Part 2: I Can’t Carry This Another Day

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Sermon Synopsis 10/12/25

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I.               Introduction

Prayer:

Let our faith be strengthened, somebody’s soul be saved, and we thank You, Lord, that we shall be changed, because we were here to hear this word today. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

1. Some of us have been carrying burdens for so long we don’t even realize how heavy they’ve become. Every morning we wake up and reach for our invisible weights: anger, unforgiveness, regret, habits, and poor choices. It’s like putting on a backpack full of bricks and wondering why your steps feel slower every day.
2. People of God, we’ve learned how to function in our dysfunction. We shout, we serve, we smile — all while suffocating under the pressure of what we refuse to release. Over time, these weights shape our posture, pace, and perspective. They drain our strength and keep us from walking freely into the fullness of God.
3. You cannot run from vision or run with vision if you are tied to the past. You cannot reach for tomorrow if you are clinging to yesterday. Some of us are spiritual hoarders, holding onto memories, mistakes, and moments that no longer serve us.
4. If you’ve reached your breaking point, I’m talking to you. Maybe you’ve carried responsibilities for your family, for your team, for your church — and when the lights go out, you feel empty. Maybe you pray for everyone else, and nobody prays for you. But people of God, your breaking point can become your breakthrough if you understand what God is about to do in your life today. God never asked you to carry what He’s already conquered.
5. Today, we will explore three main truths:
6. How to let go of your dead weight
7. How to look in a different direction
8. How to live for destiny

II.               Let Go of Dead Weight

A.    Release the Burdens and Distractions That Hold You Back

1. Dead weight can take many forms. It’s not always visible. It can be bitterness, secret habits, relationships you’re trying to resurrect even after the funeral, late-night scrolling, comparison, or pressure to perform for people who would never clap for you anyway.
2. Distractions are anything that competes with what God’s trying to complete in your life:

• Emotional Distractions: People or situations that drain your peace. Constant drama that keeps you from hearing God clearly.
• Mental Distractions: Thoughts that distort your perspective. Overthinking, fear, anxiety, comparing your life to someone else’s highlight reel.
• Spiritual Distractions: Subtle things that distance you from God. Replacing communion with convenience. Slowly losing hunger for God.

3. Principles to follow:

1. Principle 1: Refocus Daily

• Ask: “What’s most important today?” not “What’s most urgent?”
• Purpose should lead, not pressure.

1. Principle 2: Set Boundaries Without Apology

• Sometimes focus requires disappointing people to remain faithful to God’s purpose.
• Not every door that opens is a God door. Some are distractions in disguise.

1. Principle 3: Protect Your Peace Like It’s a Treasure

• Peace is the atmosphere where purpose grows.
• The enemy cannot steal your anointing, but he will try to steal your attention.

B.   Remove Sin That Entangles and Slows Your Spiritual Race

1. Hebrews 12:1 warns us about sin that so easily entangles us. Sin masquerades as comfort or small compromises. Over time, it wraps around your life and slows your stride.

• Anger, pride, fear, comparison, guilt, unforgiveness — these entanglements hold us back.
• Confess your sins (1 John 1:9), and allow God to forgive and cleanse you.
• Lay aside what weighs you down. Let go of what God never intended for you to carry.

2. When you release these burdens, your mind, body, and spirit will experience freedom. You will sleep better, eat better, smile better, and walk in peace.

III.               Look in a Different Direction

Once you’ve released the weight and distractions, shift your gaze to Jesus.

A.  Fix Your Eyes on Jesus, Not the Struggles Around You

1. Awareness is different from fixation. You can recognize challenges without being consumed by them.
2. Stop replaying negativity. Keep your eyes on the path God has prepared.

B.  Redirect Your Focus to the Path God Has Set for You

1. Your steps are guided by God. Don’t move in emotion; move in devotion.
2. God’s plan is unfolding. Trust His direction, even when storms surround you.

IV.               Live for Destiny

A.  Run Your Race With Purpose

1. Destiny is not fate. It is a track prepared by God.
2. Every setback is a teacher. Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow.
3. Faith without discipline is powerless. Discipline is the vehicle; faith is the fuel.

B.  Persevere With Faith and Discipline

1. Live intentionally, choosing daily to align your will with God’s will.
2. Refuse to settle for less than God’s promise. Your past does not define your future.
3. Illustration:
4. On a flight to Martha’s Vineyard, our plane was small, had a weight and balance issue, and faced severe turbulence. Three passengers voluntarily stepped off — leaving behind their “dead weight” — allowing the plane to take off safely. God gave me this sermon for you: perhaps the reason you cannot take off to the next level is because of a “weight and balance issue” in your life. Remove what hinders you so God can lift you higher.

C.  Conclusion:

1. Let go of dead weight.
2. Fix your gaze on Jesus.
3. Run your race with purpose, perseverance, and discipline.

God wants to guide every step of your life. He wants to redirect you around storms, remove burdens that slow you down, and lead you into the destiny He designed for you. Let Him do the work. Lay down what does not belong to you and live fully for what God has promised.