Proper Positioning for Productivity

Text: Ruth 3:1-6; Luke 19:1-6.

Ruth 3:1-7

1Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?
2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.
3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.”
5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her

Luke 19:1-6

1Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

INTRODUCTION

God desires to bless His people and help them in their quest for fruitfulness. In order for this to take place, often He ensures that they are positioned for His blessing and hand to reach them. For the next 3weeks, we shall be looking at the elements of moving into the right position where God’s hand that is not short can reach us.

What is positioning?

Ensuring that you are at the right place at the right time.
Eccl 9:11- I returned and saw under the sun that – The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
It is proper placement to create an advantage for you e.g. Zaccheus on the tree.

It’s a placement that enables you to have options and achieve with relative ease your heart desire e.g. Ruth preparing for remarriage.
Going out of your way to do something that makes authority to take notice of you. E.g. David defeated Goliath.

Please Note

Proper positioning could be borne out of strategy; (Zaccheaus) may require wisdom (Noami/Ruth) and foresight. –The ants in Prov.6:6-8

Some other examples of proper positioning in scripture.

Abraham’s chief servant- Gen. 24:11-13.

The birth of Jesus- Another’s Decision Matt. 2:5-6; Luke 2:1-7.
The wisdom for proper positioning can come in a number of ways, such as:
Revelation-
Acts 8:26-2726 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.
By knowledge Acts 23:6-10
Acts 23:6-10
6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection — and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

Through a mentor- Ruth 3:1-6.

The Williams Sister in Tennis- Their Father.
By desire – Luke 19:1-6. Prov.18:1
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
Through burden – Neh. 2:1-6
Neh. 2:1-6
And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before.
2 Therefore the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart.”So I became dreadfully afraid,
3 and said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?”
4 Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
6 Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), “How long will your journey be? And when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

By design – Hab. 2:1.

Hab. 2:1
2 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.
The woman with the issue of blood –Mk 5
By practice/ custom – Acts 3:1-6.i.e in the Normal course of events

Acts 3:1-6
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Some requirement for Prosper Positioning.

I will attempt to discuss the 1st 3 points using the story of David/ Goliath as contained in 1Sam.17

Proper mental Balance

It is an internal/personal factor for the person seeking to be positioned.
He must in as clear terms as possible answer these questions- the what, the how, the when, the where and with whom?

The “WHAT” was clear in his mind: Defeat Goliath so that:
Bring glory to the God of Israel.
Deliver the Israeli Army from defeat and shame.
Collect the rewards offered by the king.

The “HOW” was also clear:
Reliance on the faithfulness of God who had given him victories in the past against great enemies.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Proven instruments that he had or could access.
Divine strength and boldness.

The “WHEN” was also defined –
V46 say “this day” Not tomorrow but today. Stop procrastinating. Do what you’ve go to do
Do you have time lines on your goals or divinely granted dreams or they are left open ended.

The “WHERE” was said to be:
V2& 19- the valley Elah.
In which industry is your pursuit.
Where are you right now?
If you need to change industry- what new skill or adjustment should you make.
David was initially a shepherd. When he had to go to the war front. He left the sheep in the hands of a keeper (v 20), came to the war front and identified a new keeper (v 22). Do you know the “keepers” of where you are operating or desire to operate?
Every industry has keepers have you identified yours?

WITH WHOM
David was very focused. He knew that the enemy was Goliath and not his brothers, so he didn’t waste him and energy fighting his brothers.-v29
Don’t dissipate your energy on fights that don’t contribute to where you are going. Let there be synergy between your actions and you goals. V30-32.
Have you identified your Goliath? The rewards are only for the Goliath killer!
Ability to Form Profitable Relationships.
David knew the power of profitable relationships.
Because your relationship will open doors money may not be able to.
In every industry one of the first things we see him do is to identify keepers and relate properly with them. V20&22. Like Paul the Apostle in Acts 9&13.
He then linked up with people who will give him useful information relevant to his needs.v26.
David knew how to ask the right questions from the right people. V26.
He knew the power of consistency in words and action to get the desired effects. v30. He kept saying the same thing.
He was not deterred by opposition especially family opposition.
He also knew how to comport himself before authority and decision makers. Not boastful but very humble while retaining his confidence to deliver.v34-36

Readiness and Alertness to identify and take opportunity as they come.

