I CAN’T, I CAN’T… WILL THIS GIANT DEFINE ME?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
MY BELIEF IS SIMPLE: EVERY LIVING PERSON IS GOING TO FACE GIANTS THAT WILL TRY TO DEFINE OUR WORDS, DEEDS AND ATTITUDES. THERE ARE TWO ATTITUDES WE CAN HAVE WHEN WE FACE OUR GIANTS. 1. THE GIANTS WILL DEFINE AND DEFEAT ME… 2. I AM GOING TO DEFEAT THE GIANTS I FACE AND PROMOTION COMES WHEN WE SLAY OUR GIANTS…
I CAN’T! I CAN’T! YOU CAN’T! WE CAN’T! THERE IS A I CAN’T TRAP? HOW EASY IS IT FOR US TO ALLOW THE GIANTS IN THIS WORLD DEFINE ME AND WHAT I CAN DO? ONCE WE MOVE INTO THE I CAN’T TERRITORY WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE DESERT… HOT, DRY, NO MAN’S LAND.
How can giants defeat us? When we allow our circumstances to define our feelings and our emotions… I can’t! You know I can’t. Then the I can’t couples with the BLAME GAME…
Numbers 13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES… HEAR ME, HEAR ME NOW… WHEN WE ALLOW THE GIANTS TO DEFINE US AND LIMIT US. WE DEVELOP AND LAY DOWN, THROW UP OUR HANDS AND HAVE A QUITTING ATTITUDE. ARISE MY LOVE, REFUSE TO DIE IN THE DESERT… I don’t want to be buried in the desert.
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
WILL THE GIANT DEFINE ME? YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND? THIS PROBLEM CAN DESTROY MY WHOLE LIFE. SORRY CHARLIE, YOU CAN’T DO IT… DON’T TELL ME HOW SMALL WE ARE AND HOW BIG THE GIANTS ARE… OPEN THE EYES OF YOUR HEART, MAGNIFY THE LORD… SEE HOW BIG GOD CAN BE…
Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
There was a poor family from Elkhart, Kansas. The CUNNINGHAM boys went to the school house early each day and built the fire for some extra money. When the teacher and kids arrived the school was warm. Someone had accidently put gasoline in the kerosene can. When Floyd Cunningham (13) poured gas on the wood to build the fire there was a massive explosion. It killed Floyd. It burned the school down. Floyd’s little brother, GLENN was pulled out of the fire.
Glenn’s legs were seriously burnt. The doctor suggested they amputate both of Glenn’s legs. His mother refused to allow the amputation. Glenn’s mother would rub his legs and pray. The doctor said: THIS BOY WILL NEVER WALK AGAIN!
Glenn’s momma would do her chores and spend every extra hour she had rubbing his legs and praying for a miracle. The giant mocked Glenn. Day after day Glenn laid in the bed crying in great pain. His mom would rub his legs and pray. Months later Glenn started moving his legs. The doctor still declared the boy will never walk again. THE GIANT WINS? Months turned into years. One day Glenn took a step and fell flat on his face. His mom kept praying and rubbing his legs. One day Glen took several steps before he fell. His mom kept praying and rubbing his legs. The next thing you know GLENN IS NOT WALKING HE IS RUNNING. Glenn ran all the time. He ran to school. He ran to the store. Glenn amazed the community and he was known to run and run. He started running for the track team. Glenn won. The University of Kansas allowed Glenn to run on their team. He ran across the campus all the time.
Glenn was invited to run in the 1936 Olympics, he won the SILVER METAL. GLENN RAN THE MILE IN 4:06 … THIS SET THE WORLD RECORD FOR 3 YEARS… GLENN REFUSED TO ALLOW WHAT HE COULD NOT DO DEFINE HIS LIFE. Glenn was one of 5 men to hold the world record for the mile for indoors and outdoor track events.
