TEN KEYS TO FULFILLING YOUR POTENTIAL

Genesis chapter 1






Today we are walking in: Ten Keys to Fulfilling Your True Potential






Job 34:16


If now thou hast understanding, hear H8085 this: hearken to the voice of my words.









UNDERSTAND



Today we look to the word-UNDERSTAND- H8085 shama`--to hear with attention or interest, listen to understand (language)








The Torah testifies...............


Genesis 11:7


Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand H8085 one another's speech.








The prophets proclaim..................


Nehemiah 8:2


And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear H8085 with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.









The writings bear witness...........................


1 Kings 3:9


Give therefore thy servant an understanding H8085 heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?









Chapter 8
Ten Keys to Fulfilling Your True Potential


What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes


We are complexly designed, tremendously built, intricately put- together pieces of equipment. But we don’t know all that we can do. We can’t even imagine the full extent of our potential.


When we examine this piece of equipment, instead of marveling at its construction, accepting its uniqueness, and appreciating the potential within, we think it should be fixed in one way or another. We sometimes take it to a second-rate, second-class, unskilled technician who muddles the job with insincere suggestions and uncaring comments.


Sometimes we even submit our specialized equipment and product to an unauthorized dealer with no genuine parts. Though someone else has tried to fixus and has messed us up, we can start all over again—today, right now. We can rebuild and remake ourselves. We know us better than anybody else— only we can uncap the well that is holding back our true potential.


You were created to rule over all the earth and everything that creeps in it. You won’t dream or imagine anything that isn’t already built into you to produce or achieve. Thus, if the earth in any way is dominating you, you are malfunctioning. You were not created to give in to cigarettes or submit to alcohol. You were not created to be controlled by drugs, sex, money, power, or greed. If any of these are governing you, you are living below your privilege. You have the ability to dominate the earth—believe it. Everything in the earth must be under your subjection, not mastering you.


You have the ability to imagine and plan to do anything.


You have the ability to imagine and plan and bring into being anything you desire. If you decide to do something, and you believe in it hard enough and commit yourself to work for it long enough, nothing in the universe can stop you. If you want to do anything, you can do it. Only if you lack the commitment to follow after your dream will your dream remain unfinished. The potential to do and plan anything is in you—if you will believe and persevere.


Not only are you able to plan, but you also have the ability to believe something that seems impossible and actually make it possible. If you can abandon yourself to an idea and sacrifice all you have for that idea, it’s possible for that idea to come to pass. You have the potential to influence physical and spiritual matter.


You have the potential to believe impossibilities into possibilities.


You have the power to influence things in both the physical and spiritual realms. You may never have imagined that you possess that kind of power. But you do.
You have a blank check—but there is one condition on the cashing of that check: You must believe in yourself, your potential, your commitment to make your dreams come true and accomplish your goals. Remember, you won’t aspire to anything that you haven’t been already wired to do.


Realize the vastness of your potential. If you receive a vision or dream of an assignment, be confident that you already have the ability to fulfill it. Along with the demand always comes the capability to meet that demand. But remember: only you can fulfill and maximize your true potential.


Remember too that unwise, greedy, and selfish decisions and choices clog up your potential. Disobedience may have stunted your capacity for growth. But you can always unclog the well by admitting your mistake, changing your attitude, and choosing to make the right decisions. You need to know who you are and the fullness of your potential. You can reopen the capacity of the best of who you are and unclog your true self.


Forgive yourself, ask forgiveness of others, and you will live with hope and peace in your heart. In a plugged-up state, you can’t begin to touch your true ability. Only after you start living a good and righteous life can you start the journey of fulfilling all the potential planted within you before you were born.


It is my earnest desire that you will realize the awesome wealth of potential residing in you. These following ten keys will unlock that cap to your well that is just waiting to overflow into years of success and accomplishments!


Some Fundamental Keys


The key to life promotions and fulfillment is to keep our pipeline clear of any obstructions. This means working hard to keep ourselves in line and avoiding anything that will move us out of position. Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t curse, and don’t want what someone else has. Let go of anger, envy, and jealousy. Be quick to forgive and always ready to extend mercy. Treat everyone with kindness, dignity, and respect. Love everyone, even your enemies. Always return good, even to those who are hostile or hateful.


We often have little or no control over what comes into our lives or how people act toward us, but we always have control over how we respond. Keeping our well’s pipeline clear is up to us. When we chose to live righteously, we will experience the benefits and blessings that righteousness brings. Commit yourself consciously and deliberately to think and live righteously. If you do, no evil planned against you will succeed. Your business will flourish while others’ are struggling. A way will be made for you where no way seemed possible. You will experience abundant provision when others around you are suffering shortages.


Ten Keys to Releasing Your Potential


At this point, you must be aware of the tremendous wealth of potential locked away inside of you crying out for exposure and fulfillment. I believe you have heard the voices of your childhood dreams and the many visions, goals, and plans you once had screaming out for resurrection. Now the big question remains: How do I release my potential?


As mentioned previously, every manufacturer establishes the specifications, environment, conditions, and operational standards for attaining the maximum performance level of his product. After many years of careful study and practice, I have identified ten major keys to releasing your full potential. Violation of any one of these requirements will result in the malfunction, distortion, misuse, and abuse of your precious potential.


