What is Holding You Back?!!!!

By Dr. David Ajeigbe

Whenever humans are going through difficult times, they should realize that God is always ready to rescue them from their predicaments. However, humans have short memories; they soon forget how bad things were for them before God's rescue. Therefore, instead of moving closer to God, they perceive a smaller problem as being bigger than the ones from which God had saved them. God is always faithful, and He never changes at all. He expects all to put their trust in Him since He is able and eager to solve human problems according to His will. The Lord is great, and so is His faithfulness. God demonstrated His great love to all humans that he allowed His son to be sacrificed to save them all. Christ gave so much importance to human life that He gave His own life to save theirs. Therefore, there should be nothing to hold humans back from doing His will or from achieving the best that God has in store for all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798891570368

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What is Holding You Back?!!!!

Dr. David Ajeigbe

Copyright © 2024 Dr. David Ajeigbe

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2024

All Scripture, unless otherwise stated, is taken from the New American Standard Bible version of the Holy Bible.

ISBN 979-8-89157-022-1 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-89157-036-8 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Is Looking Backward Holding You Back?

Is Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Holding You Back?

Is Your Countenance to the World Holding You Back?

Is What-If Holding You Back?

Is Doubting Holding You Back?

Is Richness Holding You Back?

Is Poverty Holding You Back?

Is Prejudice Holding You Back?

Is the Perception of You by Others Holding You Back?

Are Excuses Holding You Back?

Is Fear of Failure Holding You Back?

Is Fear of Success Holding You Back?

Is Lack of Hope Holding You Back?

Is Procrastination Holding You Back?

Is Lack of Priority Holding You Back?

Is Lack of Foresight Holding you Back?

Is Laziness Holding You Back?

Is Regret, Guilt, or Shame Holding You Back?

Conclusion

About the Author

Introduction

Commander Perry coined the phrase, We have met the enemy and he is us, to Commodore Perry after the Battle of Lake Erie in 1812. ¹ Another statement like this is, You are your own worst enemy. God is betting with you. A family once told the story of their kids who like to bet on almost anything. The kids do not trust their siblings, and one always want to challenge the other's veracity on truth by trying him or her to participate in a betting situation for money. One of the kids would be talking to his or her sibling about a material fact on a subject and the other would say, Bet me five dollars [$5] or certain amount of money to show that you are right. If the other is wrong, the one who is correct would collect the five dollars ($5). The older the kids got, the bigger the amount of the bet grew. Their parents did not sanction such practice with the fear the kids would grow up to become gamblers. However, when it comes to the issue with tithes and offering, God invited humans into a betting game with Him.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this, says the Lord of armies, if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. (Malachi 3:10 NASB)

Simon Brandl stated, "I think this is one of the major issues in western culture. Humans strive for the respect of the people around them even though they may be nothing like them. This is a sort of conformity that stifles the individual's character, twisting and warping them into a less happy productive good person.

Is Looking Backward Holding You Back?

When the Israelites looked backward, they did not appreciate the miraculous delivery God gave them from their bondage in Egypt. Instead of appreciating God's deliverance and nurture, they allowed the troubles of the moment to distract them from following God in hope and giving glory to Him. Although when they were in great suffering in the land of Egypt, they cried unto God, He heard their cry and came to their rescue.

And the Lord said, I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. So, I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. (Exodus 3:7–9)

Whenever humans are going through difficult times, they should realize that God is always ready to rescue them from their predicaments. However, humans have short memories; they soon forgot how bad things were for them before God's rescue. Therefore, instead of moving closer to God, they perceive a smaller problem as being bigger than the ones from which God had saved them. This was the case with the Israelites when they painted a rosy condition of their treatments in Egypt. Not only did they not praise and bless God, but they blamed Him and were ready to stone Moses and Aaron, who were the instruments of God, to get them out of bondage in Egypt. The Israelites did not show any appreciation of God's goodness to them but rejected Him and His messengers.

And all the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them, if only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness! So why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? So, they said to one another, Let's appoint a leader and return to Egypt! (Numbers 14:2–4)

Instead of appreciating God's mercies on them, they wished that they had died either in Egypt, or on their way in the wilderness. They preferred to go back into bondage in Egypt rather than taking their problems to God. Slavery was preferable to them than the freedom God gave them. They held themselves back from God and preferred to die or being under human bondage.

When the Egyptians, with their king and army, pursued them, God saved them by destroying the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. God provided them with food and protection throughout their journey from Egypt (Numbers 14:2–4). What a privilege humans lose by looking backward and holding back from God. Paul warned about going back to the bondage from which Christ has saved all.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

The Israelites rejected God, did not stay firm, but were eager to go back into bondages. Humans are prone to forget bigger problems which God has saved them from, but they are quick to allow smaller problems to consume them so much. They forgot God who had saved them from previous bigger problems; therefore, instead of running to God, they ran away from Him. They thus allowed the present problem to hold them back from God. Backward-looking holds a person hostage, but forward-looking propels a person to a better future. Backward-looking is like worrying about spilled milk, nothing could be done about it, but it could hold a person back from moving forward. If a person has had a bad experience with marriage, friends, job, family, and other human relations, the best thing will be to take it to God and to leave it at the foot of the cross. Any other human solution could create further problems, thus depriving a person of enjoying the present relationship. An example could be seen when a divorced individual continues to look at the relationship in the present marriage with the prism of the previous marriage. It could deprive an individual in the current marriage relationship of the full attention and consideration needed to make the present marriage a success. If such backward-looking continues, the present marriage could end up in a divorce, thus creating another hardship and the difficulty of being able to form a happier and lasting relationship.

