Starting Fresh On a Strong Foundation-Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

As I write, we have just crossed over into a new year. As we enter this new year, the question I want to ask you is: What kind of year do you want to have? What will make this year different from every other year? Will this year be another year of compromise doing the same things that you did last year? Will this be another year of limiting your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable? The truth is, you will never experience what God has for you in this next year unless you are willing to get out of your comfort zone.

As you enter this new year, ask yourself: What has God been speaking to me about? What dreams or goals have I hidden away and almost forgotten? It’s good to examine where we are on the way to where we are going. We have a choice to listen and obey or to go back to doing what we have always done in the past.

God will rarely move beyond the point of our willingness to obey what He has already been saying. I have found that God often has both direction and correction to impart to my spirit when I’m open to hear what He is saying. If we expect to have and experience what God has for us this year, we’ll likely have to make some changes and make a decision to get out of our comfort zone—to get out of the boat.

Let’s look for a moment as someone in scripture who did just that. Do you remember the story of Peter walking on the water? The full account is in Matthew 14:22-33. This story has always amazed me. Many times we focus on the fact that Peter had to be saved from drowning by Jesus, but let’s not forget that Peter DID get out of the boat and he DID actually walk on the water! He acted on God’s Word.

God never criticizes you for taking a step of faith and acting on His Word. If you begin to stumble in your step, the devil will criticize and make you feel guilty and bring condemning thoughts to your mind, but God will never condemn you for taking a step of faith. Never. God will support you. Jesus will support you. You will end up walking on the water together.

That said, Peter, in spite of his sinking, was willing to do something that the other disciples were not willing to do. He was willing to stretch his faith. He was willing to get out of his comfort zone and try to do something that he had never done before—something that had never been done by anyone but Jesus. Peter had only one word from Jesus, but that one word inspired faith. Faith is simply acting on what God says. Peter stretched his faith and experienced something new in his life. He experienced a miracle; a life changing event.

As we prepare our hearts for what God has for us in the months ahead, there are three things that will help you to get out of your comfort zone and walk in the fullness of what God has for you. We must:

1. Change what we’re thinking
2. Change what we’re saying
3. Change what we’re doing

As we look at each of these areas and put them to practice in our lives, a strong foundation will be laid for God to build upon in the year ahead.

The following recording is a Word from the Lord that came forth through tongues and interpretation at the end of the service where this message was originally shared. We trust you will be blessed as you both hear and receive…