I’m going to tell you something that may shock you or leave you thinking, “What the HECK are you talking about, Dani?” Or you may just say, “Duh”, and go about your business. Either way, just stick with me here because this could be a game-changer for you.

The next 4 years have the potential to be the greatest 4 years you’ve ever had.

I wrote you a note last Wednesday about my thoughts on the outcome of the election. I won’t go into it again, but it basically all comes down to this: Whether your candidate won or lost last week, your success over the next 4 years does not depend on who is in the White House, but rather who is in your house.

And today, I want to share with you my plan for how I will make the next 4 years MY greatest yet. This is the same plan I have used for the last 8 years, and it has worked. And if it works for me, it will work for you.

STEP 1: I am going to PRAY.

I’m not going to pray like 98% of the population. Because unfortunately, most people use prayer as a crutch, but they never really do anything. Oh, they think they’re praying. But prayer without faith and without action is nothing but chanting to devils and practicing witchcraft. Real prayer gets results!

If you don’t back your prayers with faith and action – if you’re not all in with your prayers, neither is He. If you’re praying for people, for your marriage, for your kids, for your job or business, for your finances, but you’re not following those prayers with action, you are not all in. And if you’re not, God’s not. He will not waste His time!

I have to tell you a quick story. Last Wednesday night on the Spiritual Equipping Broadcast, a woman called in asking for prayer. She is the mother of 2 autistic children and is taking care of her autistic grandchild, and she has $50,000 of medical debt. She talked about how she hates her debt and is praying to get out of debt.

So I asked her, “Andrea, have you heard that this millionaire feeds her family on less than $100 per week, and I’m a gourmet cook?” She replied, “Yes, I have heard that.” So I asked her, “So what action have you taken to cut back on your $200/week food bill?” Her response: “Well, I don’t know how. I’ve wondered how you do it.” I told her, “It’s on our website!!! I’ll tell you how to do it right now – you take $100 cash to the grocery store, and I guarantee you will not spend more than that! If you don’t have more than $100 available to you, you will not spend more than $100. Simple!”

But here’s the kicker: Andrea has prayed to get out of debt. She has been to DaniJohnson.com. She has heard about War on Debt. She has heard that I feed my family on an average of $100 per week. She has heard all kinds of tips and strategies that would help her pay off the $50,000 of debt. But she has not taken action on the things she has heard! The answer to her prayers was right in front of her, but she didn’t take action.

So I’ll say it again… Real prayer is backed with faith, and real faith requires action.

That being said, I am going to pray for our President and leaders from a position of honor. I am going to pray for them how I would want someone to pray for me if I was in their shoes. Not like so many judgmental people pray, saying “Our president is so evil! Help them Lord!” prayer. No, I am going to pray blessing, wisdom, and honor. I am going to pray that the fear of the Lord leads them. I am going to pray that their love for Him and for people intensifies. I have been praying for the leadership of the body of Christ since 2008, and I will continue to do that.

I am going to pray for you. I am going to pray for all of our clients, as I do every single day. I pray for every orphan we feed, every elderly person we help. I pray for every person, every business, every marriage, every relationship, every job, every family member that is connected to you.

And how do I back those prayers with action? I’m out here teaching people how to succeed! I’m praying for marriages, and I’m out here teaching people how to have successful marriages. I’m praying for businesses, and I’m out here teaching people how to succeed in business. I’m praying for the next generation, and I’m out here teaching people how to groom the next generation for success.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

What’s interesting to me is that many people take this passage for just the first part – humble yourself and pray, then God will heal your land. They conveniently forgot the part where they have to take action. And “turn from their wicked ways”?! That’s not in the verse we hear quoted all the time…

I know, I know… You’re saying, “But Dani, I’m not wicked! I go to church, I don’t cuss, I dress modestly, and I feed the homeless!” Well, good for you! I’m glad you have your ‘do good’ list. But if your land isn’t healed, then there is something wicked going on.

According to the Bible, laziness is wickedness. So is turning your ear away from the poor. So is rebelling against each other – especially your spouse. So is over-spending on pleasures. Not obeying or following directions… Not working or being busy with no results… Being self-righteous and judgmental… Not forgiving… Hating your enemy… Jealousy… You get my drift?

God is clear when He says this: Turn from your wicked ways! Don’t just utter empty words! You must add faith to your prayers, and real faith comes with action.

Don’t be a 98%er and use prayer as your scapegoat. Pray and take action! If you’re praying to be successful, but you’re not working…STOP!!! Get to WORK! Follow directions!

Proverbs 14:23 says, “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

Now, I don’t know who your God is. All I know is, my God hears my prayers and He leads me to the answers.

If you’re praying and not getting answers, it is because you are choosing not to obey the obvious answers He has given you. You have put on blind eyes and deaf ears.

So please, for the sake of all that is holy, do not just pray! Get up off your backside and DO SOMETHING. Take action now!

Step 2: I am going to work my post and my position.

I am going to work with excellence and diligence. I am going to advance my skills. And I am going to do it as unto the Lord, according to Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”

Part of the reason we are in such a mess is because there is such a void in the marketplace of truth, morality, wisdom, and true knowledge.

