Take the governor off!

The other day I was told to “take the governor off & be excellent” … I didn’t know what that meant because I didn’t know what a governor was (Other than the British term for boss.) It was explained to me that it’s the device that’s placed on a car engine to prevent a car from going too fast. 
As Wikipedia explains it: A governor, or speed-limiter, is a device used to measure and regulate the speed of a machine, such as an engine.

Two words in that definition stood out to me:

1) SPEED-LIMITER: Those are words that I DON’T want describing my character.

2) REGULATE: God didn’t create us to be regulated… He created us to be free & run the race set out for us!

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

The things of this world ARE what hold us back. The governors that hinder us from running with perseverance are the materialistic things, emotions towards people & situations, our past disappointments, struggles, addictions, and our inabilities. Pastor Steven Furtick said it best when he said: “What is the thing that holds you back while God is trying to move you forward.” THAT is the governor!

The thing that was eye opening to me was the fact that I had just had a conversation with somebody else the previous day pertaining to this. I told the person that I felt that God had placed this strength inside of me that I don’t necessarily know what to do with, I don’t know how to get it out or even know how to handle it; so I stuff it away & hold it back.

It got me thinking & the question I then asked myself was “so HOW do I take the governor off?”

My answer: Stop following the law & follow me (Jesus) …the law can’t change you. God sent His son, not the law! The law brings feelings of defeat, of never measuring up, and failed perfectionism…God sent Jesus for us to LOVE Him, to be loved BY Him, to keep our focus ON Him. He changes us & breaks the chains. Don’t be held back by trying to reach for perfectionism. Do what YOU can’t do, what scares you, what intimidates you the most. Don’t back away or shyly walk into a situation, RUN BOLDLY, head on towards whatever it is that tries to hold you back or make you want to hide. Ruin the devil’s game of hide & seek! The enemy is counting to 10 while you run around trying to find a place to hide, heart beating, panicking that you can’t do it, won’t make it, aren’t capable, aren’t able, too this, too that…worrying that you won’t find a place to hide before he opens his eyes to come & get you.

God wants you to stand boldly, not hide. He wants you to completely spoil the devil’s game & run boldly towards whatever it is that He puts before you. Don’t allow the enemy to make you cower. God called you to something, trust Him to protect you there. He’s got your back, He has a plan, His outcome is even better than you can possibly dream up yourself. Not saying it will be easy, pretty or even turn out the way you think. My Pastor said today “bad situations that happen to us are not “detours” they are MILE MARKERS”…they are places that we remember Gods faithfulness in our lives, where we get to see Him move, experience His love, comfort, provision, protection & capability. We get to hold on to those moments when we are standing boldly on uncertain ground.

When you stand boldly the enemy will get bored because he has nothing to play. Don’t feed into his schemes…don’t allow him to defeat you, or debilitate you…take the governor off, put into play all God has taught you thus far & watch all that He can accomplish through your unhindered spirit.