Recognize God!
‘Do not major in minors’ is a common saying. The implication is that you should only emphasize major things or points in life and not minors. Whereas it makes common sense, it doesn’t always make spiritual sense and it is one of the causes why many children of God fail to recognize the work of God in their lives. God is the God of major and minor things in our lives; what looks minor to a naked eye doesn’t necessarily look so to God. Interestingly many times a major move or work of God is preceded by subtle changes or signs of His goodness that can easily be dismissed as minors. Think of a cloud as small as a human hand that preceded a heavy downpour which ended three years of drought during Elijah’s ministry (1 Kings 18:44).
Our greatest need is to recognize God in small and big things of our lives. Still on Elijah; “Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?‘” 1 Kings 19:11-13. God wasn’t in the major spectacular moves; the earthquake, fire and a strong wind, He was in a still small voice. The supernatural is not always spectacular, otherwise Jacob wouldn’t have said; “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it'” Genesis 28:16. The bible wouldn’t have reminded us that we can host angels unknowingly (Hebrews 13:2). If God moved in the spectacular way always (sometimes He does), we would easily know it. Many times after prayer, there is a slight change; learn to recognize the power of God at work in you. Don’t dismiss any positive change however small it is as chance or happenstance. Since you know it resulted from prayer, so it must be God. Many miss God, because they are looking for the spectacular in the order of, angelic wings and songs, gold-dust and open-visions; which are all done by God as He wills, but these are not the rule. Learn to see God’s hand and finger prints in small things that happen to you. Whatever carries His nature, character or results from prayer is from God, no matter how small. These are signs of greater things and signals of God’s power at work in our bodies, finances, families and every aspect of life in which they manifest.
There are Christians who are hard to convince that God is working as long as it is not an instant work of miracle. That is a wrong mentality, you cannot choose how God works and the significance of His work cannot be measured against the magnitude and urgency of His manifestation. You might be in a hurry, when He is not! He is God, He does as He chooses, our work is to recognize Him and receive from Him. Others think that as long as it is not happening to them, the rest of the believers who are excited are faking it. They think the supernatural is superficial; it is not real, it is play acting and not from God. God is to be believed as you act on His word. He is real and His work is real among men of faith. To recognize and enjoy His love, power and grace, yield to Him unreservedly and be willing to sometimes feel ‘silly’; when your emotions are ‘lying’ to you that you are being ‘lied’ to. You recognize God’s work from your spirit and not your senses. God is Spirit (John 4:24), He moves in the spiritual realm and manifests in our material world when we let Him to, by faith. Appreciate the small changes that manifest when you pray or receive ministry. Think like this; ‘before prayer, this small good, change and opportunity wasn’t there, therefore it must be God and it is good.’ Do not be a doubter, a critic and strong-headed, against God’s work in your life. Live a simple life based on His word. Learn to thank Him, even for what can pass as a given in life. Thank Him for your job, spouse, car, house and the ability to love Him. Do not wait for big things to recognize that He is God. Be a consistent testifier, letting others know how good God is to you. Do not observe the process of change, waiting for the finished product in order to testify; once change is seen in whatever degree, give glory to God.
The bible says; “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together” Psalms 34:3. The synonyms of the word magnify are, enlarge, blow up, amplify, expand and increase. This means to magnify the Lord is about His work since you cannot do the above on His person or personality. However, by testifying of His goodness, you are amplifying and enlarging His work. This exalts His name and definitely begins an unending stream of the manifestation of His goodness in your life. Don’t sit on testimonies, do not shrink, downplay and minimize His work in your life, learn to magnify Him. This is how the unrighteousness of men was expressed according to Paul; “… because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” Romans 1:21. This is not your portion as a child of God, yes you know God, but also learn to glorify Him by being thankful for everything He does in your life. Those who didn’t glorify Him were darkened in their hearts; they became insensitive to His work. If you have a stubborn situation in your life, a long awaited miracle and a slow improving predicament, it’s time to recognize God, glorify Him, be thankful even for the little you think He has done and magnify Him. This is a sure way to live in the realm of the supernatural and satisfaction with God’s good things.
~ Robert Ssesanga
Pastor Robert Ssesanga founded Aflame Gospel Ministries and is Senior Pastor of Aflame Gospel Assembly in Kampala, Uganda. An author and speaker, he travels internationally preaching the Gospel with signs, miracles and wonders, as God attests to His word with power. His emphasis on victorious living and enjoying the supernatural life has impacted many lives in many nations. His passion is to demonstrate the gospel and impact generations.