6. Weights - The purpose of a weight is to put pressure on you. It's job is to counteract the motion you want to do. If you want to curl a weight, it's job is to pull your arm downward instead of upward. In our walk with God, we can find ourselves having spiritual "weights." These weights can be anything from addictions (even those we try to justify), unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, jealousy, laziness, etc. These and others are sin. Our spirit man is in pursuit of Christ, yet these weights counteract what our spirit man wants and pulls us further away from God rather than to Him. You may not notice these weights doing their job at first, but after a little while, you'll notice the pain they bring. It's very hard to lift your hands in worship if you're carrying a weight. It's very hard to hug and love your brother or sister in Christ if you're carrying a weight. It's very hard to walk in a free life like God intended if you're carrying a weight. Hebrews 12:1 says "Therefore seeing we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily ensnare us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Let's cast these weights aside so we can go to the next level with our Lord.
5. Pride - The only person I can truly blame for stagnation in my spiritual walk is...me. I am the problem. It's like we walk around with a mirror of pride, giving us the capability to only see ourselves. This problem happens to many of us who have been walking with the Lord for a long time. We get this mindset that we have arrived, that we've received all that God has for us. In our minds, we are super Christian! However in Psalm 10:4 it says "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is not room for God." If we have the attitude that we have arrived and absorbed all that God has for us, then we are considered wicked according to God's word. We serve a God on the move, if we aren't moving with Him because of our pride, we really can't consider ourselves to be followers of Him. There was a group of people in the Bible that struggled with pride and going to the next level. They were called the Pharisees. Their pride was so great, they didn't even recognize the God they said they served.
4. Contentment - Contentment and pride go hand-in-hand. The definition of contentment is "acknowledgement and satisfaction of your currently reached capacity." Contentment is knowing where you are and being satisfied with it, even if it's not where you should be or what's best for you. Maybe your contentment is being satisfied in an experience with God you had many months or even years ago. You believe that the goosebump you felt 3 years ago is going to sustain your walk with God forever. Many people unfortunately believe the only experience you can have with God is salvation. Although salvation is the greatest thing you could ever experience, it's not all God wants to do in us. Salvation is the beginning of a lifelong walk with God in full obedience to Him. You would never hear someone say, "My marriage is terrible. My wife/husband and I never really speak, and we really don't love each other anymore. But, we had a great wedding, and I'm satisfied with that." No one would consider this to be a successful marriage, being content with only having a great wedding. A successful marriage is one that grows in love and admiration for each other. It's the same way with our walk with God. It's a continual growth and maturity in Him. Philippians 4:13 "I press on toward the goal..."
3. Too Dependent on Others - Sometimes we won't go to the next level with God, because we are relying on someone else to get us there. When we first get saved, we are spiritual "babies." This is not meant in a derogatory way by any means. Just like we are biologically born babies and grow up, when we begin our walk with God, we are spiritual babies that must grow and mature. Some of us, however, never grow. Babies rely on their every meal to be supplied by someone else, because they can't obtain it themselves. They have to learn how to feed themselves. In the same manner, we must not forever rely on someone else to "feed" us our spiritual food of prayer and Bible-reading. We are as Christians to help those that are newly saved. We must nurture them and disciple them. In time, though, we must allow them to begin to grow relying solely on the Lord. We are ignorantly thinking if we believe that the message we hear from our pastors on Sunday is going to carry us through the entire week. We must be daily feasting on His word and prayer to grow and go to the next level in Christ. It is not one's responsibility to carry you to the next level if you have known Christ for awhile. It is mine and mine alone to pursue Him. Imagine if all the people that Jesus told to take up their beds and walk would have waited until someone came along to lift them up. Their lack of faith may have stopped their healing. We in turn, must be willing to "take up our beds" and walk on in the Lord.
2. Not Kingdom-Minded - As followers of Christ, everything we do should be for the purpose of furthering the kingdom of God. No matter what the task, it should be viewed as a vital part of the growth of the Kingdom. For many, we are the only Jesus people see. Many will equate their opinion of the Lord on what they see us doing and saying. Our obedience is not only imperative because of our devotion to God, but it might be the turning point in someone's life in which they decide to follow after God. When we refuse to go to the next level, it doesn't just affect us, but the countless number of people that we are to influence. When we aren't kingdom-minded, it's as if we are wearing a blindfold, refusing to see the world around us. When we reject the idea of being kingdom-minded we are not only hindering ourselves, but taking the risk of another's blood being placed on our hands.
1. Fear - The #1 reason we don't go to the next level in Christ is fear. Every other reason could be summed up as fear. Addictions are fear, pride is fear, contentment is fear, spiritual immaturity is fear, selfishness is fear. We have fear of rejection, the unknown, failure, etc. Fear will cripple us, and leave us incapable of doing all that God desires us to do. Countless times in the Bible, God says "do not fear" or "fear not." Why? Because He knew that as humans, we would sometimes fear the future. The reality of it is, many of the things we fear never even come to pass. Fear can turn into a lack of faith. We are afraid of going to the next level, because we are afraid of what might take place there. 1 John 4:18 (KJV) says "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." God wants to lavish us with His love and fill us with His love. Fear counteracts His love. We must cast fear aside and tell it to leave in Jesus name. Let's not be crippled by fear, but rather let's operate in God's pure and faithful love.
The time to move is here and now. We must jump on board with God, or be left behind. The next level is upon us. We can move or stay stagnant. True joy and fulfillment in life lies only in pursuing God. I hope we all chase after Him with all we have in this new year.
