S1: In day to day living with the biggest challenges in
S1: your life? Are you relying upon yourself or on God?
S1: That's the subject today on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe.
S2: What happens if we're trained, qualified, if we feel like
S2: we're ready for it? Chances are that we tend to
S2: depend upon ourselves, and we spend less time in prayer.
S2: And when our ability and confidence starts to be self-focused,
S2: then oftentimes it takes away from our God dependence.
S1: Welcome to Bold Steps with pastor Mark Jobe, president of
S1: Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community
S1: Church in Chicago. And I'm Wayne Shepherd Mark at Moody
S1: Bible Institute in Chicago. There is a regular chapel service
S1: for students. And of course, you as president get to
S1: give that message. And we're going to hear one of
S1: those now.
S3: Yeah, Wayne, it's always a delight for me to be
S3: able to bring the word to the students because they're eager,
S3: they're excited, they're learning and they're growing. And this message
S3: in particular, what's holding you back? Here's what I want
S3: you to hear. Sometimes God wants to downsize our strength
S3: to prepare us for our greatest battles. And it seems ironic.
S3: It seems like it doesn't make sense. But sometimes we're
S3: too strong to face the greatest battles. Because it's in
S3: our weakness that God's strength is magnified.
S1: Well, the message was given to students, but really, it
S1: is for all of us. So let's ask ourselves this
S1: question as we listen. What's holding us back? Here's Mark Jobe.
S2: I rented a car in Spain at the airport. I
S2: was in a hurry. I was driving this car and
S2: I was thinking, you know, I should have gotten a
S2: car with a little bit more. Umph to it. This
S2: car drags. I'm trying to pass people and it's just
S2: not giving me the energy that I need. It just
S2: doesn't have the horsepower that I need. I felt like
S2: we were going up the hills and it was just
S2: drag and going slow. I'm thinking next time I'm going
S2: to rent a car that's bigger, that's more powerful, stop
S2: at the gas station. Kind of looked around at this
S2: car and I realized, uh oh, I had the emergency brake. God.
S2: No wonder this car didn't have the oomph that it
S2: needed to have. I had something slowing me down. I
S2: had something that was hindering my progress, slowing down the
S2: velocity at which I was trying to reach my destination.
S2: Not allowing me to pass when I needed to, not
S2: because it didn't have the horsepower, but because I had
S2: a hindrance. When I look at Judges chapter seven, the
S2: last couple of chapters, I've talked out of the story
S2: of Gideon. Gideon is about to face his first major assignment.
S2: They've been under the oppressive hands thumb of the Midianites.
S2: And now, after the supernatural call of God, the testing
S2: of the fleece, the tearing down of his father's altar,
S2: the renaming of him, the surge of support behind him,
S2: he is now about to face the mega battle. This
S2: is the people of the people of Israel fighting against
S2: the Midianites. Now it's a huge battle. It tells us sin.
S2: Judges chapter seven. The Lord said to Gideon, he's about
S2: to go fight the Midianites. It's 32,000 against 135,000. Let
S2: me say that again. Gideon is leading an army that's
S2: been oppressing them. He's leading an army that's of people
S2: that have been oppressed, that are poor. And they are
S2: to fight an army with 32,000 against an army of 135,000.
S2: Already the odds are bad. This is an untrained army.
S2: This is poor. They don't have the resources. And they
S2: are to fight the people that's been oppressing them. But
S2: he says, hey, God, if you're for me, I'm going
S2: to tackle it. I'm going to go for it. The
S2: men rally together to say, we're with you. Gideon, it's
S2: about time we fight this battle. And so as they
S2: are approaching the battle lines, the Lord says to Gideon
S2: in Judges seven, verse two, you have too many men
S2: for me to deliver Midian into their hands. Uh, excuse me, Lord.
S2: You have too many men for this battle. Lord, I
S2: think we have 32,000 against 135,000. You have too many
S2: men for this battle. In order that Israel may not
S2: boast against me that their own strength has saved her.
S2: Are too many men for what you are too strong,
S2: even though you feel like you're weak. You're still too strong.
