Fighting "Rock Middle" Part 3

          We've been talking for a week now about pulling out of the middle. It’s an important topic and I think one that’s rampant in our culture. Pushing yourself from middle to the front is important, but doesn’t carry much weight unless you finish it out by keeping yourself at that new high level. If you’re uncertain as to what I mean let me answer your question with a question: “How many times do you ‘spike’ with a particular behavior?” When I say spike I mean having a sudden jolt of a particular behavior in your life followed by an equally sudden decline. How many times have you said: I need to read my Bible more, or work out more, or eat right, or call my parents, or read, or get more sleep? And you do those things…for a time. You might read your Bible regularly for an entire week!...only to slack back again to where you where. The same can be said for eating right and working out or any other behavior that is healthy, but not easy. So if you can get yourself out of the middle, how do you stay there? The answer is short, but not so simple: Maintain.

          “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36


Step 3: Maintain

          We've already spoken of guarding our hearts from dissipation and other worldly struggles; the question is now, “How do I keep it up?” I think Jesus is pretty concise here. He essentially says it’s going to be work. He tells us some important tips:

Tip #1: It Happens Fast:
Jesus is talking about a time of intense struggle for the people of faith when he says it will come, “unexpectedly like a trap.” We would all do well to prepare ourselves for spiritual attack, when you operate at a high level (which is what pulling out of the middle is all about) you paint a target on you back. When you pull out of the middle be ready for the attack to come.

Tip #2: Be Vigilant:
When you reach a high point and are looking out for an attack you should set up some defenses. No one builds a watch tower before they have a position to defend right? You can be vigilant by finding a brother or sister in Christ to lovingly hold you accountable. Find yourself someone who will help keep you in check and encourage you to resist the enemy.

Tip #3: Pray:
Simple but crucial. I find that when I’m stuck in the middle I can find myself praying very often for God to get me out of a mess or a rut, but when God does help me to have a victory, I never seem to pray and ask Him to supernaturally help me to maintain the status quo, “God thank you for the place you’ve brought me, now help me to do the work to stay here!”


     I’ll leave you with Joshua. Remember that when the Israelites reached the Promised Land in Joshua chapter 5, they didn’t just settle there and relax. First they had to consecrate themselves to God and then they walked right into Jericho. Say it with me: Maintain, Maintain, Maintain…