When you get out there and decide to do stuff in your own flesh, you’re going to get something that’s just in the flesh.
For example, you might figure out for yourself how you’re going to prosper so you can try to make it happen a certain way. Or you might decide to create a marriage your own way.
Anytime you decide something yourself without God’s revelation, let me tell you what you’re going to get: You’re going to get something that’s just in the flesh – an “Ishmael.”
The New Testament bears that out, talking about Abraham’s Ishmael:
GALATIANS 4:22,23
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Ishmael was born after the flesh, not as a result of promise. Now the Amplified Bible says it a little better: “But whereas the child of the slave woman was born according to the flesh and had an ordinary birth, the son of the free woman was born in fulfillment of the promise” (v. 23).
You see, Ishmael’s birth was an ordinary birth. It was the result of not listening to God.
Not doing things God’s way will always cause you to have an ordinary result.
But God’s will was not that Abraham or Abraham’s seed ever participate in that which is ordinary. God wanted Abraham and Sarah to have an extraordinary birth. He wanted Abraham to have something that was beyond the parameters or limits of nature.
And God wants you to have an extraordinary life – extraordinary spiritual blessing, extraordinary financial blessing, an extraordinary family, and extraordinary whatever you set your hands to do!
That is the will of God for you, but if you’re going to act like Abram and Sarai did and not have the full revelation of El Shaddai, you’ll still be ordinary.
This is an ordinary birth: A man and a woman come together. A man with a live seed and a woman with a live womb come together, and they have an ordinary birth.
Now take a look at what the Word further says about Abraham’s seed and the extraordinary blessing God wants Abraham’s seed to walk in as a result of promise.
GALATIANS 3:29
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are YE Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
If Abraham wasn’t supposed to have an ordinary birth, you aren’t supposed to have an ordinary birth. And if Abraham was supposed to receive an extraordinary promise, then you’re supposed to receive an extraordinary promise.
What promise? Whatever it takes to cause you to get to the destination that God has for you. And what God has for you is to fulfill your call in the earth.
God did not put you in the earth to eat, drink, sleep, be married, and die! God put you in the earth because He has a job for you to do, and He’ll supply the means for you to do it.
You might not be able to see how. You might not understand why. All you see is that the Creator has made all of this here on earth and has a plan for your life. But how can you get from here to there – to the fulfillment of that call?
Well, remember you are Abraham’s seed. So just know that the way you’re going to get from “here” to “there” isn’t going to be by ordinary means!
Excerpt permission granted by Word Of Faith Publishing
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).