He knew his history- what is your CV saying about you? V34-36
He was prepared in that his sling was with him. v 40
Faith in God made him to see Goliath as too big to miss. v 40
Goliath had attempted to defy the God of Israel, David knew that God is jealous about this and will want to deal with Goliath. He lined up with God on what he saw God doing. V45-47

Carrying Capacity.

Your carrying capacity will determine what can be committed into your hands.
Prov.4:23 is very relevant and important because the condition of the heart (passion) largely determines the full manifestation of the Spirit of grace and to accomplish an objective.
It is an inner agitation, agony or soul dissatisfaction that makes you pray.
It is the burden of the heart that births and sustains action until the full manifestation of what is desired for. E.g. Nehemiah and the walls of Jerusalem.
His heart condition: Neh.1:2 … and I asked them concerning … He cared and was concerned.
Vs3 – Their affliction and condition registered on his heart.
Vs4 – The arrival of the burden
Vs4-11 – He began to do something – that is to intercede and watched for any opportunity.
2:1-2 – He carried this burden in fasting and prayer, such that it manifested in his physical form.
He fasted and prayed day in day out, until the answer came 120 days later. What is your carrying capacity? Please notice this gestation period from nature:

Pigeon 10-18 days
Chicken 20-22 days
Parrot 17-31 days
Turkey 28 days
Hippopotamus 225-250 days
Elephant 645 days
Eagle 35 days
Cow 279-292 days
Dog 58-70 days
Zebra 365 days
Tiger 105-113 days
Olive trees 7- 35 years
Fig trees 1 year
Palm 6-7 years
Lion 108 days
Humans 270-284 days

The Chinese bamboo tree as Productivity example

One of the most unique and amazing plants in the world is the Chinese Bamboo Tree. This tree is much different than most trees in that it doesn’t grow in the typical fashion. Once planted, one must water, feed and nurture the seed every day. It must be placed in an area of sunlight to receive nutrients from the sun, this process continues for four agonizing long years. For four years there is no evidence of growth.

For years there is no evidence of life. For four years it seems like one is totally wasting efforts. But then in the fifth year an amazing thing happens; The tree finally breaks the surface of the ground and in the space of five weeks grows to an astounding height 90 feet. It is as if the tree grows right before a person’s eyes.

What do you want to give birth to?

Can you go the full length and if an extra mile is required, are you ready? See
Hebrews.5:7
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Every man’s carrying capacity is determined by his caring capacity which in turn is determined by the state of his heart i.e. his passion.

Is your heart like in lu.21:34-35 such a heart cannot receive or carry any burden from the Lord.
The result was that what was carried was birth within a period of 18 months.
Please note God had always wanted to do it, but had no one to work through. Remember – Eph.3:20. – God’s limitation is you and I!

You must be willing to look foolish to get positioned.
Borrowing vessels by the prophet’s widow. 1 kings 4:1-7.
Imagine what Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-6 went through.
Jesus endured the contradictions of men before and on the cross for our sakes. Mark 15:26-32.
Be ready to stoop to conquer.

Focus

An arrow is only effective if drawn and pointed at something. 2 Kings 13:15-19
15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows.
16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17 And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.”
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped.
19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”
Ps 127:4
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.
An arrow cannot be pointed to two things at the same time.
Jesus set his eyes to Jerusalem this crucifixion-
Luke 9:51-52
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.

Who is your mentor?

King Uzziah/Zechariah-
2 Chron 26:3-5
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
4 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.
5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.
15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.
My stories with:
Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo- study of the word and effective preaching.
Bishop Charles Agyin Asare

Prayer points:

Quest for God’s power.
Power of right relationships.
Church administration.
Church administration.
Christian living.