The Year of Expansion

“(2) Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cord, and strengthen your stakes.

(3) For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations…”

Isaiah 54:2-3 (NKJV)

Expansion means an act of becoming larger.  We heard the term ‘It takes two to tango’. Therefore not only it takes GOD to fulfill HIS plan, but it also takes us to do something as a response so this expansion will take place in our lives.

Last March, the Lord put the word EXPANSION in our hearts. We did not know what it meant, but as the days and months went by, we started to realize that the Lord was actually referring to what is about to come to our lives and also the people and churches whom we met in our path of ministry.  Nine months have passed and we have been “pregnant” in the spirit ever since. Now, it means the “baby” is about to be born. Therefore we declare that 2013 is THE YEAR OF EXPANSION.

There are four things we need to know in order to walk through the great year of expansion:

1. Understand the BIG vision of God. Don’t depend on your personal vision but God’s. Embrace His vision. It takes a deep and personal relationship to understand Him. Just like when we build a tower, the higher it goes up, the deeper the foundation needs to be. It takes flexibility in order to walk in the vision of God. Not only do we need to prepare ourselves, but also our family.
2. Prepare your heart. When our heart is ready, then we will be flexible to be extended and stretched out.

“(23) Apapun juga yang kamu perbuat, perbuatlah dengan segenap hatimu seperti untuk Tuhan dan bukan untuk manusia. (24) Kamu tahu, bahwa dari Tuhanlah kamu akan menerima bagian yang ditentukan bagimu sebagai upah. Kristus adalah tuan dan kamu hamba-Nya.” Kolose 3:23-24

In the year of expansion, work unto the Lord. Each of us needs to understand his/her role and function so there will not be any chaos. Then, no matter of how big the challenges will be, we will be able to overcome it.

1. Think BIG. When we focus ourselves on the BIG prize, we will not be easily discouraged by our troubles.  All the difficulties that we face are just our training ground.  We need to challenge ourselves to think and act BIG. We need to confess “I can do all things in Christ Jesus” because “He who lives in us is bigger than he that is in the world”.
2. Be ready to face all kinds of intimidation. The closer we are in the fulfillment of God’s plan, the closer we get to the expansion. Just like what happened when Jesus was born on earth. He had to be brought to Egypt in order to avoid Herod.  Therefore do not loose heart even when hell broke loose.  Because when you are with Jesus, you are on the winning team.

As we will depart 2012, we want to thank you all (partners and friends of Anugrah Ministries) who have been supporting and trusting us all this while. Have a blessed EXPANSION in 2013.  The LORD JESUS CHRIST bless you richly!

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