Ready, Set, Go. Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT

‘Ready, Set, Go,’ three words runners hear when starting a race. When you are at the starting line of a race, it can be hard to wait for the starting gun to go off. Your nerves are at play, and you can't wait to put into action all you have been working on. Those three words remind me of the first instructions God gave to man in Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT. "Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

God had created the earth, and He put his masterpiece, you and I, on the earth with specific instructions. “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.”

As we lean into this new year I am certain a lot of us have goals we want to accomplish this year. Let this 6 day devotional serve as a guide for you as you enter into a new year. My prayer is that at the end of this devotional you will have some tools that will help you accomplish your goals this year in Jesus name.

Scripture: Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

Have you ever been given a task at work or school to accomplish? You thought you understood the task but when you were about to start, you realized you have no idea what to do? Or after starting you realized you weren’t adequately prepared? The reason we end up in these predicaments is that we sometimes neglect the source of the assignment. 

In our Bible reading, Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT, it starts with the words “Then God.”  Let’s take a pause here and focus on God. He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12 verse 2 NKJV). He is the one who gives us dreams, vision and goals, and if we want to accomplish them, we need to go back to Him to help us. As we set out this year to accomplish great things, we have to make sure that we continue to develop an intimate relationship with God. He is the only one who has the power and ability to help us accomplish the things we want to do this year. So let your first goal be one that gets you closer to God. Read more of your Bible and spend time praying and listening to God for instructions in all the steps you take this year. If you draw near to God, He will draw near to you. (James 4 verse 8 NKJV)

Prayer: Dear Lord, as I go into this year, please give me the heart and mind to always lean on you. Help me develop a close and intimate relationship with you, guide me in the right paths and teach me to always depend on you in Jesus name amen.

Question: 

What steps have I put in place to draw closer to God this year?

Scripture: Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

One of the questions we often ask ourselves when we dream up or write down our goals is do I have what it takes? The truth of the matter is that you already have what you need to help you accomplish your God given goals. When we read our scripture for the day again (Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT), it says “God blessed.” The word blessed there means to empower, to give authority, to set apart, to instill wisdom, to give abilities and the list goes on. Of all of God’s creations, none were blessed with what you and I are blessed with. The ability to function as God functioned; it was all part of the blessing and God’s gift to you and I. Each of us has been uniquely blessed with different skills, talents and abilities. So, what we need to do is to ask God to reveal to us what He has placed in us to accomplish our God given goals and visions. Proverbs 25 verse 2 NKJV tells us that, ‘It’s the glory of God to conceal a matter and it’s our glory as kings to reveal it.’ 

Prayer: Dear God, help me discover and identify the things You have placed in me to accomplish my goals. Teach me to use what I already discovered and help me serve You by using what You already gave me, in Jesus name, amen.

Question: 

What are some things I can identify in my life to use for my goals?

Scripture: Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

Have you heard the phrase “Teamwork makes the dream work?” If you have heard that phrase, then you understand where I am going with this. And if you haven’t, well you will also understand. In our Bible passage Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT it says “then God blessed them.” Meaning it wasn’t just one; it was them. As blessed as you and I are, we cannot do life by ourselves. In Genesis 2 verse 18 NLT “Then God said it is not good for man to be alone.” God uniquely designed you and I to work with each other. No one has all the answers or ability to do it all by themself. Our greatest strength as humans is the ability to cultivate and leverage the relationships in our lives. I am a firm believer that when we pray for something, God often sends the answers to us in the form of relationships. You and I are able to accomplish our goals and dreams better when we have the right relationships. You need someone to help you and you also need to be a helping hand to others.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to identify the relationships You have placed in my life to be a blessing to me. Let me also identify the relationships where I need to be a blessing, in Jesus name, amen.

Question: 

What do I need to do to foster better relationships in my life?

Scripture: Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

There is no secret formula to success, but I can give you a secret sauce. Just kidding. If you have ever planted something, maybe vegetables, fruits or other plants, you will know it requires consistent watering, sunlight and care to grow. Our reading in Genesis 1 verse  28 NLT states “Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful.” The first command God ever gave to man was to “be fruitful.”  The secret to fruitfulness is consistency. You can’t get the most out of your commitment to God if you’re inconsistent. Life is full of many opportunities, but many times we are not diligent enough to take advantage of these opportunities. We want good things but don't have the drive needed to get them. Let the command God gave in our text be a guiding principle for you. Be consistent in the time you spend with God. Be consistent in developing yourself and be consistent in going after your goals.

Prayer: Dear God, give me the spirit to be consistent, help me remember daily that the secret to fruitfulness is consistency, in Jesus name, amen.

Question: 

What can I do differently to stay consistent?

Scripture: Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

Congratulations on making it to day 5. If you have come this far, then I believe you are serious about your goals this year. Yesterday we focused on being consistent and today we will focus on replicating the process. In our Bible reading, the second command God gave to man in Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT was “multiply.” One of the dictionary definitions of multiply that I love is “to increase in number by reproducing.” We increase in number by reproducing what we have learnt and used to be fruitful. I don’t have to teach you how to count to one hundred, all I have to do is focus on teaching you how to count to ten. Once you have mastered how to count to ten, you can replicate the same principles to count to  twenty, thirty, and forty, until you reach one hundred. That was what God was saying that once you discover and learn how to be fruitful, replicate the process and multiply. So for my family goals, my business goals, my career goals, my financial goals, my health goals and so on, I need to replicate what enabled me to be fruitful for other goals. Making sure that I always keep God at the center, I work on my relationships and I am consistent in my commitments. That formula can work in almost all aspects of our lives.

Prayer: Dear Lord, give me the ability to multiply what you have given me. Help me understand that there is always more when it comes to you and that I can always grow and multiply anywhere I find myself, in Jesus name, amen.

Question: 

How can I replicate the processes I have discovered in one area of my life to the others?

Scripture: Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

You have the power. I am talking about you, yes you, the one reading this devotional today. God has given you the authority to dominate. Our Bible verse Genesis 1 verse 28 NLT states “Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” A similar Bible verse is found in Luke 10 verse 19 NLT “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.” You are going to face opposition as you go towards your goals. Some are going to be internal and some are going to be external, even coming from the most unlikely sources. But I want you to know this: God has given you power over ALL of these things. You have to know and believe that for yourself. And every time you are faced with an obstacle or challenge, remind yourself of this scripture that God has given you the power to fill the earth, govern it and rule over it. You have the power!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to always realize that no matter what I face You have given me the power to overcome. Because greater is He that is in me than he that’s in the world, in Jesus name, amen.

Question: 

What can I mentally and physically do to remind myself that God has given me the power to overcome any obstacle I face?