7 Non-Negotiables for the Greatest Challenge of Your Life (Part Two)
- Dennis Rainey
- 12 minutes ago
- 6 min read
By Dennis Rainey
In last week’s blog post I introduced the concept of “Seven Non-Negotiables” for walking with Christ, for the greatest challenge of your life. These are the core essentials for knowing God and following Him as we live life here on earth. The first three were:
· Seek God, not sin.
· Fear God, not men.
· Love God, not the world.
Each of these non-negotiables calls for difficult and courageous choices that go against our fleshly desires. Remember that courageous faith is following God in spite of whatever fears and obstacles you face. In the course of normal life we will face crossroads, where we have a true choice between following God or giving in to the desire of the flesh or to the influence of the world.
I explore more about these themes in my series on the Inspiring Courageous Faith YouTube channel. And in this post I introduce the final four items of my list of non-negotiables of courageous faith.
4. Believe God, not the deceiver.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
In 1938, a man in Long Island ordered a very expensive weather barometer. He unwrapped it and noted that the arrow that was supposed to reflect the weather he was experiencing was stuck at the bottom, pointing at “Hurricane.” There must be something wrong with the barometer, he concluded. So he slammed it down a few times, and when the arrow didn’t move he wrote a hot letter of complaint to the manufacturer and mailed it off on the way to work.
When he came home, he found that the mailbox was gone. No, the post office didn’t remove it. No criminal stole it.
What happened? The barometer was right! A hurricane had hit, and everything was destroyed.
As believers, sometimes we don’t want to believe the truth. We can also be deceived by the evil one, the liar. When life and Scripture collide, which one do you believe and trust? The deceiver wants us to believe the lie. Will you believe God?
The Scriptures tell us that without faith it is impossible to please God, but our nature is to doubt and move toward unbelief. Never forget that your adversary is the father of lies. He wants to destroy you, so he works to make us doubt the truth and God’s promises.
5. Obey God, not your feelings.
Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. So, I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Far too many of us live on the level of our feelings. Invariably we allow feelings to control our lives. When we feel slighted, we sulk. When we feel wronged, we take revenge. When of course when we feel hungry, we eat!
If we fail to check our feelings against. The truth of God’s Word, they can take up permanent residency. When this happens, our outlook on life becomes distorted and. Toxic, and we may end up doing things we would never have imagined.
Here’s one example: Romantic love. We all want that thrill, that fulfillment of finding someone to connect with. But if feeling is all we’re after, we’ll go where the feeling is strongest.
I think this is what happened with many of the Christian leaders we’ve seen fall morally over the years. Based on the stories I’ve heard, I’m reasonably certain that the downfall of these men started with small concessions. Their feelings for another person slowly overtook their commitment to their spouse and, ultimately, Christ. In the end, feelings trumped their wedding vows, and compromise followed. Failure is usually not a blowout; it’s a slow leak.
Jesus instructed and warned, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11).
Our Lord speaks here about building a habit of obedience. Obeying God even in small things can build your faith to the point that God may use you to accomplish great things … perhaps even launch a powerful, life-changing ministry into the lives of others.
Obedience to God demands two main things. First, realize that our lives are lived before an audience of One. He sees. He knows and He weighs our motives should move us to obey. And it also gives us the courage to say no to self, no to appetites, no to lusts of the flesh, no to what’s easy, and yes to carrying the cross.
Second, it demands faithfulness—the plodding endurance to God, to His call, and to that which He calls you to suffer. Only by yielding to the cross can you obey God, not your feelings.
6. Serve God, not self.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8
The concept of becoming a “bond slave” in the Scriptures means that we are slaves and God is the Master. That means that we must surrender to Him completely, without reservation. Many would see this type of service as lowly. But it should be seen as a privilege to serve such a loving Lord.
On Christmas Day 1972, in the first year of our marriage, Barbara and I decided that before we gave anything to each other, we would surrender our lives in writing to Jesus Christ, giving Him everything we ever dreamed of having. We gave Him the contract and title to our lives. Looking back at that day, I see now we gave Him nothing, but I am amazed to see that He has given us everything we need in return.
7. Worship God, not comfort.
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18
Your soul and mine were given to us by God to handle disappointment, discouraging circumstances, hard times, and, frankly, suffering. I don’t know anyone who enjoys suffering, but I do know many who have benefited from the growth that occurs from enduring hardship for a season or for a lifetime. Are you celebrating God and worshiping Him in the midst of your pain, or do you seek relief or comfort by escaping it?
Barbara and I have learned the hard lessons of giving thanks for short paychecks, for the deep waters of misunderstandings and unmet expectations, for serious health issues with one of our sons when he was a teenager, for the loss of a granddaughter who only lived seven days … the list goes on and on. Pain has pressed us against our Savior and reminded us that we are not in control. Pain results in growth and greater fruitfulness for Him.
We worship God by giving Him praise through music, prayer, true fellowship with other believers, and in the sharing of lessons learned through suffering and pain.
These seven non-negotiables are the basics for a life that transcends the mountains we climb in life. May I suggest that you sit down in a quiet place and meditate on the lessons you’ve learned in the dark valleys of life? Then consider sharing those lessons with others who may be experiencing something similar by giving them a call, taking them to get a cup of coffee, or writing them a caring and compassionate letter that meets them at their point of need.
Others may need to choose a close friend or accountability partner and share with him or her the areas where you need help and prayer. Soon, you will begin to experience a healthier life—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Be sure to check out my series on “7 Non-Negotiables of Courageous Faith” on our Inspiring Courageous Faith YouTube channel:
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