For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,
in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:10
Every American should be profoundly thankful for the great opportunities we have in this country—the most prosperous, powerful, and peaceful on Earth. But we are also aware of the equally great dangers of allowing those freedoms and opportunities to make us ungrateful, prideful, greedy, selfish, and indifferent to the needs of others who do not enjoy what we so easily take for granted.
The good life of America can lull us to sleep in our comfort zones to the degree that we accept selfish living as the best there is. Once we set up our housekeeping, vocations, and church life, we can miss God’s best for us. We mistake the “good life” for the “God life.” We become addicted to playing it safe rather than living dangerously for the Kingdom of God. It causes us to seek and settle down into what I call middle-class mediocrity.
Are you living within your limits or beyond your limits for the Kingdom of God? It is only when we live, love, and lead beyond our limits that His Holy Spirit manifests His power in our weakness, limitlessness in our limitations, sufficiency in our insufficiency, and ability in our availability.
True Christianity has always been radical! Authentic Christian living has always been dangerous. And we know that Satan is the angry, antagonistic, animating force behind all of this. Since he hates Jesus Christ, he hates His Bride, the Church. Since he cannot assault the exalted Christ, he constantly attacks His Church.
But, if we consciously choose to live dangerously for the Lord Jesus, what does it mean? Will it mean that I will always experience success in the Christian life? It all depends on how you define success. According to the New Testament, success in God’s eyes is defined by faith and faithfulness.
That’s the wonderful theme of Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter. There we walk through the faith “Hall of Fame” and read about the spiritual lives and exploits of the great patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith. People like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and David. Then we read their epitaphs: “Through faith [they] conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised” (11:33).
But it does not end there. As we continue our walk, we see another door marked “Others.” What does it record of them? They were tortured, imprisoned, persecuted, and mistreated (11:35–38).
Which group was the most faithful and successful from God’s perspective? Both! “These were all commended for their faith” (11:39). That means that the individuals in both groups lived dangerously for the Kingdom of God.
Whichever group God sovereignly chooses you and me to live and die in, we can have the confidence that Paul wrote about: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Go for it! Rush the enemy lines! Then attack the strongholds in your sphere of influence. Live boldly, proactively, radically, lovingly, and dangerously for the Kingdom of God. You will never regret it!