Hands Off the Brakes by Rev. Ron Rawls

Devotional

Day 1: Letting Go of What Explains But Doesn’t Define

The past may explain your scars, but it cannot script your future. Like Paul refusing to be shackled by former achievements or failures, freedom comes when we stop letting yesterday’s narrative write tomorrow’s chapters. Those lumps and bruises testify to survival, not limitations. God’s promise isn’t bound by what’s behind you—it’s ahead, waiting for hands unclenched from old weights. Progress begins when explanations of where you’ve been yield to anticipation of where God is leading. [03:23]

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What story from your past have you allowed to define you? How might releasing it create space for God’s new narrative?

Day 2: Squeezing Brakes While Praying for Movement

Fear masquerades as caution, gripping the brakes even as we beg God for momentum. Like the man terrified to release the bicycle’s handles, we sabotage our progress through white-knuckled control. Faith thrives not in perfect certainty but in surrendered motion—trusting the One who steers. Every “what if” we clutch blocks the “what could be” God envisions. Forward motion starts when we uncurl our fingers. [15:10]

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
(2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you white-knuckling control instead of trusting God’s grip? What one fear can you release to Him today?

Day 3: Faith With Boots On the Ground

Faith isn’t a spectator sport. It’s calloused hands and dusty sandals—the disciples stepping out of boats, Paul planting churches amid persecution. God’s promises aren’t trophies to admire but fields to plow. Pressing forward means doing the work even when the roadmap’s unclear. If you’re waiting for heaven to hand you a finished blueprint, you’ll miss the miracle of walking by firelight. [08:55]

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
(James 2:17, ESV)

Reflection: What God-given vision have you reduced to daydreams? What practical step can you take this week to “put boots on it”?

Day 4: Leaving Comfort to Reach New Altitude

Comfort zones become cul-de-sacs when God says “move.” Like the pastor resisting leadership promotions, we cling to familiar soil while God prepares new ground for greater harvests. Growth demands trading the security of known streets for the adventure of divine detours. Your present position isn’t wrong—it’s just not final. Pack light: the best soil is often found beyond the fences we’ve built. [12:16]

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
(Isaiah 43:19, ESV)

Reflection: What familiar place, routine, or role might God be asking you to release? How could obedience create space for His “new thing”?

Day 5: Riding Without Seeing Every Turn

Faith is pedaling toward promises when the road curves beyond sight. Like the cyclist finally releasing brakes, trust flourishes when we accept that God’s guidance often illuminates just the next meter. You don’t need the full itinerary—just willingness to follow the One who mapped the journey. Wobbling doesn’t mean failing; it means learning balance mid-motion. Keep rolling. [19:01]

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What unknown in your journey causes you to brake? How can you shift focus from the unclear path to the unchanging Guide?

Sermon Summary

Paul refuses to let yesterday control where God is taking him. Philippians 3:13-14 puts the whole thing plain: forget what lies behind, reach for what lies ahead, and press toward the prize of God’s high calling in Christ Jesus. The past may explain where somebody has been, with all the lumps, scars, failures, and hard lessons, but the past does not get to determine where somebody is going. Yesterday’s failures cannot cancel tomorrow’s possibilities, because God is still doing a new thing.

Fear also works like a brake. Fear makes people hesitate, doubt themselves, and question whether they can handle what is ahead. God may send somebody toward a promised land without showing every turn in the road, every resource, every connection, or every answer. Faith begins right there, when somebody trusts God without seeing the entire journey. If God sent them to it, God can take them through it. Jehovah Jireh still provides what is needed when God says, “Go.”

Faith cannot stay in the realm of good intentions. Paul presses toward the prize, and faith requires movement, work, and feet on the pavement. Faith without works is dead. God may call somebody out of familiar places, comfortable circles, or even a position that feels good, because a new destination sometimes requires leaving the present position. Christianity is teamwork, not an individual sport, and God multiplies what happens when people use their gifts, skills, and talents together for the kingdom.

The bicycle picture makes the warning clear. A man wanted to learn how to ride, but every time he got on the bike, he squeezed the brakes because he was afraid of falling. He wanted to move, but he kept doing the very thing that stopped his movement. Denise kept telling him, “Baby, take your hand off the brakes.” God gives people another opportunity, opens doors, and places callings on their lives, yet fear, failure, habits, and other people’s opinions can keep their hands clutched around the brakes.

Paul calls God’s people to release the past, release fear, and press forward in faith. The road may be difficult, the journey may be long, and somebody may wobble, stumble, or even fall. But falling does not mean they are finished. A setback does not mean defeat. God’s grace is sufficient, God’s strength is made perfect in weakness, and God is not finished yet. The past is behind, purpose is before, and God is walking beside those who keep moving.

