25_02_01 -Ep.349 – Run With Horses Podcast – What is hindering your spiritual growth? Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Author pages with links to all books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCSDDVLB – James Norman Smith https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BMGW51FW – Susan Jane Smith — **(28:00)** Today I’m asking the question, “What is hindering your spiritual growth?” We have all the resources we need, God is doing His part, so why do we still struggle? Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a follower of Jesus. The spiritual life is both incredibly simple and potentially the most difficult part of your life. God invites you to live intentionally and on His mission. It’s very cool that we can do that together! Thank you for joining me today! “If you’re new here, you can check out past episodes at runwithhorses.net. As always, I appreciate your feedback, questions, and reviews!” **(27:00 – 23:00)** Caregivers Corner **(23:00 – 0:00)* * PART 1 There are several common hindrances to spiritual growth that Christians face. These obstacles can be internal or external, but all of them can slow or even stagnate a believer's growth in Christ. 1. Lack of Biblical Knowledge and Study 2. Neglect of Prayer 3. Unconfessed Sin and Lack of Repentance 4. Worldly Distractions and Priorities 5. Lack of Discipleship and Church Community 6. Spiritual Laziness or Lack of Discipline 7. Unbelief or Doubt 8. Fear of Man or Persecution 9. Spiritual Warfare 10. Pride and Self-Sufficiency Overcoming These Hindrances To grow spiritually, Christians must be intentional about: Developing strong spiritual habits (Bible study, prayer, fasting, worship, service). Staying accountable in the local church through fellowship and discipleship. Relying on the Holy Spirit to overcome sin and distractions. Being diligent in faith despite trials and temptations. **(00:00) END PART 1** **(27:00 – 5:00) BEGIN PART 2** A church can easily drift from its biblical purpose if it is not intentional about staying focused on God's mission. Some of the common hindrances that prevent a church from remaining faithful to its biblical purpose: 1. Mission Drift (Losing Focus on the Great Commission) 2. Biblical Illiteracy Among Leaders and Members 3. Compromising with Culture 4. Overemphasis on Programs Instead of Discipleship 5. Leadership Failures and Power Struggles 6. Fear of Man and Avoidance of Hard Truths 7. Lack of Evangelism and Community Engagement 8. Division and Conflict 9. Prayerlessness 10. Materialism and Financial Mismanagement Overcoming These Hindrances For a church to stay faithful to its biblical purpose, it must: ✅ Stay rooted in sound doctrine and biblical teaching. ✅ Keep discipleship and evangelism as the central focus. ✅ Equip and release believers for ministry, not just entertain them. ✅ Commit to prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit. ✅ Uphold godly leadership and unity in the church **(5:00 – 1:00)** Bibliology – Preservation of Scripture **(1:00)** The spiritual journey may seem long and slow sometimes, but don’t give up. Keep on putting one foot in front of the other and get up when you fall down. You will face stumbling blocks but God is able to take you through them and even to strengthen you along the way. – “Thank you for listening today! Giving Thanks should be a daily part of the life of every disciple of Jesus. We have so much to be thankful for, we just so easily are distracted by the details of life. Be intentional, be thankful! -If you enjoyed the show you can listen to all the past shows wherever you listen to podcasts. A good place to start is at runwithhorses.net. You can also write me at norman@runwithhorses.net or leave a comment on the Run With Horses Podcast facebook page. Take time today to pause and thank God for His work in your life and keep running. **(00:00)** If you want to support the Run With Horses Podcast and Radio Show, the best way you can do that is by telling other people about it and leaving a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Another way is by checking out our books. Our goal is to support your spiritual growth in any way we can. A link to each of our author pages on Amazon is in the show notes. You can find all our shows with links to the most popular podcast apps at rwh.podbean.com. Thanks for joining us on the journey! https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCSDDVLB – James Norman Smith https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BMGW51FW – Susan Jane Smith
