Ezekiel 38:7 "Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.
Apostle Paul is our example in the school of preparation. When he got converted, he had a clear call from God to bear the light of the Gospel among the Gentile nations. That was a rare calling at that time but what surprised me was his depth of preparation.
It is fascinating that Luke, the author of Acts, spends only 16 verses (Acts 9:19-30; 11:25-26, 30; 12:25) describing the first 14 years of Paul’s work in ministry after his conversion and then spends 16 chapters detailing the next 10 years of his life starting with the first missionary journey!
Before Paul started his first missionary journey after conversion, bible scholars agreed that it took him 14 solid years of divine drilling and dealing. The first three years were spent in Arabia,Gal1:7.
It is surprising that from his first missionary journey to the very last, he did so much exploits in less than 10-12 years. His epistles were divinely unique. It is hard to preach a complete gospel without making reference to the Pauline corpus.
How did Paul make full proof of his ministry and the vision God gave him? How come he exceled other apostles that he met in the faith? The answer is preparation. GOD is not in a hurry.
Most times, we are the ones hurrying to fulfill the vision we have received from God. If some of us had the Damascus experience, we would have started a ministry right there named: 'Damascus Experience Ministries'. Paul did not do that. He recognized that the vision is for an appointed time and he waited patiently preparing for that time. If you emerge before your time you will fizzle out before the start date.
Proper prior preparation prevents poor performance. So many visions are dying because those that received the vision are not prepared to carry the weight of the vision. Certain visions require studying further and becoming a student. In fact, most vision requires that. All vision requires proper baptism of prayer and fasting.
Even though Jesus is the saviour of the world, he could not start until after he had fasted and prayed for forty days, coupled with the fact that he had spent thirty years observing, learning and preparing. Sometimes, challenges of life and circumstances can be our preparation ground.
God is not in a hurry, please don't be. Prepare for that assignment.
Father, I receive grace to be prepared adequately for my God-given vision In Jesus name.