The Ripple EffectSample

DAY 3 — Sink the Ships

Scripture:

“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead... You can never please God without faith, without depending on him.”
— Hebrews 11:1, 6 (TLB)

In 1519, Hernán Cortés landed on the shores of Mexico with 600 Spaniards, approximately 16 horses, and 11 boats. The Spanish conquistador and his men were about to embark on a conquest of an empire that hoarded some of the world’s greatest treasures.

Instead of charging through cities and forcing his men into immediate battle, Cortés stayed on the beach and awakened the souls of his men with fiery speeches. But it was just three words he murmured that changed the history of the New World. As they marched inland to face their enemies, Cortés ordered: “Sink the ships.”

No Plan B to fall back on. No safety net. There was no exit strategy. The men trusted their leader and believed they could win.

Is God asking you to believe in Him enough to “sink the ships” and remove all possibility of turning back? When David faced Goliath, he trusted God by faith; when Daniel was in the lion’s den, he did the same. Moses, Abraham, Joshua, and even Jesus trusted God by faith. When faced with the impossible, they didn’t turn back.

To reach your full God-given potential, you must raise the level of what you believe is possible with God. Don’t let unbelief limit you. God may want to do more through your life than you realize or imagine—and if you set your sights on something less, you could miss it.

“Limited thinking limits your possibilities.”
— Hal White