Motivation

Have you ever felt like the weight of the world is squarely on your shoulders, sapping your motivation to move forward? We've all been there, and in this heartfelt episode, we peel back the layers of that struggle, revealing how these challenges are not random setbacks but key components of a divine plan. Through personal stories and scriptural references to John 16:33 and Isaiah 41:10, we discuss the art of patience, the liberation found in letting go, and the absolute trust in God that re-energizes our spirits. As we share our own journeys, punctuated by heartfelt prayer, we aim to fortify your resolve with the understanding that through God, strength is not only promised—it's delivered.

Elijah's solitary venture into the wilderness is more than a biblical tale; it's a narrative that resonates with anyone who's felt the crushing blow of fear and isolation. This episode isn't just a recount of 1 Kings 19:2-8; it's an exploration of how solitude can be transformed into a powerful conduit for divine inspiration and support, especially when we're teetering on the brink of despair. We discuss how fear can trap us, diminish our motivation, and even deceive us into valuing material wealth over spiritual richness. By casting a light on these challenges and the enemy's sly tactics, we inspire you to seek motivation through your faith, with Jesus as the ultimate driving force in our earthly endeavors.

Chapters

• 0:18 Overcoming Lack of Motivation in God
• 16:56 Strength in Solitude
• 21:29 Overcoming Fear and Finding Motivation

Transcript

Jon: 0:18

guidance light family, welcome back. I love having you all. Let me ask you a question right out of the gate, have you ever said this is enough, I'm done, I can't anymore. You're not alone. Every hurdle you face has already been laid before you by God. Let's talk about motivation and how it can be affected by different things. I pray everyone has had a fantastic week filled with love, peace and reassurance that God is by your side. For those of you who are new to Guidance Light, welcome. Or for my abroad friends and family, bienvenido. Valkommen and failte! Thank you. To everyone returning to hear the next episode, it's a blessing to have you here to hear the word of God, so let's dive in and let's let his words continue to guide and lead us through day after day.

Jon: 1:18

Now, as we recap our journey from episodes 12 through 17 going into this one, we see that this series is interconnected and part of a bigger message. We started out by discussing how we lose patience and how that can cause us to lose our focus on God. This is often leading us through tough periods where everything seems to go wrong and we feel alone and isolated. During these times and through these events, god teaches us to stand back up and walk through these tough times, not around them, not in another direction, not in another direction but through it, with him by our side. And we, as creatures of habit, tend to cling to our past, never realizing we must let go of everything we're holding on to to see what Jesus has in store for us. His plans are better than anything we could ever come up with. All we got to do is trust in him, and today we continue that by discussing why the enemy takes your weaknesses and exploits them and leaves you lacking the motivation to do anything, because of either fear or doubt or other situations that may arise. Thank you for walking through these episodes with me. I want you guys all to know that they come from my personal experiences, and today is no different.

Jon: 2:59

Without the Holy Spirit's guidance, I wouldn't be here tonight recording this episode. So, in Jesus' name, I rebuke the enemy and all his lies, for I know in my heart that our God holds the victory. And if God commands me to shout and proclaim his love from the mountaintops, then that's exactly what I'm going to do, and I pray that today's message touches your heart, moves you deeply, fills you with the Holy Spirit and ignites your soul with a passionate love for the Lord. Healing, forgiveness, hope and salvation are just a breath away when sincerely sought from God through His Son Jesus. This is John, welcoming you to Season 1, episode 18.

Jon: 3:47

Let's pray. Father, you who sees all things, I ask that you please look my way today. Grant me the courage to abandon my will so that yours may take over, to abandon my will so that yours may take over, lord. I know that I'm no one to ask this of you, but I ask humbly anyways. I don't ask for myself, god, but for all of those who need to hear your love and feel your presence through the words that you've spoken. Please allow me a nobody to speak your words to everybody that is willing to listen, for, lord, you are worthy of all our praise, god, and I thank you for everything you've done for us and that you continue to do for us each and every day, even when I don't see it with my own eyes. Thank you, god, and I ask that you touch the heart of the person listening to this prayer at this very moment and make their heart leap and feel the presence of you, god, for where there are two or more Lord, your word says that is where you are, and we welcome you. We invite you to shepherd us and guide us as our voice of truth. Thank you for what you've done for us, for nothing we can do can ever repay your kindness and love. In Jesus' holy name, I pray, amen. All right, now that we went through that, let me grab a chair.

