The power of the extra mile
Ezekiel 11:20 (NKJV)
20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
God always wants to dwell among us.
He will use you to carry out His purpose and be assured that the covenant, that He made with you, is eternal through Christ Jesus. In everything that we do, no matter whether it is your job as a doctor, lawyer, scientist or engineer or your lifestyle, put God first.
Give your 100% into everything that you do, and remember that your success and results are to show the empowering grace of God at work in your life.
Matthew 5:38–42 (NKJV)
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
In this verse, God tells us not to be vindictive and not to take revenge. But, go beyond what is demanded or what is required.
In verse 41, And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Always do more of what is commanded, at work or even in your study.
What will you gain when you do better than what is expected?
1. Going the extra mile builds stamina
What is true in the natural world, is also true in the spiritual world.
As those that compete in a marathon, they are not born with the ability to complete 42 kilometers in under 3 hours. If you are training for your first marathon, you should start by running 2 km on the first day and subsequently increase the distance and lessen the time needed to complete the course.
“Go the extra miles, is never crowded” — Unknown
2. Going the extra mile brings wholeness
Luke 17:11–19 (NKJV)
11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Look at verse 14, after Jesus healed 10 lepers, He commanded them to show themselves to the priests.
But look at verse 15, there was one leper that go the extra mile of what was commanded. He gave thanks and glory to God. And in verse 19, Jesus said, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” The word “made you well” comes from the word sozo (Greek) which means to preserve, heal and made whole (salvation).
3. Going the extra mile brings victory!
2 Kings 13:14–19 (NKJV)
14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. 19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”
When God has spoken to us about what to do, do not be hesitant.
Obey it, word by word if there is no definite time limit, do not stop.
Go the extra mile, and have faith in Him.
