When a bushfire starts the job of a fireman is to contain and control the blaze with containment lines. Eventually the fire will run out of fuel or finally be snuffed out by a change in weather conditions. That’s when containment lines are good.
But what if you feel restricted and confined by the containment lines that have been drawn in your mind? What if those containment lines are stopping you from having the confidence to step out into your calling? What if the enemy of your soul has made sure that the fire inside of you runs out of fuel and your calling is finally snuffed out?
Satan doesn’t want you to advance forward and claim God’s best for your life. He will weave a restricting spirit into your life, so you lack any desire to move forward and break those containment lines he’s whispered in your mind. His goal is to prevent you from rising to a higher level, binding your soul to a ball and chain which limits your potential and renders you powerless to push past those containment lines and gain the confidence to step into your calling.
In Numbers Chapter 13, Moses was told by God to send out twelve men to spy on a land called Canaan. But ten came back saying, “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless, the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large.”
Did you hear them?
The people are strong, the cities are fortified and very large.
Sounds like some restricting containment lines are being put into place. They became afraid to take the land that God had already promised them.
When your enemy knows God has already promised something to you, he will draw those containment lines to stop you stepping into that promise.
Two of the men were having none of this silly nonsense. Joshua and Caleb pushed past the containment lines that the enemy was trying to draw.
Caleb said, “Let’s go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30) Joshua backed his friend up and said, “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us.” (Numbers14:8)
You’d think the people would be saying, “Your right, Joshua and Caleb. Let’s take the promised Land.”
But they didn’t. They just wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb!
People will try and stop you. And the only way to break through those containment lines they try to place in your mind, is to move forward and fight for your promise.
Did you know when an eagle makes her nest she makes it from sharp twigs and stones and then covers the nest with feathers and soft materials. The plan is, as the baby eagles start to grow and are ready to fly she removes the soft covering around the nest until the chicks are so fed up with being poked in the head with sharp objects they fly out of the nest and find food for themselves.
The mother eagle stirs the nest. And that is exactly what God does. He stirs you and wants you to feel so discontented behind those containment lines the enemy has drawn in your mind, that you just want to get out and stretch those wings of yours and fly.
And He doesn’t want you to just fly, my friend. God wants you to soar!
The only way to activate your faith is to trust God and believe Him. Those feelings of a powerlessness faith will be replaced with steadfast and unmovable faith. Your determination will conquer those containment lines.
So, arise my friend and contend for your promise. Because God needs you to be in a spacious place without containment lines so you can fulfil your destiny.
Wendy xo
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You had my full attention with the fire reference. I spend one day each week working in a small community that was inside containment lines for weeks during the 2013 Tasmanian Bushfire Emergency. Then you added the eagle reference which is one of my personal identifiers that God uses to catch my attention (Isaiah 40). Thanks for the encouragement )!(
A timely word of encouragement for me. Thank you. Yes, sometimes we need that motivational nudge and sometimes we need to hear that affirmation that we are ‘well able’ to achieve marvelous things if God is for us and with us.
I love your discussion of containment lines being helpful boundaries or constricting and limiting.
Your encouragement to, ‘arise my friend and contend for your promise. Because God needs you to be in a spacious place without containment lines so you can fulfil your destiny,’ is powerful.