Jon: 5:34

Jokes aside, this episode is going to be interesting, to say the least, because not only am I speaking about motivation, I'm currently in need of some right now too. I'm struggling this evening and I know that it is an attack on my spirit, but I know that in Jesus' name, we can do this, I can do this, and I know that together we can do this. So let's start here. In the book of John, john, chapter 16, verse 33. Jesus says in the world, you will have tribulations, but take heart, I have overcome the world. That answers so many things that I look for every single day, because no matter how much I chase God, no matter how much I try to learn about God, it always seems like one trouble is leading into another and it's just beating me down over and over again. But when I read this verse, it's like God is saying, hey, don't worry about about it. I want you to know that these problems are going to come. They're not going to stop from coming. But rest easy, because I beat those problems and I know how to pull you through. Which then I follow that with the book of Isaiah, chapter 41, verse 10. It says 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 hand. So when I'm thinking about these problems and I'm thinking about what keeps beating me down to my knees and trying to keep me there permanently, I think of how powerful our God is and how he promises to bring me up to hold me in his hands. So I keep telling myself there's no reason to be scared. There's no reason to worry, because when I feel like I'm not strong enough, I can rest assured that in God, the strength that he provides me is enough.

Jon: 8:10

And how many of you out there listening today has ever experienced a lack of wanting to do pretty much anything? You just want to mope around all day long. You know, be called a couch potato, sleep it off, wait till the next day. Maybe today is just not your day, things are just not going right. There's so much to those stereotypical phrases that we don't quite understand, unless we actually dive into the word and try to understand what's happening in the spiritual realm. So what we're going to talk about today is super, duper important to dial in and understand that when we feel like we are down and it feels like everything that we want to do is not worth doing, that we often stop and call it depression.

Jon: 9:09

So I stopped for a second and when I was trying to figure out how to put this all together, I went on to Google and I said what exactly is depression? What is the definition of depression? So Google, with all its infinite wisdom, says that depression is a common mental disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It's funny that it's worded this way, because this is exactly what the enemy attacks. See, he wants you to think that there's something wrong with you, but there isn't, because God made you good. He attacks your mind, he makes you feel sad, and out of that sadness he takes away that motivation. He brings in what we also refer to as sorrow, gloom, misery, melancholy, and there's so many other words that encompass these feelings that the enemy uses to bring us down.

Jon: 10:26

But because we are the children of God, it's important to understand that the enemy is constantly trying to bring us down. We, without even realizing it, are in the middle of spiritual warfare. Now let me explain what I mean before I freak you out. This doesn't mean that someone's going to bust down your door. You know yelling that there's no physical per se danger in this warfare, but it can become physical if you let the enemy have his way. See, in another episode I cover the armor of God and how it's meant to protect you through these spiritual warfare battles that we go into.

Jon: 11:08

But I'm going to talk today about how the enemy is attacking, the motivation that is keeping you from doing that which God has willed for us to do. And in Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 12, it says for our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. Now you may be asking me what does this mean? See, the enemy is constantly looking to bring you down. He revels in the idea of seeing you down, crying and out for the count idea of seeing you down, crying and out for the count, and he continues to feed your mind, fueling that notion that you have no other option, or that maybe you're just not good enough, or that you don't need to get up, that the world is going to keep spinning and nothing that you do quite matters.

Jon: 12:13

See, this is what we feel when we lack motivation to do things. We just kind of sit back and say you know what? I really don't feel like doing this today, for whatever odd reason there could be a million and one reasons but when you really dial it down, it's the enemy who knows your weaknesses and he's exploiting them and he's using his all too often tools that can be temptation, sin, fear, mental attacks that end up in depression and could lead to hate, when everything that the Bible teaches us, everything that Jesus teaches us, is to love one another. All the things we experience when we find ourselves with what we call a lack of motivation Now, I know that what I mentioned before, with the sorrow, the gloom, the sadness, the melancholy, depression, all that stuff may not be a comprehensive list of what you may be feeling. That stuff may not be a comprehensive list about what you may be feeling, but I guarantee you that there is at least one symptom, and most of the time, a lack of motivation is what's leading us down a path that puts us further into depression, further into sin and further away from God. Depression, further into sin and further away from God. Sometimes we lack the motivation because we are afraid of the outcome. It may not be because you're depressed, it may not be because you're sad, but it's the enemy exploiting your weakness, and sometimes we're afraid of succeeding. Sometimes we're afraid of what happens if things go exactly the way that I think it will See.

