The Point of No ReturnSample

The Point of No Return

Years ago, when the Lord first called me and my family to move to the USSR, I nearly fell over at the thought! At the time, a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit was sweeping across that region of the world, and what was possibly the largest door for the Gospel to enter Russia in more than 1,000 years had just swung wide open. The Lord spoke to my heart and told me that because of this open door, the need for solid Bible teachers was imperative and immediate. And while I could certainly understand that, I was stunned and somewhat aghast at the thought of leaving everything I knew behind.

It wasn’t a lack of faith or distrust in God that created those shaky feelings within me. Rather, it was the profound awareness that God was calling us to do something far bigger than ourselves—something we’d never done before and that we surely couldn’t do without His help. I felt completely and utterly dependent on Him and fully aware that without His help, we would fail.

Stepping out in obedience to fulfill the call of God and doing something you’ve never done before can be scary—not because you’re certain you’ll fail or believe God will prove Himself unfaithful to help. It’s daunting simply because you’ve never done anything like it before. And as you take those steps of faith, you will eventually approach a moment when you realize you can’t turn back.

In that moment, that past is gone, and the only remaining option is for you to press forward to accomplish the will of God. The prospect of entering into unknown territory can make you feel a little shaky inside. You may feel all kinds of conflicting emotions. It might even feel like an earthquake in the pit of your stomach. And after all the years of praying for this moment to come, you realize it has finally arrived! Reality will strike hard and fast. You might wish you could turn back the clock and think about it for a few more days, but that is no longer an option.

When God calls you to “break camp” and move your tent to higher ground—into a new, unfamiliar realm of obedience and faith—at first, it may seem challenging or even frightening. Once you conquer those initial feelings of fear and establish your obedience in your new realm, you will be ready to settle into God’s ordained place for your life and develop an evolved level of peace and trust in Him!

If this lesson resonated with you and your season, my prayer is for these words to ring true and encourage you on your path to fulfill your God-given calling. Remember, the point of no return isn’t a bad thing—it could be your sign to take that leap of faith and follow His plan!

Perhaps your time to step out in faith has finally come—a time when you have reached the point of no return!

Study Questions:

1. What can you do to cooperate with God as He leads you to fulfill His plan for your life?
2. What type of change do you tend to resist the most?
3. Can you recognize certain thought or behavior patterns within yourself that emerge when God begins to steer you outside of your comfort zone?