This week’s counseling session seemed to be a “review” of the past two weeks. We kind of jumped around, which is fine with me… that’s the story of my life. Ha. One of my homework assignments is to write a summary of what Jerry discussed in our session, so here it goes:
1 Corinthians 10:13 ‘No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.’
There is no struggle or trial that we go through that has never been gone through before. We may think that our situation is unique and is the worst possible situation anybody could be in, but God tells us in His word that is not the case. He also tells us that He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. We often snap, break, give up and think it’s too much to handle. We know from His word that He will NEVER push us too far. The truth of the matter is that it is US throwing in the towel and not God pushing us beyond our limits.
James 1:2-4 says to ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’
Not lacking anything means to be like Christ.
The ultimate goal of the Christian life is to be like Jesus. We go through our struggles, battles, and trials because God wants to change our heart, our mind, and transform us into His likeness. During these difficult times, God is teaching us how to become like Jesus in true righteousness and holiness. Jesus went through many troubles and trials in his life.. We will grow in Christ if we view troubles as opportunities to learn to trust God. If we are going to become like Jesus, the first lesson we need to learn is to trust in God.
It is alright to say, "God I don't like this! Take it away!" But we also need to
be like Christ when He said, "Your will be done.” We need to say to God, “I want whatever
fulfills Your purpose in my life."
Satan has really been attacking this week in all areas of my life. This has probably been one of the hardest weeks I’ve had in a long time. Prayer is definitely welcome! God is good and I will lift up His name! =)
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Isn't it nice to know He won't let us be tempted more than we can take?
ReplyDeleteJenny your words bring a smile to my face as I see you growing in Christ. There is nothing satan hates more than a Christian growing in Christ, expect the attacks, expect satan to use anything and anyone to cause you to stumble as a matter of fact, he wants to knock you down. Keep your faith and these words you have written in your heart and mind, they will give you strength and power over satan.
ReplyDeleteJenny, I want to commend you in your willingness to express your life through the Word of God, and your eagerness to seek Him in biblical counseling. However, I also want to exhort you with an admonishment from the truth of God's Word.
ReplyDeleteMy counselor once said, "Doing God's Word is not hard, we just make it hard because we don't want to do it!" We MUST acknowledge the truth that our carnal natures (our flesh) despise the things of God. Satan knows this all too well, just look at the "Garden" scene. Why do you think the Devil targeted the woman? I believe one must abandon the "weaker-vessel" garb and go deeper. Adam receieved the Word of God directly from God Himself, Eve received it from Adam. The Devil knew that she would be more apt to question God's Word because it came to her filtered through man. She had a poor revelation of God's Word, and proof of this is in (Genesis 3:3)"But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.' " This is Eve's response to the serpent, and shows her lack of understanding what God really said. God NEVER SAID, 'you must not "touch" it.' Already you can see the twisted perception in Eve. She was embellishing or adding to what God's command was. "I know that all God says and does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking away from it" (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
My point is simply this: In the face of overwhelming adversity and crippling attacks from our three-fold enemy, the world, the flesh, and the Devil, spiritual warfare must be engaged with fervent prayer, and with personal study and life-application of God's Word. "With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in this, with all perseverance and INTERCESSION FOR ALL THE SAINTS" (Ephesians 6:18). Daily devouring God's Word is not just cognitively reading it, but meditating on it throughout the day and letting His Words sink-in to our hearts "...Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart" (Proverbs 3:3). "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it acoording to Your Word. I have sought You with all my heart; don't let me wander from Your commands. I have treasured Your Word in my heart so the I might not sin against You" (Psalm 199:9-11).
David understood the vital importance of "remembering God's Word," "delighting in His statutes," and "meditating on His precepts" (119:15).
