Stop Sign

Stop Sign

I stopped at a stop sign today; funny how that is just the obvious choice. Not many of us would purposely run right through it. As I was coming to a complete halt, I realized just how close I would have come to wrecking had I decided to go right on through. There was this cute little SUV coming right at me that would have simply plowed me over!

Why is it that a red sign with white letters has so much impact on our lives? Every single person that sees it knows without a doubt what it means. 99% of people don't ignore it, and 100% of people fear what will happen if they do. Everyone knows that the reason the stop sign is there is to protect you. No one questions that. They all stop and look, listen and proceed with caution.

In our lives, God has put stop signs along the way too. But sadly, the percentage is almost a swap. I would not hesitate to say that there are more people that run those than actually heed the warning. The result is exactly what you would think…they get plowed over. Except there aren't any cute little SUV's, but rather the schemes of satan.

Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

 

How many of us really, I mean really, actually put on the armor?

I have talked to a ton of people about what their habits are in a day, and a big percentage of them do not set aside time to spend with God. Are you in that group too?

 

Can't you just picture it now: satan scheming to take you down? It's like he has memorized your patterns, knowing everything that trips you up. He waits for you to get to a "stop sign" where God is trying to tell you that you need to be cautious. But because you didn't take the time to get in tune with Jesus that day, you don't even realize that the stop sign is there, or you think that you don't need to stop just this one time. But in reality what happens, is that while running right on through, satan slams into you without you even knowing what hit!

 

What it looks like is a confrontation with a co-worker that turns into a heated argument, you losing your patience or temper. It could be picking back up that addictive habit, after living free of it for weeks, just getting to your breaking point and feeling like there was no other option. Using the cheat sheet someone gave you rather than throwing it away. Joining the crowd while they make fun of someone instead of standing up for the weaker person (yes even you adults!). The list could go on and on. In a nutshell, it is just making bad choices over and over and not living set apart.

 

Are you feeling convicted? Even as I write this, I am picturing areas in my life where I totally get slammed. They are areas that are so common; I almost just quit trying to change them. It is just who I have become. But, to tell you the truth, I am miserable at times. I know that this is not the freedom Christ died for! He did not die so that I would live chained to some addictive habit, or some pit of worry! He did not hang on a cross so that I could just say, oh well, that is just who I am and I just can't change it! Those thoughts and feelings are not truth…and if they aren't truth, guess what you just bought into: satan's lies.

 

So now what? How can we change? First off, you have to make a deliberate choice to want to change! This can't be some half hearted 50% effort kind of change. You may think that that will work for you, but let me reassure you…it won't! You have got to be all in here or, you will fall back into where you are right now! All in means every day! There is no resting on this side of Heaven. The battle rages whether you want to engage or not! You can't just take a day off because you don't want to fight! Satan wants you to think that a nice long 2 week vacation is all you need, but when you are talking about spiritual matters, even on vacation, you better be packing your Bible!

 

Eph 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

 

Do you realize that the past 2 verses both say to put on the full armor of God, and they both come from the same chapter! I think that there might be something God is trying to adamantly tell us! Let's listen! You can be different! You can change! You don't have to settle for the chains that bind you down, even if they have been there for the past 10 years! Don't buy into the lies anymore! It's time to throw off everything that blinds us to those stop signs and start slowing down before we even get to them!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right Hand of the Throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 – Hebrews 12:1-3