Sacrifice Your Fence

Do you have an area of your life where you sit on a fence? I believe that we all have such an area. We regard it as a place of safety, but it is not. We yearn for it to keep fear at arm's length, but all it does is keep away any hope. We sit on the fence because not sitting on the fence means that we must make a decision one way or the other. If we get off the fence, we will be forced to commit to something. We will either believe or not believe. We will either have faith or not have faith. We will either accept or reject. We are afraid to commit because we might be wrong. On the other hand we are afraid to not commit, because we might be wrong. So we are imprisoned on our fence. The fence has not become a place of safe retreat, but it has become a jail. What we might not realize is that staying on the fence is really a choice. It is a choice to remain in bondage instead of discovering freedom.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit,” Paul imparts, “and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). The Holy Spirit will liberate me from my fence, but I must be willing. I must choose to let go of its false protection, and make a commitment to believe in His faithfulness. The fence does not protect me. It is a place where non-commitment will destroy what little faith I have.

Before his death Moses spoke to the Israelites and instructed them to choose prosperity and life instead of destruction and death (Deuteronomy 30:11-15). They had remained on their fence afraid to go into their promised land, but now was the time for them to choose. Not stepping out on faith to claim their promise was choosing death over life. Choosing to get off their fence and move into their promise was going to cost them something. They would have to overcome the barriers to their promise. Letting go of the fence means that we must face our own giants. But we do not face them alone. Just as the Israelites moved forward in faith with God's protection, so will you, and so will I. Getting off the fence does not mean that I will fail. It means that I have chosen to trust Him and His promises. It means that I have chosen life.

My promised land waits. Yours waits. It is a land where walking by faith in God's faithfulness is all that we need. It is a land where we face the unknown with the assurance that all is well in His protection and providence. “Choose life,” the Lord pleads, “the land is waiting for you to enter and possess it!” The ability to choose life rests within your heart, but it is only discovered in making a commitment to believe in God's faithfulness to you. 

Choose to believe in His faithfulness to you, and let go of your fence. He will not fail you. He will carry you through pain, fear, and doubt to your own promised land because you have chosen to believe in Him. Faith comes as a result of great sacrifice. Sacrifice your fence, and trust in Jesus Christ who sacrificed all for you. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).