The church needs to be like the people that came from Europe to the new world. When they arrived they unassembled their boats and used the wood for building or they burned their ships. In other words, we are here, no matter what happens we are not turning back. They knew they had nothing to go back to in Europe. Eliminating all other options but to go forward.

When we are delivered from sin we need to burn the ships. There is nothing in our old life to go back to, we are made new in Christ. He has given us a new life. The enemy will try to tell us that the new world before us is scary. He will try to work on our self-identity. Questioning us if we can actually be a Christian. If we let him talk to us too long we would be on the ship ready to return to a place we escaped from; our old life. If that life was so great, why did we want to escape it?

Satan will try to paint a pretty picture. He will make things look like they are good. When in reality they are anything but good. We need to tell him we have a new name, we are no longer defeated, no longer a slave, no longer without a father, but we have been adopted by the KING OF KINGS and the LORD OF LORDS. We have an identity, we are a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

With our new life comes a responsibility to be a light to those around us. Many that knew us before we became born again of God’s Spirit will know we are different. But what about the person that meets us for the first time as this new creation. They should still know there is something different about us. God’s love and light need to shine upon us and out of us.

We are living in dangerous times. If we watch the news fear can grip us quickly. Things will look bad. I am sick of these prosperity preachers telling you that life is a bed of roses if you follow Christ. He will give you material things and you will be wealthy by man’s standards. When my bible says you will know they are my disciples because they have love one to another. Not because they own 50 pairs of alligator shoes or own twenty houses and have a large bank account.

It’s time to grow up Church; leave behind materialism and things the flesh desires. God never promised that the road would be easy. Look at our examples in his word. These people faced hard things; scary things. But not once did God leave them to struggle alone and He made a way of escape for each of them. He promised to never leave us to fight our battles alone. He said things would look scary, but do not fear for He is there to see us through.

It’s time to burn the ships. Put aside childish things and grow up. There is a great big world out there full of lost people. We sit in our churches each week and want to hear how God is going to bless us and give us things that are going to burn up. The only things that are going to last are the things we do for the kingdom of God. Reaching the lost.

It is time for us to burn the ships, don’t look back, go forth and take back what God has given us that the enemy has stolen. We have an amazing opportunity to be the light this world needs. But we cannot be that light if we are weighed down by the cares and fears of this life. We have nothing to fear, GOD IS with us.

Heb 12:1-2 (1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If we could just keep the zeal we have when we are first saved. We are excited about our life in Christ. We feel like we can take on the world. Then we go through a few hard spots and that excitement is gone. The only way we can be renewed is by asking God for that renewal. We need to build up our faith through prayer. Our inward man is renewed day by day. THe prayers I prayed yesterday carried me through yesterday. But to renew my strength, I need to talk to God today, to get through today. We do not know what is facing us in the next 24 hours. But if we are prayer warriors we can be ready for whatever comes our way.

Galatians 6:9-10  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

We will reap a harvest of souls if we faint not. If we don’t give up and go back. If we don’t sit down and get comfortable in a routine or in feel-good doctrine. We will reap if we burn the ships and not look back but keep looking up to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

• BLOG