Our response to habitual sin problems, health problems, financial problems, joy problems should all be met with this answer: prayer. www.desiringgod.org/messages/... www.desiringgod.org/messages/...
That was awesome! Sometimes I just want to give God glory, but don’t know how to, as my words simply fail to do so. Hallowing His Name seems like a great place to start. Thanks Pastor John!
"...almost overwhelming ...". Debilitating, sometimes, yet, I'm still here, facing a new day, today, by the Grace of an Ever-Loving God. HIS WILL BE DONE on HIS Earth as it is in HIS HEAVEN as I wait on my knees for God's Glorius plans for me. BE STILL, in hope, faith, and love, in Jesus' Name! Amen! Thank YOU, my Heavenly Father!
I have health issues - there are times that the pain can be overwhelming. In a recent physical 'attack' so to speak, what was helpful in getting through was remembering that God is sovereign and is allowing this to happen for some reason. Remember Job? He had no idea *why* stuff was happening, only that God was allowing it to happen. And yet even now we still speak of those tribulations... God's will is good, His plan for me is good, and that everything that happens ONLY happens if He allows it. His permissive will allows things that He would prefer not to happen (and He could stop them if He chose) - but even them He can use for His glory. So any way it rolls up, God's plan is good. I don't know everything. I don't need to in order to function - but His strength is definitely worth learning more about.
Amen. As I think back over time I wonder how I got to a place where I want to please God, to the point where I want to do all things to the glory of God. I know it was not a natural thing for me to want to be this way. And I think "but I was dead and he made me alive, that is how it happened". Then I wonder, "but what about all of that time when I was made alive and yet doing all things to the glory of God was not my priority". How did the change come about? I know at some point I began to pray that God would make me the type of person who would delight in him, who would love him. I knew my life did not measure up. I could not make myself that way and I knew it. All I can think of is he heard my prayer and performed a miracle in my heart. That is the only explanation I can think of. I have not yet attained the prize and I have not arrived, but I have come to know and delight in my Lord on a different and deeper level than I have in the past.
One afternoon of my prayer God told me to stop begging Him rather start worshipping Him. I did not understand it at first now I know that indeed my problem was shrinking me more.
He indeed knows what we need. Let's not get a hold of Him when we are in trouble. He is the ever present Lord. Let Him reign in total trust. He is our Shalom.
(Psalm 36:1-4) The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. {2} For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. {3} The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. {4} He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
💯 EXACTLY what happened to me over the last several years while battling multiple health problems, including chronic pain which seemed to demand my attention & focus day & night, the resulting challenge of maintaining employment & the financial difficulties that followed, everything seeming to close in on top of me & all around me, shrinking my perceived existence from the former broad & boundless possibilities I previously enjoyed. I lost sight of the glorious Name of God, His goodness & beauty, that is to renowned & revered by all of Creation. I lost sight of His Kingdom & the privilege of being called to play a role in advancing it here on Earth. I lost of His plan & purpose, that His will be done here as it is in Heaven. This limited perception did indeed serve as blinders, focusing all my attention on myself: my needs, my hunger & thirst, my pain, my sense of betrayal by God & others, my temptations, my fears, my worries, my anxieties, my comfort, etc.... Only by looking up to gaze upon Him am I being healed & satisfied & relieved from the weighty & cumbersome burden of self-centered naval-gazing.
Jennifer LovesChrist Ask God for daily bread. 🥖 is likened unto deliverance by Jesus Himself. Also the Prayer says, “Deliver us from evil.” Pray that Ángels of deliverance would minister to that area and that the Holy Spirit would turn the true light on so what is hidden maybe exposed. Apostle Alexander Pagini recently taught this. But cherishing God more than anything even deliverance I am learning is key. It is a form of trust even.