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Key Takeaways

1. The past explains, but does not determine. Paul’s call to forget what lies behind does not mean pretending the past never happened. The scars, mistakes, and disappointments may explain the road already traveled, but they cannot write the destination God has prepared. Yesterday can become a teacher without becoming a prison. [03:23]
2. Fear becomes a brake on faith. Fear often sounds reasonable because it asks whether there are enough resources, support, intelligence, or certainty for the road ahead. Faith does not require seeing the whole journey before taking the first step. God’s command to go carries the promise that God will provide what is needed along the way. [05:40]
3. Faith requires movement, not intentions. Good intentions cannot replace obedience that puts feet to the pavement. God’s promises call for action, work, and a life that acts like God can truly do what God said. Faith is not merely talking about the destination; faith starts moving toward it. [08:05]
4. New destinations require leaving familiar positions. Comfort can become a quiet form of resistance when God is calling somebody into greater responsibility. God may move a person from what feels safe because the next assignment requires gifts that have not yet been used. A present position can become a limitation when God is calling somebody forward. [11:18]
5. Falling does not mean finished. The bicycle may wobble, and the rider may fall, but neither moment means the journey is over. Grace calls people to get back up, get back on the bicycle, and keep moving. God’s purpose is stronger than a setback, and tomorrow’s destiny does not have to be ruled by yesterday’s disappointment.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - Forgetting the Past and Pressing Forward
[02:55] - Release Your Past
[04:43] - Release Your Fears
[07:11] - Press Forward in Faith
[08:55] - Leaving Comfortable Places
[10:00] - A New Destination Requires Movement
[11:18] - Changing Positions for God’s Purpose
[13:23] - The Bicycle Story
[15:10] - Hands Off the Brakes
[17:28] - Stop Holding Yourself Back
[18:28] - Release, Trust, and Keep Moving
[19:20] - Grace for the Difficult Road
[20:24] - Moving Forward in Purpose
[21:16] - Triple Dog Dare to Trust God

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Philippians 3:13-14
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” [00:04]

James 2:17
“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” [08:22]

2 Corinthians 12:9
“But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” [19:55]

Observation questions

In Philippians 3:13–14, what three actions does Paul describe as he pursues God’s call: regarding what is behind, reaching toward what is ahead, and pressing toward the prize? [02:19]
What kinds of things were named as “brakes” that can keep a person from moving forward—besides fear itself? [19:32]
According to James 2:17 and the message, what is missing when faith stays only at the level of good intentions and never leads to action? [08:18]
What picture does the bicycle story give of someone who wants to move forward but is still afraid of falling? [15:16]

Interpretation questions

Paul says he has not already achieved the goal, yet he keeps pressing forward. What does this show about the place of humility and perseverance in the Christian life?
What does it mean to “forget” what lies behind without denying the real scars, lessons, failures, or achievements of the past? How can the past be a teacher without becoming a prison? [03:28]
If God does not always reveal every turn in the road, how does faith differ from simply acting without wisdom or preparation? [05:54]
Why might leaving a familiar position, circle, or role sometimes be necessary for a believer to use his or her gifts in a new way? [11:36]

Application questions

What part of the past has been acting like a brake in your life lately—an old failure, regret, hurt, success, habit, or someone else’s opinion? What would it look like to release it to God rather than let it direct your next step? [19:32]
Is there a door, opportunity, conversation, ministry role, or decision that you have been praying about but hesitating to step into? What fear is making you hold the brakes? [17:45]
Where do you need to put “feet to the pavement” this week? Name one specific action that would match what you say you believe God is calling you to do. [08:22]
Have you become comfortable in a place, routine, relationship circle, or position that may be keeping you from growing? What might it mean to trust God enough to move when He is calling you forward? [10:00]
When you have wobbled, stumbled, or fallen spiritually, how have you usually responded—by getting back up or by deciding you were finished? What truth about God’s grace do you need to remember right now? [19:01]
Christianity is teamwork, not an individual sport. What gift, skill, or strength has God given you that could be used to help the church or serve others alongside fellow believers? [11:54]

Sermon Clips

37s

#MovingForwardInFaith

“You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you know who holds tomorrow in his hand. And if God brought you through yesterday, he can carry you through today and lead you into tomorrow. Somebody shout, I'm moving forward. I'm moving forward in my faith. I'm moving forward in my purpose. I'm moving forward in my calling. I'm moving forward because god is not finished with me yet.”

37s

#KeepMovingForward

“I'm going to keep on moving. When fear tells me to stop, I'm going to keep on moving. When trouble tells me to give up, I'm gonna keep on moving because my past is behind My purpose is before me, and my god is walking beside me. Greta Bethel and friends, hands off the brakes. The road is ahead of you. Hands off the brakes. God grace is with you.”

18s

#GodSaidGo

“God, I don't have the resources to do all this right here. God, I don't have the intelligence to do all this, Ray. God, I don't have the support to do all this right here. God, I don't have the network to to do all this right here, but you know me, god says. I told you to go, now go.”

29s

#LeaveThePastBehind

“it's important for us to release our past. Come on. The past is just that. It's it's the past. And we gotta be willing to release our past. There's some things that we've done that we're not proud of. There's some things that's happened in our lives that were not for the better, but it's the past. It's behind us, and we have to be willing to release Yeah. The past. Paul says, we must forget”

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