Dribble or Shoot

A few years ago I was having a conversation with an old friend about making a choice. We discussed the situation but at the end she concluded to this: “Listen, either you’re gonna’ dribble or shoot”. I’d never heard that expression before, but it led me to learn and come to a sober moment. A moment of decision to cut the games or keep playing. It was very decisive and it provoked me to get it together.

As I look around and see declarations over the year and hear countless stories of plans to do things and never getting to them, seeing the array of goal setting going on, that I too have participated in. I realize what’s holding us back is this: lack of faith. No fear, no second guessing, but going into assignments and carrying them out as The Lord leads. I believe (and will later expand on in a later post) that many of what people are lacking is follow through. It’s so many ideas, prophecies and heart felt actions that have fell to the ground due to this sickness called unbelief. Things will never get done with it, and things will never come into fruition with the very opposite attitude that pleases God.

In 2017 I was challenged with unbelief almost daily it seemed, but it all came down to this phrase: You’re either going to dribble or shoot. Meaning make the choice or not. Take the leap or not. Believe God or not, but there is no half-stepping, no in-between. I’m not here to give the impression that I was a straight shooter of faith every time I was hit with opposition last year, but I realized that I had to apply faith. I had to choose faith over fear despite it not being my first reaction. Persevering faith is rewarded.

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8: 37

I’ve been actively learning faith pleases God. Fear is comfortable. It looks like doing business as usual. It looks like shoving what’s possible to the back, and it doesn’t take any work but the consequences are great. Faith, though challenging, is rewarding. Faith isn’t just believing we can do it. Faith is followed up with the actions of sacrifice, endurance, planning, WORK and whatever else supports the assignment given to you by God.

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.- James 2:26

It was broken down to me like this before during a personal devotion: If God told me that he would provide for me to go to Ghana, but I never worked and saved, never asked others to sponsor me or did so much as get a passport. Then there’s a good chance I won’t be on a mission trip this time because I did nothing to match my faith with effort. (Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. - James 2:14-26)

Follow Through

Whatever you do, follow through. Your book could’ve been done by now, your business was supposed to start last year. Your plans of being intentional with your relationships have yet to start. Your CD was supposed to be out in the summer, but we waste our time dribbling destiny and coddling fear. I spent the last couple of years half stepping, and looking for a stamp of approval on what I KNOW the Lord told me to do. It’s because I let fear influence everything. Fear of man, fear of rejection, fear of failure, kept me in a box suffocated by unfulfilled dreams, sitting right next to my potential.

This is not a 2018 slogan for the year, but this is a real declaration to look fear, complacency and laziness in the face as the uncircumcised philistine that it is (1 Samuel 17:26). Yes it’ll be tests, yes what held us back before will come knocking at the door at a more opportune time but we have the Word of the Lord that shuts down any lie. So be encouraged! Don’t dribble, just shoot.

Until next time,

Jess