Time To Stop Running

God will give you the grace to confront the difficult things in your life. On the other side of that giant is a new level of your destiny.
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The problem with running is it doesn’t go away.
Ignoring it doesn’t mean it’s going to disappear before you can move forward.
You’re gonna have to come back and deal with it. It’s much better to face the giants.
Now, don’t go 10 years living below your potential because you didn’t wanna do the hard thing.
You didn’t wanna be uncomfortable when you take that step towards your giant.
God’s going to step in and help you to do it. God bless you.
It’s great to be with you today and I hope you’ll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our youtube channel, social media.
We’ll keep you encouraged and inspired. I like to start with something funny.
And I heard about this pastor, he was walking down the street when he came upon this group of young boys that were surrounding a small dog.
He asked what they were doing. They explained that they were having a contest.
Whoever could tell the biggest lie would get to keep the dog.
The pastor launched into a 10 minute sermon starting with, don’t you know, lying is a sin and ending with when I was your age.
I never told a lie. There was complete silence and just when he thought he’d gotten through to them, the youngest boy spoke up and said, all right, give him the dog but say it like you mean it, this is my Bible.
I am what it says. I am. I have what it says I have.
I can do what it says I can do today. I will be taught the word of God.
I boldly confess, my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be the same in jesus’ name.
God bless you. I want to talk to you today about time to stop running.
It’s easy to avoid things in life that we should be dealing with.
We’ve been through hurts people did us wrong instead of forgiving and moving on, we push it down or maybe we need to apologize.
We need to make things right, but that’s uncomfortable. So we keep putting it off.
Sometimes we run from our fears. A new door opens.
We know it’s a God given opportunity, but we’re afraid we feel unqualified instead of confronting our fears, we shrink back.
Some people spend their whole life running, running from dealing with their temper, running from getting back in shape, running from the call of God on their life.
As long as you’re running, you’re going to miss the greatness that God put in you.
You can’t conquer what you don’t confront. And too often we’re comforting what we should be confronting.
We’re making excuses, but you can’t run from everything that’s uncomfortable.
He can’t ignore issues and sweep them under the rug thinking they’ll go away when you get honest with yourself, when you confront what you know, you need to deal with.
Yes, it may be uncomfortable but God gives you the grace, the strength, the power to do what you couldn’t do on your own.
When David saw Goliath, everything in his mind said he’s too big.
You better run the other way like everyone else in the army.
But the scripture says, David ran quickly toward Goliath. He knew if he didn’t confront this giant.
If he didn’t face his fears, he would miss his destiny. He was uncomfortable. His emotions weren’t supporting him.
But as he ran to the giant, he began to feel strength that he never felt confidence, boldness, skill expertise.
He slung that rock and defeated Goliath.
When you run to your giants, God will make things happen, that you couldn’t make happen.
You won’t reach your destiny running from things that are hard running because it’s uncomfortable.
You don’t feel like forgiving. You don’t feel like dealing with a bad attitude.
But when you’re running from your giants, you’re running from your destiny.
When you’re running to your giants to what you know, you need to confront what you need to deal with.
You’re running to your purpose. Don’t take the easy way out and spend your life running, running from your past, running from your mistakes, running from people that did you wrong, running from fears, insecurity, pride.
God is saying it’s time to stop running face those giants confront what you’ve been ignoring.
On the other side of that giant is a new level of your destiny.
Like with David, when God sees you make a move to start running toward what’s hindering you to deal with what you’ve been ignoring.
God will breathe on your life and it won’t be as difficult as you think he’ll go before you and make your crooked places straight.
Are you running in some area today?
Running from making things right in a relationship, running from getting your finances in order, running from starting that business, writing that book, going back to school thinking you don’t have what it takes.
That’s what Gideon was doing. He was hiding in a wine press when an angel came and told him he was to lead the Israelites in battle that he was a mighty man of fearless courage down deep.
Gideon knew this was true. He knew the call of God was on his life.
He could sense greatness was in him, but he was at a decision point.
