Marching in Place
A.W. Tozer challenges listeners to arise from spiritual stagnation and move forward in faith and obedience, warning against false solutions that only lead to more stagnation.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the need for spiritual progress and warns against complacency in the Christian life. He illustrates how God sends leaders like Moses and Luther to awaken us from our stagnation, urging us to move forward into the abundant life He has promised. Tozer critiques the tendency to settle into routines and distractions, such as starting clubs, instead of genuinely seeking revival and growth. He calls for a collective awakening to God's call to action, reminding us that true change requires commitment and a willingness to leave our comfort zones. The sermon challenges believers to reflect on their spiritual journey and to take decisive steps toward fulfilling God's will.
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God in His conscending love and kindness often sends a Moses, or maybe a Joshua or an Isaiah, or in latter times a Luther or Wesley to show us that the work of the Lord is not progressing. Times are bad in the kingdom and getting worse. The tendency is to settle into a rut, and we must get out of it. The time has come to arise and go on from here because God's will is as broad as the land He gave to the Israelites--"in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates" (Deuteronomy 1:7). . . .
I am quite sure that when the man of God thundered, "You have stayed long enough in this place. You are going around in circles. Get you out and take what is given to you by the hand of your God," nobody got up and said, "Mr. Chairman, let's eat something." Eating probably would not have helped. I am quite certain that they did not get up and say, "Let's take a trip," or "Let's start another club." Starting a club is another reaction we have when we find ourselves in a rut and realize we are no taller than we were five years ago; we are no farther along than we were five years ago; we don't know any more than we did five years ago; we are no holier than we were five years ago.
We simply met ourselves coming around. If a song could be worn out, we have worn out the same old song: "Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love." We have sung that one and nobody means it--nobody will pay the price. But we go around and around, and all we see is the other fellow's heels just ahead of us. All the fellow behind us sees is our heels. We go around and around the circle, and somebody says, "Let's start a club now."
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Stagnation
- The Call to Move Forward
- The Dangers of False Solutions
- Eating, taking a trip, or starting a club will not help
- These reactions only lead to more stagnation
Key Quotes
“You have stayed long enough in this place. You are going around in circles. Get you out and take what is given to you by the hand of your God.” — A.W. Tozer
“If a song could be worn out, we have worn out the same old song: 'Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love.'” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Recognize the tendency to settle into a rut and stagnate in your spiritual journey.
- Be willing to arise and take what is given by God, moving forward in faith and obedience.
- Avoid false solutions such as eating, taking a trip, or starting a club, and instead seek true spiritual growth and revival.