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“He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”

– Luke 9:59-62

We’ve been talking about saying “yes” to God for the past few days, and we’ve looked at two Biblical examples: Mary, who said “yes” despite the fact that she stood to lose everything, and Zechariah, who chose not to say “yes” despite having everything to gain. I want you to grow into a person who is always ready and prepared to agree with God when He calls, so today I’m going to share with you a few typical mistakes to avoid when you hear His voice asking you to do something you don’t think you can do.

First and foremost, don’t allow fear hold you back. It’s natural to be terrified when Jesus wants you to leave your comfort zone; it’s just part of being human. He has big goals for you because He is a big God. This is why you must keep in mind that He sees possibilities where you see impossibility. Instead of rejecting His promises because your human mind cannot fathom His ways, trust His heart and allow Him to guide you to places beyond your human limitations.

Second, don’t put too much emphasis on clarity. Trust says “yes” to God even if it doesn’t know how the route will turn out, whereas clarity simply agrees to certain conditions. You are not truly obeying Jesus if you expect Him to fill in the blanks and give you a play-by-play of the adventure before it begins. Yes means you don’t have all the details, but you know the Master Planner and have faith in His design talent.

Finally, don’t make a scapegoat out of responsibilities. Worrying is not your God-given job, and I strongly advise you against making it your identity. Don’t say things like, “I have to be accountable for these things because no one else in my family is.” I can assure you, friend, that your family doesn’t need you to worry any longer; in fact, they probably wish you worried less and smiled more in their hearts and minds. Following Christ’s call on your life is never reckless; in fact, it’s not even perilous from a spiritual standpoint, because He has already gone before you! It will be incredible if you say “yes” to Jesus. With Him, nothing is impossible, and He desires to bring the glory and power of Heaven into your life and circumstances as He uses you to show the world His light. Isn’t that fantastic news?

Prayer


Jesus, even though I don’t know where the road will go, I choose to trust you today and to hear your call.

Reflection


Which of the above-mentioned trust-robbing problems do you most identify with? Will you follow Jesus’ lead and let Him lead you out of it?

If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.  

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