A few days before I flew, my aunt, whom I call "Mama," and I met up. She shared God's Word with me: "Open Heavens." The message was short but clear. When I woke up from a deep sleep during the plane ride, a literal illustration of open heavens greeted me.

It was a reminder of what the Lord was about to do in my journey and beyond. He was telling me that He was capable of anything. None of His plans ever failed.

When we receive a Word like this from God, it is a bit overwhelming. In my case, I learned to do the following:

1) Believe the Word wholeheartedly.

God says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1) When we cannot see with our own eyes or grasp with our own hands. it becomes difficult to believe. It takes faith to believe in the impossible and in things that we do not see. God surveys our faith, especially when we could not comprehend His plans and purposes. He delights and blesses those who seek and believe in Him.

2) Fight with prayer.

A prophet once told me, "Fight for your prophecy (or God's Word for you)." I didn't know how hard it was until I experienced closed doors and delays. Various thoughts like giving up and settling for what was available clouded my mind several times. During these times, I kept in mind that God desires more for His children. I am His daughter. He is fighting for me.“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

3) Wait with joy.

I learned this lesson in different areas of my life---academics, financial provision, love life, career, and even in commuting (hehehe). Like most people, I have the tendency to wait impatiently. God hit me several times a couple of years ago. Whenever I feel like complaining and grunting while waiting, I tell myself that God is in control of EVERYTHING. I know that waiting takes time. “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

4) Build a relationship with Him.

Waiting on God is not passive. If we truly want the things that we are waiting for to come to pass, it requires one thing: Walking with the Lord. It doesn't mean simply going to church every Sunday and reading the Bible every now and then. It means spending time with Him daily. It requires constant communication, daily devotions, unconditional love, trust, and commitment. It sounds like a relationship, right? I read how Abraham walked with God. In Genesis 24:40, he talked about his relationship with Him, "He said to me, 'The LORD before whom I have walked will send His angel with you and make your journey a success...'" He mentioned not only a typical journey. It was one great adventure with the Lord. Moreover, "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'" The life that Jesus mentioned is a full and an abundant life. It is a life of glorifying God and dying to self.

I am still in the process of acting on the promises God has decreed over my life. Faith makes it possible to believe that He will fulfill these. Faith also causes me to continue battling in prayer. Faith also gives me joy while waiting upon Him. Faith enables me to never stop building a relationship with Him daily. How to possess that faith starts with a decision to entrust our life to Him.

In my next blogs, I will write stories about my adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun. I call this series: "30 Days in Japan."