Intimidation is one of the greatest hindrances to accomplishing anything significant in this life. If you have ever contended with peer pressure from classmates, approached your employer for a raise, walked into a gathering and just "knew" that everybody was talking about you, had to walk any distance in total darkness, tried to tell someone for the first time that you love them, or stepped out to share your faith, you know exactly what I am talking about. Fear shows up, that giant among emotions, often in the form of an anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach. Much like swimming upstream, the longer you stay in the situation, the stronger this unseen force seems to grow. You may even begin hearing things in your head, words that condemn you or put you down. Yes, even your own thoughts turn against you! Fear has gripped your heart, and you find yourself contemplating whether or not you are going to turn and run away.
Sound familiar? In fact, it is all too familiar, and for some it is a way of life, although it is not accurate to describe this as "living." So, if you are ever going to enter into the Abundant Life, you are going to have to learn not only to stand up in the face of intimidation, but also to fight your way through it. If you do, what awaits you on the other side will far exceed your greatest expectations. Always remember this crucial scriptural principle: "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." (Proverbs 28:1)
Likewise, our old natures will flee when no one pursues us, but our new natures are bold as a lion. To illustrate this, I will relate an amazing story I once heard documenting the way some lions pursue and trap their prey. I find the lions' method quite intriguing since intimidation plays such a prominent role in the way they hunt for food.
As male lions grow old, not only do they slow down considerably, but their teeth also become brittle and painfully sensitive, making it very difficult for them to chase down and kill prey. In order for the big male lions to be able to eat on a regular basis, they recruit the female and young male lions of the pride to accomplish the difficult task of chasing down and killing their meals for them. With both the females and young males in tow, the ferocious-looking male lion sets off on his quest for something to eat. Once he has spotted a herd of animals feeding in the distance, he approaches them very stealthily. The big male, once in position, keeps as low as possible while the females and young males quietly position themselves on the opposite side of the intended prey. Once they are close enough to them, the old male lion rises up and lets out a tremendously loud and intimidating roar. At that fearsome sound, the herd begins running away from the old male in the direction of the waiting lions, not realizing that the big male lion is relatively toothless. Consequently, the female and young male lions are able to chase down and kill members of the herd with much greater ease; the intimidating sound of the old lion's roar literally drives the prey right into the jaws of death. The moral of the story is this: whenever you are confronted with an intimidating situation, head straight towards it. Therein lies your freedom! If the unsuspecting animals had only run into the intimidating roar of the old lion, more of them would have been around to graze another day.
This same principle is demonstrated in the account of the war between the Israelites and the Philistines in which David killed the champion of the Philistines, the giant Goliath. The situation that confronted God's people appeared to be quite dire. Goliath dominated
the scene, demanding that the Israelites put forth a champion to face Goliath in one-on-one combat, winner take all. If Goliath won, as looked probable, the Israelites would become the slaves of the Philistines. Conversely, if Goliath lost, the Israelites would be the masters. The challenge was summarized by Goliath thus: "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together." (1 Samuel 17:11) The reaction of God's people to the roar of the giant was to flee, though no one was pursuing them; the giant was simply offering the challenge. "And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid." (1 Samuel 17:24)
Such was the situation on the day when David came into the camp of the Israelites at the instruction of his father. David was bringing supplies to his brothers and presents for their captain. In return, his father wanted David to find out how his brothers were doing. The occasion, however, was of the Lord, for David heard the words of Goliath and observed the terror amongst his own people.
Upon learning that no Israelite had volunteered to be the champion of his people, David offered his services to Saul their king, though David was but a youth. The king was reluctant, but eventually he acquiesced, and David went out upon the field of battle to face the giant: "And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine." (1 Samuel 17:40) The giant, looking with disdain upon the youth who stood before him, uttered words intended to quail the heart of the young warrior. "And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (1 Samuel 17:44)
David did not back down, neither was he dismayed or filled with fear. David was bold as a lion. "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
Thus the battle was joined: "And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell
upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the
Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled." (1 Samuel 17:48-51)
Note the significant phrase: "David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine." David ran to the roar! He refused to be intimidated by the giant, and God wrought a great victory that day.
We pray that this testimony and brief exhortation fans into flames your passion for loving, trusting, believing, and following God whole-heartedly. If you allow those flames to burn and increase in your life with Christ, your life will be ever better... guaranteed!
Keep PRESSIN' IN!
"Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14)
Keep PRESSIN' IN!
"Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14)
________________________________
THANK YOU for downloading this message today! We pray God will use it to bear tremendous blessing in your life!
