Go The Extra Mile.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." Matt. 11:12.

There's a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge." Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, "What do you want?"  "Knowledge, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a smile. Socrates put his strong hands on the man's shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. "What do you want?" he asked again.  "Wisdom," the young man sputtered, "O great and wise Socrates." Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. "What do you want, young man?" 

Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, "Knowledge, O wise and wonderful..." Socrates jammed him under again. Forty seconds passed. Fifty. "What do you want?" 

"Air!" the young man screeched. "I need air!"  "When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge." 

I need to ask you this genuine question, how much do you really want it? How far can you go to get it? How long can you wait to achieve it? Godly determination and inspired desperation seems to be ebbing out from the church in our days. We all seem to just want to not name it and claim it, without much ado. In the Bible, godly desperation is not panic, but a passionate, faith-driven hunger that moves God to act. It is the act of trading self-reliance for radical dependence on the Creator. True desperation requires acknowledging your inability to fix the problem yourself and fully surrendering to God. It is the state of saying, "Lord, I cannot do this without You, and I look to You alone for the answer." You must therefore be willing and ready to give it all it takes, go the extra mile to achieve your desired goals, God helping you.

Godly desperation is relentless. It breaks through cultural norms, shame, and discouragement to get to Jesus. It is the refusal to take "no" for an answer when seeking a blessing. When the blind man Bartimaeus was told to be quiet, he shouted louder. Your persistence demonstrates your faith in God's ability to deliver. Godly desperation moves prayer from a routine ritual to a passionate, emotional plea. It is praying with all your heart, pouring out your burdens, and wrestling for the answer. Hannah was so desperate for a child that onlookers thought she was drunk. God honours prayers that come from a deep, broken, and honest place. Don't be too quick to forget that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the "violent" take it by force. This means exercising spiritual aggression—using the Word of God and steadfast faith to push past obstacles and claim the promises of God. The four friends were so desperate to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus that they tore off the roof. They did not let physical roadblocks stop their miracle. Don't let anything stop you from experiencing God and Grace. Selah!

FURTHER READING:

"Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" Luke 18:39.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matt. 6:33.

DECLARATION: 

Dear Abba Father, I thank You for the gift of life and the privilege of salvation. Lord I ask that, You ignite a desperate, undeniable passion within my soul. Burn away the distractions, weariness, and procrastination that weigh me down. Give me a focused drive that makes the impossible feel attainable and turns my daily tasks into a joyful pursuit. Remove the struggle and heaviness from my labour, and replace it with Your flow. Grant me the wisdom to set the right priorities and the energy to accomplish them. When my own strength fails, be my motivation and uphold me with Your righteous right hand in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. 

1 YEAR BIBLE READING LAN:

Psa. 138:1-8.

Psa. 139:1-24.

Psa. 140:1-13.

Psa. 141:1-10.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

“When You Are Passionate About God's Will, God Will Be Passionate About Blessing Your Passion.”