It’s a fact: Satan tries to remind us of our past mistakes, our past sins and intimidating us that they are not forgiven. We then if we believe those lies begin to step back, become weak or even retreat from God in shame.
But we have this promise 👇🏼
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightesouness”
We have a responsibility to confess, bring them into the light and repent from them.
“…he is faithful and just.”
It’s not because we were faithful to come to him that sets us free, it’s because when we do come to him, he is faithful and just.
It’s all because of what happened at Calvary that sin has no power over the believer.
Today remind yourself that because he has risen we no longer have to be that person. That sin no longer has a hold on you. You stand today forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness — holy in his sight!
If I were to ask you a question about the Lord, what would your response be? Would it be the same question that David is asking in the Psalm 113?
Psalm 113:1-10 “Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!”
No one is like Him and no one could take His place — Isaiah 45:5 “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.”
Our lives shouldn’t have to have a reason to give Him praise, from the rising of the sun to its setting, whatever happens, let us sing and let us sing “Who is like the Lord?”
Psalm 77:13 “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?”
So who is like the Lord?
Who can turn ashes into beauty
Who can be a father to the fatherless
Who can make a way where there is no way
Who can and who has turned your grave into a garden
Who can breath life onto dry bones and make them live again.
Let’s face it, we all deal with sin. Its unstoppable, the desires, passions of the flesh. We are always at war, not with flesh and blood “but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” – Eph 6:12
HOWEVER HOLY WE MAY BE, WE CARRY WITH US, WHEREVER WE GO “SIN THAT DWELLS WITHIN” A FORCE THAT PAUL IN GALATIANS 5:17 “FOR THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH ARE AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE DESIRES OF THE SPIRIT ARE AGAINST THE FLESH, FOR THESE ARE OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER, TO KEEP YOU FROM DOING THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO.
ROMANS 7:20
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
DANGER WITHIN
THIS DANGER WE ARE UP AGAINST IS NOT A DANGER AHEAD OR BEHIND BUT WITHIN.
ITS WITHIN US.
IT’S WITH US:
AT WORK
AT HOME
IN PUBLIC
IN PRIVATE
AT MIDNIGHT AND AT NOON
HOW DO WE “FIGHT” THIS WAR FROM WITHIN?
THE WAR INSIDE OF US MEANS THAT WE ARE REAL AND THAT THE WAR IS REAL.
OUR TESTIMONY OF WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE IN OUR LIVES PROVES TO US AND THOSE AROUND US THAT:
DEVIL IS REAL
HIS MISSION IS TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY
Paul spoke about this in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
– HE IS OUR ENEMY AND WE ARE HIS ENEMY.
-A FIGHT OF GOOD VS. EVIL
-LIGHT VS. DARK
EPHESIANS 6:12
FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD BUT AGAINST THE DARKNESS, AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES…”
A while back I had been asking God, what am I doing wrong? Why is this struggle getting worse? He had gave me a vision of me on a battlefield, with enemies all around me, I had no weapons. All I had was a white flag. The Lord was in front of me the whole time but the instant I raised the white flag, He made all my enemies scatter!
When all seems hopeless, raise your white flag
In the midst of temptation, raise your white flag
When you don’t know what to do or say, raise your white flag
What does the white flag represent? Surrender.
John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Boundary lines separate countries, cities and every small town in this nation and the World. It keeps those who belong bound to that area. Boundaries keep things out that are harmful and ultimately protect us. Having filters in our life on the things you watch, do, and say doesn’t mean you’re weak, it doesn’t mean that you don’t like having fun – they’re meant to protect you.
The devil is wanting to destroy you and convince you that you are made perfect by the flesh.
I’ve seen too many people say:
“I’d never do __________ ” then eventually inch their way into the things they spoke against.
Boundaries aren’t popular, culture says “do whatever makes you happy” but boundaries are what keeps us through this age.
We see boundary lines in the Bible:
Adam & Eve
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””
Genesis 3:1-5 ESV
The tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil was not to be eaten from or even touched. It was a boundary line that God said NO to.
On the other side of the line:
The enemy will make you doubt the Word of God
The enemy with deceive you by convincing you to satisfy the flesh.
The enemy will make whatever you are being led to desirable, promising fulfillment.
FACTS:
You will never be fulfilled by the flesh
You will never be perfect by stretching the line of boundary to fit a lukewarm lifestyle.
Sin will never satisfy until it takes your life, but then it will be too late.
“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Psalm 24:3-5ESV
— We don’t approach God with good works so that no man can boast.
We approach Him with clean hands (innocent: – blameless, clean, clear, innocent, free, guiltless)
We approach Him with a Pure heart
Matt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
In the Old Testament before the high priests were able to walk in the Holy place God required consecration. And He still requires it! A setting apart, lets face it, we are not of this World! We are to be salt and light to this generation.
This is living the Christian way; keeping a pure heart.
But thank God that through Jesus we are clothed in His Righteousness!
2 cor 5:21
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Many people strive for success, but are we striving in the right direction?
For some it’s all about selfish ambition, doing anything to reach the top, being the most famous, getting the most sales, having the fanciest car, having the biggest house in the subdivision, most followers on social media, etc. These are the ways of those who are striving in a different direction to get to the top. The challenges they face will be fought in their own power and will.
HOW TO HAVE SUCCESS
There is a God who knows our every need and wants to bless us. He sees our weaknesses and struggles and offers help everyday. Whether it be with our job, our family, our business. In Him there is no striving but resting in His Grace, knowing that whatever challenges you may face, He has already gone before you and by faith we will overcome.
In Joshua 1, God tells Joshua, who is now leading the people after Moses’ death, to “Be strong and courageous” and then He says ” Being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
God gives us two ways to have success
#1 – OBEDIENCE
Actions speak louder than words, are we who we say we are? Our obedience to God says all.
#2 – READ/MEDITATE ON THE WORD
The Word of God is our roadmap our instructions on how to live a life of success.
When was the last time you had a season of adversity? Of hardship, of pain, of loss, of loneliness, the list goes on. What do you do in that particular season? It’s difficult for what I’m about to say but we need to not just go through them we are to grow through them.
2 Corinthians 12:10
10 “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“
In our own lives we to go through seasons. Seasons of fear, loneliness, doubt, heartache, despair, pain, depression. ALL OF THESE ARE Seasons of hardships. In these times we want to hide and run from those problems.
Here are just a few examples who had seasons of adversity:
Saul chased David for some time, David hid in caves where he wrote most of the Psalms.
Moses who wandered in the wilderness forty years
Joseph who was sold in slavery
Ruth lost her husband
Nehemiah had to fight off naysayers
Daniel was thrown into a lions den
Paul who while in prison wrote most of the New Testament
Each of these had adversity, but had the choice to let fear and doubt and depression hinder them.
What season are you going through? If you’re on the mountain top soaring high, then awesome. But remember that it’s in the valley of adversity where vegetation grows and where the flowers bloom. There is no growth on top of the mountain but only find rocks and boulders there. On top of the mountain is no place to put down roots, that happens in the valley below. Don’t rush the season you are in child, learn to rest in Him.
SEASONS WILL COME AND GO BUT HIS LOVE FOR US WILL NEVER CHANGE, HIS PROVISION, HIS PROTECTION, HIS CHARACTER OF WHO HE IS WILL NEVER CHANGE. AND HE MEETS US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE AT.
Why is it that we have to go through those tough times in life? If we always experienced the good times we would never be able to know what it means to say “… For when I am weak, then I am strong.“
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