FALSE BURDENS AND EXCESS BAGGAGE: THE CALL TO WALK FREE IN GOD By: Major Frank Materu
Key Scripture: “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Psalm 55:22
________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
The Christian life was never designed to be lived under the crushing weight of unnecessary burdens and emotional, spiritual, or worldly baggage. From the beginning, God intended His people to walk freely, joyfully, and obediently under the leadership of His Spirit. Yet many believers today walk around burdened, exhausted, overwhelmed, and spiritually paralyzed because they are entangled in responsibilities, worries, relationships, and pursuits that God never intended for them. These false burdens hinder their spiritual progress, weaken their faith, cloud their vision, and distance them from God’s intended purpose.
Jesus Christ did not call His disciples to follow Him while carrying heavy loads that originated from their own desires, fears, or cultural expectations. He called them to walk light, free, and surrendered, leaving behind everything that would hinder spiritual growth. However, many believers today have forgotten this divine pattern. They begin their spiritual journey with excitement and commitment, but soon the cares of life, domestic pressures, ambition, and material pursuits begin to weigh them down until the joy of following Jesus is replaced by the struggle of surviving in the world.
This lesson explores the deep spiritual truth that God is calling His people to let go of false burdens and excess baggage in order to walk in true discipleship. It examines the dangers of misplaced priorities, the deception of worldly expectations, the influence of relationships that distract from God, and the spiritual consequences of living outside the will of the Father. It also reveals God’s invitation to freedom, focus, and faithfulness so that believers may enjoy a victorious journey led by the Holy Spirit.
________________________________________
________________________________________
FALSE BURDENS: WHEN WE CARRY WHAT GOD NEVER GAVE
The message clearly warns that believers frequently take on responsibilities, relationships, and expectations that God never asked them to carry. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” He meant that His disciples should walk in His steps, free from bondage, obligation, and distraction. But many Christians have entangled themselves with unnecessary weights.
Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
These false burdens often include:
The pressure to please people
The desire to perform for society
The fear of disappointing family
The pursuit of worldly success
The anxiety of handling everything alone
These are not burdens given by God. They arise from fear rather than faith. When a believer carries what God did not assign, they eventually collapse spiritually. Their prayer life weakens, their worship becomes shallow, and their testimony dries up. God does not want His children overwhelmed by burdens that did not originate from His will.
________________________________________
________________________________________
EXCESS BAGGAGE: HOW WORLDLY ATTACHMENTS DESTROY SPIRITUAL PROGRESS
Excess baggage refers to the emotional, relational, and material attachments that weigh down believers until they are unable to walk in their divine calling. Scripture warns against being entangled with the cares of this life.
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who has chosen him to be a soldier.”
2 Timothy 2:4
Many Christians start strong, but soon they become preoccupied with their careers, marriages, children, and personal goals. While these things are not sinful in themselves, they become dangerous when they take priority over God’s will. No one can serve two masters, as Jesus Himself taught.
Believers often imagine they are progressing because they are constantly busy, but spiritually they are going nowhere. They are on a treadmill of life—working, hustling, struggling, yet not spiritually advancing. This happens because they accepted weight God never gave.
________________________________________
________________________________________
THE COST OF MISPLACED PRIORITIES
The message warns that many believers lose their zeal because they put people, possessions, and ambitions above God. When a person makes their spouse, children, business, or social status their primary focus, that person becomes spiritually unstable. Not only do they drift from God, but their families also drift.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21
Parents who prioritize the world above God unintentionally pass to their children a foundation built on sand. Their children grow up unconcerned with spiritual matters because they inherited a spiritually weak environment. And when these children eventually rebel, the parents are shocked—yet the seeds of rebellion were sown when God was no longer the central priority of the home.
This is why Jesus emphasized that His disciples must love Him above family, possessions, and personal dreams. Not because He opposes families, but because a family not built on Him cannot stand.
________________________________________
________________________________________
THE SPIRITUAL DANGER OF FALSE BURDENS
Carrying false burdens opens the door for fear, anxiety, disobedience, and spiritual blindness. When believers walk outside the will of God, they become vulnerable to discouragement, confusion, and demonic influence.
“The cares of this world choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
Mark 4:19
The message explains that many people who begin well end up spiritually bankrupt because they exchanged faith for fear, trust for worry, and obedience for compromise. When fear becomes a person’s covering, faith disappears. When unnecessary burdens weigh them down, their vision becomes blurred. When God’s voice is ignored, their spiritual journey collapses.
False burdens ultimately separate believers from the life of faith, and excess baggage destroys their ability to follow Christ wholeheartedly.
________________________________________
________________________________________
THE FREEDOM OF WALKING IN GOD’S WILL
The good news is that God never intended His children to live under bondage. He calls believers to freedom—freedom from worry, freedom from people-pleasing, freedom from worldliness, and freedom from emotional weights. True discipleship begins by surrendering all burdens to God and trusting Him for direction.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
When believers put God’s will first:
Their minds become clear
Their spirits become strong
Their priorities align with heaven
Their families become stable
Their faith becomes unshakeable
Walking in God’s way brings blessing, strength, and divine protection.
________________________________________
________________________________________
SUMMARY
This lesson has demonstrated that God never intended His people to live burdened, overwhelmed, or entangled in the cares of this world. False burdens come from fear, people-pleasing, and worldly expectations. Excess baggage arises from misplaced priorities and emotional attachments. Both destroy spiritual progress. God calls His children to surrender all, walk light, obey His Spirit, and build their lives on Christ alone. Freedom and victory come when believers put God first, trust His guidance, and reject every weight that slows them down.
________________________________________
CONCLUSION
God is calling His people to return to a simple, surrendered walk of faith—one free from unnecessary burdens and worldly attachments. A believer who chooses God’s will above all else will never end in shame, confusion, or spiritual emptiness. But a believer who chooses worldly pressures above God will lose direction, lose peace, and lose their spiritual inheritance. God invites His people to freedom, clarity, and purpose. The choice belongs to each one of us.
________________________________________
CALL TO ACTION
Lay down every false burden
Release every excess baggage
Stop pleasing people more than God
Seek the Holy Spirit for direction
Put Christ at the center of your life
Choose today to walk freely in the will of the Father.
________________________________________
FINAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
God has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you. He is ready to lift your burdens, guide your steps, and restore your strength. If you surrender completely to Him, you will walk in freedom, clarity, and victory. His grace is sufficient, His love is unending, and His presence is your refuge.
________________________________________
SALVATION PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I come before You today acknowledging that I need Your salvation. I confess that I have carried burdens You did not give me, and I have walked my own way instead of Yours. Forgive my sins, wash me with Your blood, and make me a new creation. I surrender my life completely to You. Be my Lord, my Savior, and my Master. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide me in Your perfect will. From this day forward, I choose to follow You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
