The CROSS is not a walk in park, we can tell by the number of times Jesus asked the Father if the cup could pass over him but as He prayed, He was leveling up for what was about to come, what was about to hit HIM, the sacrifice He was about to make all for love’s sake. I sometimes imagine that what if He didn’t have that Gethsemane period before the cross OR probably God had not spent years preparing Him and He just had to give up at the point of trials on the cross.

There are strategic things that God uses to prepare us for the greatness ahead; it is a mix of painful trials, temptations, groaning in prayer, staying in the word and lots more. Matthew 26:36-42.

Matthew 26:41, Jesus says to His disciples to pray lest they fall into temptation, to stay in communion with the Father lest they give in to the tactics and plans of the devil, this was a strategy to prepare them for what was ahead of them.
You’d need lots and lots of prayer on your journey and hello you can never over pray as a believer, if you are not praying as a child of God, you are going to really end up sleeping deep. NEVER feel like prayer is overrated. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1

How well fed are you for the days ahead? Elijah was awakened to eat for the journey ahead; the food was a meal of preparation for all the fierce things that he encountered that was designed to push him into greatness. 1 Kings 19:5:8. You’d need to eat large chunks of the word, meditating upon it always as a constant reminder of His heart for you while you walk through the tunnel of preparation. Psalms 119:105

How well are you taking advantage of the Pit, Potipher’s house, and the Prison just like Joseph? You don’t become a prime minister in a day; God has to walk you through seasons of preparation. The hardness of these places Joseph was walking through should have made him stop yielding to the plans and purposes of God for His life because it really wasn’t looking like it. If he didn’t yield as he prayed and learnt God’s word he probably might have missed out on certain Egyptian customs that he would have needed when he got to the throne. For example, while staying with Potipher if Joseph didn’t yield to God’s desire for consecration it might have been a different story later on. To yield to God’s dealings with us can be trying but its sure the best.

Elisha said to the three kings in 2 Kings 3:16-20 to dig trenches, there will be no rain or dew but the valley shall be filled. The point of preparation for them was to dig trenches for what was about to come. Imagine they never did, when the blessings came there would have been no place for it, it would have been wasted. That’s what happens when we don’t yield to preparatory process.

A brief recap of the aforementioned points;
Do not neglect the place of prayer
Do not neglect the place of God’s word
It is highly important to yield.
While you read all of the capacity building books, attend seminars and conferences and lots more, never forget these points, spiritual capacity will sustain you in all that you know lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Finally, God says to us in Isaiah 54:3-4 to Enlarge the place of our tents, lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes for what is about to come which is a breaking forth on all sides.

It’s my earnest prayer that God will help us yield to every preparation He is bringing our way and for those already walking through the season of preparation but it just seems tiring and burdening, may you receive strength in your inner man and know the Lord is with you.

SHALOM!