This morning God reminded me of a prophetic word I received over thirty years ago. While that word was vital in the season it was given, it didn’t stop there. It has become a principle God has used in my life over and again.
The word was… “God is taking you into a place of intimacy with Him. God has great things for you but you can’t receive them until you increase your capacity to receive. In these intimate times with God you will increase your capacity to receive all God has for you.”
The word came when I was leaving one season and entering an entirely new area in my work life.
I applied that word all those years ago and was able to receive all God had for me during that time. However, it didn’t always feel it would end that way. Many days it looked the opposite of the blessing of God in my life. Frankly, financially it was an extremely difficult time in my life. Still, I held tight to that word and continued to increase my capacity to receive.
The truth is when our faith is increased, enlargement comes. How much we receive is entirely up to us.
Today, I am hearing again, “increase your capacity to receive.”
I now know what this means. I know if I do what He is telling me and hold fast to His word, I will see increase.
Apparently what God has in mind, is bigger than I can imagine. Therefore, bigger than what I can receive AT THIS MOMENT.
I have learned, before the manifestation can come, increase must take place in my thoughts and in my faith.
God can only give me what I have the capacity to receive.
Remember the widow woman? In 2 Kings 4:2-6; So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors–empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.
The oil only ceased when she had no more containers to fill. If she had gathered a hundred more containers, increasing her capacity to receive, the oil would have continued to flow. It is the same with us. Our faith receives and produces what it has the capacity to receive. When our faith is increased, we are increased. When our capacity to receive enlarges so will our answered prayers.
How do we increase our faith?
Romans 4:16-21 says, Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed–God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
This is precisely how we increase our faith.
First, we call those things that be not as though they already were.
We have to declare and decree what the word of God says in the midst of impossibilities. We can’t follow what we see, think or feel.
Secondly, Abraham hoped against hope.
He believed when there was no reason to believe. His faith was grounded in the promise of God alone.
Third, he did not consider his own body or Sarah’s body.
Even past child-bearing age, Abraham refused to consider that fact. He refused to let it move him. He stood firm on God’s promise. We too, must refuse to consider anything but the word of God. Instead we stand firm, not allowing anything to move us off His promises.
Fourth, he allowed no unbelief. He resisted doubt and unbelief.
Fifth, he was strengthened in faith.
Strengthened means he increased in faith and continued increasing. I love that!
One translation says, “he increased in faith by giving glory to God.”
I heard Keith Moore say that a heart of thanksgiving increases your capacity to receive. If we complain and talk negatively about the promises of God, our capacity to receive is decreasing. We must, instead, cultivate a heart of thanksgiving in the midst of our stand of faith. We continue to give God glory in the midst of the waiting. As we do, our faith increases along with our capacity to receive the promise.
Finally, Abraham was fully convinced that God would do what He said he would do.
God has something big for you. Do you have the capacity to receive it?
Did this word stir on the inside of you? If so, begin today strengthening your faith and enlarging your capacity to receive.
Our job is to increase our capacity to receive, His job is to manifest the promise. He will do His part. He is not a man that He should lie.
Confession, hope, refusing to look at circumstances and refusing unbelief. These are all important things, but remember the main thing. Sitting at the feet of Jesus. Spending time in the presence of the Lord. This will increase your capacity to receive like nothing else. Don’t neglect intimate times with God. It will empower your life and increase your faith.
Friends, begin today increasing your capacity to receive…God has great things for you…it’s time you receive them, don’t you think?
Meditate on this:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
