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Going That Extra Mile
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed God to move or else you didn’t know what you were going to do? I’m going to take you through three different lives to show you what happens when you hold onto that promise God’s given you and you keep on pressing.
In Genesis, Chapter 22, God tells Jacob, “Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you.” So Jacob obeyed and headed back to Canaan, but Jacob had a problem. The reason he left his homeland in the first place was because he feared for his life. Jacob had tricked his brother Esau into giving up his birthright, and now he expected his brother to take revenge on him.
It was the night before and Jacob was approaching home and getting close to meeting his brother. He was left alone and a Man met him there. Jacob wrestled with the Man all night. The Man said to him, “Let me go for it is almost daylight,” but Jacob refused. He said, “Not until you bless me.” It was there that Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and he was able to go forward confidently into the land that God called him to.
There was a young lady from Moab by the name of Ruth. Her husband had passed away and she was left with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Her mother-in-law told Ruth that she was free to go back to her people for Naomi was going to travel back to Judah to her homeland. Ruth could have stayed and been comfortable, but she chose to be that servant and continue on with Naomi. She held on until that blessing came. She ended up marrying Boaz and being in the lineage of Christ. (The Book of Ruth)
The prophet Elisha had walked with Elijah for many years. He had seen miracle after miracle and stayed close to Elijah’s side. So, when it was time for Elijah to leave this world behind, he told Elisha, stay here and let me go and die by myself. But Elisha refused to leave Elijah’s side. As they traveled from town to town, Elijah kept asking Elisha to stay back. Elisha continued on with him though. So Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” Elijah answered, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you.” (2 Kings 2)
I think too many times as Christians we miss that Double Portion anointing. We miss our breakthrough because we’re not willing to fight for it like Jacob. We’re not willing to make that long voyage and be a servant like Ruth. We only want to go so far instead of finishing the task ahead of us like Elisha.
What separates an ordinary person from a great person? It’s that little bit extra they put into it. My dad used to tell me when I was younger and playing sports, “if you run a mile every morning you’ll be a couple steps ahead of everyone else when the season starts.” Of course, lazy me never listened. It’s probably because I hated running, but that’s not the point. It’s that extra 1,000 shots taken after practice that makes a great shooter. It’s that extra half an hour spent in the weight room that makes a stronger athlete. And it’s that extra hour in prayer, that extra hour spent in the Word that makes a stronger Christian.
You get what you put into it. The Bible says it this way, “You reap what you sow.” If we’re going to be all God’s called us to be we’re going to have to put that extra effort in. We’re going to have to pray more, read more, fast more, seek God more.
I just wanted to challenge you this week to be those extraordinary Christian. Listen to my dad and get up early and run that extra mile.
w/muchluv,
geno
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