Was he going to keep running, letting fear insecurity?
I’m not qualified, keep him from his destiny or was he going to face his fears?
Was he going to confront or just stay comfortable?
You can’t become all you were created to be staying comfortable.
Don’t run from things that are hard, don’t shrink back because you don’t want to put forth the effort.
It’s uncomfortable to get honest and deal with your temper. It’s uncomfortable to forgive someone that hurts you.
It’s uncomfortable to say I need help with this addiction. I’m gonna deal with this bad habit.
Gideon stopped running, he faced his fears, confronted his insecurity.
He became one of the heroes of faith we all face these times like Gideon where we have to make that decision.
Am I going to keep putting off? What I know I should do?
Am I not gonna rock the boat deal with this bitterness how I treat people, how I see myself.
Are you going to comfort your insecurity, your temper, your hurts or are you going to confront it?
The problem with running is it doesn’t go away, ignoring, it doesn’t mean it’s going to disappear before you can move forward.
You’re gonna have to come back and deal with it.
It’s much better to face the giants now, don’t go 10 years living below your potential because you didn’t wanna do the hard thing.
You didn’t wanna be uncomfortable when you take that step toward your giant.
God’s going to step in and help you to do it.
1993 Mary Johnson’s only son was at a party one night and things got out of control.
Shots were fired. Her 21 year old son was killed when she heard the news. She was so devastated.
She passed out three days later, they charged a 16 year old boy in his killing that day.
She said hate filled her heart. She was so angry. She couldn’t sleep at night. At the trial.
She viewed her son’s killer as an animal. She not only hated him, she hated everyone.
Mary knew she needed to forgive, she knew the anger was destroying her, but she wouldn’t do it.
She kept putting it off year after year. He didn’t deserve it. It’s not right. He hurt me too badly.
As long as you’re making excuses, comforting what you should be confronting.
It’s going to limit your life when you hold on to unforgiveness, it’s not hurting the other person, it’s hurting you.
We’ve heard the saying time heals all wounds.
That may be true in one sense, but you can’t bury, hurts guilt, insecurity and think they’re going to just go away.
Those are toxins that will contaminate your life. Mary kept running. She didn’t want to deal with it.
She didn’t want to put herself through the pain.
It was too hard to forgive, but to get free to be whole, you have to do the hard things.
You have to be willing to be uncomfortable.
And what I’ve learned is it’s not going to be as difficult as you think.
When you stop running, when you deal with what you know, you need to deal with, there will be a grace to do what you’ve never done.
The reason you think it’s gonna be too hard. You haven’t stepped into that grace yet. It will come.
When you make a move. One day, Mary made the decision that I’m asking us to make.
She said in effect, I’m gonna stop running.
I’m not gonna let this anger, this hatred ruin the rest of my life.
She called the prison and asked if she could visit the young man that took her son’s life.
They were surprised reluctantly, the young man agreed. She walked in that day uncomfortable, not knowing what to expect.
And they talked for two hours.
The young man told how sorry he was as she was leaving, he asked if he could give her a hug as they embraced.
Mary said, I felt anger and hatred rising up from the soles of my feet and leaving my body.
It was like a cleansing. She felt a heavy weight lift off of her from that day forward.
She’s never had any bitterness, anger, hostility.
When you stop running and deal with what you know is hindering you.
It’s not going to be as hard as you think God is going to give you the grace.
He’s going to prepare people’s hearts. He’s going to help you to forgive.
Don’t spend your life running what you run from.
You’ll always have to go back and deal with before you can move forward when we comfort and don’t confront all we’re doing is putting off where God wants to take us.
We’re delaying seeing new levels of our destiny. Here’s the key.
God will never ask you to do a hard thing and not give you the ability to do it.
When he’s asking you to do something difficult, the grace is there, but you have to step into it.
Your mind will say you can’t forgive, they hurt you too badly.
You can’t break the addiction, just learn to live with it. You can’t do something great. You’re insecure, you’re unqualified.
