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Dealing with Hesitation

Dealing with Hesitation

Words of Faith 7-26-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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       We have been learning from Luke's record of the ministry of Jesus that when we come down from the mountaintop of experiencing God we must be prepared for the attacks that come in the valley. The first attack was discouragement (Luke 9:37-45). The enemy will remind us of our failures in order to convince us that we are no use to God or anyone. The answer is always to bring even our failures to the feet of Jesus. The second attack was to get our eyes off of God through spiritual pride (Luke 9:46-50). The enemy will attempt to convince us that the Kingdom of God cannot get along without us. The answer is to remember that in the Kingdom the least among us is the greatest.   The third attack was division (Luke 9:49-56). The enemy attempts to get the body of Christ us working against itself. The fourth attack is not far behind.

 

Luke 9

   [57] As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

   [58] Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

   [59] He said to another man, "Follow me."

   But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

   [60] Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

   [61] Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good by to my family."

   [62] Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

 

           As Jesus and the disciples were walking the valley toward Jerusalem, there were many who desired to follow Him. They would approach to express their commitment. In these conversations we get a snap shot of the fourth attack of the valley. Each conversation involves people who want to follow Jesus. They feel the call. But in each case there is something drawing them back and making them hesitant.

           One man came and made a commitment to Jesus to follow Him wherever He might go. The response of Jesus seems almost rude. Perhaps confrontational is a better term. "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."   What was Jesus saying?   Why would Jesus be rude? It appears that Jesus had the ability to look straight into this man's heart and there Jesus could see the hesitation. In essence, Jesus was saying-- You are far too concerned about where and how you are going to live to follow me. You are way too wrapped up in your house and the comforts of life. You are much too worried about a place to sleep to trust the way you need to."

           A second conversation was with a man who sensed the call to follow Jesus. The call was there. Follow me. But Lord, first let me go and bury my father."   [60] Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Jesus now seemed not so much rude as intolerant. It was a man's duty to attend to the funeral of his father. Scholars suggest that it is not likely the man's father was already dead or he would certainly have been engaged in the burial procedure already. It is more likely that the man's father was ready to die and the request was to let him wait just a little while before following Jesus. Perhaps the man also wanted to receive the inheritance from his father’s estate.

         This was not a universal teaching. This was specific for this man. Jesus could see into the heart of this man. The man was drawn backward. This was a Holy moment and the call of God was upon his life. It was time to go but something was going to get into the way.

         There was a third conversation. [61] Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family."   The point was not that we should not care for our families but when the call upon our lives is clear family can sometimes distract us from the call of God in our lives. Jesus made it clear.   "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." For this man, saying goodbye was a mistake.

           Is Jesus saying we should not attend to the funerals of loved ones or say farewell to family? We are not confronted in the same way with the unique invitation to walk with Jesus to Jerusalem. It is unlikely that the Lord will ever call any of us away from the responsibility to bury a loved one or bid farewell to family. The issue here is hesitation.

           The call of God is NOT about looking backward. The attack that comes is in that moment of hesitation when we know that the Lord has spoken to us and we look back. God has directed us and we say-- Yes Lord, but first... Those are four words that cannot go together!

           You see, the truth is that if the enemy cannot get you discouraged by pointing to your past failures-- or get you puffed with spiritual pride-- or get you to turn against your brothers or sister in Christ through division-- he will just try to get you to look back. If the enemy can just get you to hesitate, there is a good chance you will not follow through as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

       The enemy that attacks us in the valley is the master of misgiving. He is sender of second thoughts. He is the author of ambivalence. It is a most insidious attack.   If the enemy can just get you to hesitate you are wide open for a frightening fall.

         When the call of God comes there is a window of opportunity in which we must respond. I wish that I knew how long the window was open but I suspect that it varies.

         The Hebrew word for hesitate is mahah. Linguistically, it sound just like what it is. Mahaaaaah.   It means to delay and question, to pause and ponder. It is perfectly fine to mahah with anyone but God.  

         But wait a minute. Are we not supposed to WAIT upon the Lord? Are we not to have patience?   Sure. We are certainly to wait upon the Lord-- so that we may hear the Lord. But once God has spoken clearly about something we must not hesitate. The Psalmist wrote: Psalm 119:60   I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

         Here is the critical difference: PATIENCE is when we wait upon the Lord for His Word of direction.   HESITATION is when the Lord waits upon us to obey what He has already shown us.

       We may hear clearly the call of God. We may even go to the mountain top where everything is transfigured. We are get committed, fired up, and ready to go for God. But then we have "second thoughts."

       God may convict us clearly about some action. I am convicted and convinced that I am supposed to do something, go somewhere, obey God. But then the enemy comes in with the voice of practicality. Even the voice of reason. The voice of hesitation.

         God will often give us a vision. The strategy of the enemy is not to destroy the vision but just to dilute it or blur it slightly. Remove its power by removing its focus. God often will have His way in the worship service. We are moved and stirred. We pray. God touches us but by the time we hit the door there is hesitation. By the time we are to the parking lot we have had much of the truth stripped away. By the time we get home we cannot even remember what it was that God told us to do. If the enemy can just get you to hesitate he has usually got you.

 

       Lord, guard my heart against hesitation. Show me how I must be patient without hesitating. Show me the way and path of obedience. In Jesus’ Name.