S2: Because if you win this battle, you'll be tempted to say, wow,
S2: look at our strength. Look at our power. Hey, one
S2: of us is worth five of them. So he said,
S2: announce to the people. Anyone who trembles with fear may
S2: turn back and leave Mount Gilead. So 72,000 men left
S2: while 10,000 remained. I just want you to know right now.
S2: Here's what I want you to understand that sometimes God
S2: wants to downsize your Or strength to prepare you for
S2: some of the greatest battles in your life. Let me
S2: say that again. We live in a generation in an
S2: age where it's all about feeling strong and competent and
S2: able and disciplined and prepared, and we should be prepared
S2: as possible. But sometimes God says, I want to make
S2: sure that you are. Your dependency is not in your preparation,
S2: not in your strength, not in your talent, not in
S2: your ability, not in your know how, not in your determination,
S2: but that your absolute dependency is in me. So sometimes
S2: you're too strong for the battle you're about to fight.
S2: And in order to win the battle effectively, you need
S2: to downsize your strength. Now that flies in the face
S2: of everything that we know. But let me say this.
S2: Some of you right now may think may be a
S2: little bit too strong for the battles that God has
S2: for you. God was clear. I want to make sure
S2: when this battle is won that you can't point to
S2: your strength, your power, your ability. I want to make
S2: sure when this battle is done and you have your triumph,
S2: and people are yelling and screaming in victory, that there's
S2: only one person to point to, and that's the God
S2: of heaven. And not patting yourself on the back, not
S2: celebrating your own ability, but making sure that there's a
S2: humble disposition that says, God, this is all about you,
S2: your glory, your name, your fame, and your ability. God
S2: basically says, I don't like the odds you're too strong
S2: for your own good. You may be too strong or
S2: overconfident for God to use you well. So sometimes God
S2: needs to downsize you. Now God downsizes us in various ways.
S2: With Gideon he said, if any of you stand up
S2: in front of your 32,000 men, some of whom have
S2: very little training in warfare or the military, and say
S2: to them, if any of you is afraid of this
S2: battle of 32,000 ill prepared, ill equipped, ill trained people
S2: against the Midianites who outnumber you and are much more prepared?
S2: If any of you are afraid, it's okay, go home.
S2: I'm sure that people kind of looked at each other.
S2: No one wants to be the first one to go
S2: Be called a coward. Kind of look around and then
S2: maybe someone at the back just kind of sneaks out.
S2: People start whispering, another person goes, you know how it goes.
S2: The more people. Well, if my cousin's going, I'm going to.
S2: I don't want him to go alone. I'm going to.
S2: By the time they're done, there are only well, there's
S2: 22,000 that leave and 10,000 that remain. Think about it.
S2: Think if you're one of the 10,000 standing there. I'm
S2: not going to go. I'm not going to leave. I'm
S2: in here to the end. People start leaving, and two
S2: thirds of the people leave. You're left now with 10,000
S2: against 135,000. But this is exactly, exactly what God wanted.
S2: The reason for the downsize is very clear in verse two.
S2: So that Israel will not boast. You know what one
S2: of my fears is? As you train here at the
S2: Moody Bible Institute, as you prepare, as you take theology classes,
S2: as you get experience, as you spend hours and hours
S2: reading books and gaining knowledge, it's important you need to
S2: be grounded. It is so vital. My fear is. My
S2: fear is that you would think that you're smarter than
S2: what you really are. My fear is that a few
S2: theology books into it. You think I got this? My
S2: fear is that you would look around at other ministers
S2: and say they have no idea what they're doing. Wait
S2: till I'm on. Wait till I'm out there. My fear
S2: is that, ah, there's a cockiness that can set in. Oh,
S2: I know it because I was that young 20 year
S2: old thinking I got it. The Bible says God resists
S2: the proud. He resists the proud. Resist. It's a repellent
S2: to God. It's a repellent to the grace of God.
S2: The power of God, the favor of God. God gets
S2: around anything that's proud, arrogant, self-sufficient, too confident. And it
S2: repels the Spirit of God. But he gives more grace
S2: to the humble. The person that knows I can't, and I'm.
S2: I'm unable. God, I need you desperately. What happens if
S2: we're trained, qualified, if we feel like we're ready for it?
