I have discovered something far better than a New Year's resolution: It is a Divine Commission. Every January 1st I ask God what area He wants me to focus on as I begin a new year. I listen and I record what He tells me. I then focus on that area until I have mastered it and the Lord tells me it is time to move on.
Receive Your New Year's Focus and Resolution Through Two-way Journaling
I highly recommend everyone hear from God for the next period of their lives. Pray and let God tell you what area is important to Him for you to master during the next period of your life. Then allow Him to guide you as you explore and master that area over the next several months. For me it normally takes one year to master an area, and by way of example, for the last two years I have been focused on Vibrant Health Through Miracles and Gifts of Healings, and now, 120 blogs later and much healthier, I finally hear God say, "It is time to move on."
Since I am a teacher in the body of Christ, God not only has me master areas, but then He guides me in developing simple, practical, revelation-based training modules which can be used by individuals or groups to help them master the same or similar areas in their own lives.
Now that I am just leaving a two year focus on achieving maximum health, does that mean my readers are ready to move on also? Maybe yes. Maybe no. God will tell each individual (and each group) what they are to focus on. Over 30 years of asking the Lord for annual direction for my life, I have noted that God has me focus on the area needed to be mastered next so I can continue to move forward in achieving the goals and purposes He has for my life.
What Does It Mean to "Focus On" a Topic?
Once God gives me an area to focus on, what do I do? I prayerfully meditate on all Scriptures on the topic. I read books by leaders in that area. I ask God to guide me to two or three people I can connect with who are ahead of me in that area, and I connect with them for a period of several months. I experiment, trying various things which I hope will take me forward. Some things work. Some don’t. I discard the things that don't work, and embrace the things which do. Eventually I arrive at a new level of mastery in the area!
Make Sure You Obtain the Highest Quality Mentors, So Your Growth Is Swift and Effective
Obviously, one’s passion and commitment to invest time and energy is important, as is the quality of the books and mentors you discover. These will determine how far you go and how quickly you master the area. So I am passionate to seek out good mentors and good training materials and I set aside quality time in pursuit of the area God has chosen for me.
And incidentally, I feel that if I can place into a person’s hands good training materials, and they work in a group or with a good coach/instructor, they can learn in three months what it took me a year to learn.
OK, it’s your turn. Take some time in prayer and see what God wants you focused on for the next period of your life.
Revelation-based, Proven, Life-transforming Resources for You OR Your Group
Four levels of intensity: Level 1 represents the simplest (personal spiritual growth) and level 4 is most in-depth (college level). Students within a group can be taking the same training module at different intensity levels (i.e. 1-4).
- Basic: 18+ Revelation-based Training Modules by Mark and Patti Virkler (1 hour homework per week, no tests, no degrees granted)
- Intermediate: 18+ Electronic Modules through the School of the Spirit (2-3 hours of homework per week, online self-scoring quizzes, CLU diploma awarded)
- Intermediate: 100+ Coaching Experiences from Communion With God Ministries (2-3 hours of homework per week, a coach provides guidance, no degrees)
- Advanced: 100+ Training Modules through Christian Leadership University (7 hrs homework per week, tests, grades, online instructors, degrees awarded)
Testimonies
The classes have been beyond anything I had hoped for. This has been more like an adventure than school. Vanessa Tinsley-Stone
Every Christian should read Naturally Supernatural at least once a week! You write so clearly it would be pleasant to sit under your teaching! It really would be a life-changing experience! Isaac E. Rerri
I heartily recommend Prayers That Heal the Heart. It is the most biblical book I have read on counseling and spiritual warfare, in terms of emotional healing. While there are other good books out there that God has used, red flags have always gone up in my mind by their use of methods borrowed by modern psychology. This book isn't like that, and it is thoroughly practical with its exercises and worksheets. It can definitely be used by the Lord to change your life and break the enemy's power in your life. Brian Shilhavy
Praise the Lord for the 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice course! Through the adventure into the practices of journaling, vision, and unabashed praise I have come to feel closer to God than ever I have in my years of one-sided prayer and self-righteous appearances in church on Sunday. As a result of this course I have drawn infinitely closer to the Lord and continue to move closer still. Communion with Him is indescribably more rewarding than the lopsided prayer directed to a faraway God to which I was accustomed. Jessica Burton
“The best teaching I have ever seen on interpreting dreams” - Sid Roth
I have just interviewed Mark Virkler, an extraordinarily gifted man of God who teaches a course on understanding dreams. I have interviewed many on this subject over the years, but Mark’s approach is different. He is a very logical teacher. He guarantees after taking his course you will have at least a dream a week and understand them!
I took him up on his challenge, and it is working for me. I have had very few literal dreams in my life. And frankly, I usually ignore the symbolic dreams. I call them “pizza” dreams. However, since I started following Mark’s instructions, I have had dreams and I understand them! None of the other courses have worked for me. Now I have received major direction! I am so excited when I go to bed and look forward to God speaking to me in my dreams.
Related Resources:
How to Be Empowered by the Holy Spirit!Related Blogs:
Honoring the Holy Spirit
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