Intentions and Actions
It is one thing to desire agreement with God, and another thing to live it out. Intentions matter with God, but so do choices. What I resist today will be easier to resist tomorrow. What I allow today will be harder to resist tomorrow.
There is grace for victory to everyone who does the hard work of bringing their heart into agreement with God's desire for them. The victory is won in the "abiding" with God...simply including Him in my internal conversations is the deciding factor between victory and failure. The consequences, good and bad , of my choices are real.
There is no temptation before me that I cannot resist. But will I do the hard work of talking to God about it before I give in?
2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 16-18 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies...
... That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
This isn't just about addiction, lust, greed, and envy...this is about despair, worry, anxiety, fear, and doubt. I don't have to live captive to emotions that don't agree with God's confession over me...that I am His and He is mine. I CAN live free...I just need to take the first step and talk to Him before I start talking to myself or letting the enemy talk to me!
The quickest way to light up the dark lie of a future lack is with the sacrifice of thanksgiving...an honest recollection of all the ways God is currently providing for me and protecting me. When I take the first step of doing this out loud, it re-illuminates the pathway of faith. Every time. God has delivered me from a tendency to despair using this tool time and time again.
Simply reciting back to the heavens, to the unseen God and His angels, even the smallest things to be thankful for, leads to an honest recollection of bigger things to be thankful for, which re-establishes confidence in the promises...which leads me back to the concrete and tangible reasons to once again think on the glory of the hope of my calling. They were always there, but the darkness wants to hide them...doubt is satan's oldest tool to separate me from the clear path and promises God has for me.
Psalms 116:16-18 O Lord , I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord . I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people—
I want to agree with God about how well He cares for His family. This honest confession of my identity, that I belong in the household of the good Father, will free me from the lies about what my Father might not provide. When the enemy says "did God really say?" The correct response is usually "Yes, He did. Get away from me liar, in the name of Jesus."
James 4:7-10 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
There is grace for victory to everyone who does the hard work of bringing their heart into agreement with God's desire for them. The victory is won in the "abiding" with God...simply including Him in my internal conversations is the deciding factor between victory and failure. The consequences, good and bad , of my choices are real.
There is no temptation before me that I cannot resist. But will I do the hard work of talking to God about it before I give in?
2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 16-18 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies...
... That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
This isn't just about addiction, lust, greed, and envy...this is about despair, worry, anxiety, fear, and doubt. I don't have to live captive to emotions that don't agree with God's confession over me...that I am His and He is mine. I CAN live free...I just need to take the first step and talk to Him before I start talking to myself or letting the enemy talk to me!
The quickest way to light up the dark lie of a future lack is with the sacrifice of thanksgiving...an honest recollection of all the ways God is currently providing for me and protecting me. When I take the first step of doing this out loud, it re-illuminates the pathway of faith. Every time. God has delivered me from a tendency to despair using this tool time and time again.
Simply reciting back to the heavens, to the unseen God and His angels, even the smallest things to be thankful for, leads to an honest recollection of bigger things to be thankful for, which re-establishes confidence in the promises...which leads me back to the concrete and tangible reasons to once again think on the glory of the hope of my calling. They were always there, but the darkness wants to hide them...doubt is satan's oldest tool to separate me from the clear path and promises God has for me.
Psalms 116:16-18 O Lord , I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord . I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people—
I want to agree with God about how well He cares for His family. This honest confession of my identity, that I belong in the household of the good Father, will free me from the lies about what my Father might not provide. When the enemy says "did God really say?" The correct response is usually "Yes, He did. Get away from me liar, in the name of Jesus."
James 4:7-10 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
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