I gave my life to Christ a number of years ago but...I don't even know what that means anymore. I'm not living in willful sin but I'm not living in victory either.
My question is directed to the people who have the joy the bible talks about. How did you get there?
Do you think laziness is the biggest reason people live defeated lives and never get to enter in?
What do you mean by a "defeated life"?
If it's not a life of "willful sin", then in what ways is it "defeated"?
Do you think laziness is the biggest reason people live defeated lives and never get to enter in?
Habitual laziness is willful sin, if you ask me. Scripture commands us not to be slothful in business, but to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord with all our heart. A lack of fervency and devotion in Kingdom business can only ultimately be the natural result of a lack of true love. As the body without the spirit is dead, and faith without works is dead, in the same way, love without devotion is dead.
Jesus said if we abide in Him, we will bring forth much fruit, but if we bear no fruit, we will be cut off and cast away as a branch to wither. A life that bears no fruit is a life that is withering away and not abiding in the True Vine.
And remember this parable Jesus told about the "slothful servant":
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matthew 25:14-30)
This is a very solemn and serious warning by the Lord. The slothful servant was cast out into outer darkness! Slothfulness and the lack of bearing good fruit shows that we are not living our lives for Jesus.
If this is you, then check yourself. It is better to discover that one is a slothful and unprofitable servant here and to repent and be diligent than to wait until Judgment day to discover it. Then it will be too late...
Howdy fill_up,
I reckon that if you're worried about your walk with the Lord, you're better off than those that think they're doing great.
"The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility." (PRO 15:33)
If you're conscious that you don't believe as much as you should... Great! It's true of every faithful man and woman living!
Ask God to increase your faith.
If you know you should be donating more time or resources to church or charity... Great!
If you know you ought to be reading your Bible more than you do...
...and going to those prayer groups...and praying before bed...and praying when you get up...etc...
If you're concerned about your salvation and alarmed about your state of grace, Hallelujah!
At least you [b]realize
How did you get there?
If you're feeling this way, the Holy Spirit's convicting you and hasn't remotely given up on you. You're "on your way".
I'm going to be very straight and honest with you. It's important to remember that Jesus will never condemn you. It's always the devil that hurls accusations and says you don't measure up. The walk with Jesus is not performance-based. I also know that self-condemnation is oftentimes a place to hide from repentance and it's something you should ask yourself.
In my own life, I've struggled with self-condemnation to finally the Holy Spirit simply said "Stop it Ed." I was quite frankly a bit afraid and entered into a covenant that I wouldn't do it and if I did, I gave Jesus permission to do whatever he needed to do in my life to rid me of this. Self-condemnation never equates to repentance...
This is an excellent place to start. Your honesty is refreshing and why don't you do take this to the prayer closet and tell Jesus exactly what you said here with a follow-up question asking Jesus what will it take to change this in my heart? Are you willing to allow the Lord do whatever it takes until He changes this?I gave my life to Christ a number of years ago but...I don't even know what that means anymore. I'm not living in willful sin but I'm not living in victory either.
I don't know whether this is true or not, but it could be because it's still your life. This is something to address honestly. The lack of joy is often attributed to a lack of surrender.
The joy is not always there but is there when I've laid everything, including and especially myself on the altar. I'm thinking of the song and Galatians 2 "I've been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me." I'm in some extremely difficult places right now and if Jesus doesn't step in, I'm a dead man but I'm not anxious because I've cast my cares on Jesus. It's not my life any more and I don't have to fix myself. I do however, have to submit to Jesus.My question is directed to the people who have the joy the bible talks about. How did you get there?
I wouldn't focus on the joy because if that's what you seek you won't get it. Walk in obedience to what the Holy Spirit and the known light you have in the scriptures and be sure to be as much as you can with Jesus. Ask Him to quicken His word to your heart.
Frankly, no it's because they refuse to fully surrender to Jesus. They don't want to take up their cross and deny themselves. It's not about laziness but more of a lack of submission because they love the world more than they love Jesus.Do you think laziness is the biggest reason people live defeated lives and never get to enter in?
Everything has to be laid done at the call of the Spirit and that's excruciatingly painful. They don't enter in because they refuse to lay down their life...