The keys to releasing your potential follow:


Key #1. You must know your Source.


I believe it is essential that you understand the nature, composition, and consistency of your Source, because this is the key to understanding the potency of your potential. If you, for example, had a wooden table in your house, you would be aware that the table is made of wood from a tree. The strength, durability, and nature of the table can only be as strong and durable as the tree. If the tree is weak, the table will be the same. Therefore, the potential of the table is determined by the potential of the source from which it came.


The same is true for you. To understand how much potential you possess, you must understand the Source from which you came. You possess all the qualities and nature of your Source and are capable of manifesting these qualities. You also possess an eternal spirit just like your Source.


Key #2. You must understand how the product was designed to function.


Every manufacturer designs, develops, and produces his or her product to function in a specific manner. Automobile manufacturers design their products to function with gasoline, sparkplugs, batteries, pistons, oil, water, etc. No matter what you do, if you do not supply the elements required for the operational function of the product, it will not perform and maximize its potential.


You were created to function by faith and love. These are the fuels on which we run. The just live (operate) by faith— faith in our Source, ourselves, our potential. Our potential cannot be released without faith and love. Fear and hatred cause the short circuit of our potential.


Key #3. You must know your purpose.


Every product exists for a specific purpose. That reason is the original intent of its existence—the purpose for which the manufacturer made it. This is an essential key because the purpose for which something was made determines its design, nature, and potential.


You were created with a specific purpose in mind. Whatever that purpose is, you possess the potential to fulfill it. No matter how big the dream you have, your potential is equal to the assignment. Purpose gives birth to responsibility, and responsibility makes demands on potential.


Key #4. You must understand your resources.


All manufacturers provide access to the necessary resources for the proper maintenance, sustenance, and operation of their products. Resources and provisions are to help sustain the product while its potential is being maximized.


You have been provided tremendous material and physical resources to sustain and maintain you as you proceed in realizing, developing, and maximizing your potential. Resources were created to live on and with, but never for. You are never to idolize the resources, nor are you to become controlled by them. Idolatry and substance and drug abuse are violations of the Manufacturer’s specifications, and will lead to the destruction of potential.


Key #5. You must have the right environment.


Environment consists of the conditions that have a direct or indirect effect on the performance, function, and development of a thing. These conditions can be internal and external. Every manufacturer specifies the proper conditions under which he or she guarantees the maximum performance of the potential of the product. In the manual, the manufacturer will caution against violation of that specified environment for maximum performance. The right environment is the ideal conditions needed for the maximization of the true potential.


Everything flourishes within a specific environment. Plants, animals, and fish all need a specific environment in order to live. Potential is nullified, aborted, and destroyed when the environment is violated or disrupted. This is also true of humankind.


You were designed to function best in a positive environment of fellowship, relationship, love, and challenge in order to be maximized. You can never be all you could be in any other environment. The current world environment has poisoned the atmosphere of your potential. It has produced abnormal behavior and the malfunction of the human factor. The key to releasing your true potential is the restoration of the original environment through your internal spiritual environment.


Key #6. You must work out your potential.


Potential is dormant ability. But ability is useless until it is given responsibility. Work is a major key to releasing your potential. Potential must be exercised and demands made on it, otherwise it will remain potential. Claiming a promise does not make it happen. You must apply the principle of work. Good ideas do not bring success—good, hard work does. To release your true potential, you must be willing to work.


Key #7. You must cultivate your potential.


Potential is like a seed. It is buried ability and hidden power that need to be cultivated. You must feed your potential the fertilizer of good, positive company and give it the environment of encouragement. Read materials that stimulate your faith, encourage your self-confidence, and nourish your dreams and goals.


Key #8. You must guard your potential.


It is tragic when a tree dies in a seed or a man dies in a boy. It is sad when what could have been becomes what should have been. With all the wealth of your potential, you must be careful to guard and protect it. You must guard your visions and dreams from evil, discouragement, procrastination, failures, opinions, distractions, traditions, and compromise. Others may be after your potential. Be on guard.


Key #9. You must share your potential.


The heavens and earth exist within the potential principle, which can only be fulfilled when it is shared. Nature abounds with this truth. The sun does not exist for itself. Plants release oxygen for you and you give carbon dioxide to the plants. The bee receives nectar as it pollinates the flowers. No potential exists for itself. This is also true of you. True potential and fulfillment in life is not what is accomplished, but who benefits from them. Your deposit was given to enrich and inspire the lives of others. Remember, the great law is love.


Key #10. You must know and understand the laws of limitation.


Freedom and power are two of the most important elements in your life. Potential is the essence of both. Potential is power. But freedom needs law to be enjoyed, and power needs responsibility to be effective. One without the other produces self-destruction.


Every manufacturer establishes laws of limitations for products. These laws are not given to restrict but to protect, not to hinder but to assist and guarantee the full and maximum performance of potential. There are laws and standards set to protect your potential and to secure your success. Obedience is protection for potential.


All the above keys and principles are proven throughout human history to be true. Any violation of these laws limits the release and maximization of your potential. Take each to heart, and then watch your life unfold dramatically as you discover the hidden ability that was always within you.