Bishop Dag Heward-Mills
Speed is a very important quality and most races and competitions exist to determine how fast you can go. You will achieve great success if you learn to do things aggressively and with speed. The speed and aggression of the black mamba make it one of the most successful snakes of all time.
And GO QUICKLY, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
Matthew 28:7
Most snakes are feared because of their venomous bites. But the black mamba, which has been called ‘death incarnate’ by some biologists, has an even more fearsome reputation. It has been called the most dangerous snake because of its aggression and speed. Certainly the black mamba is the most feared snake in Africa. Why is that?
The black mamba is very fast and agile. A group of people are usually required to kill it. When cornered, it strikes in all directions while a third of its body is suspended above the ground. Over short distances it can move at up to 5.4metres per second which is almost 20 kilometres per hour and faster than most people can sprint. The black mamba can travel with a third of its body raised off the ground and can move quickly on trees, on the ground or in water.
The strike of a snake is so fast that you may just feel the prick but never see the snake itself. A viper can go from being coiled up to opening its mouth, unfolding its fangs, lunging, biting and injecting venom, to folding its fangs back again, closing its mouth and returning to a coiled up position in a fraction of a second. Like I said, the human eye cannot follow the strike. It is so swift!
So, what is the speed of your strike? What is the speed of your response to God’s call? What is the speed of your obedience to the will of God? How swift are you when you are responding to God?
In life, most competitions exist to uncover and discover people’s capacity for speed: the speed of dogs, the speed of horses, the speed of cars, the speed of planes and the speed of human beings! You can earn a lot of money if you are fast!
You must increase your speed in the many different areas of your life and ministry. There are certain critical areas where speed is important. You must critically increase your speed in all these areas.
Increase Your Speed by Responding to Your Call Quickly
If God has called you, you must answer the call quickly and you must obey what God has said. Do you realise how your heart warms towards a person who responds to you with speed? Everything changes when there are delays! Everything changes when you do not respond quickly! If you read the Bible you will discover many people who obeyed God immediately.
I have been a pastor for twenty-five years and I have encouraged many people to work for the Lord. Actually, my ministry has hinged around encouraging people to serve the Lord. The reality I have observed over the years is that people who do not quickly respond to the call of God eventually do not respond at all.
All kinds of delays, slowness and excuses are the reasons why people do not end up in the ministry. You need to be quick to accept that God has called you. You need to be quick to obey His will for you!
When the apostle Paul received the call of God, he immediately began to preach. All those who do not start immediately end up not starting! A thousand excuses are given for not doing what is right, but the end result is the same. No speed, no ministry!
So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and IMMEDIATELY HE BEGAN TO PROCLAIM JESUS in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Acts 9:17-20 (NASB)
In life, a lot of things respond to speed. In the ministry, a lot of things also respond to speed. The slower you are, the more unsuccessful you will be in the work of God. Do not allow yourself to be overcome because of your lack of speed. Remember that to be wise as a serpent you must increase your speed! Be a master of speed!