Listening to sermons, going to church, going to counseling, doing "good deeds," even talking about Jesus, are all worthy things to practice as a Christian. But in the face of all out spiritual attack and demonic oppression, these things mean absolutely nothing and do not phase the enemy one bit! I should know, I lived most of my adult life "playing church!" I was a pharisee, a white-washed tomb, a hypocrite! And as soon as the floods of the enemy came, I was completely vulnerable...easy prey, so to speak. I had no fight, because I simply loved the world, my sin, and myself more than the Lord. I relied on my own self-abilities, self-righteousness, and pride. I had no real personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I wanted a Savior, but I did not want a LORD! I wanted to remain on the throne of my life, and afterall it was mine, or at least I thought so.
In 2008, I "gave my life," in the purest meaning of the phrase, to Jesus Christ. I was baptized when I was 10, but I only got "wet!" In February of '08, I was baptized unto His death.
There is a real enemy in the heavenly places we know, but do we really know the seriousness of this spiritual warfare we're in? If we did, if we REALLY DID, we would be continually dwelling at the foot of the cross as needy desperate sheep, crying out to Him daily, living IN His Word, and living OUT His Word, spending quality quiet time on our face before Him, surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus, knowing our rightful place in Him, and knowing who we are in Him, and who we are apart from Him. Without this walk with the Lord, we fool ourselves as to where we are, whose we are, and where we are going, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5).
The "church-conformed-to-the-world" or simply put, the apostate church, is excelling in lulling its members to sleep with fluffy, feel-good messages that leave us feeling good and secure about ourselves (Rock-a-bye-baaaby...), and in the meantime leaves its members in incredible bondage, addicted, afflicted, and constricted, while the enemy remains the god of their lives. Is it any wonder that so many people are hopeless, helpless, and powerless?
There will NOT be victory in the lives of believers, OR in the life of the apostate church, until the pure unadulterated gospel of the CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST is preached again, and SIN is confronted, until Christians begin "walking in the light, as He Himself is in the light" (1 John 1:7); until confrontive, "offensive" messages that cut to the quick of our selfish, prideful, arrogant, self-righteous, pious, hypocrital,judgemental, critical, dark, wicked, rebellious, hedonistic hearts. "For the Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints and marrow; it is a judge of the thoughts, and ideas of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). OUCH!! That sounds pretty painful to me.
So you may want to ask yourself a few questions, "Am I always feeling good and happy about myself when I walk out of church on Sunday mornings?" "Am I hearing hard messages about 'suffering servants, picking up my cross, denying myself, following Jesus and not my own non-challant "whatever" agenda, hating my life in this world, losing my life for His sake and the gospel, crucifying my flesh, fasting on a regular basis, being set-apart from the world, laying down ALL of my idols..."TV, sports, worldly music, the INTERNET and all the filth that is attached to it, entertainment, lust, coveting, pleasure, comfort, worldly success, selfish ambition...etc?"
Hmmmm!? Is it any wonder why adversity, bondage, affliction, addiction, division, and every demonic oppressive thing seems to be in overwhelming abundance?
JESUS CHRIST IS THE VICTORY! However, being an overcomer means Jesus overcoming YOU! Throw up the white flag today, and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Lay down every idol, every pre-conceived notion of what you think Christianity is, or is supposed to be. Own whatever the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart even now as you read. Tell Jesus that He is all you want. Seek Him not for what He can do FOR you or TO you. He wants us to come to Him empty and broken. He wants us to be satisfied in only Him. Then it is about what He can do IN you and THROUGH you, and what He can BECOME to you.
We can continue thinking we can be efficacious in fighting the enemy of enemies, the prince of darkness without being completely abandoned to Jesus as our Lord and Master, and continue on afflicted and in delusion as to who our master really is...SELF. Defeat and despair will continue to be the outcome.
The supreme idolatry is self-worship. the supreme victory is death to self and life in Christ, "It is no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me" (Romans 14:8). Whenever we live a lifestyle of "Jesus, and....," we have no warfare weaponry to fight the wiles of the Devil in the midst of trials.
"Finally be strengthened by the Lord and His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For your battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared EVERYTHING, to take your stand" (Ephesians 6:10-13).
Jesus is the answer!
-David Frazier