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Too many Christians have unrealistic limitations. The good news is that we can lose them in the same way we take them: by choice. The basis for this ability is that God empowers us with self-control. Ironically, we’re not limited because we lack power; we are limited because we have an abundance of power that we use without understanding.
God empowers us with self-control. That means He gives us power to control ourselves. Self-control is the epitome of free will. To deny free will is to deny self-control which is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, it increases in our lives as we grow in God because He expands us in every way.
Don’t Reinforce Unrealistic Limitations
Unfortunately, we often use that power to reinforce our limitations. We may bring ourselves under control by the influence of fear, intimidation, respect for rules, or for self-protection. I’ve reinforced unrealistic limitations for all of those reasons, but mostly in an unconscious effort to keep myself from rejection and disappointment. Old habits die hard.
The bottom line is that we’re not just limiting our own God-given potential; we’re limiting God’s operation through our lives. I don’t believe that any one of us would deliberately or intentionally limit God—but we often do just that when He gives us the opportunity.
God Empowers Instead of Controlling Us
He chooses to allow us to grow in self-control instead of trying to control us Himself. That’s a leadership lesson that needs to be expounded on. We should lead the way that we ourselves are led by God.
Any limitations we have are merely human. But God has gone ahead of us and erased those limitations for us. There is nothing impossible for God. And there is nothing impossible for us if Jesus is God perfectly revealed, raised from the dead, living in you and I, empowering us to grow into God’s image.
I am challenged myself to not limit God’s operation through my life with unrealistic limitations. So I challenge you go boldly where no generation has gone before. Go with God all the way.
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