It has been said that two types of people populate our world. Some of us wake up in the morning and cheerfully say, “Good morning, Lord!” The rest of us grudgingly crack open an eye and groan, “Good lord! Its morning!” Jill fell into that last category while Jack fell into the former.
One day, Jack woke up Jill with a cheery, “It’s time to get up and get ready for school!” Jill groaned and said, “I don’t want to go to school today.” Jack asked in a soothing voice, “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Why don’t you want to go to school?” Jill replied, “I don’t like it. It’s boring, and the kids in my class don’t like me!” “Oh, honey,” Jack replied, “It’s not that bad.” “Yes, it is,” Jill snapped, “I don’t like the teachers, and the principal is a jerk, and the lunches are terrible.” “That may be sweetheart, but you still have to go.” “Why? Why do I have to go?” wailed Jill. Jack frowned, “Because you’re the teacher!”
From time to time all of us may lack motivation. We may feel as if our “get-up-and-go,” has “gotten up and went” while leaving us behind. This leaves us without drive and without direction. James said that when we are in that state of mind, we are like the waves of the sea, tossed to-and-fro by the winds. James went on to say that such a person was unstable in all their ways. While many people profess to know the secret of motivation, the only one who ever existed who can help with our motivation is Jesus Christ, the Greatest Motivator. Let’s begin with Hebrews 10:19-23
Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh), and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Motivation Through Assurance:
Sometimes only bold actions will do. Sometimes, it does not pay to be cautious, but instead, the situation and the people involved require making bold decisions. Many examples of this have occurred in our history.
During the American Revolution, the Continental Army was encamped at Valley Forge. They had been run out of New York City, and they had suffered several defeats at the hands of the British. They were hungry and demoralized and cold, but their commander, General George Washington, decided that his best move was to attack! This was bold to say the least.
On Christmas night, 1776, Washington led his troops in crossing the Delaware River to raid the Hessian troops quartered at Trenton. The Continentals surprised the Hessians at dawn on December 26th, capturing almost all of them, as well as large quantities of greatly needed supplies of food and clothing as well. Not only was this a legendary victory, it greatly improved morale and recruiting also. Washington’s boldness stemmed somewhat from desperation. He had nothing to lose, but he also had confidence in his plan and his troops
The attack at Trenton was bold, but its audacity was exceeded by that of General Tecumseh Sherman’s march across Georgia during the American Civil War. Sherman cut loose from his lines of communication and marched from Atlanta to Savannah and then into South Carolina. He could make this move because He was confident in his troops and also because he was confident in his commander, General U.S. Grant. In a letter he told Grant,
I knew that wherever I was, you thought of me, and if I needed you, you would come.
Centuries before Washington or Sherman had ever been born, David was a little shepherd boy who was not afraid to confront the giant Goliath. David could do that because he was confident in his God and in the tools that his God had given him to use. Because of his God-inspired boldness, he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, and he led the Children of Israel to victory that day. Neither Malachi 3:10, nor the old hymn based on it were written yet, but David knew the principle already,
Trust me, try me, prove me says the Lord of Hosts and see if a blessing, an unmeasured blessing, I will not pour out on thee.
Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can be bold. First, we can be bold in Christ, because we have nothing to lose. No sacrifice we make, no offering we give, no law we follow, can satisfy our sin debt. The only option we have is to attack our spiritual life with boldness based on Christ’s work in our lives.
We also can be bold, because like Sherman, we can trust our commander. As David knew, God will always be there for His people. So, we never face our spiritual, emotional, relational, and every-day-life challenges alone. Jesus always has our back!
We are motivated to live for Christ by the assurance of the salvation and power that He gives to us! Now, let’s read Hebrews 10:24-25,
And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Motivation Through Fellowship:
The Bible tells us that Satan is a roaring lion, roaming the world, seeking whom he may devour. If that is the case, then we are his prey, and if we observe nature, we will find that prey animals travel in groups. They find safety in numbers, and the same is true for people in various situations.
In war, being alone is dangerous. When I was in Iraq, helicopters travelled in pairs and a ground convoy had to consist of a minimum of three armored vehicles. In fact, we all took special “isolated personnel” training about what to do if we ever became separated from our unit. While I was there, one Soldier, who was an American citizen originally from Iraq, slipped away to visit family. He is still missing today.
In times of temptation, being alone is dangerous. Jesus was alone when He was tempted; Judas was alone when he betrayed Jesus; Peter was alone when he denied Christ. Yes, it is true that groups of people can make bad choices, but being alone makes it much easier for an individual to give in to temptation.
When confronting the forces of evil, being alone is dangerous. Moses was alone when he killed the Egyptian overseer, but Joshua sent two spies into Jericho. Later, God had all the people march around the city before the walls fell. When Jesus sent out the twelve and the seventy to do ministry, He sent them out two by two. When they returned, He told them that He saw Satan falling because of their service. On all of Paul’s missionary journeys he was accompanied by teammates. When he found himself alone on Mars Hill in Athens, his spirit was troubled, and his witnessing there was ineffective. Ministering with others has a synergy that multiplies our work so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
When making spiritual decisions, being alone is dangerous. Proverbs 15:22 tells us,
Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Matthew 18:20 also counsels us that,
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.
