“The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding. Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance (opportunity) happen to them all. For man does not know his time.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11-12
It’s not the wisest, fastest or the richest that succeed, but those who recognize their time and opportunity!
Webster Dictionary defines “Opportunity” as a favorable combination of circumstances, time and place. A chance for advancement or progress.
Every so often an opportunity comes along that has the potential to change everything in a positive or negative way.
“And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.”
Heb11:15-16
1. The Keys to recognizing the right opportunities are:
Knowing where you are going (Prov 29:18)
Keeping your mind full of the right things (Rom 8:5-6)
Becoming opportunity conscious not problem conscious (Heb 11:15-16)
2. The Keys to Timing:
Preparation! “I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” Abraham Lincoln
Confirmation through the wise counsel of a trusted spiritual advisor
“If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? So I will go to the king, which is against the law; and If I perish, I perish!”
Esther 4: 14,16
Queen Esther was prepared, purified and positioned. And when her opportunity came, she seized it!
The Courage of Esther and the wise counsel of Mordecai brought great deliverance
3. The Key to capitalizing on a God given opportunity is:
When your time comes, “Be strong, and of good courage, and do it!” (1Chron 28:20)
Many people have faith, but they have no fight! God gives you the sight-the right-the might, but you have to have the fight!
Our Victory Vision creates all kinds of ministry opportunities for people to use their God given gifts and abilities locally, nationally and internationally. We have more opportunities than we have people who are qualified to take advantage of them. Many people miss Gods opportunities because they come disguised as hard work and sacrifice. But, on the other end of our obedience God has blessing and increase in mind.
“By faith Abraham obeyed God when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going.”
(Hebrews 11:8)
You don’t have to know where you’re going as long as you know you’re following God!
We have a mission to fulfill, the time is short and the laborers are few. We, like Esther must seize every opportunity to bring deliverance and healing to a lost and hurting world through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We cannot go back. We cannot sit still. We must go forward in 2016!
Dr George Hill
Apostolic Founder and President of Victory Churches International