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There are times in our lives when we are put in a place that requires we accept a new challenge. If we want to move ahead in life, that challenge is before us and we must accept it and conquer it. Otherwise, we can stay where we are and go nowhere else or keep just what we have and get nothing else.
As a believer, there is just something in our spirit that says, I want to move forward. I want to go on in my life. I can see this accomplished. I can conquer this. Because of that resident spirit, it gives us the courage and desire to accept the new challenge.
If we’re willing to accept the new challenge, it will be beneficial, fulfilling, and we will accomplish so much that is in our heart. We are never too inadequate, we’re never too old or young, we’ve never made too many mistakes, we’re never too ill-equipped to grow and accept the new challenge and see where God will take us.
There was a famous attorney and minister by the name of Oswald Sanders. What he accomplished in his career was amazing. But his story could have gone a different way if he had not accepted a new challenge.
It was difficult for him because Sanders wasn’t a very outgoing type person. He had suffered as a child because his mother went into deep depression. However, he still received good spiritual support from his family. Then at a young age he became interested in the law field. Over time, he became an attorney. When his boss of the law firm became ill, Sanders was chosen to manage it even though he felt inadequate. He was growing and accepting the new challenges.
Then just before he was fifty, he began to experience the effects of arthritis. It became so bad that it was hard for him to get out of bed. At that age, he could have retired and taken care of his own self interests. But God had begun to move on his heart to accept a new challenge to grow in his ability to teach and preach the Word of God and be involved in missions organizations.
So he left the law career at age fifty and accepted many challenges over the years. He was chosen to be administrator of a Christian college, head up a large missions group, and hold other positions. After doing all of that, he was older and could have retired again and have an easier time of life. Instead, he accepted another new challenge. He would travel and speak all over the world, more than three hundred times a year. He wrote many books. During all the time that he was accepting new challenges, he was healed of arthritis.
He was almost ninety when he died, and at that time he was working on another book. In other words, Sanders was growing every day no matter his age or what he was called upon to accomplish. What a beneficial, fulfilling type of life! God has that for each one of us.
Sometimes you have to take a road that isn’t familiar to you. But at the end of that road where God is taking you will be some of your greatest fulfillment and accomplishment.
The man Joshua in the Bible had the same kind of heart as Oswald Sanders. One that had the willingness to conquer something new. When Moses died, it became the responsibility of Joshua to take the Israelites into the land God had promised them.
Joshua was older by now and he could have made the choice to hand everything over to someone else. He was about to enter a new challenge and so were the people. It must seem daunting to be responsible for millions of people and have enemies in front of you and a river you have to cross. All of the planning and management and protection and taking care of the people!
But in his heart Joshua knew God had put him in that position and He would provide a way for him to fulfill it. So he accepted the new challenge and led the people into the place God had promised.
Whatever new challenge you have in front of you, if it’s to find a way to have greater health, to become what you desire in your personality, your anointing, something God is calling you to perform or to grow in your ability to perform a skill, or manage your finances to see them grow or to see yourself grow in a new way or to go into a new spiritual dimension, or if it’s to grow in your ability to handle what you’re facing, whatever the challenge is, know that as you accept it, that is the first step to conquering it.
Accept the challenge and conquer it. You have victory waiting for you.
Spiritual powerline to say out loud:
“I ACCEPT THE NEW CHALLENGE!”
Here is a powerful prayer to say out loud:
Lord, I want to grow greater in You. As I accept new challenges in my life, I know I will have Your strength and ability and power to conquer them. I will experience accomplishment, miracles, and answers in a greater level. Hallelujah! In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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