Jon: 14:02

There's this wonderful poem called Our Greatest Fear by Marianne Williamson. That goes it is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is not our light, I'm sorry. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves that most frightens us. We ask ourselves who am I to be? Brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you, around you.

Jon: 14:59

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, shine. We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same as we are liberated from our own fear. Our presence automatically liberates others. See, the devil wants to snuff out that light, guys, that light in you that when you feel like you just can't find the willpower to get up and do something, I say that's when you should do it the most. And I want you to think that through, because the devil is attacking you for a reason. Think of it like a burglar or a thief. Think of it like a burglar or a thief. Ask yourself does a thief go into a home that is not worth robbing? No, a thief or burglar is going to go into a home that he knows that there's something worth taking. And just like that, thief is going into that home and taking something that is worth taking. The enemy is going to attack something that is worth stopping. The enemy has been trying to stop the spread of the good news of the gospel since way before us, which leads me to talk about the prophet Elijah and how he fled to Mount Horeb In 1 Kings, chapter 19, elijah for those that you may not be familiar with, him was a prophet that followed the covenants that was given to the Israelites through Moses.

Jon: 16:56

A lot of you may know it or may sound familiar as the Ten Commandments and in the book of 1 Kings, elijah is fleeing from Queen Jezebel, who is threatening to kill him, just like they killed every other prophet of the Lord. So let's dive into what scripture says, as we're going to read 1 Kings, chapter 19, verses 2 through 8. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow, I do not make your life like that of one of them. Now she's talking about. The gods that she follows are demonic. They are Baal, asheron and Molech. And she's saying that may the gods deal with me so severely if, by tomorrow, I do not make your life like one of them. So she's saying that she wants to kill him, kill Elijah, just like she has all the other prophets of the Lord.

Jon: 18:11

Now I'm going back into scripture here, and in verse 3, it continues by saying Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom. Bush sat down under it and prayed that he might die. I have had enough, lord. He said Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors. Now I'm going to pause for a moment and I want to recollect with you guys for just a moment and how we spoke in the episode of embracing solitude, how being alone sometimes is a tool that God uses us to bring us closer to him.

Jon: 19:04

Elijah was experiencing no difference here, and I'm going to read verse four again why it says while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, he came to a broom. Bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. And he said to God I have had enough, lord. He said take my life, I am no better than my ancestors. Then he laid down under this bush and proceeded to fall asleep. All at once, an angel touched him and said get up and eat. He looked around and there by his head, was some bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then laid down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you. So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

Jon: 20:19

See, in this stage, in this moment, elijah is so fearful for his life and he lays down under a tree after going straight into the wilderness, leaving his servants behind and going straight into the wilderness by himself, and lays under the tree and says God, nope, I'm done, I'm no good at this, I'm no different from my ancestors. Take my life, I'm no good, I'm done. I'm done doing this. And God offers him food, sustenance to give him strength through an angel and says get up and go, do my work. He's pretty much saying I know it's scary, but I am with you. I know the road you're going to travel is too much for you. So here's some food Eat. Let me give you strength, because I know you're going to need my help to make it through and I'm here for you. And this is what God is telling Elijah. He's saying get up, get going, I'm with you, I will give you the strength I'm going to lift you up.

Jon: 21:29

Elijah, at this moment, lacked the motivation due to being afraid. And how many of us find ourselves in the same situation, lacking motivation because we fear something. I've heard as crazy of stories of saying I don't want to go out because I don't want to spend money. God is a God of silver and gold. Don't fear, because if you fear what you may lose, that belongs to this world. I want you to know that God is there to take care of all your needs, just like he took care of Elijah out in the wilderness time and time again. And in this situation, he's out in the middle of the wilderness saying no, I'm done. Take my life, I'm done. Stick a fork in me. God's like no, you may feel like you're done. You may be down, you may be afraid, but don't be, because I'm here for you and I'm going to give you what you need for your journey. Now I don't want you guys to get me wrong here. I'm not saying guys, based off of this, to go to the mall and spend all your money, but what I am telling you is to start letting go of the fear that's holding you back.

