Topic: Spiritual Impediments
Fire Scripture
Hebrews 12:1-3
MFM Daily Devotional 7 May 2021 Outline:
Spiritual impediments refer to those things that hinder our spiritual growth as Christians. They are things that will not allow you and me to make progress in our Christian journey. Gleaning from the texts above, a Christian’s life is compared to the life of an athlete.
An athlete preparing to run a race trains and exercises himself to reduce unnecessary weight. When it is time to run the race, he dresses lightly and smartly to avoid a fall or slowness in the race, so that he can run to win. Christians are in the stadium called the world, the prize for running is the heavenly glory. God has set a race before the saints, and we are surrounded by many spectators, as listed in Hebrew 11.
There are those that preceded us and that have reached the heavenly goal. Only the overcomers win the prize of this heavenly race. How do you run your race, beloved? Are you running with a focus on the finish line? Do you keep eternity in view as you progress?
We must be conscious of our destination, our heavenly abode. We should not be ignorant of our adversary – satan. He seeks to hinder us. There are two major hindrances listed in our text, “weight and sin that so easily beset us”. Weights refer to those things that may be lawful, but the excess of which will prevent you from making spiritual progress.
These include excessive sleeping, eating, recreation etc., while the sins that easily beset are those sins that easily overcome us, especially when we are not watchful. These sins of anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, strife, unforgiveness, lust, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, and such like it (Gal. 5:19 – 21).
Satan is forever seeking ways of overloading Christians with evil luggage in order to slow them down. He sets traps to ensnare them within and without, and they should be careful (Psalm124). Check your heart, beloved, if there is any bad thought or negative imagination.
You may need to discipline your tongue as well. Guard against every tongue trap, it can slow you down. Pray against every enemy of your divine acceleration and continue to nourish your spirit man with the word of God, which is the Bread of Life.
How are you supposed to run the race effectively? You are commanded to run with patience and endurance, keeping your eyes on Jesus. This calls for the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) as against the works of the flesh.
Beloved, there is a race to run and a prize to be won, but there are hindrances on the way: tests, trials, temptations, valleys, rivers to cross and enemies to contend with. Are you encumbered with loads and weight and sin or it seems the journey is getting too long? Don’t get discouraged or tired.
Beloved, get rid of spiritual impediments in your life and keep looking at Jesus. You will finish well, in Jesus’ name.
Memory verse
Isa. 40:30— Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Motivational Quote
The Christian journey is a process that requires patience and endurance.
Prophetic Word
Receive the grace to overcome the things that are slowing you down in your walk with God, in the name of Jesus.
HYMN
Jesus loves me
1. I am so glad that our Father in Heav’n
Tells of His love in the Book He has giv’n,
Wonderful things in the Bible I see;
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
Chorus
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me:
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.
2. Tho’ I forget Him and wander away,
Still He doth love where ever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.
3. Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song in eternity be:
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me.”
PRAYER POINTS
MORNING
1. Father, strengthen me to run the race set before me, in the name of Jesus.
2. O God, arise and take away from my life all those things that slow me down, in the name of Jesus.
3. Father, don’t let sin and iniquity have dominion over my life, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING
4. O Lord, empower me to run the race and finish strong, in the name of Jesus.
5. Father, help me to focus on Jesus only, in the name of Jesus.
6. Holy Spirit, teach me patience and endurance and keep me steady till the end, in the name of Jesus.
7. O God, arise, let the expectation of darkness over my life be destroyed, in the name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Samuel 8; 1 Chronicles 18
MFM Daily Devotional 7th May 2021. The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) is a Pentecostal denomination founded in Yaba, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria in 1989, now with churches in several countries. It was founded by Daniel Kolawole Olukoya.
