…Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14, NKJV)
There is one thing that gets in the way of your growth—that opponent in your life that you do not deal with… Wow. That hit hard as I wrote this because we all deal with stuff and that stuff, left unaddressed, does not go away. That “stuff” actually grows larger and larger and becomes louder and louder. What begins small and apparently insignificant becomes a giant that potentially can rule us.
Life is about moving forward—not staying stuck—challenging our setbacks and avoiding distractions that prevent our personal growth. There will always be events that take place that are negative. People who have hurt is in the past will reappear forcing us to deal with the past hurt while other people leave us behind as they move forward in their life. We end up distracted and confused attempting to understand what just happened. Circumstances are always changing; people are always changing.
The plot to impede the great things God has planned for us will be challenged with the attempt to try and pull us down or away from a great work! Some students face ridicule daily for trying to do well in school, while friends try and get them to focus on other things. The wrong relationships can bring us down if we let them. We are fine unless we allow the distractions to detour us. Have you ever had someone almost talk you out of applying for a better job, buying a home, starting a business, etc? Think about how much time and work it took Nehemiah to accomplish what he had done. Why throw all of that away and for what? He made up in his mind that nothing would interfere with his great work!
Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[a] on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6: 2-3, NIV)
What's trying to interfere with your relationship with Jesus? The enemy is trying to get us to come down spiritually and take our eyes off of God's purpose for our life. If Nehemiah had lowered himself to where they were, he would have been destroyed. The enemy’s attempt to distract us will come in many ways, even ones that may seem innocent. Instead, we should choose to celebrate what seem like small victories every day, that are really monumental in overcoming the enemy’s tactics.
To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions. (2 Corinthians 2:11, Amplified Bible)
If we're alert to his tricks, we won't fall into his traps...........!
Blessings,
Joel & Terri
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