Jennifer LovesChrist, the fact that it troubles you is evidence of the grace of God at work in your life. Most people couldn't care less about how their sin is destroying them. The god of this world has blinded their minds to the seriousness of their eternal consequences for disobedience to God. The Holy Spirit is still convicting you through your conscience. Praise God for that!! So how do you overcome this besetting sin? First acknowledge the problem, not only in prayer but to trustworthy members of the body of Christ. Draw near to God and tell him the truth. Don't lie and say "Oh God, I really want to overcome this!!" The reason why a sin continually defeats us is BECAUSE we crave it, we want it, we lust after it, we make opportunities to pursuit it. Ask God to give you a proper fear of him!! The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil (Proverbs 8:13 and Matthew 10:28). You must stay in the light about temptation both with your Heavenly Father AND trustworthy Christians (1 John 1:9-10). No one overcomes sin on their lonely mountaintop. We need each other as believers. By exposing when you are tempted or when you fail to overcome you are putting yourself in position to receive help from your spiritual family. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). They can ask how you're doing in your fight of the faith. Are you overcoming or being overcome? They can hold you accountable. But you must be a rat on yourself. Not even serious believers can help you if you refuse to tell the truth!! Go out of your way to spend time with other serious believers. Their influence will rub off on you. Proverbs says he who walks with wise men will become wise but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33). Read God's word and prayerfully study it, both on your own AND with other Christians. Find out what HE SAYS about this besetting sin. Because ultimately it's Him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:13, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Even if we fool flesh and blood people we can't fool God!! So read his words to understand what He thinks about our sin. HINT: He takes it far more seriously than we do!! God's word starts to change our perspective on wrongdoing. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have laid up thy word in my heart that I might NOT SIN AGAINST THEE." David laid up (i.e. treasured) God's word. He knew it by heart. Since he himself lived in a body like ours, Jesus understands our daily struggle with sin (Hebrews 4:15-16). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil (Matthew 4), what did he do? He quoted scripture right back at the devil and the devil had to leave (James 4:6-10, especially verse 7). If you are not regularly studying God's word you'll be spiritually malnourished and have nothing stored up with which to fight the devil. He'll eat you alive spiritually (1Peter 5: 6-11, esp. verse 8 ). If our Lord and Savior went to His Heavenly Father's word to defeat the devil, doesn't it make sense that we do the same? Unless, of course, we are MORE spiritual than Jesus. I know I'm not!! Most importantly remember that God loves you and HE is the person who wants you to overcome your sin the most!! For God soooo loved (you and me)...Our problem with sin is dire, it's worse than cancer or any other fatal disease. People have recovered from cancer but SIN IS 100% LETHAL!! God in his amazing, infinite love sent Jesus to die for us (John 3:16) and He gives us the Holy Spirit to train us to overcome sin so we can draw all the closer to himself. Out of his love he provides the way of escape, the means to overcome, when the devil tempts us (1Corinthians 10:12-13). The victory over sin belongs to God through the perfectly lived life and lovingly sacrificed blood of his son Jesus. Jesus never sinned and death could not hold him!! Although God's not pleased when we sin, he forgives us when we repent, trust Jesus and tell the truth. JESUS IS THE TRUTH (John 14:6, 1John 1:9). God wants you to overcome your problem with sin far more than you do. HE'S THE ONE WHO PUT THE DESIRE TO OVERCOME SIN IN YOU!! It's part of his mercy and grace towards you. It's a gift. (Ephesians 2:8-9) I'm sorry this post is so long. But I hope it helps you in your walk with Christ. Keep drawing near to God in HONEST prayer. God can't help you if you lie to Him. Tell Him the ugly truth and earnestly ask his help to overcome sin. And by the grace of God with each passing day you'll grow stronger and make progress in putting distance between yourself and your besetting sin. I'll be praying for you. Jesus loves you. If I don't see you in this life, I hope to see you in the resurrection of the just!! God bless you. Jose.
Pray long and hard fast watch sermons constantly for encouraging keep trying and jesus will take that sin from you but don't put your self in any situation that tempts you . The bible explains pray before your tempted and run from that sin . You will overcome . In jesus name amen
