--- id: ff10_practice_faith_objective_analysis title: FLYINGFREE - Practice Faith and Objective Analysis category: Biblical Life Counsel predicted_narrative_arc: prepare-faith-break-false-assumptions sentiment: Convictional emotions: - Convictional - Challenging - Practical keypoints: - Position yourself where you can practice your faith before crisis hits - Natural reactions — push, fight, worry — seldom solve anything - Consult God for quality analysis of what is happening - Objective analysis breaks false assumptions and recurring habits - Flying free requires new methods for old problem loops summary: > Dean urges practiced faith and objective self-examination: prepare before crisis, refuse thrashing reactions, consult God, and break false assumptions that keep old problems looping. tags: - flying-free - chapter-10 - practice-faith - objective-analysis - habits - false-assumptions - prepare - dean-rush - book-excerpt sycophancy: 0 truth_score: 9 entropy: 3 sample: false consent: owner_approved agent: flyingfree created: '2010-01-01' updated: '2026-09-09T00:00:00Z' vault_stage: 07_CODEX headwaters: FLYINGFREE prefix: FLYINGFREE enrich_status: ok enrich_blockers: [] enrich_method: manual pipeline_filename: FLYINGFREE_10_practice-faith-objective-analysis.md source_kind: book_excerpt proposed_topic: FlyingFree lane: FlyingFree voice: desk active_voice: desk voices: - desk routing_source: carbon corpus_topic: FlyingFree content_status: active date: '2010-01-01' share_url: https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md source_url: https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md site_category: Flying Free book_title: Flying Free book_chapter: 10 book_chapter_title: Check Your Gauges – Prepare Your Response source_file: flyingfree/flying-free-10-check-your-gauges.md description: > Chapter 10 lesson — practice faith before crisis; objective analysis to break false assumptions and recurring habits. --- # Practice Faith and Objective Analysis **Author:** Dean Rush **Book:** *Flying Free* · **Chapter 10:** Check Your Gauges – Prepare Your Response **Full book:** [deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md](https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md) ## Context for the Reader This chapter returns to the three core emergency procedures that run through the entire book. Dean emphasizes that “analyze the situation” is not passive — it is an active, deliberate examination of what is really happening before taking action. The story of Gideon is used as a powerful biblical model of analysis under pressure. This lesson is the method inside “analyze”: practice faith in peace, then in crisis take the problem apart objectively — with God — so false assumptions and old habits lose their grip. > Voice note: Everything under **Dean's excerpt** is Dean's original prose (lightly cleaned only). Sections marked **Biblical foundations**, **Scholar sidebar**, **Takeaways**, and **First-time learner** are enrichment for Asker / first readers — not Dean speaking. --- ## Biblical foundations (preface) Dean’s practice-and-objectivity pair is discipleship before the fire and truth-telling in the fire. Scripture trains faith in advance and exposes deceitful hearts and futile thrashing. | Dean's claim | Scriptural undercarriage | | --- | --- | | Position yourself to practice faith | Train yourself for godliness (1 Timothy 4:7–8); exercise yourself toward a clear conscience (Acts 24:16) | | Crisis shows up when least welcome | In the world you will have tribulation (John 16:33); do not be surprised at the fiery trial (1 Peter 4:12) | | Push, fight, worry seldom solve | Anxiety does not add a hour (Matthew 6:27); the anger of man does not produce God’s righteousness (James 1:20) | | Consult God for quality analysis | If any lacks wisdom, ask God (James 1:5); the Spirit guides into truth (John 16:13) | | Objective analysis vs false assumptions | The heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9); take thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5); walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8–10) | | Break bonds of the past obstructing progress | Put off the old self (Ephesians 4:22–24); forget what lies behind and strain forward (Philippians 3:13–14) | --- ## Dean's excerpt ### Practice, then take apart and examine It is essential to position yourself with people and situations where you can “practice” your faith. Crisis doesn’t normally occur in good times but usually shows when up it is least welcome. No matter how inopportune the timing, it is our responsibility to find the way out of a mess when it occurs. Remember, the most important element in discovering the proper solution is normally found within ourselves. When we prepare for the unexpected it is much easier to react to crisis. Remember, the definition for the word “analyze” is “to take apart and examine.” How do we do that in a crisis? The natural reactions when we are faced with an immediate problem may be to push, pull, fight, argue, destruct, or even worry, but those actions seldom solve anything. However, when we prepare ourselves to handle a problem by consulting God, we are more readily fit to take proper action. God can provide a quality analysis that is necessary to truly understand what is happening. An effective self-examination requires objective analysis because there is no way to go forward if you remain hampered by false assumptions. In order to progress in your life you must develop methods of analyzing problems with objective analysis. Only then can you determine the cause of a problem and truly break away from habits or actions that lead to the same problem reoccurring. It is important to break loose from the bonds of the past that constantly obstruct progress. To change your life it is imperative to find a method of flying free of old habits, habitats, and routines. Try to look at life through a new and revised lens. Establish why you made a mistake and then develop a new way of dealing with problems. > **Scholar sidebar — Objectivity under God** > Jeremiah 17:9 warns that unaided self-talk lies; James 1:5 sends the analyst to God. Dean’s “within ourselves” is not autonomy from God — it is responsibility and prepared character, then consultation that yields *quality* analysis. Ephesians 4:22–24 and Philippians 3:13–14 underwrite breaking recurring loops: new lens, new way, not recycled thrash. --- ## Takeaways 1. **Practice venues.** Place yourself with people and situations where faith can be rehearsed. 2. **Bad timing expected.** Crisis arrives when least welcome; still your job to find the way out. 3. **Thrash list fails.** Push, pull, fight, argue, destruct, worry seldom solve. 4. **Consult God.** Preparation with God fits you for proper action and quality analysis. 5. **Objective breakout.** False assumptions block progress; objective analysis finds causes and frees you from looping habits toward a new lens. --- ## First-time learner ### What is Dean saying in one sentence? Practice faith before crisis, then in the mess take the problem apart objectively with God — refusing thrash reactions and false assumptions that recycle old habits. ### Why “objective” analysis? Because feelings and assumptions lie; without careful examination you cannot find the real cause or stop the rerun. ### Key verses to read with this lesson - **James 1:5** — Ask God for wisdom. - **Jeremiah 17:9** — Deceitful heart. - **2 Corinthians 10:5** — Take thoughts captive. - **Ephesians 4:22–24** — Put off the old self. - **1 Timothy 4:7–8** — Train for godliness. - **Philippians 3:13–14** — Strain forward. ### A simple practice Name one recurring problem. Write: (1) My usual thrash reaction. (2) One false assumption I might be carrying. (3) One objective fact I will verify. (4) One new response I will practice this week with God and a trusted person. ### How this feeds Ask Dean Seed material for: *How does Dean define analyze in crisis? What is objective analysis? How do you break old habits after checking gauges?*