Find more messages like this one in another most-requested book of Keith Shealy's Toward The Mark, "Overcoming Intimidation" available by request on our website TowardTheMark.com.
Find more messages like this one in another most-requested book of Keith Shealy's Toward The Mark, "Overcoming Intimidation" available by request on our website TowardTheMark.com.
To ask a question about our ministry's work or organization, to make a special tax-deductible donation to help in this work, to place a special order for "Overcoming Intimidation" or other resource, or to share a testimony or prayer need with us, please click here to e-mail us. Please feel free to also write a letter and mail it to the address below, also on our website.
God bless you as you carry this truth in your heart. We are eternally grateful to our loving Toward The Mark Family of sponsors who make this blog, and all of our resources, possible by faithfully praying and making regular financial contributions!
Your friends & servants in Christ,
To Show GOD BIG in
a World that Sees Him small…
sums up the reason Keith stepped out in faith to focus on reaching the lost and strengthening believers everywhere, through Toward The Mark, Inc. Our prayer is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word that we recount in our written and recorded products. The complete collection of original podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other resources of Toward The Mark, Inc. has been made possible by the faithful prayer and financial support of the TTM Sponsorship Family. We'd like to invite you to come on-board, to become a part of the TTM Family as well! Join TODAY!
sums up the reason Keith stepped out in faith to focus on reaching the lost and strengthening believers everywhere, through Toward The Mark, Inc. Our prayer is that you will be encouraged and edified by the Secrets from God's Word that we recount in our written and recorded products. The complete collection of original podcasts, music, blogs, books, CDs, and other resources of Toward The Mark, Inc. has been made possible by the faithful prayer and financial support of the TTM Sponsorship Family. We'd like to invite you to come on-board, to become a part of the TTM Family as well! Join TODAY!
We INVITE You ... to follow and share these resources that are available as well, for
helping build your faith in God, His Will, and His Ways:
This blog message, along with the rest of our inventory of full-Scripture resources, is made possible by the support of our faithful monthly partners. Would you consider helping us expand our outreach capabilities by becoming a monthly financial partner with us? Your support will go toward fulfilling our God-given calling to help provide effective, contemporary outreach tools, available to everyone, the churched and un-churched alike, sharing The Gospel of Jesus Christ and The Gospel He preaches... Love, Life, Truth, and The Way of salvation. We invite you to partner with us as we "press Toward The Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)."
CLICK HERE to make a tax-deductible contribution securely by PayPal.
Every gift is tax-deductible and helps, and we thank you for it!
Mail tax-deductible contributions by check to the order of:
Toward The Mark, Inc., P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.
Thank you in advance for sowing your financial seed into the fertile soil of this ministry! We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!
Toward the Mark, Inc. © 2005 – present date | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply |
Visit TowardTheMark.com website | Connect with TowardTheMark on e-mail.
Keith Shealy and TowardTheMark, Inc has been serving God and His Church since 1980. For anyone who wants to partner with us, to show GOD Big in a world that sees Him small, we welcome you... Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account (Philippians 4:17). ...The LORD gave the word: great was the company of those that published it (Psalm 68:11)
Monday, April 27
The Fruit's on the End of the Limb
When was the last time that you "went out on a limb" or, as we Christians say, stepped out in faith for something, especially to the point of actually hearing the limb cracking under you?
W
hen
I was in grade school, I remember very vividly the passion that I had for building things,
especially tree forts. Each night before my friends and I would start to build, and we built quite a few in those days,
I would lie in bed and my mind would come alive with visions of a tree house that
was second only to the one in
Walt Disney's movie, "The Swiss Family Robinson." I could see it all so clearly: Ladders; trap doors; rope swings; windows; and
so much more. I could hardly wait to get home from school to get to work on it.
As
you can imagine, each day in class was quite a battle for me as well. It never failed, I would find myself headlong
in a fight to stay focused on my school work while, at the same time, struggling to hold at bay the temptation to daydream about everything I had planned for that afternoon. I regret to say that, more often than not, it was a skirmish that regularly ended in my
defeat. Once the final bell rang, I grabbed my books and headed for the bus with my bud's. It seemed like the bus ride that actually took about twenty minutes took every bit of an hour. It goes without saying, we could hardly wait
to get home! When we arrived at our bus
stop, we would jump off of the bus, run home, change into our play clothes,
gather up our tools, and head straight for the woods. Finally, it was time to make our vision a
reality!
