Hebrews 12:4 "In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood."
I have to admit it - I complain to God and cry out for victory but I haven't pushed myself to the point of blood. I see this problem all around me, people like myself saying that we want holiness, that we want more of God, yet we continue to stumble in our mind and in our walk and enter into our Bible Studies saying: "I blew it again!" while everyone pats us on the back and tells us it's going to be okay.
Why don't we admit it and save everyone the pain: We really don't want IT as bad as we say we do. If we did, we would chase harder after Him. We would cast off the things that hinder instead of allowing them to cling to us. We would fast and read and get by ourselves, praying these things down. We would draw a line in the sand on the mountaintop, like Elijah, and not come down until we've won the victory. "Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled" is not an empty promise.
When I pray the Lord's Prayer, I am very careful in each part. Especially, "Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil." In this request I am asking God to take me away from the things that I am drawn to. But I like the things I am drawn to. So if I want victory over them, I must be drained of this "like", and that takes a struggle to the point of shedding blood. The blood of my fleshly nature must be drained out of me. Leviticus 17:11 - "The life of the creature is in the blood." I also think that "The like of the creature is in the blood."
This blood must be replaced by the healing blood of Jesus - a new life with new likes. The victory comes when the desires have changed. But my fleshly nature will never change its desires (see Galatians 5:16 - 18). So - - - - in my struggle against sin, I must shed the blood of my old nature, and this takes more work than most of us are willing to put in.
1 comment:
good stuff my friend. i feel like we keep talking about this, which must mean that it's not really sinking in that we have to get serious.
i think that part of my problem is i still internalize everything. while every battle is personal, it should be dealt with in community. i don't necessarily mean a bunch of people, more like 1 or 2 trusted friends within the community who can really dedicate their time and energy to prayer and fasting for one another.
we cannot do this alone. i think the more i realize that, the more i know i need Christ-like prayer partners and friends surrounding me all the time.
good stuff my friend.
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