“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of a short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him…….” (Luke 19:2-6)
A limitation is defined by the dictionary as something that confines, restrains or bounds. In the journey of life, limitations will come and say to you thus far you can go, and no further. Limitations, if not challenged will lead to stagnancy, frustration and non-achievement of dreams and aspirations. For the Israelites to possess their promised land, they had to break limitations set for them by their enemies. Below are some ways to deal with limitations:
Be determined: In the above scripture, Zacchaeus’ height was his handicap of achieving his goal of seeing Jesus, but because he was determined, he fashioned out the way of climbing the sycamore tree. He realized his dream despite his limitation. When there is a will, there will always be a way.
Gain insight: Zacchaeus name means purity in Hebrew. As at the time he was desperate to see Jesus, Zacchaeus, a tax collector was a sinner and even labeled sinner by the society (Luke 19:7). He must have had some insight about his name, identity and destiny that propelled him to seek Jesus. God doesn't deal with us based on our conditions but rather based on our conclusions. What insight do you have about your destiny, potentials, abilities and purpose in life? Gaining insight by being born again, and taking time to enquire about you from the Holy Spirit will turn you to a barrier breaker. Zacchaeus also had insight about his abilities. He could run and also dexterous in climbing trees. He ran ahead and climbed the sycamore tree. He used his gifts and talents to overcome his handicap. Scripture reference: Ephesians 1:15-21
Engage prayer: Persistent prayer is like boiling water in a pan on a stove. Initially, no feasible change occurs but as long as the water remains on the stove, the temperature starts changing. By the time the temperature hits 212 degrees, the water expands and turns to steam. The first power engines were powered by this phenomenon. Prayer when engaged through the word of God and persistently is powerful. The Bible says it is a dynamic force (James 5:16-18, Amplified). The man Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 broke limitations set over him by prayers.
Network Appropriately: We don’t succeed in isolation. We need other people’s resources, wisdom, connections, efforts, etc to break limitations. A very sick paralyzed man was brought to Jesus and couldn’t gain access to Him because of the mammoth crowd surrounding Him. His friends who brought him on a stretcher overcame this barrier by breaking the roof of the house Jesus was and lowered him right in front of Jesus. Because of a network (or community) of good friends, this guy overcame. The Bible says it’s better to have a partner than do it alone (Ecclesiasates 4:9-11, Message).
Trust in God’s Mercy: “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy” (Romans 9:16). To break limitations, divine assistance is a must. And God will give assistance to those who trust in His mercy, and desires to glorify Him and not themselves.
CONCLUSION: Zacchaeus and his household received mercy because he sought the Lord Jesus (Luke 19:8-10). Anyone who is being marvelously helped by God is enjoying His mercy.
As we embrace Jesus and choose to grow in Him, we become barrier breakers through Him (Psalm 18:28-29).
Have a blessed new month.
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
www.rccgpittsburgh.net
http://gboyegae.blogspot.com
