It’s easy to dream and hard to take action...
We dream of the new car but never sell the boat to get it.
We long to be our own boss and start a business, but we “can’t” quit our job.
We want a long and happy marriage, but we aren’t willing to book the first counseling session.
Just saying “I’m praying about it” isn’t going to usher in the blessings of obedience to God. Action is necessary for anything to thrive including your spiritual life.
We must read the Word of God for our soul to be nourished.
We must lift the load of other Believers to fulfil the law of Christ.
We must be obedient in the small things even in seasons of waiting. (Waiting doesn’t mean inaction, it just means to keep doing the things you know to do).
Did you know there is a Bible word for taking action by faith? It’s pretty simple…Arise! It’s a word that brings one out of a “sleepy” state and into a journey of obedience, purpose and action.
“Arise” is found 149xs in the Bible. Many instances are connected to an action God wanted His servant to do. Here are a few examples:
“And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image” (Deuteronomy 9:12).
“And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them” (Deuteronomy 10:11).
“And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he” (I Samuel 16:12).
If you’re like me, I tend to procrastinate and call it patience or wisdom. It’s a professional craft of mine to only dream up of an idea and never put feet to the task. But there is a just balance between being wise in a matter and living in the land of amusement where only thoughts and dreams are pursued. This land is high above in the clouds and holds no weight in the world.
Remember the story of Gideon and his three hundred men? God purged Gideon’s army of 32,000 men down to a mere 300! This of course, made no logical sense! 32,000 was still chicken feed compared to the Midianite army. But God made it very clear that if Gideon’s army was too great then God would not get the glory.
God called Gideons name and said “Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian” (Judges 7:15). It's time to put your feet to what I have called you to do and conquer the Midianites. But his calling didn’t come alone. It was accompanied by fear, mixed emotions, and an insurmountable enemy staring him in the face.
Here are 3 challenging keys from the story of Gideon, that will push you toward action in your Christian life…
Take Action despite your fears (Judges 7:1-3)
One of the greatest hindrances to action is the thought of “What if?” Don’t you think Gideon, while on the hill side with his clay pot, trumpet and torch was getting a little nervous that 300 men weren’t going to pull it off against the Midianites?
We can oftentimes get so fixated on the tools in our hands that we failed to see that God is working behind the scenes. The fears and doubts of what if override our inhibitions to obey and we flee from the thought of failure. But notice the specific action words that Jesus tells us to do with our fears and burdens…
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:7).
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).
Many believers think that in order for their fears to be gone they just need to wish all their problems away. But Jesus says to cast your burden on him. This sacrificial action of rolling our burdens on Christ paves the way for true obedience. Like Christian in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim's Progress, the burden must be gone to make our descent up the mountain of difficulty. There we will experience the love of Christ which casteth out all fear.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (I John 4:18).
Take Action despite your feelings
Just believe in yourself. Do what's best for you. These are the vibrant messages of the world around us. Distrust your heart and you'll be fine. Listen to what your gut is telling you and you'll make the right decision. But can you really trust your feelings?
You start your day off well with your devotions then traffic makes you late to work.
Your get a text that just says call me and you think of the worst possible case.
Your dog knocks over a freshly made cup of coffee and your throw your phone in anger, cracking the screen.
Gideon could have gone with his gut and turned his back on the enemy, but by faith he determined himself to obey God til the end despite what he felt.
You might feel right about a decision but if it is not rooted in God’s truth it is not right the right move.
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered” (Proverbs 28:26).
Take Action despite your foe (Judges 7:9-25)
Gideon faced a massive challenge. But the surest way to defeat would have been to sit around and do nothing. He could have retreated home with the other men and slept in his own bed that night, but he realized that the challenge of the battle was worth the reward of victory.
You will lose every battle where you insist on disengagement. Passivity has never slayed a giant or taken a city. It is only by action through faith that God’s will is accomplished through you.
Yes, there is an enemy, but a greater to a God who is above them all!
God may be looking at you in this moment and saying…Arise! Take action by faith!
Start the business.
Schedule the counseling session.
Face your fears.
Whatever God is calling you to do in this season, prayerfully and with a heart of faith take action. One decision, one step at a time.
.jpg)
Commentaires