How many of us have said, "I will not [add-your-own-sin] again"? After a couple of days--sometimes only a couple of hours--that claim would be out the door and we would experience feelings of guilt, shame, and failure. Why couldn't I overcome this? What was going on with me? Am I truly Saved? Is this all for real? These are some of the questions I used to ask myself.
Some key elements are usually missing when we stumble often. For one thing, we try to solve the problem all alone. Our arrogance keeps us from looking to GOD. Our shame keeps us from reaching out to GOD’S Children. Our pride makes us unwilling to take direction from anyone. We remain alone and "in charge", but, alone, we absolutely cannot make the transition to Holiness.
It's not that we don’t try. And it’s not that I didn’t try, but I kept attempting to do all the right things on the outside, while hanging on to the past with its hurts and pleasures on the inside and I would even use those things to justify my behavior. The real problem was that I was unwilling to die to self. I hung on to my independence of GOD and others with all my might. I kept telling myself, "I don't need anybody! I'm better than others I know. I can do this! I got this! I am strong enough to handle this!"
The Truth is that all my sin was inside. It made me feel powerful and in control and fed my arrogance.
I finally came to know JESUS CHRIST, and surrendered my "freedom" to be truly Free. I learned that when the devil attacks, it is not I who fights the battle, but my LORD, my GOD, JESUS CHRIST, fights it for me! I have surrendered unconditionally to HIM by being Filled with HIS HOLY GHOST, being buried with HIM in baptism and even in surrendering to my Pastor, knowing that I must die to self and recognize who I am, what I am, Who dwells within me and The Power I truly have to bind those dark spirits in JESUS’ Name!
I Praise YOU, GOD, for giving YOURSELF a ransom. I Praise YOU for breaking the power of my sin at The Cross. I Praise YOU for opening my eyes to the Truth. Please LORD, keep me by YOUR Power Alone. I Pray in YOUR Mighty, Powerful and Precious Name JESUS. Amen.
Reading Revelation 3:14-22 this morning….
Some key elements are usually missing when we stumble often. For one thing, we try to solve the problem all alone. Our arrogance keeps us from looking to GOD. Our shame keeps us from reaching out to GOD’S Children. Our pride makes us unwilling to take direction from anyone. We remain alone and "in charge", but, alone, we absolutely cannot make the transition to Holiness.
It's not that we don’t try. And it’s not that I didn’t try, but I kept attempting to do all the right things on the outside, while hanging on to the past with its hurts and pleasures on the inside and I would even use those things to justify my behavior. The real problem was that I was unwilling to die to self. I hung on to my independence of GOD and others with all my might. I kept telling myself, "I don't need anybody! I'm better than others I know. I can do this! I got this! I am strong enough to handle this!"
The Truth is that all my sin was inside. It made me feel powerful and in control and fed my arrogance.
I finally came to know JESUS CHRIST, and surrendered my "freedom" to be truly Free. I learned that when the devil attacks, it is not I who fights the battle, but my LORD, my GOD, JESUS CHRIST, fights it for me! I have surrendered unconditionally to HIM by being Filled with HIS HOLY GHOST, being buried with HIM in baptism and even in surrendering to my Pastor, knowing that I must die to self and recognize who I am, what I am, Who dwells within me and The Power I truly have to bind those dark spirits in JESUS’ Name!
I Praise YOU, GOD, for giving YOURSELF a ransom. I Praise YOU for breaking the power of my sin at The Cross. I Praise YOU for opening my eyes to the Truth. Please LORD, keep me by YOUR Power Alone. I Pray in YOUR Mighty, Powerful and Precious Name JESUS. Amen.
Reading Revelation 3:14-22 this morning….
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