The Lord says:
"I am setting up divine appointments for My people. For those who have been stagnant and couldn't see any headway, this is a time to watch how I am going to set up divine appointments that lead to breakthrough and lasting fruit."
Jesus says in John 15:16, "You didn't choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name."
See the words "I appointed you" and "lasting fruit" here? Who appointed you to produce lasting fruit? The Lord Jesus Christ Himself! So, it's not by your own striving or struggling, but by His appointment and His hand that opens the door for you to produce lasting fruit!
The word 'appointed' here is 'tithemi' in Greek (according to Strong's Concordance), and it can mean any of these: 'placed, laid down, set up, established, purposed, destined'. In other words, He has placed you to be at the right time at the right place to produce lasting fruit, He has laid it down for you, He has set it up for you, He has established it for you, He has purposed it for you, and of course, He has destined it for you!
But how can you walk in His divine appointment and produce lasting fruits?
There are many examples in the Scripture on walking in divine appointments and having lasting fruits. But for today, let's go to Acts 10:1-2, 'In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God.'
As you can see here, Cornelius was someone who feared God and loved God.
Acts 10:3-6 says, 'One afternoon about three o'clock, Cornelius had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. "Cornelius!" the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. "What is it, sir?" Cornelius asked the angel. And the angel replied, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore."
Acts 10:7-8 says, 'As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.'
Here, Cornelius had a visitation from an angel, and he obeyed all that the angel had spoken to him. So he sent these men to Joppa to look for Simon Peter, the apostle.
Acts 10:9-16 says, 'The next day as Cornelius' messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat them." "No, Lord," Peter declared. "I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean." But the voice spoke again, "Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean." Now the same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.'
Peter was of course perplexed. He wondered what could that vision mean? Just then, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon's house, and standing outside the gate, they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there. Meanwhile, as Peter was still puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men have come looking for you. Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don't worry, for I have sent them."
You see? The angel spoke to Cornelius regarding Peter; and now, this voice from heaven spoke to Peter regarding someone he was about to meet, i.e. Cornelius! It matched! The divine appointment was about to take place!
Acts 10:23-24 says, 'So Peter invited the men to stay for the night (even though they were strangers to him). The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was already waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.'
And that was how Peter and Cornelius eventually met each other in person, and yes, by divine appointment! This appointment in turn led to lasting fruit and a major breakthrough for the Gentiles (the non-Jews), because it was also the beginning of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit and be water baptized.
What can we learn here?
If the door is from the Lord, or is opened by the Lord, there will be lasting fruit! We don't have to artificially try to prise open the door or force open the door by means of persuasion, by striving, or by struggling for an open door. The Lord will know how to make things happen, and in His perfect timing.
Some may say, "Pastor, but this is regarding ministry." No, it's not just regarding ministry. Divine appointments can happen in every aspect of your life. There can also be divine appointments in your career, in your business, or in any area of your life as well. Indeed, this is the time to look to God and watch how He can set up divine appointments for you!
Back to Acts chapter 10. When Peter came in to the house where Cornelius, his relatives and his close friends were, Peter told them, "You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean." Now, Peter had this revelation, because the Lord had spoken to him personally. In other words, he came to Cornelius' house by revelation. As for Cornelius, he invited Peter according to what the angel had instructed him to do. Both did their part. And "Bang!" Something wonderful happened!
What can we learn from both Peter and Cornelius here?
They were responsive to what the Lord has spoken to them. They didn't hesitate. They obeyed what the Lord said (through the Holy Spirit or through an angel). And that's how they met. As a result, a major breakthrough happened!
You see? One divine appointment led to one major breakthrough that changed the course of history. That was the beginning of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit. As Peter was preaching to them, the Holy Spirit fell upon all of them who were listening. In fact, the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too! They even heard them praying in tongues! Peter then concluded that since these Gentiles have received the Holy Spirit, why shouldn't these Gentiles also be water baptized in the name of Jesus? And that's how Cornelius and those with him were also water baptized in the name of Jesus Christ on that day. The rest is history. It opened a new horizon for the Gentiles, and many more received Jesus Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit since then!
This is just one example of divine appointment that leads to lasting fruit. And you too can walk in this same pattern, i.e. walk in God's divine appointments that lead to lasting fruits in your life.
So, what are the secrets? Actually these are open secrets. You can see the traits here, i.e. what caused this divine appointment to happen between Peter and Cornelius.
Number One: Prayer and communing with God.
Do not stop praying and communing with the Lord. Set aside your time for the Lord. Spend time with the Lord. Spend time in praise and worship before the Lord, read the Word of God, and pray in the spirit. The Lord will know how to speak to you, even as you yield to Him and surrender to Him.
Number Two: Abiding in God.
As you can see in John chapter 15, Jesus is the vine, and you are the branch. Without Him, you cannot bear fruits that last.
Number Three: Obeying God's instruction.
Peter obeyed God's instruction without hesitation. The same it was with Cornelius. When the angel appeared to him, he obeyed the instruction of the angel to summon Peter from Joppa to his house in Caesarea. We can play our part by having a listening ear and obeying His every instruction for us.
Whether it's in ministry, in business, in career, or in any area of life, it's the same. So, pray and ask for divine appointment beginning this month. And watch how the Lord is going to open the way and open the horizon for you. Don't be shy to ask of God. Remember, you are His beloved. Ask, and you shall receive. If God your Father did not spare His only begotten Son to die for you, is there anything that He cannot do for you? So, ask and you shall receive!
Indeed, this is the season to 'place your order' and ask for divine appointment for your life. And you are going to see in the coming months, things will begin to advance in your life, especially if you have been stagnant in recent months, or you have not been seeing much headway in your life in recent months.
New doors are going to be opened for you. New horizons are going to be opened for you. You will never have to look back anymore, because God has greater things in store for you, going forward! Believe for it, and you shall receive. In Jesus' name. Amen!