Don’t believe those lies. There’s nothing the enemy would love more than for you to spend your life running running from God’s call on your life, running from your fears, running from your hurts, running from your past, it’s time to stop running.
The only way out is through. You can’t go around it.
You can’t ignore it and it’ll go away, time won’t cause it to disappear.
But if you’ll confront it, you can conquer it.
If you’ll face your giants, God will give you strength to defeat what should defeat you when you do what you can, God will do what you can.
When you do the natural God will do the supernatural in your own strength.
You may not be able to forgive, to break the habit to lead the company, but you’re not on your own.
When you stop running. God steps in and gives you power, favor ability that you’ve never had God brought the Israelites out of slavery and parted the Red Sea and they took them toward the promised land.
They were camped next door. God had already promised them the victory.
All they had to do was go in and take the land. But the people living there were much bigger.
He had more experience, more equipment. The Israelites were afraid and intimidated.
He told Moses we can’t go in there instead of running to the giant, they ran from the giant.
They spent 40 years in the desert running my prayer is God help us to not waste years of our life, running from things that you’ve already promised we can conquer Ephesians.
Six talks about putting on the armor of God helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, all these awesome things to protect us.
What’s interesting is there’s nothing for our backside. There’s no armor to cover our rear.
That’s because God never created us to be running.
He created us to confront our giants to face our fears, to stand strong in faith.
Don’t be like the Israelites and spend years of your life running from things that God has already given you victory over all He needs is for you to stop running, deal with it.
He’ll be right there to help you.
40 years later, the Children of these Israelites were back at the promised land.
What’s significant is the giants weren’t gone. God didn’t clear out the path and just walk into the land.
They still had opposition. What you don’t confront your Children will have to deal with.
But when you stop running, when you face your fears, defeat bad habits, forgive the wrongs.
You are breaking generational curses, you are putting an end to negative cycles that keep getting passed down.
I wanna make it easier on my Children, my grandchildren, I’m not gonna run from things that are hard.
Not gonna take the easy way out live, afraid of the giants intimidated by the size of the dream, letting my mistakes stop my destiny.
No, let’s go into our promised land.
The Children of these Israelites, this new generation, they had a different attitude.
They saw the same giants, same intimidation, same thoughts came saying you don’t have a chance.
Their response was no thanks. We’re not running. We’re not gonna spend our life wandering in the desert.
We know greater is he that’s in us than what’s coming against us.
They faced the opposition and went into the land. Their parents could have had 40 years earlier.
Why don’t you confront things that your parents and those that went before you didn’t confront?
Maybe they learn to live with the addiction. You can face it and conquer it no more.
Running no more accepting it. Don’t take another lap, take a stand.
You’re the one to go into the promised land. You have to be honest with yourself.
It’s easy to ignore things, make excuses. You may need to confront pride, confront a bad attitude, confront compromise.
Maybe you need to apologize to someone you need to make things right.
The longer you put it off, the longer you’re wondering to go into the promised land, you have to be willing to deal with things that, you know, are limiting you.
The psalmist said, God, keep me from lying to myself. That’s a powerful prayer.
Sometimes we don’t wanna pray that we wanna keep things hidden.
We don’t wanna deal with things that are uncomfortable, but it’s much better to be open and honest.
God show me areas where I need to change. Not my spouse.
I have a list of 30 things they need to do. Not my cousin, not my child.
But where do I need to come up higher when you live out of a place of humility, you’re willing to deal with things that God brings to light.
There’s no limit to how high God will take you. We all have areas we need to grow.
It’s tempting to make excuses. I’ve always been hot tempered. I’ve always held grudges.
I’ve always been critical, negative, arrogant, defensive. This is just who I am. No, you’re running.
You’re comforting what you should be confronting.
If you’ll do like Mary and face those giants, you’ll step in to a new level of your destiny.
This is what Jacob did. He lived compromising, cheating people.
He tricked his brother out of his birthright, Esau had been out hunting all day and he came home so hungry, he was famished.
He could smell the aroma from the pot of stew that Jacob had made and he wanted some so badly.
