Philippians 3:7-8 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ. Stretching requires sacrifice, discipline and focus. Unfocused stretching will weaken ligaments, destabilized joints and cause long-term soreness. Similarly, spiritual stretching must be steered by a clear vision and concrete goals based on the Word of God. Stretching is the price we pay for success and significance. God did...

Isaiah 54:2-3 Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Myles Munroe said that “the graveyard is the richest place on earth”. It is filled with books that were never written, songs that were never sung and ideas that were never shared as people were afraid of failure and rejected. Unfulfilled potential and lost opportunities and creativity is a result of rigidity. Those who fear...

Joshua 10:12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies. Stretching beyond our comfort zone builds resilience overtime. When stress is perceived as an opportunity to stretch and grow, resilience is built. Challenges in life that would normally paralyze will become a thrust to rise higher when the ‘negative energy’ of stress is converted into the ‘positive...

Matthew 17:19-20 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” We can only grow to the extent we are willing to stretch. Stretching it is not pleasant but is absolutely essential. Spiritual stretching is also not warm and welcoming. It requires stepping out of our comfort-zone however, only in the...

Esther 4:16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Stretching improves mobility around joints and keeps them healthy. Stretching reduces stress on tendons and ligaments. The analogy of stretching before exercising to remain healthy and fit also relates to spiritual stretching. Spiritual stretching increases faith, teachability and progression. Esther, as...

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Stretching avoids hurting our muscles and tendons. It helps in preventing injuries by gently lengthening the muscles and warming-up the tissues. Stretching improves blood flow relaxing tense muscles. Warm tissues handle stress better than cold, stiff tissues. Spiritual stiffness causes injury to the soul. Callousness to God’s instructions will cause a spiritual muscle tear. The best way...

2 Kings 6:1-2 The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” Stretching before exercise prepares the body, muscles, joints and nervous system for physical activity. It increases flexibility and warms-up the muscles. Athletes often perform better when they stretch beforehand. Stretching improves movement and flexibility which in-turn results in strengthening and development of the muscles. Likewise spiritual stretching is vital...