Sharpening Your Focus
Part 1
by Dr. John Tetsola
If you're not where you want to be in life it's probably because of broken focus. In order to be successful in the pursuit of vision over our lives, we must consistently sharpen our focus so that the picture of the vision can be clearly produced. Focus by definition is the adjustment of your spiritual eye or lens so that a clear image or picture of what God told you to do is produced. Helen Keller was asked, "What could be worse than being blind?" She answered "having sight without vision." As we embark upon the 2004 New Year, never mind making twenty different New Year resolutions that we rarely ever keep; instead refine your focus. Refined focus is the one thing that will get you to the place you want to be in life, for if you can change your focus, you can change your failures.
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
John 4:34Jesus was focused to finish His assignment. He knew what He was sent to do, and He was focused to complete it. He never allowed His focus to be broken by the applause of men, by persecution, or even by the shame of the cross. He kept moving toward His objective, and on the cross He was able to say "It is finished." He was never enticed by what He could do for Himself or by what He could build for Himself.
And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luke 4:3-4Jesus had the opportunity to be sidetracked and to opt out of what He was called to do. The devil tempted Him many times to break His focus, to give up His pursuit for physical gain, but He refused. There are going to be constant opportunities presented to us that will come across our paths to break our focus and stop us in our pursuit. Jesus never took the bait from the enemy, and He finished well.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee…
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:
Genesis 12:1, 3aAbraham violated God's commandment by taking Lot along with him. As a result of his disobedience, Abraham suffered strife, contention, danger, risk of life, kidnapping and invasion by kings-all because he was connected to Lot. Abraham could not see nor focus on the vision that God had given him because Lot was in the way. Lot had been a distraction for twenty-five years. Finally, Abraham said, "Lot, you've got to go." What are you holding on to that's breaking your focus, robbing you of your momentum, and creating avoidable storms? Now watch. As soon as Abraham let Lot go, God spoke to Abraham and gave him fresh new direction. God said, "Abraham, lift up your eyes and look." God will not bless you beyond your last act of obedience. In this new season, learn to disconnect from the "Lots" in your life-that thing you're connected to that blurs your vision and focus, producing unnecessary storms. If you want a fresh word and fresh new direction in your life, refine your focus. If you can change your focus, you can change your failures. You can change your future by what you do today. Tell your "Lot" it's a new season and you've got to go!
by Dr. John A. Tetsola