The Word "No" Is Important for Your Spiritual Journey
BY RICK WARREN — OCTOBER 18, 2014
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)
The most important word to remember for your spiritual journey may be a surprising one — no.
Your faith journey is a long one. Too many people start off well in their spiritual journey but putter out before the end. God wants you to go the distance.
You’ve got a marathon ahead of you, and you can’t run the marathon with a barbell in your hands. Often people quit their faith journey early because everything they’re carrying wears them out.
We need to de-clutter.
A cruise liner can get pretty fast in the middle of the water. If you add a hundred lifeboats to it, it’ll slow down. Plug a battery into one light bulb, and it’ll go a long way. Plug it into 15, and it drains much more quickly. Plug it into 100, and it’ll drain even more quickly.
That’s what happens to us when we try to do too much. Sometimes doing good keeps us from doing the best.
Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down” (NLT).
Weights aren’t bad; they’re not sinful. They’re just unnecessary. It could be a job, a relationship, or a hobby. It’s something that slows you down from what God wants from your life. And they’re not worth it.
Talk It Over
- What are the weights that are slowing you down? What are you going to do about it?
- What are the good things you're doing that might keep you from the best God has for you?
Say What He Says
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:3, KJV
Genesis 1:3, KJV
TODAY'S WORD:
When God created the worlds, He didn’t just think them into being. He didn’t just believe there would be light and land and oceans and animals. He had it in His heart, but nothing happened until He spoke. He said, “Let there be light,” and light came. His thoughts didn’t set it into motion; His words set it into motion.
It’s the same principle today. You can believe all day long and not see anything happen. You can have faith in your heart, big dreams, stand on God’s promises and never see anything change. What’s the problem? Nothing happens until you speak God’s Word. Instead of just believing you’re going to get out of debt, you’ve got to say so. Declare every day, “God is my provider. I’m coming out of debt. God is faithful to His Word, and He is faithful to me!”
Today, make sure you are speaking what God speaks about you, your family and your future. Declare His Word and meditate on it day and night. Believe what God believes, say what He says, and see what He sees for every area of your life!
It’s the same principle today. You can believe all day long and not see anything happen. You can have faith in your heart, big dreams, stand on God’s promises and never see anything change. What’s the problem? Nothing happens until you speak God’s Word. Instead of just believing you’re going to get out of debt, you’ve got to say so. Declare every day, “God is my provider. I’m coming out of debt. God is faithful to His Word, and He is faithful to me!”
Today, make sure you are speaking what God speaks about you, your family and your future. Declare His Word and meditate on it day and night. Believe what God believes, say what He says, and see what He sees for every area of your life!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father, today I choose to speak what You speak. I choose to believe what You believe about me. Help me to know Your ways, help me to know Your love so that I may walk with You all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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