But Jesus said to him, No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)

If you have been wounded by others in the past, stop nursing your wounds, but take your wounds to the greatest physician who could heal your wounds. You are not good enough a physician, and you do not have adequate resources to heal your own wounds, but you need to take all to God who is the greatest physician for your cure. In one of His discussions, Jesus pointed out those who need a physician.

But when Jesus heard this, He said, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. (Matthew 9:12)

And hearing this, Jesus said to them, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Mark 2:17)

And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners." (Luke 5:31–32)

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)

Jesus stated His purpose for coming to the world by talking about those who need Him. Just as sick people need physicians to cure them of their ailments, so are humans in need of Christ to save them from themselves because all the thought of humans are evil and wicked every day, and it is only through the washing of the blood of Christ could they be healed. It is only through their surrender to Christ that they could be cleaned from their wounds into a new life in Him. Previous bad experiences could become a hindrance to the present or future relationships, if not let go and let God take care of them. Are there previous experiences which you are holding on to which are preventing you from enjoying the present and future relationships? If so, take them to God and relieve yourself of the baggage which is holding you back. Tomorrow will be better if you let the baggage of yesterday and those of today go into oblivion. Put your trust in God, and all will be well. God is always faithful, and He never changes at all. He expects all to put their trust in Him since He is able and eager to solve human problems according to His will. The Lord is great and so is His faithfulness. The lyrics of the song below confirms the Lord's greatness and faithfulness:

Great Is Thy Faithfulness, O God My Father

There is no shadow of turning with Thee

Thou changest not, Thy compassion, they fail not

As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father." (Thomas Obadiah Chrisholm)

God is omnipresent, unchangeable, forgiving, and provides guidance to all. His mercies are renewed for all every day. He gives strength for each day, and He provides hope for the future; therefore, humans should not hold themselves back from God. God expects human to be glad and rejoice in the day that he has created. At times, it might appear that there is nothing to rejoice in, but if humans could count their blessings and name them one by one, they would appreciate what the Lord has done and move closer to Him instead of holding back from Him. Humans should appreciate each day that the Lord has made and rejoice in it.

Beautiful Day

The heart is a bloom

Shoots up through the stony ground

There's no room

No space to rent in this town

You're out of luck

And the reason that you had to care

The traffic is stuck

And you're not moving anywhere.

You thought you'd found a friend

To take you out of this place

Someone you could lend a hand

In return for grace.

It's a beautiful day

Sky falls, you feel like

It's a beautiful day

Don't let it get away.

You're on the road

But you've got no destination

You're in the mud

In the maze of her imagination.

You love this town

Even if that doesn't ring true

You've been all over

And it's been all over you.

It's a beautiful day

Don't let it get away

It's a beautiful day (Ooh, ooh)

Touch me

Take me to that other place

Teach me love

I know I'm not a hopeless case.

See the world in green and blue

See China right in front of you

See the canyons broken by cloud

See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out.

See the Bedouin fires at night

See the oil fields at first light

And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth

After the flood all the colors came out.

Day, Day

Day, Day

It was a beautiful day

Don't let it get away

Beautiful day.

Touch me

Take me to that other place

Reach me

I know I'm not a hopeless case.

What you don't have, you don't need it now

What you don't know, you can feel it somehow

What you don't have, you don't need it now

Don't need it now

Was a beautiful day. (Jermaine Edwards, Rushawn, and The Kiffness)

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you, so that we confidently say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5–6)

God knows the need of every person, and He surely provides according to the needs of everyone. However, God expects every human being to look unto themselves and not to others to give Him glory for what He has done for every individual. Looking unto what others have could prevent humans from glorifying God for what He has provided. The parable of the talents is a vivid example of looking at others instead of appreciating what God has provided. In the parable, one servant received five talents, which he doubled; another servant got two talents, and he doubled them as well, but the servant who got one talent did nothing with it but buried it. The servant with one talent set his gaze on what other servants got, and instead of praising his master, he buried the one talent. He was ungrateful because he was looking at others (Matthew 25:14–30). Looking at others did not allow him to realize that there were other servants with whom he worked who did not get any talent from their master. It is the same with humans when they set their attention on the blessing of others and becoming blinded to what God is doing in their lives. Instead of praising God for what they have received from Him, they pulled back from Him. Whatever a person does not have at a particular day or time, the person does not need it then, and God will readily provide for every individual as the need arises. God expects humans to be contented and grateful with what He has given them day by day. Looking backward could be dangerous for human beings as seen in incident with Lot's wife, who looked back when God commanded her not to look back. She looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. But Lot's wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). Looking backward does not allow humans to deal successfully with the issues of the day while depriving them of fulfillment and enjoyment of the future. One could ask the question: Is looking backward that bad? There is no straightforward answer to such question. However, the answers could be double-sided, depending on what an individual makes of it.

The negative aspects of backward-looking have been enumerated above, but here are some good aspects of backward-looking. To increase an individual's dependence, trust, and reliance on God, backward-looking might be necessary. When one looks back at what God has done for one in the past, there could be the assurance that God would do more for the individual with the present situation. Such backward-looking proves the character of God as being ever present