This Far and No Further | Pastor Chip Radke, Paula Radke Oberbeck, & Mark Oberbeck

This Far and No Further: Breaking Through Spiritual Boundaries

Have you ever found yourself drawing invisible lines with God? Perhaps without even realizing it, you've created boundaries in your spiritual life—areas where you're willing to let God work, and other areas where you've quietly but firmly posted "No Trespassing" signs.

It's a subtle thing, this spiritual fence-building. We come to church, we sing the songs, we lift our hands in worship. We proclaim our faith and declare our trust. But deep in our hearts, there are territories we've marked off-limits. Relationships we won't surrender. Habits we won't release. Dreams we won't let die. Fears we won't confront.

We're essentially telling the Creator of the universe: "This far, God, and no further."

The Danger of Divided Hearts

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5 serves as a sobering reminder of what happens when we try to negotiate with God. This couple sold property and brought part of the proceeds to the church, claiming it was the full amount. They wanted the recognition and applause that came with generosity, but they also wanted to keep something for themselves.

The issue wasn't that they kept some money—Peter himself said the property was theirs to do with as they wished. The problem was the deception, the divided heart, the attempt to look fully committed while holding back.

They're remembered not for their sacrifice, but for their sin.

2 Kings 17:41 describes a group of people who "worshiped the Lord, but they also worshiped their idols." How is this possible? They had divided hearts. They wanted God's benefits, but they also wanted their own way. They wanted blessing without surrender, power without commitment, heaven without holiness.

Sound familiar?

When Passion Fades

Most of us remember the early days of our faith journey with fondness. Everything was new and exciting. The Bible seemed to leap off the page. Prayer felt natural and powerful. We couldn't wait to tell others about what God had done.

But then life happened. Bills piled up. Responsibilities multiplied. Disappointments came. And slowly, imperceptibly, like cataracts forming on the eye, our spiritual vision dimmed.

The comparison to cataracts is particularly apt. When cataracts develop, you lose vision little by little, and you don't even know it's happening. You adjust to the diminished sight, thinking everything is normal. It's only when the problem is corrected that you realize how much you'd been missing—the vibrant colors, the sharp details, the full picture.

The same thing happens spiritually. We grow cold gradually, and we don't even realize it. We tell ourselves it's okay—we're still going to church, still reading the Bible occasionally, still basically good people. But we've lost something precious: our first love.

Revelation 2:4 contains a sobering complaint from Jesus: "You don't love me or each other as you did at first."

The antidote? Mark 12:30 reminds us: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." Not part. All.

Surrendering to God's Purpose

One of the most dangerous prayers we can pray is: "God, whatever it takes." It's dangerous because God might actually take us up on it.

Many of us are willing to give God some things but not everything. We'll tithe, but we won't forgive that person. We'll serve in ministry, but we won't give up that habit. We'll pray for others, but we won't deal with our own issues.

But here's the truth: God doesn't want part of us. He wants all of us.

Galatians 2:20 puts it beautifully: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

Think about that. A crucified person has no rights. They can't make demands. They can't get offended. They can't dictate terms. They're completely surrendered.

The beautiful paradox of Christianity is that it's only when we die to ourselves that we truly begin to live.

God has a purpose for each of us, but we often try to dictate to Him what that purpose should look like. We tell Him who to save, how to work, when to move. We forget that He's God and we're not.

The truth is, God takes nobodies and turns them into somebodies. The twelve disciples were ordinary people—fishermen, tax collectors, nobodies in the eyes of the world. But in God's hands, they turned the world upside down.

You may feel like a nobody, but in God's eyes, you're a beloved son or daughter. And He has plans for you that are greater than you can imagine—if you'll stop telling Him "this far and no further."

Believing in His Power

Perhaps nowhere is our "this far and no further" mentality more evident than in our approach to God's power.

We've seen God answer small prayers, so we believe He can handle small problems. But when it comes to the big stuff—the cancer diagnosis, the impossible relationship, the financial crisis, the addiction—we secretly doubt whether God can really come through.

We've formulated theologies based on our disappointments rather than on God's Word. When prayers go unanswered, we create explanations: "God must have a better purpose." "It must not be His will." "Some things are just too hard, even for God."

But where in Scripture did Jesus ever say, "I'd like to heal you, but it's just too tough for Me"? Where did He ever tell someone, "You're better off sick"?

The truth is, the same God who can heal a headache can heal cancer. The same God who created the universe out of nothing can grow cartilage in a nose, restore movement to a paralyzed body, or perform any miracle He chooses.

Acts 1:8 promises: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you."

Not might receive. Will receive.

The question isn't whether God has the power. The question is whether we believe it.

We've become unbelieving believers—people who claim to follow an all-powerful God but live as though He's limited by our circumstances, our past, our understanding, or our disappointments.

Removing the Boundaries

So what boundaries have you erected? Where have you said, consciously or unconsciously, "This far, God, and no further"?

Is it in your passion for Him? Have you settled into a comfortable, lukewarm faith that looks good on the outside but lacks the fire it once had?

Is it in surrendering to His purpose? Are there areas of your life you're holding back, unwilling to trust Him fully?

Is it in believing His power? Have you stopped expecting miracles, stopped praying bold prayers, stopped believing that God can do the impossible?

The good news is that it's never too late to tear down those fences. God is ready and willing to restore your first love, to fulfill His purpose in you, and to demonstrate His power in ways that will astound you.

But it requires a decision. A surrender. A willingness to say, "No more boundaries, God. All of me, all of You, no limits."

When we truly embrace this posture—crucified with Christ, fully surrendered, believing in His unlimited power—we stop being people who merely attend church and become people who experience the fullness of life in Christ.

We stop saying "this far and no further" and start saying "wherever You lead, whatever it takes, however You choose to work—I'm all in."

That's when Christianity stops being just religion and becomes a powerful, transformative relationship with the living God.

The question is: Are you ready to remove the boundaries?