Toure Roberts - Radically Focused

It’s what I’m going to be talking about today in this next installment of our «Evidence of God» series: radical focus. I believe that the believer who is going to be evidence of God needs to have radical focus, especially during these times. Let’s pray. Father, thank you so much for your word. Hallelujah! Thank you for this moment to learn, to grow, to understand, to receive impartation, to be equipped, to be edified, to be blessed, and to be touched. Thank you for this moment. We could be anywhere, listening to anything or watching anything, but you ordered our steps right here, right now, to this moment that we might eat and be made full. Thank you, Lord. I thank you for the spirit of wisdom, revelation, insight, knowledge, and prophecy, and for all the uses of the gifts so that your sons and daughters, whom you love so much, can be blessed richly. We thank you for bringing all of your resources to this moment so that we all might be touched in ways that transcend what we can create in our own strength and ability. We love you, and we invite you to sit on this message, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen, amen, amen, amen. Thank you, Lord.

People who are successful at anything are focused individuals. You can’t be successful without being unusually focused. If you look at anyone who has done great things—especially those who continue to do great things—you will find this trait about them: they are extremely and unusually focused. What we have to understand about focus is that it is not a standalone trait. In other words, focus is the byproduct of two things: discipline and self-control. To have focus, you need these other two things; you must have discipline and self-control in order to be focused. There is a word that has been translated as self-control in several places in the Bible, particularly in Galatians 5:22, where it talks about the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is also part of the evidence of God. I think we’ll probably get into that later on in the series. But one of the fruits of the Spirit is this concept called self-control. It is a word that has been translated as self-control, but if you look at that word and break it down, it’s deeper than just self-control; it helps to unpack what that means. It literally means inner dominion. So, the person who is going to be focused is not focused simply because they are focused; they are focused because they have mastered discipline and inner dominion.

To be focused is to acknowledge that there are many things going on around me. It is not that focused people don’t know or cannot see or perceive all those things that are happening around them. No, they recognize that there are many things happening around them, but they employ discipline and inner dominion so that they can stay in their lane, even the lane that will lead them to the fulfillment of their mission. Does that make sense? So, when you say «focus,» you are also saying that if you’re truly focused, what you’re really saying is, «I have discipline and I have self-control,» because you recognize that there are many distractions around you. However, if I’m going to be everything that God has called me to be, and if I’m going to realize my mission and my mandate, then I must lay hold of a vision so that I can stay in the lane that will produce everything that God has called me to produce. Are you tracking with me? Just put in the feed, «I’ve got a lane! I’ve got a lane! I’ve got a lane!» Say it! If you’re in the room, say, «I’ve got a lane! I’ve got a lane! I’ve got a lane!» I’m not going to get there randomly; I’ve got a lane!

In motorcycling, if you know me, you know I ride motorcycles—I just love motorcycles. And in motorcycling, where your eyes go means everything. Where your eyes go on a motorcycle means everything because there is a general understanding in biking that the bike will go where you look. Seriously! That’s why you have to pay attention when you’re riding a motorcycle; you have to pay attention to where you look. If you are afraid of going off a cliff and start looking at the cliff, guess where you’re going to go? You’re going to go off the cliff. So, the key is to always look where you want to go, not where you do not want to go. I think even for me, riding motorcycles has made me better at everything. I’m more focused now because you have to be; you can’t play around on a motorcycle—you must focus. The mature rider knows how to activate their peripheral vision to create what is called a wide view or a wider view, right? But it’s in your peripheral.

You all can do it too; you didn’t know you signed up for motorcycle school! But when you mature, you are still focused on the main thing, while also activating your peripheral vision so that you can be aware of any particular threats or hazards. However, your main focus—your predominant focus—is on where you’re going. Can I get an amen?