Moving Forward

Things that Hinder Our Run

1. Social Bonds (Lk.14:26-27, Mat 8:21-22). A person who gives priority to social relations above Christ, can never walk with Christ.
2. Cares and Desires of World (Lk.8:14; Phil 3:7). When the cares of the world and its desires, the urge to not miss something "good" of the world, take control of a person's decision, he becomes deaf to the Spirit of God and fails to move forward anymore.
3. Besetting Sin (Heb.12:2). A person cannot be moving ahead as long as he is being pulled back by sin, everytime he wants to go ahead. The solution is in simply deciding to lay aside that besetting sin.
4. Things of Past (Phil.3:13). Neither idolize the past nor be traumatized by it. Don't say that the old days were better (Eccl.7:10); instead, say "The future is going to be better than the past".
5. Crooked Paths (Heb.12:13). Paths that sinners and godless men walk on must be avoided by the believer (Psa.1:1)
6. Bitter Root (Heb.12:15). Disregarding the great value of our Christian birthright and heirship in Christ is dangerous. A heart that is filled with anti-Christian bitterness defiles many.
7. Loss of focus (2Tim 4:7, Heb12:2). Our focus must be on Christ the author and finisher of our faith.

Solution

1. Self-Denial (Matt 16:24)
2. Spirit-filled Walk (Rom 8:5; Gal.5:16)
3. Setting Heart on Heavenly Things (Matt 6:33; Col 3:2; Phil 4:8)