Jon: 22:48

In the last episode, we talked about forgiving yourself. See, when we hold on to the everything that is causing us to have fear, or things that we're holding on to because we just don't think we're good enough, I want you to understand that that is the enemy throwing chains around you. He's throwing nets and ropes and things around you to tether you down, to hold you back, to keep you from getting up. And, in the name of Jesus, I proclaim that you are free from that, for I want you to know that our God is a chain breaker and in the book of Isaiah, chapter 54, verse 17, it says no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. There's nothing that the enemy can do to you that God can't nullify, that God can't say hey, don't worry about it, I can take you out of that. I can save you from the pit of your despair. I can pull you out from the deep. All you got to do is reach up for me. I have you by the hand and not only will I pull you up, I will carry you. I will make sure that what you have, you have all the tools you need.

Jon: 24:15

You don't need riches, you don't need what the world has to offer. For in the book of Matthew, chapter 19, verse 24. It says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God. What is that telling you? That you don't need riches to enter into the kingdom of God? As a matter of fact, if you're rich, it may make it harder for you. Why, you may ask? It's because the more wealthy you are, the less you rely on God and the more you rely on what the world has to offer. And that's not what he wants. He wants your focus on him. He wants to be the one to provide for you. He wants to be the one to provide for you. And what better, or who better to provide for you than the one who's made everything around you? I know that I wouldn't want anyone else on my team. If God is backing me, there's nothing that I cannot do.

Jon: 25:28

So going back to Elijah, elijah didn't want to keep going, if that's not painfully obvious at this point but out of obedience he pushed past the fear and gave his problems to God, he let God give him the strength that he needed and because of that, he was able to find the motivation to travel for 40 days and 40 nights all the way to Mount Horeb, where he, in the Bible, witnessed God's awesome power. And because he found that motivation in God not necessarily within himself, but in God God guided him to find and bring forth the next prophet, which is a man named Elisha Not Elijah, guys, not to be confused it's Elisha and Elisha went on to do wonderful things. See, the enemy knew that God had a purpose for Elijah and he was doing everything he could to stop him from making it to where God wanted him to go. He was trying to stop him from doing everything God had willed for him, and I want you to understand that. This is an important aspect to understand, because the enemy is doing the same thing to you. See, when you find yourself needing motivation, I want you to look up to the sky, to keep your eyes focused on the Lord and let him be your motivation, because he is the end. His power is going to push you through whatever challenge, change or obstacle that you're feeling or going through. So when you feel like something just isn't worth doing, or you just like I can do it later. What's left for later stays for later. Or maybe you feel like there's no reason to start. Remember that Jesus is that reason, that when we do things that is not of our will, but of God's will, that we are fulfilling our role. That's why, when we pray, we say your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So I don't want you to.

Jon: 27:59

I want you to take something from this episode. I want you to know, and go prepared, that the enemy is trying to trick you into thinking that what he is robbing you of is not worth the effort of paying attention to, it's not worth the effort of accomplishing. He's pretty much sticking his hands in your wallet, stealing your money and saying hey, don't worry, the paper that I'm taking out is not money. Don't pay attention to what I'm doing. Attention to what I'm doing Now, when you look down and you say wait, but what you're taking is my resources. What you're taking is what I need. Well, jesus is all you need, and that's what he's trying to take from you. Don't, don't let him Go in.

Jon: 28:52

Every single day, wake up Saying thank you, god, for this is another day that I have to be able to honor you, to be able to follow your will. Lord, and even though the enemy rises, lord, even if he tries To take away my motivation, lord, even if I don't want to do something, lord, give me the strength to be able to make it through. Lord, give me the strength to be able to jump over those hurdles, to be able to go through that storm. Lord, and give it to me, because I want to be obedient. I want to know that what I'm doing is honoring you in all that. I do so this week, between now and episode 19,.

