I really enjoy hearing from others the different ways that God is encouraging spiritual growth. Recently my friend, Lorie Bunch shared what God had stirred in her heart and it spoke powerfully to me. I wanted Lorie to share some of that message in her own words.
“Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! Get up! Show up! It’s your life!”
N- NOT by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord. (Zech. 4:6)
A – He is ABLE to do abundantly more than we ask or think. (Eph. 3:20)
S- Only God SAYS who we are and what we’re qualified to do.
C – Stop COMPARING and allow Him to begin repairing your heart and vision toward yourself.
A – ASK and it shall be given to you according to your faith. (Matt. 21:22)
R- RUN the race that has been set for you. (1 Cor. 9:24)
We have been disqualifying ourselves in the race by using comparison. If someone gives us a compliment or tries to encourage us, we sometimes have a difficult time receiving it because of self-denial. In the brokenness of our soul we may be living out of the core belief that we just don’t measure up, so we start out defeated. The Lord woke me up at early one morning and led me to Isaiah 54:17,
No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord. (NIV)
What God is asking of us may not be what He is asking of another, so there are times when obedience can feel lonely, but we must only run our race and stay in our appointed lane. At other times our lane will be parallel with others, but we must keep our eyes straight ahead, focusing on the journey that God has called us to. What others do or don’t do should not determine our decision to stay the course.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…(Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV)
The Spirit of God empowers us to run and not grow weary. Let’s encourage one another as we run in such a way as to obtain the prize.
Steps in Pursuit
- Use Isaiah 40:31 as a prayer of encouragement: “As I wait for the Lord, I will experience my strength renewed; I will mount up with wings like an eagle; I will run and not be weary; I will walk and not faint.”
- Honestly consider ways you have been comparing yourself to others. Ask God to help you begin to accept his design of you.
- Practice receiving the compliments and encouragement from others by responding with a simple, “Thank you.”
We are getting close to completing another year and revving up our engines for 2025. Let’s keep focused on what lies ahead as we stay in step with the Spirit!
Continue the Pursuit,
Denise
