Last night, we had the opportunity to listen to the preaching of Carl Lentz, Pastor of Hillsong NYC, at Forward Student Conference who shared a message that really hit me where I was at in my personal walk and life as a follower of Jesus.  In this message, Pastor Lentz used the story of Samson from the book of Judges to share about two poisons that can kill the destiny that God has for us if we are not careful.  The first poison he shared about was the poison of COMFORT.  At our church we make a huge deal about the fact that there is nothing “comfortable” about following Jesus the way He truly desires to be followed, so although it was good, I felt like we were and had been on the same page with what Pastor Lentz was saying for quite some time now, which I am very thankful for.  Then he began to share about the poison of “finality” which to be honest I had never really thought of or heard preached before.

In dealing with the poison of finality, Pastor Lentz began to deal with the fact that we can never get to the place in our lives where we think it is over.  He used the story of Samson to show that even after he had laid his head in the lap of Delilah and she had cut off his hair, which was the place where Samson found his strength, that it wasn’t over.  Judges 16:22 says, “But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.” Notice the emphasis on the “but” in this scripture.  There were some very key things that Pastor Lentz shared in dealing with this that I want to just share with you if I can.

• If you ever get to the place in your life where you think it’s over, (finality) it’s not over, because Jesus is with you!
• The Devil didn’t anoint you or call you and he sure can’t take the anointing or calling that God has place upon your life from you!

You see, so many times in life we find ourselves at this place.  It didn’t go the way we thought so there’s no chance now.  Or maybe it is taking longer that you expected so now you don’t feel as if it will ever happen for you.  Maybe you feel as if you have laid your head in the lap of sin and because of it you feel no hope, and that there is no chance of turning your situation around.  Well, I’ve got some good news.  It is not over!  So don’t quit dreaming.  Don’t quit pursuing.  Don’t quit loving, reaching, making disciples or whatever.  Pastor Lentz said this last night as well, “Don’t forget how to dream.  Once you quit dreaming you do not really see how you should live.  Maybe for you, just like it was for me, it is time to move beyond your struggle and failure, and realize that it is not over and that it is time to dream again!