Don't Be A Spiritual Drop-Out

Hello All:

Today I want to talk to you about being a spiritual “drop-out”. I know none of you are “drop-outs” because you are still following the Lord Jesus. I was reading in John 6:60-69, here Jesus was speaking in the synagogue about communion, saying drink my blood and eat my flesh. This was a little hard for some of the disciples to swallow (no pun intended). As a result, some disciples went home and walked with Jesus no more. We are going to look at some things that could cause one to become a spiritual drop-out (dropping out of the walk with Christ). In noticing these things we can keep ourselves in the race as well as others.

The Word of God asks us in Galatians 5:7 you ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth of God’s Word? The Word of God also tells us to set aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. The following are just some of the things that can hinder you from running the race/life as God wants us to (causing spiritual drop-outs):

Sin
Fear
Other (What others say and think of us)
Lack of Understanding
Laziness

What is sin? Sin is an offence or revolt against God; deliberate (things done with full conscious of effect) defiance. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Sin hinders our race in that it separates us from God. God cannot look upon our sin(s). We as Christians should and we do not habitually sin. We do not practice sin or make it customary (commonly practiced or used). Sin should bring guilt and repentance. I’m not talking about telling God “I’m sorry” and go back and do it (the same sin) again. True repentance means you turn away from it and do not go do it again. If you sin, don’t wallow in it and beat yourself up about it. Get on your knees and ask God for forgiveness. Now I will say this, don’t get on your knees knowing full well that you’re going to do “the sin” again. You can’t fool God! You probably can fool people, but not God. I Chronicles 28:9 say the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. God knows if you intend on committing “the sin” again. I was told that homosexuals that go to church defend their “lifestyle” by “repenting” of the sexual act each time they do the “deed”. This is what I meant by habitually sinning and making a sin a customary (commonly practiced/used) act. Christians DO NOT do this!!! He who knows to do right and does it not – it is sins! If you know that which you are doing is not right, it’s not pleasing in God’s sight, then it is SIN! Repent NOW! If the sin in your life is a “stronghold”, then ask God to help you with it, and He will. Remember that God knows your heart, and He knows if you truly want to stop what you’re doing.

Fear! Fear can hinder our race with God. Fear has torment. Fear can cause you to backup and quit. Fear that we aren’t good enough for God to love us. Some people fear that they are not worthy of God’s love, and they allow the enemy to fool them into living any kind of way because they believe they can’t stop sinning. But God so loved the world that He gave His only son for you and me. Romans 8:31-39 says:

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Maybe you fear people. Psalms 118:6-9 says:

6The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? 7The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Or maybe you fear God want answer your prayers or supply your needs. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly; above all we can ask or think. He supplies ALL our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Settle it right now that God is who He says He is, and He can do what His Word says He can do. If you have any other fears, then remember II Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, and of power, and of a sound mind. He has given us the spirit of timidity, or hatred, of weakness and of insanity. And God did not give us a spirit of fear, then who did? Fear comes from the enemy (devil). He uses fear to keep us from God, in a place God did not ordain for us, and to keep the promises of God from manifesting in our lives. Don’t let the devil fool in any area of your life. Don’t buy into the fears he uses to keep you out of the race causing you to drop-out.

Sometime we allow others to hinder our race; our walk with God. Don’t let what others think or say about you stop you from walking with God. Don’t allow them to cause you to become a spiritual drop-out. My mom always said that people are going to think and say what they want about you no matter what you do or say. Don’t be worried about what others think or say about. The Word of God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows the thoughts and plans He have for us; they are thoughts of peace/good, not of evil, to give you an expected end. His Word says that you are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus, that you are the righteousness in through Christ Jesus. Thanks be unto to God who has given us victory through Christ Jesus. We WIN in Jesus’ name. Stop listening to what others say who you are, what you can do, and what you can have. Search and see what God’s Word says who you are, what you can do and have. If what others think or say about you doesn’t line up with what God’s Word says, then don’t receive it; return it back to the sender.

A lack of understanding of God’s Word can also hinder our race. As mentioned before in John 6:60-69, disciples did not understanding the words Jesus spoke; and as a result, they stop following Him. Ephesians 1:17-19 states:

17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

We should pray this over ourselves and unsaved loved ones; that the eyes of their understanding are opened. In those areas where your eyes have been enlightened, you can help others so that they may see.

Now sometimes a lack of understanding comes because the whole truth of God’s Word is not being taught. This allows for confusion to come in, and if it’s not the whole truth, then it’s a lie. We know who the “Father of Lies” is – it’s the devil. Galatians 1:6-8 says

6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

You bring your Bible to church and read His Word to see that the truth is being brought forth by the ministers. You search God’s Word to see what it has to say for yourself; don’t just trust my words or anyone else’s.

Last but not least, I’m sure we’ve all dealt with this one to some degree, laziness (lax in the Lord's work). Being a mother doesn’t allow me that luxury of being lax anymore. Those who know me when I was younger know that I use to love to sleep. I would get upset if anyone interrupted my sleep too. Sleep came before just about everything else back then. Now, I did do my schoolwork and chores around the house, but after that all I wanted to do was watch TV or have it watch me (at this stage I wasn't one for "hanging out"; I'd much rather read a book).
Now, I love the book of Proverbs (though it steps on ones toes), and in the 26th chapter verse 14 says:

Just as a door turns on its hinges, so a lazybones turns back over in bed

Boy did that hit home……….hard. Proverbs 6:10, 11 states:

You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!

It says we’ll look forward to a “dirt-poor” life; poverty will be our permanent houseguest if we are lazy. Who wants to live in poverty??? Not me! Being lazy will cause you to lack in the things God wants you to have. It causes you to be less than who and what you are called to be in Christ Jesus. Jeremiah 48:10 says that a curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work. If you are being lazy in what the Lord has asked of you, then there’s a curse on your life. If you wonder why things are going bad in your life, then check it out (life) and see if you’re doing the work of the Lord. And in doing the work of the Lord, you have to know the Word of the Lord. So stop being lazy and pick up that Bible and learn the Word of the Lord so that you can do His work.

These are just some of the things that can hinder our walk with God and cause us to be spiritual drop-outs. If you’re feeling like you can’t go on in God because of sin in your life, ask God to forgive you (repent). If you have allowed fear to come in, remember that God has not given you a spirit of fear; that fear comes from the enemy not from God. Don’t allow what others think and/or say about you cause to draw back from God. Remember God is on your side; what can man do to you? Nothing! If you lack understanding of God’s Word seek out someone that has knowledge that can impart understanding of His Word to you. You can also ask God to give you understanding for it is a gift that He will freely give to you if you ask. We have not because we ask not. And don’t be lazy. Get about the things of God. Don’t allow a curse to come upon you because you have become lax at His work. Don’t allow the enemy to use these are any other tactics to cause to drop out of this race.

Did you put your armor on today????

Be Encouraged Today!!!!