Amy Biegel | REFOCUS | May 8, 2022

Hebrews 12:1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

How do we move from victim mentality to victor mentality?

“there are shared areas in the brain that are activated during both physical and imagined movements. This is defined as “functional equivalence” and is hypothesized as the means by which imagery can improve performance.”

Accept the current situation…and believe for more.

Hebrews 10:35-39 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Be mindful of what you throw away and what you keep.

Hebrews 10:32-35 “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Live confident because of Jesus’ work for you.

Be sincere with God.

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Trust that God’s faithfulness will occur in your future.

Be with people who spark love and good deeds from you.

Prioritize gathering with God’s people

“It is really imperative that this generation of Jesus followers distinguish between legalism and the spiritual disciplines. I keep reading currently published books that talk about nearness to God & I’m like, “Yes!!!” I get so encouraged and built up in my spirit & then they get into how we can do nothing to earn God’s love (so so true!) & then it gets into, “you don’t have to read your Bible and pray regularly to receive his favor” (ok, true) nor do you need a community of faith (after all, church is not a building which, of course, is also true) then it’s like “in fact, you don’t need to live faithfully at all. God loves you anyway.” He absolutely loves us anyway. And there is nothing we can do to make him love us more. Grace cannot be earned. But, brothers and sisters, we are meant to grow up into Christ who is the Head. We are indeed meant to grow in the knowledge of God and in love and truth and good works. We are meant to learn how to use our spiritual gifts and how to be sharpened by the gifts of others. We are meant to have compadres in the faith. We’re meant to hear the public reading of Scripture and to engage in corporate worship. Of course, there are times when gathering is not possible and times when we are in intensive care with the Lord. But there will never be shortcuts to living in the Holy Spirit and walking in the Holy Spirt and being led by the Holy Spirit and being filled by the Holy Spirit and obedient to the Holy Spirit. The spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, giving, fasting & serving keep us alert and awake to & involved in the activity of Jesus. Many of us olders will tell you we don’t see those practices as legalism. We see them as privileges. We don’t have to get up and pray and read our Bibles in the morning. We get to. We get to meet with Jesus, see what he would teach us & show us and lead us to do…the next generations will learn how to practice their faith from you. Our great commission is to disciple people. We can’t disciple people without spiritual discipline.”

Hebrews 13:5-8 God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.