Friday, 28 May 2021
“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” – Romans 7: 19-20 NIV
There is a famous saying that the world likes to quote to indicate that as people we are always in control of our lives and actions. That saying is “mind over matter”. This means everything I want to do, or do not want to do I can achieve it if I truly believe in my strong will. If I have an addiction all I need to do is decide in my mind and I will overcome it. Many authors have written self-help books addressing this matter. So it makes sense that If I have a particular addiction or craving the reason I’m failing to control it is that I’m not in control of my mind. This is why a lot of Christians are still struggling to this day with addictions because we believe the ability to overcome them lies in our discipline. Some have even taken up meditation to try to overcome, yet perfection still eludes them.
Paul also understood and experienced this shortcoming. He tried his level best to do good, yet the more he tried the more powerless he became. Ignorance, like people say, may be bliss, in that before I decided to change I had “peace”. Now that I know the truth the peace I believed I had seems like a distant memory. The flesh is in complete control of all my faculties and the more I try to fight it, the worse I feel. My many attempts to live a godly life have failed dismally because I was using my own “strength” to try to achieve this objective. Thing is, I have been a Christian for less than two decades yet I’m trying to beat an adversary that has perfected his craft for over two thousand years, manic (locos). “I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me” (Philippians 4:13). We all quote and love this scripture yet we try to do everything ourselves. We try to live a godly life using our own strength, still quoting Proverbs 3:5-7. We are actually double-minded people who are contradicting ourselves every day.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16 ESV). Because Christ knew we couldn’t do this walk on our own he gave us the Holy Spirit to assist us, yet we refuse the help. He reduces our load and leads and guides us into all truth. He even invites us to take up His yoke because it’s easy. Life and challenges may seem unbearable because we carrying someone else’s load (God’s load: Matthew 11:28). By surrendering to Him and His guidance He will remove that which troubles us. The flesh and its desires will never overcome us. This victory is assured only for those who have surrendered to Him, and Him alone (You are either surrendered to Holy Spirit or satan). To say we are Christian yet not surrendered to Him is psychotic and self-sabotaging, totally manic and unproductive. This is what Paul in Romans was trying to teach us. Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will not force himself if not invited.
By surrendering to Him and His guidance He will remove that which troubles us. The flesh and its desires will never overcome us
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