Not long ago, our family was taking a walk around our neighborhood when I noticed a giant black scary-looking dog running at us with the intent to eat! We were passing a house with a large yard, and out of nowhere, this K-9 was now sprinting with a tongue-wagging determination at our two little dudes in the stroller. Right before he leaped at use at the edge of the yard, he abruptly stopped coming to a screeching halt. He then stood completely still with no emotion. After being completely stunned that the dog literally just stopped dead in his tracks a few feet from us, we realized there must be an invisible fence holding him in. I was hoping he was just intimidated by my muscular physique…but then quickly confirmed there were posts set up exposing the electrical barrier. 

Just like the dog had conditioned itself to be limited by the electric fence, I think we do the same thing in our lives. We condition ourselves to be limited by our barriers that, when approached, cause fear and discomfort. When we hit these limits is jolts us back to safe, familiar territory where we can be comfortable. But if we will ever reach our potential and get free, we have to break through our barriers.

 Rather real or perceived, we are not bound by our limits. We don’t have to be a victim to our worst fears and challenges. Christ came to set us free and break the chains of our limits. He gives us liberty and freedom to venture out into greater possibilities…always!  

But you have to understand your potential and purpose lie just beyond the borders of your fear. It’s in the land of the unknown that we find greater possibilities. We can’t let our fear of the unknown keep us from having faith in the unseen. 

Remember, we serve the God of the impossible. The God that has complete power and authority to do anything and everything. Imagine if we actually lived in the faith and peace that God can make things happen out of nothing. Imagine if we fully trusted the God of the universe in every area of our lives. I think it would transform our lives from the inside out.

There is a great story documented by Dr. Luke where a young wealthy man and a group of people asked Jesus how they could have eternal life. Jesus basically said that it is impossible to have eternal life by our own means, but it is completely possible with Him.

Matthew 16:26 (NIV)

26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

You see, Jesus makes the impossible possible. If we rely on our own strength, we will fall short. But when we fully trust Him and follow Him, He begins to make a way when there seems no way.

Not long ago, I studied the book of Joshua in the Bible. By the way, you need to read this book if you are in a place in your life where you want to get to somewhere greater but are unsure of how to do it. Anyway, as I was studying, this scripture jumped out at me and literally caused me to put the Bible down and just STOP in awe! Are you ready for it? So here it is…as Joshua led the children of Israel on an unforgettable adventure into the promised land, here is the marker that God gave them to know if they were on the right path…

Joshua 3:4

“Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.”

WOW! God basically said, “You will know which way to go because it will be unfamiliar. You will be in uncharted territory where you’ll have to trust me.” You see, God will call you to places that are bigger than you so that you can show how big He is through you. Do you know what a great Godly sign is when trying to figure out where to go? It will be beyond what you have ever done before. God is an enlarger, He is an expander, He is a builder…always building. He knows no bounds, no limits, no borders, and no excuses. If He has called you to it, He will see you through it.

Here is a great chart I came across that shows how we need to grow out of our comfort zone.