
So, cast all your cares to Him, and rest in Him. Take one step at a time. Don't expect Him to reveal to you the next ten or twenty steps at one go. You may not be able to take that whole 'chunk' if He does that! More often than not, He'll only show you the next step. After your next step, He'll show you further step. That's how He works (Isaiah 28:9-10).
If many things have been happening, or are happening in and around you at the moment (e.g. new ventures, change of job, promotion in career, expansion in business, getting married, having baby, new phase in ministry, etc), don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed. Take one step at a time, little by little, step by step. Eventually, you'll reach where you should be (Philippians 1:6). How is it going to happen? I don't know. But God knows. And I know He'll open the way for you. Believe that He is able, trust in His wisdom to get 'it' done, and of course, keep looking to Him, the author and finisher of your faith. Amen.
