Moving Beyond Your Comfort Zone

 

*Moving beyond your Comfort Zone* 

Fear is an evil spirit from Satan. Satan is the one who destroys destinies by making the situation look so impossible that individuals believe they can’t succeed. But God is the God of the impossible.

33 2 Timothy 1:7(NLT)

For God has not given us 

a spirit of fear and timidity,

but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Jabez also wanted to reject independence and self-confidence caused by sinful pride. He did not want to lag behind what God had planned for him, nor rush ahead in his own achievements. He needed God’s empowerment.

Zechariah 4:6(NIV)

… ‘Not by might nor by power,

but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Devine Protection:

“That you would keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” Jabez wanted God’s presence to surround Him. He wanted to be held by God. He wanted to feel protected and safe. He wanted to be filled with God’s peace. 

The motivation for Jabez’s prayer was so that he could leave his past behind. He wanted to throw off everything that hindered his walk with God. He wanted to dump his baggage so that he could better serve the God he loved. 

Many of us have been cursed by words spoken to us by our parents or siblings. “Why can’t you do anything right? “Why can’t you be like your brother?” “You are so stupid!” “You are never going to amount to anything!”

God answered Jabez’s prayer and elevated him in his ministry. His name was no longer, “Pain,” but “Blessed.” He would no longer live in pain or cause pain to others. He would be a blessing.

We too can take our past and hurtful spoken words, to God and ask Him to remove the curses. In the name of Jesus, we can command the mountain to move. When Satan reminds us of our past or accuses us of failures, we can quote Zechariah 3:1-3.

34 Zechariah 3:1-3(NIV)

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest

standing before the angel of the Lord,

and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.

The Lord said to Satan,

“The Lord rebuke you, Satan!

The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you!

Is not this man a burning stick 

snatched from the fire?”

What God did for Jabez; He wants to do for you. In holy boldness you can pray this same prayer and He will meet you where you are. God will give you the faith and courage to move beyond your comfort zone.

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It is not uncommon for a pastor to move to a new church every few years. The question is whether or not they are hearing from God or are they simply becoming restless in their present ministry.

I have known pastors who think that God is moving them out of their present location. They resign their position at their church, only to not be able to find a more suitable ministry. Sometimes they return to the previous church asking for their position back. 

A wise church board will instruct the pastor to get alone with the Lord and find out where God is leading him. It may mean months of soul searching before he feels definite in where God wants him to serve in the next part of his journey. Often the pastor finds himself in a totally different ministry, such as in counselling, or as an overseas missionary or travelling evangelist.

You may feel that God is calling you into an entirely unfamiliar territory, a completely new ministry. But how can you know for sure that this is from the Lord and not from your restless spirit?