Why? Because the so-called believers are in ministry school, Bible schools, or working in a ministry! And those who aren’t in those places actually have no idea that the place they are in is by design, and they are there to infect and affect those around them with truth, wisdom, morality, and knowledge. They are to bring excellence and high levels of skill to the marketplace so they can be promoted to higher positions of great and powerful influence, influencing people covertly for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Just like Abraham, who was a wealthy businessman. Or Daniel, who was a political advisor. Or look at Joseph – he was a slave who worked for a wicked king with excellence, diligence, and a high level of skill, and he was promoted to the second highest position in the whole government!

Or there’s David, who was a shepherd boy. He worked with excellence and grew his skill, and he was promoted to warrior and paid musician. He continued working with more diligence and developed more skill. He learned people skills, business management skills, and leadership skills, and he eventually became the most famous king of all times!

And we can’t forget about Esther… She was a young, foreign beauty pageant winner who married a king. And as a political figure, she was an advisor to the king and brought justice to her people, and saved the whole nation.

Friend, none of these people were preachers, pastors, or ministers! ALL of them were professionals who shaped our history. None of them went to ministry school. None of them went to Bible school. They each had a post and a position that shaped their nation.

But where are all the Abrahams, the Daniels, the Josephs, the Davids, and the Esthers today?

I’ll tell you… They are all in ministry school, confused, praying for the nation instead of building it! Or they are like every other 98%er, complaining about their job, boss, business, co-workers, or their finances. They are wishing for a better life instead of building it!

So who has the posts and positions? Those who have WORKED for it!

And who does God want in those posts and positions? His people, who carry His voice, wisdom, knowledge, skill, strategies, and power!

So can you see why our country and other countries are crumbling? It’s because the believers have abandoned their posts, from the bottom all the way to the top.

But oh, if only they knew the Bible! If only they knew what they were made for! If only they knew they are called for such a time as THIS! YOU are called for such a time as this! There is a purpose for your job, business, career. There is a purpose for you, by God’s hand, in the marketplace!

The time is NOW for you to step into it, to go for it! Imagine being the next David, Moses, Abraham & Sarah, Joseph, Daniel, Ruth, Rahab, Deborah, Esther… Come on! The position is waiting for you. So step up, get high-level skills, and work with excellence and diligence.

Step 3: I am going to advance through the stages of faith.

There are 9 different stages of faith. You may be in the first stage or the last stage, or anywhere in between. You may feel that you’re moving quickly through them, or you may feel that you’ve been stuck in one stage for a long time. You are going to find yourself in one of these stages, just as I am somewhere in these stages.

• Newborn stage. A newborn is weak and needs constant nourishment. You cry every 2 hours, and are content only after you’ve been fed again. 2 hours later, you whine and complain again, then you are fed and you’re content.
• Yearling stage. You are starting to walk on your own, but you’re pretty wobbly. You fall down, but get back up. You’re getting stronger and preparing for the next stage.
• Thundering toddler. At this stage, you are walking quite steadily, however, you have complete meltdowns when you doesn’t get your way, or when something is taken away from you. You also constantly test your boundaries.
• Gullible stage, teachable stage. You will believe anything. You have no filter on truth or wisdom.
• “What if” stage. You consistently have thoughts of, “What if they don’t like me?” “What if it hurts?” “What if it doesn’t work?” You question everything.
• “I got this on my own” stage. You don’t believe you need any help from anyone, including God. This is the stage where you are unteachable and self-centered.
• Painful consequences stage. In this stage, you pay the price of personal choices you have made. Many times, you adopt the ‘just pray and trust God’s doctrine, and you take no action and get no results.
• Maturely developing faith stage. You know when disaster comes, not to question God, but to learn and gain wisdom from the experience. You go after big things that require God to fulfill His promise. You ask and believe, and therefore you receive. You find yourself saying things like, “Wow, God, You’re really real! You’re really doing what You said You would do!”
• Mature faith stage – You know in your knower that it is all a done deal. Your faith is solid. You do not waver. You know He is for you. You go from “God, do your promises really all apply to me?” to “Thank you, God, for all your promises, and how you apply them to me.”

Just as a newborn baby doesn’t stay a newborn, you will not either. As you activate your faith and take action, you will advance through these stages.

Step 4: I am going to give to those in need.

I am going to continue to work as a volunteer, making money for the orphans, the widows, the elderly, and the sick. I am going to make money for those who are not able to take care of themselves.

So few believers give, and so many of the ones who do give aren’t giving to the orphan, widow, elderly, and sick. Instead, they support another building, staff, and sometimes even airplanes, fast cars, and expensive suits.

Proverbs 22:16 says, “He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who gives to the rich will only come to poverty.”

Proverbs 19:17 says, “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.”

Can you imagine if we all did this? We would not have created the mess we are all in as a nation today. Imagine if, for the next 4 years, we all gave $1 out of every $10 we made. Imagine how many orphans could be fed! Just with the amount that was spent on the recent presidential campaigns, several million orphans could have been fed for a year…

So that’s what I’m going to do for the next 4 years. It is what I have done for the last 8 years. This plan has worked, and God has sustained us abundantly. And He will do the same for you – if you follow directions!

We will see who follows the plan and who doesn’t. At the end of the next 4 years, you will either be in the same spot, worse off, or you will have achieved so much success that it causes everyone around you to follow in your footsteps!

Remember that I believe in you, and I can’t wait to see how you take action and make the next 4 years your best 4 years yet!