5 Rewards of Your YESSample

Reward #2: Kingdom Advancement

Your "yes" in God is always accompanied by abandonment.

As Oswald Chambers wrote in his book My Utmost for His Highest, “Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions.” You can envision the concept of abandonment by imagining a trapeze artist letting go of one swing to grab hold of the other swing in mid-air. Unless they turn loose of the first swing, they will never be able to go to the next place in their act.

There will be moments in life in which you will have to "let go" as part of saying your "yes" to God. 

Abraham moved away from his kindred—an act of abandonment to God—in order to see the land to which God promised to lead him; a land flowing with milk and honey. 

Remember, however, that even though the milk and honey sounded good, Abraham did not get to occupy that land of milk and honey until he said "yes" and abandoned himself to God.

Your "yes" will cost you everything. 

When I left my hometown in North Carolina in order to pursue God's call on my life, I never knew what my "yes" would actually mean. I look back now, after 39 years, and I can see the faithfulness of God and the incredible harvest of souls that has come from my "yes." On the other side of that "yes," there has been an advancement of the Kingdom.  

God will never advance and promote you until He tests you.

Nevertheless, if you stay true to God throughout the testing period, advancement will come. I remember that, as I stayed true to my "yes," the doors begin to swing wide open for me.

Isaiah 22:22 declares:

“I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them" (NLT).

Throughout my ministry, it has been God who has advanced us. For example:

• He has given me the distinct honor and  opportunity to minister in front of millions via national and international audiences via satellite TV.
• He has allowed me to travel to at least 60 different nations to minister through concerts, conferences, and churches.
• It has been my great honor to minister in front of many Presidents, Vice-Presidents, senators, and congresspeople in different nations.
• He has even given me the privilege of reaching people through radio, books, and other written publications.

All of these are doors God has opened throughout the story of my "yes"—and He will open all the appropriate doors for YOUR dream, too.

However, there must be a moment in which you abandon everything and take God's Kingdom by force.

Jesus said, “And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it". Matthew 11:12 NLT

To "advance" means “to cause to move forward, to promote, to make progress.”  Your "yes" will absolutely cost you your time, talent, and treasure; but what God has promised if you will just advance the Kingdom is much greater and more rewarding than you could ever imagine.

Take heart from the Word of the Lord:

“For God, the Faithful One, is not unfair. How can he forget the work you have done for Him? He remembers the love you demonstrate as you continually serve his beloved ones for the glory of his name. 

But we long to see you passionately advance until the end and you find your hope fulfilled.

So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull or lose your enthusiasm, but follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised because of their strong faith and patient endurance" (Hebrews 6:10-12 TPT).

Friend, God wants you to advance His Kingdom. He also wants to advance YOU and your life. Will you stop, reaffirm your "yes" to Him, and abandon everything He is asking you to leave behind so you can follow Him?