Fight & Lay Hold of God’s Plan

You have heard that “God has a wonderful plan for your life.”  He does.  The thing about it is that is doesn’t just fall on your life regardless of what you do.  There are levels and degrees of the will and plan of God we live in, and it isn’t up to God but up to us.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

He desires that we all prosper and succeed.  But most Christians I know are always struggling and never quite reaching the successful, abundant, fruitful life spoken of in the Word.  Why is that?  It is because the degree you prosper in life is directly connected to how much your soul prospers.

3 John 1:2 – Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.

God has a wonderful plan for every person, but not everyone will reach it.  Few actually live the highest plans of God.  Many are called but few are chosen.

Matthew 20:16 – So those who [now] are last will be first [then], and those who [now] are first will be last [then].  For many are called, but few chosen.

Matthew 22:14 – For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen.

Why is it that many don’t live in the fullness of God’s will and plan?  It takes a fight to get to it.

1 Timothy 6:12 – Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.

There is a fight to lay hold of the eternal, abundant life to which you were called.  There is a struggle and a battle to lay hold of and live the life you were called to.

Philippians 3:12-14 – Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.  I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

You will need to strain forward press on towards the goal in order to lay hold of, grasp and make my own that for which Jesus has laid hold of you for.  There is a strain and a pressing on that needs to be done.  The calling is there for us all.  Who will hear and press and fight and put forth the necessary diligence to reach the full calling?

Many are called but few are chosen.  The chosen ones are the ones to do what it takes to get there.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him.  For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

Diligent – characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort; painstaking (the action of taking pains, diligent care and effort).

There is a diligence necessary to draw near to God and live in the full blessing He desires for us all.  There must be a steady, earnest and energetic effort on our part – sometimes lasting what seems like a lifetime.

2 Timothy 2:15, 21 – Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use].  So whoever cleanses himself shall be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.

It is up to you if you want to be a gold vessel set apart for the highest purposes.  You prepare yourself by cleansing yourself from everything that hinders you.

Study, be eager, do your utmost to present yourself to God, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing the Word of God.  Whether you are a gold vessel or a earthen vessel is connected to what you do with His Word.  It is the Word that cleanse us and fits us for the Word to which we are called to do.

Mark 4:24 – And He said to them, be careful what you are hearing.  The measure (of thought and study) you give (to the truth you hear) will be the measure (or virtue and knowledge) that comes back you – and more (besides) will be given to you who hear.

The measure of thought and study I give to the truth I hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to me.  Again it is up to me not God how far I get.

Joshua 1:8 – This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Psalm 1:2-3 – But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers.

The ones who prosper are the ones who meditate on the word day and night and are careful to do what they hear.  They are the ones who attain the highest places God desires for them.  They are the ones who bear fruit and prosper in whatever they do.

Proverbs 2:1-7 – My son, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you, making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God. For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him); He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity,

• Receive the Word.
• Treasure up the commandments.
• Make your ear attentive to God’s wisdom.
• Incline and direct your heart and mind to understanding, apply all of your powers to the quest for it.
• Cry for insight
• Raise your voice for understanding.
• Seek wisdom as for silver.
• Search for wisdom as for hidden treasures.

THEN you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.  He has hidden away wisdom and stored it up for the righteous.  The ones who are diligent and study and seek Him are the ones who will find it.

So the highest places, the greatest blessings, a life in the perfect will of God is for those who are diligent and go after these things with all of their heart and life.

Many are called to high things but don’t prepare themselves to be a gold vessel.  The call is out.  Who will hear and take heed and fight the necessary fight to take hold and keep hold and put forth the diligent effort necessary to get there?