Have You Left Your Baggage Behind?
1 Samuel 17:22 (NASB)
Last year my husband and I went on a cruise. We had to fly to Miami. I was constantly checking my app for the airline to make sure that our luggage was going with us. All went well going down. But on our return flights- when we were leaving the Atlanta airport, I kept checking the app to see where our luggage was. It kept showing that it was still back in Miami. Of course, I am panicking, but my calm, reassuring husband kept telling me it would be okay. (He wasn't checking the app-and he always says everything will be okay. And he is usually right!) After a few times of checking, and looking out the window as they loaded up the luggage- the luggage cart went away. (Gasp!) And the app still said our luggage was in Miami. But after a little while, another luggage cart arrived and they began to unload. Way in the back, I spied our two pieces of luggage. (I had placed a bright lime green belt around them to identify them.) I saw the workers load the luggage onto the plane. Ahh. A sigh of relief! And finally the app caught up. In this case, it was good to have our baggage with us. We didn't want to leave them behind, filled with all the essentials that we needed. But sometimes it is best if we leave our baggage behind.
When David approached his brothers and saw Goliath, the giant taunting the Israel army, he left the sheep and his baggage behind. He was ready for anything! He then determined that since none of Israel were going out to fight against the Philistine giant that he was going to go. He left his baggage behind.
When we are fighting a battle, and we all fight spiritual battles- we are in a constant spiritual war- we must leave our "baggage" behind. We can't carry baggage onto the battlefield! We can't carry sin, the things of the past, the failures and all the things that weigh us down, we can't let injustices, distractions, worldly concerns hinder us in our fight with our enemy- satan.
"No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of
everyday life,
so that he may please the one who enlisted him."
2 Timothy 2:4
We must lay those things that hinder us aside and pick up our spiritual weapons and fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12)
Hebrews 12:1- "...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
What hinders you from living a victorious life? Your hindrances may be different than mine. With me, I become insecure and lack confidence from time to time. Another thing that hinders me is the opinion of others. I tend to compare myself with others and think that they are doing such a great job- who needs me? These kinds of things will keep us from doing what God wants us to do. It is actually disobedience. The truth is- we can't do anything on our own. It is God working inside of us. We hinder Him from His purpose in our lives as well as the lives of others, when we allow ourselves to be held back. We carry too much baggage into the battle. We allow too many weights to slow us down. It is time for us, including me, to throw off all those weights, that baggage from the past, the comparisons, the timidity, the fear-repent and throw them off and thrust ourselves into God's strength and power. Realizing that we have to depend on Him and not our talents and gifts, not our own strength, but on His.
What's the baggage that you've carried around for too long? What stops you from doing what God has told you to do? Be honest with God- He already knows- and ask Him to help you get rid of every weight, every piece of baggage, every hindrance, every sin that keeps you from doing what He wants- keeps you from living a victorious life every day! As we lay these things aside, we are free to fight our spiritual battles. We are free to pray and intercede for others. We are free to do the things that God requires us to do.
Leave the baggage behind!
~Blessings, Donna
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