Jon: 29:44

I want you guys to dig deep down inside yourselves again and I want you to go out somewhere that you're by yourself, and I want you to pray and I want you to say God, this is what I've been wanting to do, I just haven't found the time nor the will to do it. Lord, if this is your will, grant me the strength to be able to accomplish what you have for me. Help me cut out what's not important, lord, have for me. Help me cut out what's not important, lord. Help me navigate through the treacheries that the enemy is throwing at me, through the traps that he's putting in before me, lord, help me navigate those waters, God, so that I can make it to where you want me to be. Lord, let the actions that the enemy is taking my motivation away be the actions that plant the seed so that the fruit of my actions honor you, Lord. Help me be more obedient. I've learned that I need to forgive myself. Because you've forgiven me, I know that you don't see my past anymore, lord. Now help me face my future. Help me face tomorrow, because in you, lord, I know that all things are possible.

Jon: 31:17

So, as we come to the close of this episode, I always like to go into prayer. So pray with me, and it doesn't have to be what I say. Prayer is a conversation that you have with god, with our father. It's your direct line to him. You don't need to say what I say. You say what comes to your heart, what's in your heart, because that's what our father wants to know. He knows what's in your heart already, but he wants you to voice it out of obedience to him. Find that motivation to say what you have to say to him.

Jon: 31:52

So let's bow our heads for just a moment and say, father. So let's bow our heads for just a moment and say, father, I know that your word says to trust in you and sometimes, god, that proves to be so difficult because I constantly fall into traps that the enemy lays before me. And, lord, when I'm down, it's so hard to find the will to get back up, it's so difficult to move past my own thoughts. Father, help me trust in you with all that I have, with all my heart, and help me be more obedient. And whatever it is that you will of me in my life, help me let go of my own will. Help me push that out of the way, lord, so that you can reign in my life and everything that I do, so that I can serve you through and through every single day of my life. And in your name, lord, I proclaim that I believe in your words and that I know that no weapon that the enemy has forged against me shall prosper. I believe that you hold the victory in everything that this world has to offer and I know that I'm your child. God, help me get rid of my fears, lord, for I know they are not of you. And though my path is nothing like your prophet Elijah, lord, let my actions be fruitful. In your name, in Jesus' holy name, I pray Amen.

Jon: 33:38

And maybe some of you have never gotten to know Jesus. Maybe some of you have never asked God to save you, and it's such a simple prayer. So bow your heads and pray after me if you've never asked God to come into your heart. God, I come to you today full of sin and shame. Lord, I know that I am a sinner, god, and I know you sent your Son, jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sins and resurrect three days later. I ask that you come into my heart to be my Lord and Savior, so that I may follow you all the days of my life. In Jesus' holy name, I pray Amen.

Jon: 34:26

If you were bold enough to say that prayer, I want to be the first to welcome you to God's family, for you are now a brother or sister in Christ, our Heavenly Father. I want you to know that in Luke, christ, our heavenly father, I want you to know that in Luke, chapter 15, verse seven, it says that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need repentance. So I want you to know that right now, at this very moment, there are choirs of angels rejoicing over the choices you made today and, if you haven't heard it yet, I am proud of you. I also want to welcome you to Guidance Life, where our focus is on our Heavenly Father, god.

Jon: 35:07

We have multiple platforms, guys, that we push daily content into to remind you that God is Lord and he isn't all we do. We are on Instagram, facebook, spotify, apple Podcasts and so many more platforms. We also have a website where you can do cool things like submit prayer requests, send me emails, even purchase Christian merchandise and or catch up with the latest episodes, tied with some transcripts. Our excitement is to serve the true living God, and that knows no bounds in us as we are working through him and for him to fulfill the vision that he has given us. I will say this that if you're listening today that I am still in need of all your help, because this channel will not go far without the support that you guys continually give. Please lend me a hand by sharing the content with friends and families, for it goes hand in hand with a mission that God has for us, and that's to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Jon: 36:09

This could be the moment, right now, that God is calling you to help guys, so don't ignore it. May God bless each and every one of you to the fullest and deliver you from whatever storm you may be going through. His trials are hard and sometimes it feels like you're alone and the silence is deafening, but I promise you his grace will never leave you stranded and his voice is never as far as it seems. Thank you again for everything you guys are doing. May God continue to bless you and guide you through the storms. This is John, with Guidance Light, signing out with all the love in the world. See you, guys, next week.