Godliness and Moral Purity
“Nothing is greater than the transformation that takes place after one goes to the Cross.” How many times in your walk with Christ have you heard this? How many of us are preaching, teaching and speaking these words of wisdom to others but we have failed to fulfill this in our own personal walk?
The design of the Holy Spirit, as He develops in us the ‘fruit’ characteristic of “the divine nature” is to constrain us toward a life in which the tendencies of the “flesh” are both undesirable and unproductive. Galatians 5:16-17, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17, For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that “you” wish.”
How many times have you heard from well seasoned and well taught people of God their defense to the above Scripture? There’s one word in the Scripture that jumped out at me … “YOU.”
How can we as His hands and feet that have been walking and doing His work here on earth longer than some have even been alive continue to say without remorse or conviction, “WELL GOD IS JUST GOING TO HAVE TO HELP ME GET OVER … LAY DOWN … DELIVER ME … GIVE ME TIME … IT’S IN HIS HANDS … I could go on and on.
PEOPLE we must obey what the Word says and be TRANSFORMED by our death on the Cross. If we have given ‘all’ of ourselves to Christ WHY are we still struggling with the ‘sins’ of the flesh?
The word “walk” (Greek peripateo) means “to walk at large especially as proof of ability;” to be occupied with or engaged in.” The tense of this verb implies progression or steady progress in grace. If His grace is sufficient enough in our weaknesses, and we are struggling with something in our flesh then why is it taking some ‘years’ to overcome? Does this not completely disregard God’s Word as ‘untruth’ … ‘lacking power’ …? 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But the Lord said, "My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by My power."
When Jesus went to the Cross how many of His weaknesses did He leave behind? What exactly did He have to pick up and be reminded of when He ascended into heaven with the Father? What exactly was the crutch of His flesh? NOTHING! He was the deliverance we are seeking from whatever we are dealing with in our flesh. He was and IS our complete and wholeness even today.
I am going through a situation in my own life right at this moment. The sins, weaknesses, stumbling blocks … in my life brought me back not only to the Cross but also re-baptism. I was so focused on ‘me’ that I had lost sight of what my life and spiritual walk had become. HE SENT ME BACK TO THE CROSS! He reminded me that I could not achieve or hope to achieve my deliverance by my own labors. Trust me I tried and was not successful.
The more I tried on my own the more my flesh cried out. True brokenness came from true repentance, resolve and restoration of ‘ME.’ Salvation redefined through His grace. Not only is it mighty in effect at our salvation, it is also a God-given resource that makes possible “holy living” when our life circumstances, or character is under fire by the adversary of our souls. God’s grace becomes His enablement or empowerment to achieve His plan, endure hardship, or access Him.
His grace facilitates our abilities to conquer EVERY weakness as we yield to “absolute trust” or reliance on God, trusting His heart even when we cannot trace His hand.
Precious ones, whatever you find yourself facing right at this moment, with all that is within you release it {whatever it is} to God. I know this may be difficult at first GOD knows it was for me as well, but in the long run taking my hands off the situation has brought me the ultimate peace within my heart and spirit that He needed to get my attention!
This in no way makes your struggle any less vital, nor does it make the other {whatever} less at fault than yourself it just makes your deliverance and progressive healing much easier to bear as you walk holding His hand through it all…
Take ‘yourself’ back to the Cross. Ask the Holy Spirit to examine you. If anything LORD is within me that does not please You or would cause me or another to stumble PLEASE help me get this right! That’s all! He will do exactly what His Word says, 2Co 12:8, “ I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. 2Co 12:9 But the Lord said, "My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power." So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can stay in me. 2Co 12:10 Yes, I am glad to have weaknesses if they are for Christ. I am glad to be insulted and have hard times. I am glad when I am persecuted and have problems, because it is when I am weak that I am really strong.”
“Sufficient” (Greek arkeo) suggests the idea of “raising a banner” or “warding off,” God giving is the grace----the supernatural ability or miraculous faculty to sustain, endure, or maintain our call----for all He is enabling us to become in Christ.
I am speaking to those of us who have been walking in the LORD a long time. WE MUST give up whatever is causing us to stumble along our walk. God cannot use a ‘half-holy’ vessel. It’s time! BREAK FREE so He can use you to the fullest power of the power He has to bestow in you to help His Kingdom come! If you are out of order and you know you are out of His perfect will you best be stepping back into line. He is NOT excited if you … you … you are failing His Kingdom. We MUST come back!
In His Love,
By His Spirit,
I scribe His ♥
No comments:
Post a Comment