Jacob said, I’ll give it to you if you’ll give me your birthright.
The birthright in those days were very valuable. Esau was his twin, but he was the first born son.
They always received double the inheritance and Jacob was so manipulative that he took advantage of his brother not thinking correctly.
Esau gave him his birthright for a pot of stew years later when their father, Isaac was about to pass, he called Esau in to give him the blessing that belonged to the first born son.
Isaac was nearly blind, couldn’t see it.
Jacob dressed up like Esau put on his clothes, his shoes, his cologne walked in and said, dad, here I am.
I’m ready for my blessing. Isaac was a little skeptical. He said, is this Jacob or is this Esau?
Jacob said, it’s me dad. It’s Esau. Isaac said, come closer. I wanna feel your arms.
Esau was very hairy like my brother Paul, Jake, Jacob, this what Jacob had on a coat of animal fur.
His dad felt it and said, I guess it is Esau.
He gave Jacob the blessing that belonged to Esau.
When Esau found out he was so angry that Jacob had to flee for his life started running.
He lived in exile, worked for his uncle. What’s interesting is, was dishonest with Jacob.
He promised him one daughter in marriage.
But when the time came, he tricked him and gave him his other daughter.
Be careful what you sow because what you sow is gonna come back to you.
20 years later, Jacob got tired of running. Decided to go back home.
What’s significant is the only way he could get home was to go through the city of Edom where Esau lived, what you run away from, you’ll always have to go back and deal with home for Jacob could have been different direction.
Esau could have moved to another country but right in Jacob’s path was Esau when we ignore, push down.
That doesn’t mean it goes away. That’s still going to be between you and your destiny.
The good news is God will give you the grace to deal with it.
Jacob sent word to his brother that he wanted to make things right.
They’d been at odds for too long. Esau agreed to meet him as they were traveling down the road.
Jacob saw Esau and all of his men coming toward him. Can imagine the apprehension.
Jacob not knowing how his brother is going to respond. Is he gonna be angry, try to get revenge?
Will this be a big fight? Esau got closer and started running toward him.
Jacob was expecting the worst, but Esau grabbed Jacob and hugged Him, wouldn’t let him go.
Went over to Jacob’s wife, his Children hugged them too. After all he had done to Esau.
He never dreamed one day they would be hugging affectionately.
But when you stop running, when you deal with things that you push down, when you get honest with yourself and make things right.
The grace of God goes before you, God will soften people’s hearts.
He’ll make your crooked places straight like Jacob, you may have made mistakes. We all have.
You may need to apologize. You may need to ask for forgiveness.
You may need to call that loved one you haven’t spoken to and make peace.
Don’t wonder 20 years like he did running from your past, making excuses for your failures thinking that’s just who you are.
Stop running. Ask God to help you to change when you make a move, you’ll see his hand of favor making things happen that you couldn’t make happen.
That night before this big encounter, Jacob went to the Brook by himself to be alone with God.
He was reflecting back on his life.
No doubt thinking about how he had treated Esau and Jacob didn’t like who he had become.
He knew he was better than this and angel appeared that night, he looked like a man and the angel and Jacob started wrestling.
Jacob must have known there was something significant happening because he said to the angel, I’m not leaving until you bless me.
The Angel asked him, what is your name? That seem like an odd question?
Why did he care what his name was?
This was the same question that Jacob’s father asked him when he was there to get Esau’s blessing.
I could imagine a debate was going on in Jacob’s mind.
Thoughts telling him, just tell him that you Esau like you did with your father, just keep pretending, keep being dishonest.
This is just who you are. Jacob thought about it and said, no, I’m not living like this anymore.
I’m not gonna keep compromising, making decisions that I’m not proud of. He said to the angel, I am Jacob.
His name means trickster. Conniver. He was admitting I don’t have integrity. I deceive people. He got honest with himself.
He quit running the angel, didn’t say it’s about time you need to get right.
You’re never gonna be blessed when he admitted who he was.
God changed his name to Israel, which means prince with God.
The principle is when you get honest, you don’t make excuses. That’s when God changes things.
