Harnessing Your Potential

E. Keith Hassell

Your destiny resides within you as raw potential.  Some have never discovered their potential. Others have discovered it but never harnessed it.  Potential is of no value until it is harnessed. 

For animals a “harness” is an assemblage of leather straps and metal used to tie a mule, horse, or ox to work by pulling a load.  For you and I, a harness is being connected to the work of the kingdom. Some refuse the harness of God. Others struggle against it.  But we will never be of any use for God, no matter how much potential we have, if we refuse to allow our potential to be harnessed.

Granted, we would rather be like Mavericks, running free and wild.  Although Mavericks are strong, fast, and independent but no one can ride them.  Their potential is of no value to anyone else until they can be broken and harnessed.  We all need to be broken and harnessed by God if we are going to be connected to the work of the kingdom. 

Will we allow God to harness the potential in our lives?  Will we allow God to put the bit in our mouths and lead us?  Will we allow Him to have the "reign" in our lives?

Jesus said to take His yoke upon you (Matthew 11:29).  A yoke is a particular type of harness.  A yoke harnesses you together in "partnership" with someone else.  Only those who are going in the same direction with equal determination should be harnessed together in one yoke.  That is why we are not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14).  God does not want us in partnerships with others that hinder our ability to accomplish our purpose for God. 

A yoke of horses or oxen is called a "team."  Much of the work that God has called us to do can only be accomplished as we are willing to be harnessed together with others as a team.  We can do as a team what we will never be able to do alone.  When two horses or oxen are yoked together to pull a load, they are no longer limited to the total of what each could pull alone because now their capacity is multiplied! 

This is a wonderful picture of the importance of working in partnership with others.  Our ability is multiplied when we are connected in meaningful partnerships with others. The load of ministry is great.  It’s time to give up the Maverick mentality. Its time to allow God to harness our potential through submitting ourselves to the yoke of ministry He has set before us. Once our potential is harnessed, we can accomplish great things for God!