Hindrances To Our Faith.

Hindrances to our Faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2

What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up? -Coffee? -Time? -Your spouse? -Your Children? -Job?

-What do you think about?

Everyday is determined by two driving forces:

Flesh.

Spirit.

What's the default setting and the natural thing to do? To let the flesh control you? -The flesh is loud and demanding. It likes to have its own way, and it won’t give up easily. -Here’s the remedy to flesh.

Hebrews 12:1-2NKJV Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Several words and sentences stand out to me: First, We are surrounded by witnesses... Lay aside the weights and the sin which easily ensnares... Run with endurance the race set before you. Look to Jesus. Jesus authors faith and Jesus finishes faith. Jesus is the perfect, spotless Lamb/King who sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Sitting down on the right hand of the throne equals authority and power, however, sitting down also equals completion, rest and sovereignty.

In biblical times, defeated enemies were brought back in chains and the victorious king would sit on his throne and put his feet up on the backs of his defeated enemies as a sign of victory. Likewise, Jesus’ conquered enemies are being dragged to Him one by one, and put under His feet.

Please realize you are surrounded by hero’s of faith listed in, Hebrews 11.

Most were common folk just like me, and you.

Personal Testimony- I can't tell you in the last year or two, how many times I wanted, or even tried to call my mom or my dad and tell them something important in my life. I believe my parents are now part of the hero’s of faith. -Generations surround you and me!

Hero’s of faith have something in common, they lay aside hindrances.

Hebrews 12:1b...Stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us...

What’s a unnecessary weight in your life?What’s the sin you’re carrying? What’s got you stuck?

The apostles Paul gives us some of those unnecessary weights listed in:

Galatians 5:18-21MSG  It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

It might not seem like it, but you have control and authority over what’s controlling you.

You weren’t created to allow the flesh to control your life. You were created to walk in the spirit and live in a higher dimension of life.

John 14:26AMP  But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.

Allow the Holy Spirit to correct, guide and teach you in your walk. As you walk in the spirit He will help you, He will separate you from the world. -You will desire the things of God more than anything else.

This I know, you were created, for victory to reign!

Colossians 1:15-18NLT Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

For Believers, Jesus first in everything.

Jesus holds all creation together. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. The church is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So He is first in everything.