S2: Chances are that we tend to depend upon ourselves and
S2: we spend less time in prayer, less time seeking God,
S2: less time on our knees, less time in a position
S2: of dependency because we think I've been prepared, equipped, trained.
S2: I know how to do this. And when our ability
S2: and confidence starts to be self-focused, then oftentimes it takes
S2: away from our God dependency.
S1: You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. A message
S1: titled What's Holding You Back? Will continue this lesson momentarily.
S1: But in case you didn't receive this past Monday's edition
S1: of The Bold Stepper Weekly, I need to ask, where
S1: are you, Mark? This is free. This is free. You
S1: can sign up for it right now at Bold Steps. Org.
S2: Yeah. For those of you wondering what The Bold Step
S2: or weekly is, it's a weekly email that goes out,
S2: but it's loaded with resources for you. There's a devotional
S2: typically in there. We try to update you on the ministry.
S2: I invite you into some of the things that I'm
S2: doing personally.
S1: Which I find very helpful because you're a busy guy,
S1: it's kind of hard to keep up with you sometimes.
S2: Traveling, speaking different things that we're engaged in. There's also
S2: a link where you can download the Bold Steps app,
S2: which is also full of videos and YouTube sessions and audio,
S2: and just a lot of resources for you to have.
S2: And so we encourage you to check that out. Or
S2: if you're already part of it, forward it to a
S2: friend as well.
S1: Great idea. The link is right there in the bold
S1: step or weekly to forward it to someone else. So
S1: if you're not receiving it currently but would like to
S1: sign up, you can do that at bird-stamps.org. One other
S1: feature you'll want to subscribe to is Mark's YouTube channel.
S1: Did you know about this? Mark regularly shares new teaching
S1: videos and exclusive bold steps content there. A lot of
S1: people use YouTube these days and it's a great added
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S2: Absolutely easy to access and if you're more of a
S2: visual learner, this is right up your alley.
S1: Just search for Bold Steps Radio on YouTube. Now let's
S1: continue today's lesson. What's holding you back here again is
S1: Mark Jobe with today's bold steps.
S2: I've been training pastors and leaders for a long time
S2: in a very brutal city, and I've seen people that
S2: were overconfident. Invariably, God has to bring them to their
S2: knees of brokenness. Invariably, then he does it a second time.
S2: He trims again. Notice in the Lord said to Gideon,
S2: the people are still too many. Take them down to
S2: the water. I will test them. You know the story.
S2: Any one of them who say to you. Then this
S2: you shall go with me. You shall go. Any one
S2: of them who say whom I say, this is the
S2: one who shall not go with me, shall not go.
S2: So he brought the people down to the water. And
S2: the Lord said to Gideon, everyone who laps the water
S2: with his tongue as a dog laps, you shall set
S2: him aside. Likewise everyone who kneels down to drink, and
S2: the number of those who lapped putting their hands to
S2: their mouth was 300 men. But all the rest of
S2: the people knelt down to drink the water. Now some
S2: people say, well, those were the most alert men because
S2: they were lapping up the water. They could see the enemy.
S2: We have no idea if that's why God decided to
S2: do it in his arbitrary way. However, he chose to
S2: do it. The bottom line was, when everything was said
S2: and done, they went from 32,000 men to 300 men
S2: downsizing their strength to the point that it appeared pathetic.
S2: And then God said, aha! Now you're ready to fight.
S2: Ready to fight. God, there's 300 against 135,000. This isn't
S2: even a battle. This is pathetic. We can. No way
S2: could we win. It would be a miracle if we won.
S2: It would have to be all God. Aha! That's right.
S2: I want you to see this. There's a powerful principle
S2: in this that oftentimes we're too strong for the battle
S2: that we're about to fight. And it's in the weakening
S2: of ourselves. It's in the humility that God brings. It's
S2: in the recognition of our weakness that oftentimes the strength
S2: and power of God is actually manifest. In fact, I
S2: believe that God can use us this most when we
S2: move forward in a place of complete dependence upon him.
S2: Hebrews chapter 11, verse 34. Speaking of Gideon and others,
S2: the writer of the Hebrews says, whose weakness was turned
S2: to strength, and who became powerful in battle and routed
S2: foreign armies. Paul echoes the same sentiment in First Corinthians
S2: chapter 12, verse nine. But he said to me, my
S2: grace is sufficient for you, for get it? Here it goes.
