Touré Roberts - Risky Business

I want to talk about risky business. I want to discuss the fact that Kingdom Business—walking with God—is risky business. It necessitates you and me taking risks, and as I was praying for you while standing there, I was afraid that you might miss it because you’re not willing to take those risks. I want to draw your attention to a passage of Scripture in the Book of Mark, chapter 10, where a young man missed out because he would not take a risk. But the glorious thing about God—and the glorious thing about risk with God—is that what looks like a risk is really not a risk at all. It’s multiplication dressed up as a risk; it’s destiny disguised as an obstacle. I am just praying and believing—I’m decreeing—that every person under the sound of my voice will not be those who hold back or are afraid to take risks. I don’t want you to allow yourselves to be crippled by the fear of change or the fear of the unknown. I believe I am looking at a room full of risk-takers who will believe what God says, who will be filled with faith and victory, and who will take the necessary risks to walk out their purpose and destiny. I decree that over you: you will not be fearful; you will not miss anything; you will not lack anything. God is going to build you up. God did not give you a spirit of timidity but of power, love, and a sound mind. You are a force; you are unstoppable. You’re going to realize that everything God has created for you to lay hold of is within reach. Where are my people right now? You are committed! You might have to cry; you might have to press your way in; you might have to let go of some things or be single-minded, but you will lay hold of everything you are destined to possess. There is purpose in your breathing, and the reason for your breath is not just to breathe. The purpose of your breathing is because there is life within you. God placed things in you before He put you in your mother’s womb that must be birthed through you. You have to become radical and desperate, willing to do whatever it takes, whatever God says, because there are always instructions that necessitate hard yeses to lay hold of what God has for you. If you don’t get anything from me today, or as long as you live under my pastoral leadership, get this: the number one thing you must do is whatever God tells you to do, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Are you tracking with me? You’ve got to get that in your spirit. Now, let’s talk about this.

The backdrop of our text is this: Jesus is on the move. The Scripture states, «Now as Jesus was going out on the road, ” and we see the backdrop: Jesus has been healing people everywhere. His fame is spreading. He is laying hands on the sick and they are recovering; blind eyes are opening; He is preaching this awesome Gospel. People who were negative, broken, depressed, and in despair are now vibrant and full of life. They have hope. Those who felt hopeless now suddenly have hope; those who were on the side of the road, going nowhere, now possess sight and vision. They are walking, they’re moving—all this is happening around this man named Jesus.

So, it says, „Now as He, Jesus, was going out on the road, one came.“ Watch this; this is very interesting—“one came running.» He ran up to Jesus, knelt down before Him, and asked, «Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?» From the outside looking in, he appeared to be ready and willing to do whatever it took to tap into what Jesus was offering. It seemed like he was going to be Jesus’s number one disciple. He came running to Jesus, focused on Him, and said, «Hey, good teacher, tell me what I must do to get in.»

The Bible says that Jesus responded, «Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is God.» It is interesting because Jesus, in essence, does not deal with us according to who we portray ourselves to be. This young man is running up, likely thinking he is very spiritual and religious, approaching the Master Teacher and claiming he will do anything to follow. But Jesus looks at him and says, «You don’t even have it in you to do what you’re asking.» I’m going to get to the good part in just a second, but I love this. I love that Jesus is real because we often approach Him like Peter did. Peter said, «Jesus, I’m going to ride with you until the end. I don’t care if all the soldiers surround you with knives and blades; I’ll be with you.» Yet, when trouble arose, all we saw was elbows.