CONQUER YOUR LION
Proverb 22:13: The slothful man saith, there
is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
It is a proverb
about making excuses and becoming a less effective Christian. The Lion is a
vicious animal that hunts its preys with precision. It is an animal that every
man will like to avoid due to fear.
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Most of us have formed imaginary lions outside
our homes that prevent us from stepping out and fulfilling our
responsibilities.
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The passage says the slothful or lazy Christian
in order not to do God’s will, creates lion around his home, path etc.
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The Christian is a servant/worker of God, so
there is nothing like a stagnant or unengaged Christian
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We need to witness, pray, fellowship to encourage
ourselves, study the Word of God and serve one another in love.
What are some
of these imaginary Lions we form to avoid being effective Christians
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Time: ‘I just don’t have the time’ is an excuse
we all give all the time. Am a family man, busy schedule, action-packed life,
exaggerated business activities to justify shorter prayer times, less time to
study or meditate on God’s Word.
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Money:
A popular lion.Yes, money answers everything, but should lack of it
demobilize us from performing our God-given responsibility? Hm, I can’t
fellowship, I can’t witness, I can’t do this, I can’t do that. God equips when
He calls, remember.
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Sickness:
Bible gives guidelines about quarantine but should we exaggerate our
ill-feeling or headache to avoid our physical or spiritual responsibilities. I
can’t fellowship but you attend all the funerals as a sympathizer. We attend
all the parties, we attend all the political rallies- just for a mere t-shirt
and a few monies which won’t last a period.
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Children: Our children have become lions-
excuse for some parents to avoid their God-given responsibilities. The normal
excuse is because of my child I cannot do anything. Forgetting that God gave
them to you.
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Speech Impediments/ Shyness: Some of us
can read scripture publickly. Preach or even interpret but our lion has been -
I can’t speak well like this brother or Sister. Some of us have become like
Moses when he was called by God to deliver (Exodus 4:10-11).
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Lack of Education: I have not seen
anywhere in the Bible that God called somebody and asked him to go to school or
he is not educated. Saul (Paul) was educated but went about persecuting the
church until God called him and he testified in Galatians 1 that he did not
consult any man. Peter and John were mere fishermen but preached Christ to the marvel
of the educated (Act 4:13-14). He is God, He chooses rather the less respected
and rejected thins to shame the proud.
Of
course there are genuine reasons but should we exaggerate them into lions,
intimidating lions that justify our inactivity?
How can we get
rid of these Lions?
- Understand
the force motivating these thoughts. The real lion is not the imagery one
but the devil, who is not only outside your homes and streets but inside
you, seeking to maul our minds, influence our motivations and cause us to
shun our Christian responsibilities.
- 1Peter
5:8- Be active and defeat the concocted lion in our minds.
- Seek
God’s help through prayer, the Holy Spirit and the word
Conclusion
Become a more
effective Christian. Conquer your lion!
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