Pressing Through
Good evening sister saints,
I pray you are all striving on in truth and holiness. Tonight I just want to give encouragement to those of you who fail at times and remind you that our Father is one of forgiveness for those who repent. See the meaning of forgiveness...
I'm not infallible, I have flesh to beat into submission and in my youth in Christ, I used to lay in my grief over it until I heard brother Jim say that when he falls he gets right back up, looks to Christ and gets going again.
Mark 14:38
Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Get right back up and get going...that's what I try to do now lest Satan drag me back to my depressed, worthless state with no victory.
Luke 3:8
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
If God forgives us, (puts it away, keep no longer, disregard, leave, omit, offer up, let go) than who are we to stay in that position, are we greater than God?
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 unrighteousness.
See what 'cleanse' means...
If God cleanses me then that means He can make me clean, I'm free from defilement of sin, I'm purified from wickedness, I'm free from guilt of sin....
James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
I've lost over 30 years of my life in my unregenerate state, then for many years after I was born again I laid in my guilt over my sins, I refuse to waste any more of my time repeatedly owning up to sins that I repent of and have been cleansed from. Do they rise up again at times? Yes. I'm not so arragant to think that I will never repeat a sin that I've repented of and I don't know one person alive, that has repented and never fallen back into any of them.
Brother Paul encourages me...
Romans 7:14-24
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. [15] For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. [16] If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. [17] Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. [18] For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. [19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. [20] Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. [21] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. [22] For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
O wretched woman that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death???
Romans 7:25
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Right, that wretched flesh will always be there but through Christ we fight that battle until the day we die. I will not allow Satan to drag me down and convince me to hide my light under a basket because I have some fleshly struggles just like Apostle Paul said he did.
1 Corinthians 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
He's our example and if he continued to press through while battling the flesh, so shall I.
1 Timothy 6:11-12
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
I want to be an example for those who are coming up behind me and even though I am far from perfection or total maturity, I have what I have and will share my trials and victories with you, not letting anything stop me. There's so much darkness and wickedness in this world, the last thing I want is to lay down and let Satan win. No!
2 Timothy 2:3-4
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. [4] No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
I'm going to boast in Christ as Apostle Paul did...I have much affliction (thorns) of the flesh and many spiritual battles in our life, but as a witness and example, I am going to press on...all because of Christ!
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
It says ALL. That means I can, by His power, not give up, but continue to fight these fleshly battles.
We will never have rest from this wicked flesh until we go home to be with Him. I won't lie, there are days when I cry and would like to escape this wicked world, but I remind myself that this is our reasonable service and in His time....we shall rest.
Revelation 21:3-7
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. [4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [5] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. [6] And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. [7] He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Oh praises to God our heavenly Father. What we endure here might seem like much but...
Ephesians 3:16-21
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; [17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. [20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, [21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Yes, Amen.
From a sister saint:-)
Romans 8:33-39
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Love to you all,
Sister Deb
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