You don’t have to keep running from your mistakes, from your past, from what you’re not proud of.
When you go to God. He’s not going to condemn you.
He’s going to help you rise out of what’s holding you down and thrust you into your destiny.
Jacob never dreamed he would be called a prince with God.
He never dreamed he would have a good relationship with his brother, never dreamed he’d be able to live in his hometown without fear of all the negative things in his past.
But when you quit running, when you live open and honest before God, when you deal with things, he brings to light, he’ll not only restore you, but he’ll make things better than you’ve ever imagined.
Later in my father’s life, I arranged for all these radio stations to carry his messages.
All I needed him to do was to come down once a month, half an hour and we’d make the openings and closings was very easy.
And I worked on this for six months and everything fell into place.
But when I asked my father, he said, Joel, I’m 75 years old. I’m not looking for any more work.
I just want pastor the church and relax. I was so disappointed.
I said, God, you put a big vision in my heart. I’m young. I don’t wanna do less.
I wanna do more. I thought maybe this is the time to go work somewhere else.
I had an opportunity to work for one of the prominent ministries of that time.
But when I got quiet, I could hear a still small voice saying Joel, this is your father’s vision just because he’s not doing what you want.
Doesn’t mean you should leave, stay here, honor what he wants to do.
And sometimes when we’re not getting our way, we wanna run, we’re not getting the credit.
They don’t see my talent. This supervisor is not fair.
I’m out of here and yes, there are times we need to move on but you can’t run every time.
It’s uncomfortable in your marriage, your job, your school.
If I had not stayed there and honored my father, I don’t believe I would be up here today and some of the things we wanna run from, it’s a test.
God is seeing how we’ll serve when we’re not being treated, right?
What kind of attitude will we have when it’s not fair? We’re uncomfortable not getting the credit.
Don’t have a running mentality every time you don’t get your way, you change jobs, change, friends, change churches, change spouses, stop running, grow in those times.
Let your roots go down deep. Don’t be moved by what’s not working out. Your character is being developed.
God is seeing what he can trust you with. Genesis 16.
Hagar was the maid that Abraham had a baby with out of wedlock. It was Abraham’s wife.
Sarah that had the big idea, but Sarah was so upset. She started making Hagar’s life miserable.
Verse six says, Sarah treated her harshly. So Hagar ran away. Hagar had had enough.
She thought I don’t have to put up with this. I’m out of here.
She left, went out in the wilderness.
An angel showed up and said, hey, what are you doing out here? She said, I’m running away.
These people aren’t treating me, right? The angel didn’t say how that makes sense. I don’t blame you.
He said go back to Sarah and submit to her authority.
Anything you run from, you’re eventually going to have to go back and deal with.
And I’m not talking about staying in abuse.
But I am saying you can’t run every time things get hard and reach your destiny, you can’t pack up because you’re uncomfortable.
God won’t have you somewhere and not give you the grace to be there.
The angel went on to say if you’ll go back and serve Sarah, God will give you more descendants than you can count.
When you stop running, you do the right thing. When it’s hard.
There is a blessing that follows God will show out in your life.
Take you to levels that you’ve never dreamed. Are you running from something today?
Are you comforting what you should be confronting?
Don’t go another year out in the wilderness, putting off what you know, you should do?
Get honest with yourself, deal with the issues God’s bringing to light. It may be difficult.
But when you take that step, the grace of God is going to make it easier than you think.
If you’ll stop running, I believe and declare like the Children of the Israelites, you’re going to break negative cycles that have held your family down and go into your promised land like Mary, you’re gonna have the power to deal with issues.
Heavy weights are about to lift off of you.
Like Jacob, you’re gonna rise out of mediocrity and become all you were created to be in Jesus name.
If you receive it, can you say Amen?
I’d like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life.
Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins, come into my heart.
I make you my Lord and Savior.
If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again, we’d love to send you some free information on your walk with the Lord.
Just text the number or go to the website.
I hope you’ll get into a good Bible based church and keep God first place.
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