40 DAYS OF ABUNDANT LIVING – ENLARGING YOUR VISION

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“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams….” Isaiah 54:2-3

From the time she was a little girl, Tara Holland dreamed of becoming Miss America. In 1994, she entered the Miss Florida pageant and won the title of first runner-up. She decided to try again the following year. She entered the same contest, and once again, won the prize as first runner-up. Tara was tempted to feel discouraged, but she stayed focused on her goal.

She decided she needed to change her environment, so she moved to Kansas, and in 1997, she entered the Miss Kansas pageant and won the title. That same year, she went on to be crowned Miss America. Tara Holland saw her dream come to pass.

In an interview after the pageant, someone asked Tara the secret to her success. She admitted that after she had lost twice in a row at the state-level competitions, she had been tempted to give up, but instead she went out and rented dozens of videos of local pageants, state pageants, Miss Teen, Miss Universe, Miss World – whatever she could find. She rented hundreds of videos of various pageants and watched them over and over again.

As Tara watched each young woman crowned a winner, she pictured herself in that situation. She pictured herself receiving the crown. She pictured herself walking down the runway in victory. Time and time again she envisioned herself winning. Seeing herself as a winner, said Tara, was the key to her success. Another reporter asked her if she was nervous walking down the runway in front of millions of people watching on television and with the announcer singing the famous Miss America song.
Tara’s response was interesting. “No, I wasn’t nervous at all,” she said. “You see, I had walked down that runway thousands of times before.”

Tara Holland knew she would never be a winner until she first saw herself as a winner. She had to reprogram her mind, to rid herself as much as possible of the hurtful memories of losing. She saw herself stepping onto the winner’s platform. She saw herself walking down that runway in victory. She created an environment of faith and success.

The first step to abundant living is to enlarge your vision. To live a rich and fulfilling life, you must start looking at life through eyes of faith, seeing yourself rising to new levels. See your business taking off. See your marriage restored. See your family prospering. See your dreams coming to pass. You must conceive it and believe it is possible if you ever hope to experience it.

During the next few days, we will share with you four principles of how to enlarge your vision. They are:
1. Raising your level of expectation
God promised that you will soon be bursting at the seams. This means that where you are now is too small for what God wants to do in and through you. You need to conceive in your spirit the good things God wants you to enjoy. You must have an image on the inside of the life you want to live on the outside. This image has to become a part of you, in your thoughts, your conversation, deep down in your subconscious mind, in your actions, in every part of your being.

2. Believing God has more for you
Jesus promised abundant life. The Bible says “Build an addition.” This means increase your capacity for more of God. God wants us to constantly be increasing, to be rising to new heights. He wants to increase you in His wisdom and help you to make better decisions. God wants to increase you financially, by giving you promotions, fresh ideas, and creativity.

3. Breaking the barriers of the past
In any building or renovation project, you have to break down old walls in order to make room for new and better ones. The scriptures said, “Spread out your home.” This means remove old and limiting walls and build new ones. What you keep before your eyes will affect you. You will produce what you are continually seeing in your mind. If you foster an image of defeat and failure, then you are going to live that kind of life. But if you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you.

4. Living favor minded
The Bible says, “Spare no expense.” This means don’t be limited by your resources or lack of it. God is more than enough. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that you can ask or think. He wants to pour out “His immeasurable favor upon those who trust Him.” God wants this to be the best time of your life.

Shalom,

Rev. Obadiah Swen
Pastor, BWOC-VA

Application and Prayer for Today
1. Reflect on your dream or vision.
2. Is it founded on God’s abundance? Does it line up with God’s word?
3. Pray that God will bless, enlarge, anoint and protect you, your family, your church, your community and your world. 1 Chron. 4:10