Anyone
who is well-versed in the fine art of tree fort construction will tell you that
the first order of business is always the selection of the perfect tree. Living in Virginia Beach, Virginia at the
time, we found that the best trees were either maple or oak. Even though we also had lots of pine trees,
they were not as desirable since their limbs were usually much higher up and
rather brittle. Once we had picked out
the best tree, we then set out to locate the materials we would need. Fortunately for us, the housing development
where we lived at the time was only a few years old and was surrounded with
quite a few new home construction sites. We would grab our little red wagons and head
straight for the nearest scrap pile. While one guy was picking up discarded nails,
others would be digging through the piles for scrap 2x4s and ply wood. Once we gathered everything we needed, we then
loaded it all on the wagons and headed for the woods.
With
our tree picked out, all of the materials gathered together, and with our dads'
saws and hammers in hand, it was finally time to begin construction. We went right to work. Our first project was
to cut short pieces of 2x4s to nail to the trunk of the tree. These would serve as a makeshift ladder. Once we nailed enough of them up high enough to reach our desired build site, where the limbs were just right, it was then
time to frame up the floor. This was perhaps the most crucial stage of the project. Here is how it works. The bigger you want your fort to be, the further out on the limb you would have go to nail up your first floor supports.
So really, the size of your fort was directly related to the courage of the guy whose job it was to make that first
trip out on the limb. To put it simply: little courage, little tree fort; big courage,
big tree fort! After quite a few painful plunges to the ground, I was able to develop a pretty fail-safe method of doing
this. I would climb out on the limb until I heard it starting to crack, then slide backward about two feet and nail
the floor support at that spot where I could reach. It never failed. This way we knew that we were actually
building the biggest tree fort that we could for the size tree that we had
chosen. It was interesting, you could
actually look at the size of some of the other guys' tree forts and tell a lot
about their level of courage, or lack thereof. Sadly, most of their forts were really nothing
more than small platforms nailed very securely to the truck of their tree. It's a simple fact, 'scaredy cats’ never build
big tree forts!
I
soon found that the same theory we used for building tree forts also applied
when picking apples out of a neighbor's tree. It did not take but a few seconds to see that
the apples did not grow out of the trunk of the tree and, if we wanted to enjoy
them, we were going to have to go out on the end of the limb to get them. Sure, you can cling to the trunk where it is
much safer, and occasionally reach far enough to grab an apple or two, but if
you really want an abundant harvest, you will have to go out on the limb. This is not a task for the faint-hearted. The whole time you're out there, you're faced with two thoughts: First, just how good the apples are going to taste once we get out to them; Secondly, just how fearful it was to think of taking that much-dreaded plunge to earth. I eventually learned that, the more I would
venture out on limbs, the less often I would fall.
When
was the last time that you went out on a limb or, as we Christians say, stepped
out in faith for something, especially to the point of actually hearing the
limb cracking under you? For some, it could be getting the courage to share your love for Jesus with unbelievers. For others, it could be asking their boss for a much-needed promotion, or getting the courage to leave a church body that is
steeped in religion in order to pursue one that practices the complete Word of
God. No matter what you are pursuing, the sound of the limb cracking under you means different things to different
people. To most, that sound represents impending doom that usually results in the abandonment of reaching their goals
in life while, to the rare few who have overcome fear and doubt, that cracking
sound is always an indication that abundance lies just ahead.
In
the business world it is a well-known fact that the risk-takers eventually
become the money-makers! This same
principle also applies to our life in Christ. If we truly want to live the abundant life
that Jesus Christ came to provide for us, we are simply going to have to turn
loose of the trunk, or go beyond the place of comfort in our lives, and climb
out to where the fruit is. "I am come that they might have life, and
that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) We refer to this process of going out on the
limb as "stepping out in faith". And, if we are going to be successful as
Christians, "walking by faith" will have to be a regular part of our
daily life. Successful Christians do regularly what unsuccessful Christians do only occasionally! "For
we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) As a matter of fact, our living life by faith
is not simply an option, it is mandatory if we want to be pleasing to God. Paul teaches us, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God): for he that
cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
If
we truly want to be successful in God's eyes, we must make “stepping out in
faith” our way of life. Think about it for a moment. Do you personally know and love God enough to trust Him and to stop clinging to the fruitless truck of life's tree? If not, abundance will always remain out of reach for you. Everything is
based on faith where God is concerned and, frankly, those who do not trust Him
will always live on the outside of a whole, fulfilled life. Ironically, this is where the vast majority of
folks who claim to be Christians dwell today. The Church today is filled with hearers of
God's Word, but very few who are the doers. "But
be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
(James 1:22)
The
unsaved world, whether they know it or not, looks for people who will lead the
way IN-to life's fulfillment. Sadly,
though those leaders are supposed to be us in the Church, the unsaved world AND
the Church today are both in desperate need of "godly heroes". What this means for you and me is that we
have the priceless opportunity to both speak and model God's Word to this lost
and rapidly dying generation.
