Believe you can, and you will.
Often, we talk ourselves out of the blessing we prayed for. After asking for the job or promotion, we tell ourselves we are not good enough, not the right color, or the right gender. After asking for the degree, we tell ourselves we are not smart enough or we are too old to go back to school. After asking for the spouse, we tell ourselves we can’t trust another person, go through more hurt, or don’t deserve the mate. After asking for the business, we tell ourselves, we don’t know enough, aren’t wise enough, or just believe it will never happen. However, what would happen if we Work Out the Doubt in every area? Let’s explore three steps.
Pray
When you pray about a thing, I mean really pray about a thing, it takes vulnerability, honesty, and transparency with God. Yes, He already knows, but He likes for you to take it to Him and have the conversation with your Father for His listening ear, His wise counsel, His understanding, and most of all His guidance. “Father, what would you have me do?” “Lord, help me understand what is happening <*fill in the blank about the situation*>” “God, I am clueless, can you show me <*insert what you are seeking God’s guidance for*>” God’s word lets us know that we can pray about anything, and God wants us to come to Him about everything. God desires our hearts to be aligned with Him and His will, and to desire to seek Him in relationship as well as guidance for our lives. Prayer is not meant to be a laundry list of things we want from God, it is supposed to include conversations with God. In order to have a conversation, you have to stop talking, and wait for your answer. Do you just pray to pray, say “In Jesus’ Name, Amen” and then go on about your day? Or do you pray in a worship moment, and give God the time to Minister to you through prayer, His word, song, or sermon? When we wait for the answers, it helps work out the doubt because we are connected to the source of our hope, and we are having a conversation about our concerns.
Plan
After you pray about a thing, hopefully you have “Withdrawn for Transfers” and received the guidance, instructions, or next steps you have requested, so you can now plan how to counterattack the doubt that tries to creep in. Inviting God into your plan continuously not only keeps your plan in the forefront of your mind, but it shows you how God is with you every step of the way. Now that you have prayed about it and received your instructions, don’t think that you have to do it all alone. This is pivotal in working out the doubt that tries to sneak in and in keeping that same doubt out of the way. As God gives you the transfer of information for the steps, the process, or the plan, write those down and then when you go back to each step, ask God for the details, to show you how and when for each instruction He has given you. God desires for you to remain connected to Him not only for the plan, but through each step of the plan. Will you invite Him in, or do you think now that you have direction, you’ve got it covered? When we plan with God who gave us the plan, it’s a guarantee that against the doubt, we will be able to firmly stand.
Prepare
Now that you have prayed and you have the plan, you can prepare for the prosperity that awaits. Palatable Positioning is a process where you intentionally challenge yourself to upgrade your current habits. In this process, you prepare for prosperity by working out the doubt that naturally challenges your mind, your heart, and your spirit. These doubts are sometimes limiting beliefs caused by experiences in your life, or they can be other people’s limiting beliefs imposed upon you. By praying about these things and surrendering them to God; then inviting God into your planning process, which you hopefully received from Him, you have already positioned yourself for greater. After praying and planning, it’s time to execute and this is also done with God. Every step of working out the doubt should be done with God so He can help you prepare for those new positions and or ventures. Preparation with God is so much better than having to start over because you didn’t include God.
Call To Action:
1. Walk through these steps and identify not only the doubts that arise (or limiting beliefs) but how you can take each one of those and work out the doubt.
2. Do this for every area of your life – Spiritually, Financially, Emotionally, Educationally, Relationally, and Physically
Example: I can’t work out 5 days a week, I don’t have time. (Note, this example can be used for 15 additional minutes in any area of your life.)
Prayer – Father, show me how I can squeeze out 15 minutes for exercising during my work week. Show me where I may be wasting time and I am not even realizing it. Help me acknowledge this time waster for what it is, and replace it with 15 minutes for exercise and 15 minutes to shower and prepare so I can continue to be on time for work and meetings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Plan – Decrease watching YouTube videos by 30 minutes to replace it with a 15 minute workout and 15 minutes to shower and get dressed to continue on with my day. Lord, help me develop the discipline to cut down my YouTube watch time by 30 minutes, so I can build up my physical exercise regimen for a stronger body. In Jesus’ Name.
Prepare – Day one is Monday. I will post a Calendar so I can mark off the days I exercise and have a visual reminder of progress, commitment, and palatable positioning (upgrading my physical activity)
I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. ~Mark 11:23-25 (NLT)