Just like a hot coal taken from a fire will cool rapidly, often the spiritual motivation of a solo Christian does also. However, a coal which stays within the fire will retain its heat and will even grow hotter. The same is true for the ardor of God’s people when they stay within their congregation!
We are motivated to live for Christ by the fellowship of those saved by grace through faith! Now, let’s read Hebrews 10:26-31,
For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries. If anyone disregards Moses’ law, he dies without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know the One who has said, Vengeance belongs to Me, I will repay, and again, The Lord will judge His people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
Motivation Through Warning:
A boss once told me that a leader can motivate people in two ways: with a pat on the back, or a kick farther down. This fellow also said that fake motivation is better than no motivation at all, so I guess that it is also true that negative motivation is better than no motivation at all.
A common saying is that a word to the wise is sufficient, based on Proverbs 9:10 which advises us that,
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
This means we must retain a healthy respect of the consequences of ignoring God’s wisdom. This applies in two ways:
First, those who are not saved risk hell by ignoring God’s law and love. We should remember the case of Herod Agrippa in Acts 12:21-23:
So, on an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a public address to them. The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he became infected with worms and died.
Second, those who are saved get a taste of hell on earth when they ignore God’s law and love. A great example of that is Ananias and Saphira, who lied to the Apostles and to God about their offering. In this case they both died.
We should not dwell on the negative aspects of motivation excessively, but we must be careful not to develop an attitude of arrogance. Many flight instructors will caution new pilots not to become overconfident after they have earned their first pilot’s license. The record shows that when pilots think they have everything under control, that is when they can make a fatal error. It has been said that the Federal Aviation Administration regulations are written in the blood of arrogant pilots. A healthy fear of planes, the weather, and random chance, makes for a long life for both pilots and their passengers.
We are motivated to live for Christ by the knowledge that God corrects those who disrespect Him! Next, let’s read Hebrews 10:32-35
Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession. So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
Motivation Through Overcoming:
Few things build motivation like overcoming our challenges and our limitations. The Continental Army experienced this after the victory at Trenton. As the saying goes, “nothing succeeds like success.”
The first time we experience challenges, however, we are like “a calf looking at a new gate.” We don’t know what we are looking at or what to do or where to turn. As we have success in our walk with God, however, we gain confidence in Him and in His work in our lives.
The story of Ruth in the Bible is well known, and it is a truly amazing one for her faithfulness to Her mother-in-law Naomi. Often overlooked is the fact that when Naomi lost her husband and her sons, she asked people to start calling her Mara, which meant bitter. However, as she and Ruth walked with God, He brought to her the ideas and concepts that led to Boaz becoming Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer. God brought her and Ruth a long way during their journey with Him.
We also see God’s people overcoming challenges in the New Testament. In James 1:2-4 the pastor of the Jerusalem church taught his congregation to,
Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
We can see this taking place throughout the New Testament: The Apostles were vastly more mature after the Cross and after Pentecost than before. Paul after being blinded on the Damascus Road became an asset to God’s people instead of a threat to them. John Mark failed during the First Missionary Journey, but later he became a useful member of Paul’s team and he also was chosen by God to write one of the four Gospels. Apollos was a great orator, but he did not fully understand the Gospel. But, after being confronted and instructed by Priscilla and Aquilla, he became a great champion of the faith. Timothy and Titus were both young in the faith when they were appointed by Paul to become church pastors, and both had their struggles. Paul had to write to both of them to encourage and correct and motivate them, but as they overcame challenge after challenge, they also became heroes of the faith.
Paul, himself was not a stranger to overcoming troubles, and what he learned from his experiences he shared with us in Romans 8:28,
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
We are motivated to live for Christ every time we see Him work out an impossible situation in our lives for our Good! Finally, let’s read Hebrews 10:36-39,
For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.
Motivation Through Hope:
The writer of Hebrews was quoting the prophets Isaiah and Habakkuk in these verses. Both of these men lived many years before the Advent of Christ, but they were still motivated to serve God. They were motivated by their hope that they placed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They had not yet seen the Messiah, but they were confident He would come for the consolation of Israel.
They knew God, the way that David knew his sling and trusted it. Among modern warriors there is a saying, “Beware the man who has only one gun.” This is because he knows it well and he is proficient with it. Isaiah and Habakkuk had only one God and they knew the hope that they placed in Him would never be disappointed. They could easily have sung the old hymn that proclaims,
For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able, to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day!
For believers today, not only can we read God’s Word, and not only can we observe God’s acts, but we also have His Spirit in our lives, motivating us from within. We are motivated to live for Christ because of the hope that He has embedded in our hearts!
Conclusion:
When it came time to sell our house in Alabama and move to Illinois, we were what the real estate community calls, motivated sellers. At the same time, we had a motivated agent who found us some motivated buyers. God brought us all together so we could agree on a deal that worked for everyone involved.
What motivates us today to walk closely with our Lord? If nothing above works in our lives, surely God’s love for us will. As John 3:16 reminds us,
For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
Really, when all is said and done, that is more than enough to motivate us to live for Him!
Every blessing,
Dr. Otis Corbitt
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