Brother Kenneth Hagin, in talking about believers, once said:

“Bless their darling hearts and stupid heads.”

Sometimes I’m amazed at what comes out of the mouths of Christians.

I’m talking about people who love God with all their hearts.  People who are in church every time the doors are open.  People who will no doubt go to heaven.

But sometimes they say things that are not smart and they don’t even realize it . . .spiritually speaking, of course.

For instance. . .

“Well, I can’t do anything about my situation. . .it’s just the way things are.”

When I hear that statement. . .I wanted to shout out.

“Don’t say that!”

“Do you realize how spiritually ignorant and harmful such a statement is?”

“Are you listening to yourself?"

If you don’t open the door. . .you will never enter your new house.

If you don’t put the key in the ignition. . .you will never start your new car.

If you don’t’ get to work on time. . .you will never get your promotion.

If you don’t practice your musical instrument. . .you will never become an accomplished performer.

If you don’t tell somebody you love them. . .you will never know the blessing of love reciprocated.

If you don’t prove yourself as a faithful employee. . .you will never get a raise.

If you don’t study the text book and take good notes. . .you will never be a great student.

If you don’t accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. . .you will never obtain eternal life.

If you don’t show faith in His promises. . .you will never receive the benefit of his blessings.

If you don’t tithe and give offerings. . .the windows of heaven will never open over you.

If you don’t sow. . .you will never reap.

Your comfort zone is an enemy of your future. . .a hindrance to your success. . .a stumbling block to your destiny.

If you stay in your comfort zone. . .you will never leave nor surpass your current reality.

Here are seven ways to get out of your comfort zone.

1.      Realize Why You Are. . .Where You Are

If you’re working the same job. . .in the same position you were ten years ago. . .if you’re still paying off the same debts. . .it’s time for some self-examination on your part.

In the same way, if you are retired and are not actively involved in Kingdom business, it’s time for some self-examination of your life.

“We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.”  Max DePree

You’ve got to know why you are. . .where you are.

Is it fear?  Is it a desire to be comfortable in your surroundings and in the things you do on a daily basis?

If you don’t like where you are … why in the world would you want to continue living where you are?

Can you imagine how Moses must have felt?

The first time he tried to help his people he ended up on the backside of the desert.

Talk about discouragement . . .Moses had every reason to be discouraged.

He was going to change the world! He was going to create a better environment for his people!  He was going to make a difference!  But instead he was rejected by his people. . .exiled from power and lost his position of prominence.

Life as Moses had known it . . .was over.

The first 40 years of his life, Moses had been somebody.

For the next forty years of his life, he was a nobody.

I have taught the story of Isaac sowing in the midst of an economic famine and reaping a hundredfold return many, many times to audiences around the world.

I’ve spoken, taught and preached how God told Isaac in Genesis 26:2 to “. . . Go not down into Egypt. . .” more times than I can remember.

However, not so long ago, I was listening to a sermon on the subject and it stirred in me.

I wrote down exactly what the Lord was giving me at that very moment, and it is the outline for this message. . . “Seven Reasons To Stay Out Of Egypt.”

At a time when everyone else was following the world system by heading to Egypt to escape the economic hard times . . . God told Isaac to stay. 

Unfortunately, way too many believers follow the “wisdom” of the world when it comes to their personal finances as opposed to following the instructions found in the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.