GLENN EARNED HIS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, HIS MASTER’S DEGREE AND HIS PH.D… THE GIANT DEFINE ME? LISTEN: GLENN AND RUTH, HIS WIFE ESTABLISHED THE CUNNINGHAM YOUTH RANCH THAT HELPED OVER 9,000 TROUBLED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH… WE CAN NEVER ALLOW THE GIANT TO DEFINE US…
WILL THE GIANT DEFINE ME? AT LAST! WE OFTEN ALLOW CONVENTIONAL THINKING TO IMPRISON OUR MINDS… BREAKING NEW GROUND… HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE BREAKING OF RUNNING OF THE 4 MINUTE BARRIER…
Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
FACE YOUR UNCONQUERABLE LIMITATIONS. YOU CAN BE AN AGENT OF CHANGE IF YOU WANT TO…
From 1886 to 1954 track and field had HIT THE WALL, SPLAT… SPLATTING IS A TERM IN LONG DISTANCE RUNNING. Seem track and field runners had come up against a barrier. NO RUNNER COULD EVER BREAK THE 4 MINUTE MILE IN RUNNING. Track and field runners felt like THERE WAS AN INVISIBLE BARRIER THAT WOULD BE FOREVER IMPENETRABLE NO ONE COULD BREAK BELOW THE 4 MINUTE BARRIER… IN RUNNING A MILE.
The world track and field experts thought to break under 4 miles for running a mile would never be possible. The record was set in 1886 and no one could break this barrier. Even the experts agree it would be impossible to break below 4 minutes. Running coaches said: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. Super running athletes tried and tried. After many years the mile runners said: IT COULD NEVER BE DONE.
THIS CRY BECOME THE STANDARD AND NO ONE COULD EVER BREAK UNDER 4 MILES. THIS BARRIER WAS SO ESTABLISHED THAT THE GOAL BECAME A PHYSICAL AND A PSYCHOLOGICAL SPLAT WALL… All the running coaches agreed, it is impossible. A FEW PEOPLE SAID: WELL MAYBE ON A PERFECT WEATHER DAY WHEN NO WIND WAS BLOWING… Maybe someday?
It was a cold, windy wet day in Oxford, England a young student stepped up on the track. ON MAY 6, 1954 this young student took his position. His run set a new record. ROGER BANNISTER RAN THE MILE IN 3 MINUTES, 59 SECONDS. Roger accomplished what was never thought to be possible by 1 second. THE 4 MINUTE MILE RUN WAS BROKEN. Roger did more than under 4 minutes, ROGER OPENED THE DOOR OF POSSIBILITIES.
AT LAST SOMEONE DID IT… DON’T TELL ME IT CAN’T BE DONE… ONCE ROGER OPENED THE DOOR, IN JUST 46 DAYS
FROM ROGER’S GREAT VICTORY A YOUNG MAN FROM AUSTRALIA SET A NEW RECORD… 3 MINUTES AND 48 SECONDS. Within the year three runners were in the same race and all three broke the record as they pushed one another.
LET ME ASSURE YOU SOMETHING, ONCE ROGER BANNISTER BROKE THE IMPOSSIBLE BARRIER IN THE LAST 50 YEARS 1,000’S OF RUNNERS HAVE SET NEW RECORDS THAT WAS DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE… BECAME THE NORM… IT JUST TOOK SOMEONE TO THINK “AT LAST WE DID IT.” You can do it my friend… whatever the obstacles before us we must focus beyond our limitations whether they be metal bars or mental bars.
WILL THE GIANT DEFINE ME? SORRY SUCKER… YOU ARE A LOSER… (MAKE AN L ON YOUR FOREHEAD)… LOOKS LIKE THE VIPER SNAKE WILL END THIS POOR MAN’S MINISTRY? DO WE REACT TO PROBLEMS OR DO WE ACT BY FAITH? DO YOU HAVE A LOSER ATTITUDE? DO THE BULLIES PICK ON YOU? ARE YOU A VICTIM?
Perhaps many died of viper venom. Perhaps the judgment of the crowd trIes to define what is going to happen. Perhaps negative thinking will try to release spiritual limitations. Think: POSSIBILITIES VS PROBABILITIES? Could have Paul have had a panic attack? Could Paul have doubted himself and doubted God?
Acts 28:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
Paul refused to allow the circumstances take him to the grave? Paul’s life experience taught him the lesson that GOD CAN… GOD CAN HANDLE THIS. I refuse to allow my circumstances to DEFINE MY SPIRIT. Paul did not pet the snake. Paul did not entertain, flirt and feed the viper.
Acts 28:5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
Paul shook off the beast in the fire.
CONCLUSION: LET ME ASK YOU: HOW CAN WE BE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR? I know! I know.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
SUGAR RAY LEONARD just won the world championship belt. Howard Cosell the announcer was in the ring. He presented Sugar Ray a large check for a million dollars. Sugar Ray was battered, bloody, bruised and in great pain. Sugar’s wife stepped up in the ring and pulled the million dollar check out of his hand and took it. Bernadette had the check. No bruises, no broken nose. She was more than a conqueror. Thank you Jesus.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass this on to another?
