This week as I was asking how to follow up on our series on the supernatural the Lord kept bringing me back to a scripture I had read late last week. The written word or Logos in Hebrew instantly became Rhema or the living word as the Holy Spirit illuminated it to me one morning in my devotions.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

12 Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,

2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

There is much speculation as to the author of Hebrews but we do know that who ever it was they were well acquainted with old and new testament men and women of great faith. Some of those sited were Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah and Rahab. He saw the living testimonies of those who had walked in faith as a cloud of witnesses whose stories surround and encourage us.

The Greek word nephos, translated “clouds,” has an additional meaning that is very exciting when understood in this context. In ancient, classical Greek times, the word “clouds” was used to describe the highest seats in the bleachers of a stadium. The seats at the very top of the stadium were called the clouds because they were so high up in the air. If you had gone to a sports competition with a ticket for one of these seats, your usher might have said, “Your seat is in the clouds today.” This meant you’d be seated in the highest row available in the bleachers. The testimonies of those who have fought the fight of faith before us surround us on every side and are high above to encourage us in our own walk. They are cheering us on from the highest seats! The last few weeks as we watched the winter olympics I told Dave there were probably a lot of little girls begging to be signed up for skating lessons! Why, because when we see someone else do something spectacular we believe it is possible for us to do the same!

Since the beginning of this year I have been reading testimonies of men and women used by God as they stretched their faith muscles and walked in the realm of miraculous for healings, deliverance and bringing powerful messages of freedom and life to those in need. With each new movie, book or u-tube story my desire to be used of God grows as well as my belief that I could be used in the same way! Here we go again, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the “preached” word of God! This is really what the author of Hebrews is saying. Look up, look back, look all around you at others who have placed their faith in God and be encouraged to do the same.

However, he goes on to add to this incredible inspiration, intentional obedience. He says look at yourself and  strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us.

When I read that I knew that I had to ask the Lord if there was any unnecessary weight I was carrying. Well the answer came instantly.  He said, sure the weight of worry you picked up yesterday…Ouch. Then in my minds eye I saw a person with a canvas bag slung over their shoulder. With each new “weight” tossed in it became more difficult to walk forward…the load just gets too heavy to bear let along run a race packing that sack. Then of course there is the sin issue.  Sin cleverly clings to us and entangles us. It wraps around our ankles and we find ourselves trapped. It can be anything, judgement, greed, gossip, sex, substance abuse and the list goes on. Satan is not picky, where ever he finds our weakness he will come in with temptation to trip us up. That is why we have to ask what weight Lord, what sin might be holding me back from this run you have laid out for me? Once identified we are then able to throw it off and step out of it. Repentance creates for us the freedom to get on with the race.

Once we have dumped the weight and untangled our feet we are able to re-focus our eyes and attention. Are we being distracted? Again, I loved watching the skaters as they prepared for their 3 to 6 minutes on the ice last week. We saw them with headphones in practicing their routines on and off the ice. There were even a few near misses as they drew too close to each other without paying attention to each other. They were not distracted, their entire focus was on what they were about to do. Athletes are focused, they have to be.

We have a great advantage over the olympian athlete. We not only have those who have gone before us to inspire us we have Jesus, who is not only our greatest example to follow but who actively assists us as we run! He is constantly working with each of us to bring our walk/run of faith ( which is unique to each of us) to perfection!

Jesus saw in the spirit realm the prize that was before him. He knew that the extreme cost he would be paying now was worth it because he could see ahead. This gift of perspective gave him the patient endurance and steady and active persistence to go the  appointed course God had set for Him. As we look to Jesus He too will show us our appointed course and give us the faith to endure, be patient ( of that can be hard…) and strengthen us to persist in our own race.

It may seem that I have diverted from the topic of the supernatural but I have not. As we step out of sin and let go of weights God has not called us to carry, as we seek His direction for our own appointed race and are encouraged by others who have done the same and walked in the miraculous I absolutely believe we will see miracles happen.