What
part has God called you to play in this end-times harvest of souls and can you
say without a shadow of a doubt that you are doing everything that you possibly
can to see that calling fulfilled in your life? One of the most widely publicized accounts of
someone stepping out in faith was Peter stepping out of the boat and walking
across the water to meet Jesus. "But the ship was now in the midst of the
sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus
went unto them, walking on the sea. And
when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It
is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying,
Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it
be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship,
he walked on the water, to go to Jesus." (Matthew 14:24-32) Peter was the only one of the disciples who
loved and trusted Jesus enough to even try stepping out.
Never
forget, it is always better to try and fail, rather than to never have tried at
all! One thing I can guarantee you is, if we never climb out there, we can be sure to never eat of the fruit of
abundance!
Imagine
how God feels when we believe Him enough to attempt something that we have
never had the courage to try before. Much
like the jubilation that occurs between parents at the sight of their child
taking their first step, God also rejoices when we, as His children, attempt to
step out on His Word, like Peter did.
Is
there something you are praying for that has not yet come to pass? Is there
something that you have wanted to do for a long time but, for one reason or
another, you have not yet attempted it? I
encourage you to throw off any fear or doubts you may have, and get out there! Launch out into the deep and see if Jesus
won't bless you in the same way that He blessed Peter and the guys for their
obedience in Luke 5:4-7: "Now when He (Jesus) had left speaking, He
said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a
draught. And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the
night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the
net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes:
and their net broke. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and
help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink."
There
is indescribable abundance that God has in store for any one of us who is
obedient to act on His word! As a matter of fact, take a look at what resulted from Abraham's obedience to God when he
was asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, who he and Sarah had waited over 100
years to bear. In offering his son as an act of his trust in God and the promises of God, he fulfilled his assignment
for his life. "And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second
time, And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast
done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in
blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the
stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed
shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of
the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice." (Genesis 22:15-18)
Think
about that for just a moment. Because of
that one act of Abraham's obedience, every generation since then has been
blessed! Not only do we suffer when we
fail to act on God's Word and assignment for our lives, but think of all of
those who will come behind us who will miss out on their own inheritance, if we
fail to obey God's voice for our lives.
Be
courageous, be strong, throw back your shoulders, and walk right into the face
of the intimidating spirits that have, in the past, hindered you from possessing
the fulfillment of God's promises for your life. And never forget, "When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the
rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walk through the fire, thou shall
not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." (Isaiah 43:2)
I encourage you with
all of my heart to set aside a time to pray and fast for the purpose of hearing
God's voice for your life's assignment. If I had not faced my own fears where climbing
trees were concerned, we would have never enjoyed playing in the nicest tree
forts or eating the sweetest apples.
God has blessing beyond measure waiting for you, as soon as you get out there and take those
steps of faith. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." (Philippians
4:13)
Thank you so much for allowing Brenda and I this opportunity to share our heart with you. We pray that this blog message will,
in many ways, help you as you “press toward” the high calling of God in Christ Jesus for your life. And, to help you further in your pursuit to fulfill God’s purpose for you in your life, read this message
in its entirety, and eleven more messages, in our book Letters From The Front available at TowardTheMark.com. If you have any questions or would like to place a special request for multiple book copies, please send us an e-mail
or order by mail at the address shown below.
Your
friends & servants in Christ,![]()
This message, and all of our
Bible-based resources, is made possible by the support of our faithful
partners. Would you consider helping us expand our outreach capabilities by
becoming a monthly financial partner? Your support will go toward fulfilling
our God-given calling to help provide effective, contemporary outreach tools
for the churched and un-churched alike to know the love, truth, and salvation
of Jesus Christ. We invite you to partner with us as we "press Toward The
Mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:14)
CLICK HERE to make a tax-deductible contribution securely by PayPal.
Every gift is tax-deductible and helps, and we thank you for it!
Mail tax-deductible contributions by check to the order of:
Toward The Mark, Inc., P.O. Box 1152, Yorktown, VA 23692-1152.
Thank you in advance for sowing your financial seed into the fertile soil of this ministry! We pray God bless you with a 100-fold return for your generosity!
 |
| Also available in Audio Book |
Keith Shealy and TowardTheMark, Inc has been serving God and His Church since 1980. For anyone who wants to partner with us, to show GOD Big in a world that sees Him small, we welcome you... Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account (Philippians 4:17). ...The LORD gave the word: great was the company of those that published it (Psalm 68:11)