S2: This is powerful. For my power, my dunamis. This incredible
S2: supernatural power that comes from the Most High God is
S2: made complete or perfect in weakness, where the power of
S2: God is fertilized. Where the power of God grows. Where
S2: the power of God increases. Where it is made complete
S2: is not in an atmosphere of pride, confidence, ability where
S2: the power of God flourishes, where it grows to completeness
S2: is in the atmosphere of recognized weakness that leads to
S2: deep humility, trust, and dependence on God. Look down through
S2: history and show me men or women that have been
S2: mightily used of God, supernaturally, extraordinarily used of God. And
S2: I'll show you people that were utterly, utterly aware of
S2: how weak they were and how much they needed the Savior,
S2: the Apostle Paul, is giving his own story of wanting
S2: to be stronger, of using whatever thorn in the flesh
S2: was afflicting him. And there's tons of theological theses trying
S2: to determine what the thorn in the flesh was. Everybody
S2: has their theory, whether physical, whether exterior. Whether it was
S2: his eyesight or whatever. Other theories are out there. The
S2: bottom line is it made Paul feel weak, and he
S2: called out to God and said, God, take this away
S2: because I'm weak. Because of this, I could be so
S2: much stronger if this were not part of my life.
S2: Yet God's answer after calling upon God yet this man,
S2: that people would come and he would touch and their
S2: eyes would be open and miraculous power would flow from him,
S2: supernatural ability by God. He's saying, I want to be stronger.
S2: This weakness is a hindrance to me. I can't do
S2: the ministry like I'd like to do it because it
S2: debilitates me. Because it takes my strength away, because it
S2: doesn't let me perform at my highest performance. And God said, no,
S2: I'm going to keep it in your life. I want
S2: you to have that weakness, because it's in that weakness
S2: that my power is made manifest and perfected. Can I
S2: tell you this, that some of the very things that
S2: you may look as a hindrance in your life right now,
S2: those very things that you said, hey, I could really
S2: be used of God if this were not a part
S2: of my life. A physical hindrance, a a learning disability,
S2: a speech impediment, whatever it may be that you look
S2: and say, I wish I didn't have this because I
S2: could be so much stronger, so much more used of
S2: God if this weakness weren't a part of my life.
S2: And yet, maybe, maybe it's exactly what prepares you for
S2: the greatest battles a full, complete Illustration of how weak
S2: you are and how utterly dependent we are upon God. Therefore,
S2: Paul says, I will boast all the more gladly about
S2: my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest in me.
S2: That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in my weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, difficulties. Listen,
S2: look up at me. This is really important. For when
S2: I am weak, then I am strong. For when I
S2: am weak, then and then only am I strong. So
S2: you may be feeling extremely weak today, and you may
S2: look at it as a hindrance. But maybe your physical weakness,
S2: your challenges that make you feel not up to par.
S2: They may be exactly what God wants you to be
S2: going through, because in your weakness, his power is made strong.
S2: So embrace your weakness and ask God to fill you
S2: with his strength.
S1: That's Mark Jobe, our Bible teacher here on bold Steps.
S1: And if you miss any part of today's message titled
S1: What's Holding You Back? We encourage you to go to
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S1: unpredictable than ever, but did you know that throughout history,
S1: times of crisis have often preceded times of spiritual awakening?
S1: In the book titled A Non-anxious Presence Our Bold Step Gift,
S1: Mark Sayers reveals how today's challenges might actually be setting
S1: the stage for tomorrow's renewal. As leaders and believers, we
S1: often try to control what feels uncontrollable. But what if
S1: God is using this season of uncertainty to shape something
S1: new in your church, in your community, and maybe even
S1: your relationship with him? A Non-anxious presence offers a hopeful
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S1: Steps org. And that brings us to the end. Today,
S1: I'm Wayne Shepherd, inviting you back tomorrow for the start
S1: of a new series titled overcome. We're discussing what it
S1: means to be free from condemnation. Thursday on Bold Steps
S1: with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio,
S1: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.