Let Us Throw Off Everything That Hinders And The Sin That So Easily Entangles. And Let Us Run With Perseverance The Race Marked Out For Us

HEBREWS 12:1-2
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
”‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/heb.12.1-2.nkj

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This great cloud of witnesses is talking about those people in chapter 11, all those who have finished their race in victory. Their faithfulness and victory is a constant encouragement to us.
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭30‬-‭40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Every struggle we face and more have been overcome by others of faith. We are not the first to face hardships, others have run even harder races of faith and won.
So like long-distance runners who weigh themselves down in training to build themselves up in strength and endurance, we have to work hard in our Christian life, facing the testing of our faith head on.
We all know when working out, where there’s no pain, there’s no gain.
Runners when in training, push themselves to the limits, putting heavy weights on their mussels to encourage them to grow in power, strength, and endurance; but on the day the race, the runner wears light clothes to minimise the weight he carries so he can run with endurance and power without waver.
Like the runner, we need to lay aside every weight that hinders our race. That is to say choose godly friends that are committed to the race. Wrong friends may drag you back into unnecessary worldly actions. Their views, values, and actions often bring distractions and even sin.
So choose carefully who you run with; even the constant negativity that comes from some can be an unnecessary hindrance that will drag you down, cause you to lose your peace and infect you with their issues like anxiety/ depression, and even cause you to slip back into sin.
Furthermore, it means dropping certain worldly activities that ensnare us, and getting the help we need to overcome the addictions that disable us, such as gaming, alcohol, drugs, gambling, and pornography.
These are of the devil and he wants you to hide them. But the truth is, by admitting your need, confessing sin, and asking for help, you immediately remove the devil’s influence from the situation.
Therefore, submit to God, rebuke the devil and he shall flee (JAMES 4:7).
You are then free to hear and obey the Holy Spirit.
He shall then strengthen you, remove all shame, and lead you into the victory.
For “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My brethren, this is Jesus story; He is the author and the finisher, He concludes the finish, and He will carry you over the finish line into victory for the great cloud of witnesses to see.
Being a good Christian involves hard work. It requires us to let go of everything that hinders our relationship with God and being wise in this corrupt world.
That’s not always easy, but absolutely necessary if we are to run with endurance and battle against sin with the power and might of the Holy Spirit.
Living effectively, only comes by remaining focused on Jesus.
When we look away from Him to ourselves, we will begin to slip back into self and sin.
Peter, when focused on Christ walked upon the water in the greatest of stormy seas. But when he heard the wind he was distracted and immediately started to sink. But Jesus reached out, took his hand and led him back to the safety of the boat and then calmed the storm (MATHEW 14:22-33).
My beloved, keep your focus on Jesus, whether money or people, or material things, or status, or anything else, let go of everything that holds you down and be right with God, that you can run your race with endurance. It is then that whatever the situation, how ever rough the stormy seas you are going through, you, like Peter, will walk upon them; you will put every situation however impossible under your feet.
But the truth is, Jesus is never far away, when you are overwhelmed by the storm, Jesus is always in arms reach to take your hand and lead you back to safety and calm the storm (Mathew 14:22-33).
My beloved, the victory is already yours through Christ who strengthens you (1 CORINTHIANS 15:57). All you need do is believe and stand firm.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.