Haha! I was trying to think of a good title for this post and that is what I came up with. Before my last blog, things got pretty crazy spiritually. Without getting into detail, I'll just say that I let my flesh have it. Again, it was a hard lesson learned but God just keeps opening up my eyes to all these realities. I was encouraged when watching this video by Tim Conway called "What does it mean to live in habitual sin?". A friend of mine suggested I watch some of his vids and all that I've seen so far are really good. I came upon this one and it spoke to me so much. It is so easy to grab something we want so bad when it is within arms reach when typically we'd run from it when we know the path it leads to. Even though I can't live in habitual sin, there were some good points that have helped me to get passed this predicament I find myself in from time to time. Through it I am learning that each day I need to hit the floor and pray that my flesh be crucified. I still haven't been doing that but I know it is something I should make a habit of, if anything.
There are some people out there that say they are Christians. I'm not judging but I am just saying that I don't think all people truly know what it means to be a Christ follower. I accepted Christ Jesus' offer of salvation back on Good Friday 2006. I have not been able to continue in sin that I have fallen into. I've fallen, yes! We all do. Read Romans 7. We do what we hate and even though we know it's wrong though we want to do what is right. We have the tendency to get back into it though but it is not "fun!". I have realized why this keeps happening to me and it is because I am in a fragile position as a Christian single mother. It also has a lot to do with obedience. We need to pick up our crosses and follow daily. The war is always raging but we can be better prepared if we do as the Bible says. This road is not easy and that is why it is called the narrow way. Unfortunately, the enemy knows our weaknesses. That doesn't mean we give him the victory. The victory has been won, thanks to Jesus our Lord! If I didn't have the fellowship I have with other Christians, it would be a lot harder to get back up after I fall. In that vid I mentioned, this verse spoke to me: (Proverbs 24:16) The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked. That put relief on my heart as far as I am concerned. When the godly fall, they rise. When they rise they fight! The wicked diminish. That is sad. They scatter from the light because they don't want their deeds to be exposed. It happens every time!
I also really liked Tim's analogy since it is along side another Bible verse is: The pig: you thrown him in the mud and he stays there. When a lamb gets thrown in the mud, he scrambles out. He wants get the mud off him because it is not natural anymore. That is how I feel when I get entangled into sin as it should to us to have been born-again and find ourselves in sin. We desire to be clean so we take it to God. We don't lolly back into sin just because God's grace covers us. It's very hard and humbling to face God after sinning but it is so much easier to move on when the cleansing power takes action.
Like David says in Psalm 32:3 When I kept silent my bones wasted away.
It is very difficult to bring sinful man humbly to accept free mercy, with a full confession of his sins and self-condemnation. But the true and only way to peace of conscience, is, to confess our sins, that they may be forgiven; to declare them that we may be justified. Although repentance and confession do not merit the pardon of transgression, they are needful to the real enjoyment of forgiving mercy. And what tongue can tell the happiness of that hour, when the soul, oppressed by sin, is enabled freely to pour forth its sorrows before God, and to take hold of his covenanted mercy in Christ Jesus! Those that would speed in prayer, must seek the Lord, when, by his providence, he calls them to seek him, and, by his Spirit, stirs them up to seek him. In a time of finding, when the heart is softened with grief, and burdened with guilt; when all human refuge fails; when no rest can be found to the troubled mind, then it is that God applies the healing balm by his Spirit. (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary of Psalm 32:3-7) So beautifully put!
Other good points of Tim Conway's with a couple of my own personal notes:
There wasn't a battle with sin before salvation. I know I am saved because this has become something I wrestle with a lot. That is why we must watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). Our eyes are very much open when the Light of Life dwells within. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing! (John 15:5)
There is a godly sorrow in God's children, they have sorrow they have offended God. Though they fall 7 times, they rise out of it. They love God. I love God and I desire to trust and obey. I am sad for others who don't seem to have the Lord's hand of discipline upon them. What a terrible place to be. God sealed us with His covenant blood. He disciplines us as a loving Father would and we will feel it. It won't be pleasant for the time, but it's for our own good.
We fall, but there is grief. If there is a pattern of sin, God disciplines His children. If you can toy with sin and there is no discipline, you are a bastard and God is not your Father. That is a scary thought! Is this you?
This is a battle, not perfection. We will not be made completely perfect till the day of Jesus' return. God will use times like these for the good. He knows who are His and He calls them by name.
Set your mind on the things of the Spirit, there you will find life. The flesh and its deeds bring death.
If you don't war with sin, you should be concerned. If a radical change did not take place in your life, where old things are passed away and all things become new, and your view of sin has not changed, you should be gravely concerned. I know the change that occurred in my life. We can't expect to be perfect, but we can expect a heart that will want to willingly obey what the Spirit wants of us.
I am not only grieved for going against truth, which all sin is. I also grieved for the way sin in my life has hurt others. We also have to keep in mind that we don't battle against flesh and blood. It goes much more deeper, spiritually than that. We have to stand guard in God's word prepared for the days are dark and evil. Sin breeds chaos. Oh does it ever!
How to pick back up?! Confess your sins to the Lord for He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us all ALL unrighteousness.
