I noticed in my teenage years that God did not allow me to do what most of the teenagers around me did. Some of these were not sinful, but God would not allow me. One day, I asked God in prayers. His response supplied me an understanding I will never forget; “Son, I’m only protecting you and preserving you for my highest purpose.” I understood that boundaries are not bondage.
Friend, boundaries are not bondage. Actually, a boundless life is a life of bondage (Proverbs 31:1-9). When God wants to bring safety and stability to your life, He establishes the right boundaries. Failure to recognise such boundaries will bring unfathomable hardship that may wreck great destinies. The right boundaries will often come in the form of instructions, relationships, and restrictions (Proverbs 1:8).
When you check the scriptures, you will notice that every great man or woman in the Bible often starts out with specific boundaries placed on their lives by God (Judges 13:12-14). If you have no such boundaries, it may mean your destiny is not great enough. You don’t fight boundaries. You simply flow with them. This was why Jesus told Paul that he could not kick against the pricks (Acts 9:5).
You also cannot kick against boundaries that God has graciously placed around your life. Doing so will injure and damage your life (Proverbs 25:28). It was the boundaries that Samson kicked against that injured his life and damaged his destiny. It was the honour and respect that David had for boundaries that preserved him despite his weakness and carelessness (2 Samuel 12:1-13).
If the devil wants to destroy a man, he would cause him to downplay the right boundaries. Listen, this idea that you don’t listen to anyone would only make you self-destruct (Proverbs 5:1-3). Actually, everybody will eventually listen to someone, and it may not just be the person you should listen to. The man who refused to listen to his wife is listening to a mistress out there.
If you don’t listen to your parents, you will listen to the prison warden or the nurse at the hospital later on. It is wisdom for you to decide to listen to the right people (Proverbs 11:14). It is wisdom to listen by choice and not by force. The right voices are part of the boundaries in our lives. Moses had a Jethro. David had a Nathan. Jesus was subject to his parents at a time (Luke 2:51). Who do you listen to?
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria