Dharius Daniels - You Won't Be Able to Move Up, if You Don't Know How to Move on

And you want them to go to places and spaces, and you’re trying to drive people to a place in space they don’t have an appetite for. It’s frustrating. I can’t do what I’m attempting to do in you with people around who are constantly reminding you of who you were. Did you hear what I just said? He’s saying, «Abraham, for you— I’m not saying this is the case for everybody— but for you, your success is going to require some separation. There are some people who aren’t ever going to let you be Abraham. They liked Abram; they’re stuck with Abram. They love Abram, even though Abram is an inferior version of you. They love Abram, and you don’t. Did you hear what I just said? You do know some people love a version of you that you don’t love, right? Come on now, let’s be honest. Some people loved you when you didn’t love yourself. Some people loved a version of you that you couldn’t love, and that you didn’t love.

In Genesis 12, God says to Abraham, „What I need and want to do in and through you requires me to separate you from previous influences. You need new influences; you need to be exposed to different pictures of possibility.“ This isn’t saying that where you come from is inferior; it’s just saying it’s no longer necessary. Some people have to get this because you won’t be able to move up if you don’t know how to move on. Did you hear what I just said? You won’t be able to move up if you don’t know how to move on.

So, do you remember when God told Abraham, „Get away, Abram, get away from here“? You remember that, right? Okay, so this is what Abraham did. I don’t know how we missed this, but we missed it—he partially obeyed. He left, but he took some with him. I’m in the book, guys; I’m in the book. Genesis Chapter 13, Verse 5 says, „Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds.“ Lot was not his son; he hadn’t had any sons yet—there is no Isaac, there is no Ishmael. Lot is his nephew. So, God says, „I want you to leave.“ He left but just took something with him because everyone we love isn’t assigned to the land where we’re going to land.

I don’t have time to deal with this, but you don’t have to say Amen—especially, uh, and don’t tell on yourself in the chat, but just wink at your boy or something if you know what it’s like to deal with the frustration of trying to drag people to a level they don’t want to go to. Okay, y’all are bold in here in New Jersey, like, „Yes, yes, no, no, no.“ Have you ever dealt with the frustration of seeing potential in people that they had no desire to tap into? And so, God’s trying to take you to places and spaces, and you want them to go to places and spaces, but you’re trying to drive people to a place in space they don’t have an appetite for. It’s frustrating.

So here’s what happens, though: Abraham doesn’t see the immediate impact of his actions. He didn’t know that what Lot once saw as an act of kindness and generosity would at one point become something Lot felt entitled to. We have to pause and talk about the emotional epidemic of entitlement. It is ubiquitous; it is everywhere, in every demographic and every socio-economic status. You have people that have everything and feel entitled and people that have nothing and feel entitled. Entitlement is when you go above and beyond what is required, what is reasonable, and what is warranted for people who are only appreciative until the next time that you have to give them a „no.“

Entitlement ingests in children and parents. Entitlement can show up in marriages, friendships, and even in church. Am I making sense? Entitlement can show up in work relationships. And Abram doesn’t see the immediate consequences of his actions until they get to a certain place and space where the land could no longer support them both because of their growth.

Genesis 13, Verse 8 says, „So Abram said to Lot, 'Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, between your herdsmen and mine, for we’re close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go left, I’ll go right; if you go right, I’ll go left.'“ See, what’s happening is Abraham’s flocks are growing, and so are Lot’s. Now, the land can’t support both their tribes and flocks; there’s not enough space, and it’s creating tension because growth creates tension. Did you hear what I just said? Growth doesn’t just solve problems; growth creates problems. Growth not only gives us a revelation of what we do want; it also gives us a revelation of what we don’t want.

We can no longer tolerate what is unsuitable or inappropriate for us. Now, watch this, guys—I love what Abraham does here; it’s so wise. He says, „In order for us to keep the peace, I need to adjust my proximity.“ You know he’s saying, „We can’t stay this close and stay cool.“ This is a complete reframing. Are y’all here? He wants you to catch this. He’s saying the adjustments that I’m making aren’t a problem; I need to make these adjustments so…