Anyone feel this way? Anyone tired of the daily trials, the daily struggles, the daily dealings of the flesh?! It's what we were told would happen. Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble but to take heart because He HAS overcome the world.
And so today, I talked with the Lord, and told Him my frustrations about the daily life struggle, the struggle against the flesh, the perseverance it does in fact take to live for the Kingdom, (we do persevere in His strength but it does feel difficult still at times...) and the desire to live as child of the King, one who reflects the King, I confessed I was feeling rather worn out. "So give up the fight and live for the world..." That is what the enemy has whispered to me before. And at times, I admit, the world seems like they have got it all figured out. But listen my friends..the world sells false peace. I serve the SOURCE of peace. The world sells false contentment, (toys, money, food, drink, vacations that will not end) What the world sells will in fact fade. The world is not eternal. What we cannot see is eternal. The life that is awaiting us beyond the darkness of this life. And to some, I acknowledge, this life probably does not seem all the dark. In fact, this life may seem lovely to them. They are supplied with the things they need, they can do things and not feel guilty and they can spend their money on whatever they want, and some might call this freedom. But I would caution you against this thinking, freedom is found only in Christ. Whats the difference you may ask? I will tell you my thoughts. This world will perish without Christ, and for a time, the prodigal son, did enjoy his time with his fathers inheritance...but he squandered it away over time with parties, and the like. So one day, when he awoke in a pile of pig food, longing to eat what the pigs were eating because he got to the very end of his last dime, and it was not enough to keep him fed anymore. This is how we are in the world. There is no victory in store for me if live my life for me alone. To gratify all of my selfish wants and desires, because lets face it, the moment I meet one desire, another one springs up. "That's just part of being human!" you may say...and you are right. That is part of being human, but I don't have to live like that. Remember? I'm a child of the King! And as I daily lift my head from my pillow I remember this..knowing that my satisfaction and my contentment come from living for my King, walking with King (daily time in the Word) and putting aside the desires of the flesh. (1 Peter 4) The desires and wants of my flesh will honestly never be hushed if I feed them. It is not that I don't enjoy the blessings and good things He has lavished on me, I do enjoy them, but I hold them with an open hand, not a closed fist, because I recognize that it is not the "thing" that brings me happiness. It is the giver of the "thing." No drink, party, sexual experience, vacation, shopping trip, or new item will make me happy, content and no longer wishing for more. I would argue the more we get, the more we want.
Rather, there is a new line of thinking that I would like to pitch to you. How about this?
"To him who overcome, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, JUST AS I OVERCAME, and sat down with my Father on His throne." Revelations 3:21
My new challenge? Be an overcome-er in Christ. This is not a made up story, a made up fairy-tail that is a "jokes on you when you die" or a "You have denied yourself the world's pleasures all your life and now your dead.." kind of deal. This words in the book the Bible, are the very words of God. This reality is hitting me in a whole new way. So here in front of my face, I have God telling me, that when I overcome the desires of the flesh and live a life that honors my Dad, the King...then when I die, or when Jesus comes back, (whatever happens first) I will sit on the throne as one who contended for the faith and overcome the powers of this dark world through Jesus Christ my Lord, for the glory of God the Father, Maker of heaven and earth? Anyone else feel rejuvenated? I do. I am praying that everyone who reads this post will have their spirits lifted, and a desire to live as an one who overcomes, be newly inspired to continue on for Jesus.
We will not be disappointed because friends, even though "we are outwardly wasting away, daily we are renewed by Jesus." "The author and the PERFECTER of our faith," ( Hebrews 12:2) " The one "who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but rather, taking on the very nature of a servant, even to the point of death on a cross"( Philippians 2:6-9) "the God who ever lives and breaths to INTERCEDE FOR ME"( Hebrews 7:25) "and the God who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine," (Ephesians 3:20) has a place prepared for me in heaven. AMEN?! amen. Live. For. Jesus.
Sing with me today: "I have decided, to follow Jesus, I have decided, to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, NO turning back, NO TURNING BACK. Though none go with me, STILL I WILL FOLLOW. Though none go with me, still I will follow, though none go with me, still I will follow, No turning back, no turning back."
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