Say Yes to Conviction!Sample

People in John 6, started following Jesus wherever He went, but Jesus saw beneath the surface, He knew that people were not following Jesus because they loved Him but because he was providing food for them. So they wanted the benefits that came from being around Jesus but they really didn’t want to do what Jesus was doing. They came not for Him but for what comes along with Him. He looked at them and said, “You came for bread—but I am the bread.”

Let me repeat that, Jesus said, “I am the bread.”

These guys, they didn’t follow Jesus for Jesus. We do the same today.

We go to church for community, not Christ.
We follow faith for prosperity, not obedience.
We go to church for the opportunity and to gain that social capital that we crave.
We always have our agenda.

This means that we labour for the food that perishes (John 6:27), not for the food that endures. And when Jesus told them that He is the eternal bread and He tells them to eat of his flesh and drink his blood, they didn’t get it! It was obviously strange and hard to understand!

You may say, I am doing all that a normal church-going Christian does, what else am I supposed to do?

You may say that I serve, I tithe, I am showing up and all these things… but Jesus still says, that those are perishable things! He's asking us to eat him…

When Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” He was offering Himself. In a world hungry for success, satisfaction, fame, and comfort – He pointed beyond the temporary bread that fills our stomachs but leaves our souls starving without purpose and fulfillment. We wanted solutions and miracles, but Jesus gave meaning, He was offering fulfillment. They wanted provision, but He gave presence.

To “eat His flesh” was about receiving Him fully, intimately, dependently; an invitation to a kind of faith that dwells on Him (truth), and lets it nourish every part of our being. The bread of this world spoils—whether it’s success, relationships, popularity, money, or validation. But Jesus says: “Whoever feeds on Me will live because of Me.” This is not fast food faith—it’s covenant communion. A daily dependence. His body broken so that your soul can be whole. Faith consumes JESUS—it eats it. It makes Him your life source.

And sometimes, we don’t get it either, like the people in John 6. I know, and I have been there… I just want the solutions without having to go through the communion of the covenant bread. We want the blessing but not the belief. We want the fruit but not the faith.

Jesus is saying:

If you want my provision, you have to take my presence.
If you want my peace, you have to take my process.
If you want my bread, you have to eat me.

It was offensive to those who were hearing Jesus, they were not happy with what they were hearing… Jesus was asking from them something they had not understood and had never done before. Of course, when was the last time we ate someone's flesh and drank someone's blood? I do not even understand what Jesus was thinking! It is a hard thing! And many people left him on that day because I think they thought Jesus was crazy or something! And when Jesus saw the people were leaving, He turned to Peter and asked him, “Peter, are you going to leave me too?”

I want you to see something very powerful here.

Personally, I don't think Peter understood anything that Jesus preached either… about eating his flesh and drinking his blood… HAHA! Yes, I think Peter was as dumbstruck as the other Jews who left that day… but Peter showed resilience and demonstrated faith.

Peter said something so powerful: “Lord, where else can we go? You have the words of life.” (John 6:68)

My Translation: I don’t get it, but I’m not leaving.

That’s what God is looking for, not perfect understanding, but persistent staying. Staying even when your faith makes no sense to anyone around you. Just remaining in the presence… laying hold on eternal life, fighting the good fight of faith, pressing on and not letting go!

So what now? You cannot say yes to your calling until you say no to the crowd. You cannot say yes to clarity until you say no to confusion. You cannot say yes to growth until you say no to comfort.

So today—say no to what’s pressuring you. Say no to schedules you didn’t ask for. Say no to voices that don’t know your destiny. Say no to a life that looks good but feels dead.

Because you’ve said yes to something better:

Yes to faith.
Yes to Jesus.
Yes to the work of God in you.

And if you stay the course, if you walk this faith even when it’s costly, even when it’s lonely—He will be your strength, and He will be your reward.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” – Psalm 19:14

David here is saying that he wants to be pleasing only in His sight. I want you to understand that David was a king and he needed to please the people and yet he's rejecting them and he's saying ‘No, I want to please God who is my strength.’

He's rejecting his chariot. He's rejecting his army. He's rejecting his wealth, and he is rejecting everything that is around him and he's saying, ‘The words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart must be acceptable in God's sight.’ We cannot forget how David spoke to Michal, his wife when she commented on his dancing too… David wasn't afraid of demonstrating his faith.

I want to ask you. What are you willing to say no to from today?

Say no to that biriyani your friends want you to come out for.
Say I will text you later, I have some work (faith) to do.
Say no to the wrong relationship you’ve been in.
Say no to the family that's pressuring you to do something that's misaligned with your conviction.
Say no to distractions.
Say no to explaining yourself to people who don't get your faith/conviction.
Say no to the networks that do not mirror your highest beliefs.

John C. Maxwell says, "Learn to say 'no' to the good so you can say 'yes' to the best"

Finally, now that you’ve gathered the courage to face up to the people who are around you and tell them “NO” don’t look for confirmations in people!

Follow your convictions! The Lord will lead you! He will guide your steps! Pray daily, read the Word, eat the flesh, drink the blood – be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and in due time, you will rise up! In due time, the fruit of your labour will be undeniable! The work of your hands - unquestionable! The words of your mouth will be esteemed with great respect!

Then, you will thank me for writing this small Bible plan!!
HAHA!! AMEN!!

Go on, list 10 things that you will say no to from now on!

Stay.
Believe.
Say No.

Remember, only when you identify what you have said yes to, can you start saying no! Whether it is a lifestyle choice, a faith choice, a financial choice, a growth choice or whatever it is! If your choice and desire are in the scope of your faith, and a choice made from wisdom and in good character… then..

1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.