We have talked about goals their need to be measurable, achievable, tangible, and definable, goals provide the specific objectives for the action we are going to take to express the vision the Lord has given us. We have previously mentioned the need to prioritize those goals.
A. YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN
For every one of the goals on your high priority list, you must have a plan. Again, I want to emphasize that you should never be working with more than three to six prioritized goals at any one time.
1. God had a Plan
God had a plan for salvation and when did God make this plan? He makes it before the foundation of the world if we stop and think about it, we might easily conclude that God we setting an example for us to emulate He had a plan which He formulated before the foundation of the world. The Bible doesn’t say He planned as He went along, does it? Then we too need to lay out our plan before we lay our foundation and start to build. In 1Cor. 3:10. He tells us to take need how we lay our foundation. This involves doctrine but it also involves planning. If you have no plan, you shouldn’t be trying to build.
2. Plan with the Lord’s Help
It is essential that planning be done through being in touch with Lord in times of prayer and meditation. You can not shut God out of your planning and expect it to work. You should pray, “Lord show me the plan you know where you are going you know what you want to accomplish and how you are going to do it. Now help me do it your way”. When we come into partnership with God, we follow His example and develop a plan to implement each one of our goals. So, we are working with God’s vision, with God’s goals, with God’s plan. These components generally come out of the corporate wisdom of a group of brothers praying seeking God and working together. The vision will usually come out of one man’s heart and mind, but the details of implementation will usually come out of a group brother.
B. FIVE STEPS TO PLAN
Four questions must be carefully and completely answered before you have a plan.
· What are we going to do? (goal defined)
· How are we going to do it? (action steps defined)
· When are we going to do it? (scheduled action steps)
· What is it going to cost? (budgeting)
1. Define Goals
If you have clearly defined and prioritize goals, you have already completed step number one. Goal are a statement of what actions you hope to take in order to implement and fulfil God’s vision for your life and ministry.
2. Define action Steps
How are we going to do it? Defining the “how” is one of the most challenging aspects of achievement. Defining how you are going to implement and achieve goals is work hard work time consuming work.
3. Schedule action Steps
When are we going to do it? Once the action steps defining “how” are completed, you must take a calendar and figure out when each action step is going to be taken. If it is behind schedule, action may have to be taken to catch up or some critical time junction may be passed which will make it impossible to achieve the goal.
4. Determine the Finance Cost
What is it going to cost? Jesus said, “No man constructs a tower without first counting the cost to see if he has enough to complete it” Luke 14:28. To determine financial cost you must look at each action step and estimate the cost of implementing that step. When you have done this add up the cost os each step and you have the total cost of achievement the goal. If this cost is more than your resources of finances and faith you must revise your goal or the plan to achieve it.
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