Laying Aside the External Weights

​As previously discussed, throughout Christianity there have been many who allow various things or people to hinder their race of life, but especially their running with Jesus as their Savior.  Hebrews 12:1 states, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”.  At first glance, this verse encourages getting rid of everything that would keep one from running a race for God, but the depth of meaning can be easily overlooked if not studied.  The word weight in this verse is defined as a burden, hindrance, or mass protruding from a surface.  This explains that the weights keeping one from running properly can be external or internal.  With some of these weights overlapping in the internal and external, it displays how easily some of the external weights can birth internal weights.  External weights could be shame, confusion, bad habits, lack of confidence, guilt, deception, worries, and fear.  These external weights can be defined as things placed upon a person by an outside force but are allowed to remain for carrying.  When a Christian allows these external weights to make them stand still or go backward, they are forfeiting the things God has for them and possibly their entire race.  Every Christian must die daily to fleshly desires to run the race (1 Corinthians 15:31).  Some people in life influence bad doctrine or bad behavior by placing external weights on God’s people (1 Corinthians 15:33).  Christians must choose to lay aside these external weights to continue running their race.  God’s people are not supposed to walk in the same manner as non-believers (Psalm 1:1) because the Christian’s delight should be in the Word of God (Psalm 1:2).  Not every spirit or person speaking within the life of a Christian speaks good things.  Every voice must be judged to determine its origin (1 John 4:1-3).  The proper method to overcome external weights is to be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:1-2).  The goal of weights and sins is to hinder every Christian who does not lay them aside.  The spiritual enemies of one’s faith ensure there are plenty of weights coming from the external but also influenced to be birthed as internal.  Using the Word of God regarding any of the external weights is the best method to lay down these weights and cut the strings that would keep the weights from detaching.  Here are some Bible verses for each of the mentioned external weights to help overcome them and run the race.  Shame (Isaiah 61:7; Romans 10:11; Romans 1:16; Psalm 37:18-19; 1 John 2:28), confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33; 2 Timothy 2:7; 1 Peter 5:8; John 16:13; Proverbs 28:5), bad habits (Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 4:12; James 1:14-15; 1 Corinthians 6:9-12; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20), lack of confidence (Proverbs 3:26; Hebrews 13:6; Romans 15:13; Hebrews 10:35-36; Hebrews 4:16), guilt (Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1; Luke 15:7; Psalm 103:1-12; Hebrews 9:14), deception (Colossians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Proverbs 28:26; James 1:26; Titus 1:9), worries (John 14:1; 1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:25-34; Romans 15:13; Hebrews 11:1), and fear (2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 10:28; Isaiah 41:10; 1 John 4:18; Joshua 1:9).  This list is not exhaustive but can be a resource to start laying aside the external weights that hinder a person from running their race for God.  May Christians everywhere lay aside these weights and obtain victory through Jesus Christ.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.