Speaking for myself, there was never an appreciation of the value of this life in Christ until I shared in the cost. When I began to pour myself into prayer for others, to study as if I were a slave of righteousness with no other purpose but to bring glory to God, it was soon after that I recognized my inability to serve without abundant grace. Moreover, I realized how selfish I had been towards my God and others, being saved from eternal hell yet being little moved for others. This led to a deep shame that was almost unbearable. At last, being quite broken and aware of how undeserving I was, He smiled upon me and filled me with a trust in His grace and provision. This filled me with unspeakable joy.
If you are saved, your new nature will find satisfaction in nothing but loving God and your neighbor as yourself.
Are you hearing Gospel preaching? Are you hearing (whether in a Church or on tape, DVD, internet, books) WHAT GOD HAD DONE FOR YOU< IN CHRIST.
Or are you just hearing men berate you with the bible, and continually tell you what you are NOT doing.
This is very important. It will direct the way you even look at the scriptures.
The Gospel (GOOD NEWS) is the Power of God (the ability God Gives) unto salvation, and salvation encompasses our entire walk with Him from beginning to end.
Your standing with God has nothing to do with how well you obeyed Him today. You have access to Him, BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST. YOU ARE ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.....YOU ARE ACCEPTED IN HIM. If you are still laboring under a religion that is trying to please Him with your own obedience, than forsake it and receive the FREE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS OFFERED IN CHRIST.
Jesus lived the perfect life of obedience that you could not live. He died as the perfect sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God. And HE rose from the grave to show that HE has the power of death...therefore we need not fear death. He, Him, Jesus, is the reason why we have full and complete access to the Father. Period.
Stop looking at yourself and look unto Jesus...the author and the finisher of your faith.
I don't mean to come off so blunt, but honestly you will be bombarded with a ton of counsel that will mostly be like the counsel that Job's friends gave him. When he was down they just beat him up some more.
The Gospel starts and ends with Jesus. His life. His death. His resurrection. Jesus Christ is victorious and His Work is finished. He is seated. He is sitting. He is done.
It is now our privilege to seek Him, in His Word, and renew our mind and learn Him and learn who we are in Him.
You will find your joy there and no where else.
Thanks "Death2self" for your encouraging words of life.
The Cross is where it's at. The struggling and the trying to serve the LORD will cease when we embrace the cross. As far as God is concerned we have died with Christ, and we are to reckon ourselves to be so, however, because of a considerable lack of understanding on our part we are left trying in the flesh to live something that we cannot.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me. I never knew what it meant to take up the cross. Oh, I have tried, but even that is a work of the holy Spirit. I said, "LORD, I don't even know how to die". His reply, "You don't have to, your already dead, just acknowledge that you are and leave the rest to me". The struggling ends the 'trying' ends, when we simply just rest in the fact that by faith He is doing the work in us.
Do we stop praying and seeking God? certainly not. If I am praying because it will make me righteous before God, it would be better that I not pray. Settle it in your heart that we are righteous because of the deeds of Jesus Christ, not because we have done anything at all. Therefore pray because you love Him and are thankful for His grace.
The LORD has been with me since I was 15 years old, I am now 40. I can tell you that I can count on my fingers the times that I have felt His presence. It has been few and far between, settle it in your heart, this is a walk of faith and not feeling. Though there be times that you will feel Him, but seek not these things they only bring discouragement. I have had my share of that over the years.
I would highly recommend Watchman Nee's book entitled, "The Normal Christian Life". Incredible answers for struggler's who are 'trying' to live the Christian life by a great author and martyr.
Hi, I'm new and I've not posted before..and I'm really new to using forums so please bear with me:)
I felt compelled to reply to this one as it seems your on the same path I am and, I think all Christians are to differing extents. I feel the Holy Spirit speaking to me lately...encouraging me that I need to grow more and become more mature in my walk with Christ. It seems that people mature at different speeds sometimes, just like children grow and mature at different rates and times. And we are most certainly like little children when it comes to our walk with Christ, but I agree with some of the other writers..that we can spend a lot of our time testing our independence with God instead of holding His hand and walking where He wants to lead us. At least that's been true of my life at times, I can be feisty and independent..and God has had to let me have my way and find out things the hard way sometimes and to my regret..but He has NEVER left me. I was saved as a young child and I am now and forevermore convinced that when I asked Him to save me...that is exactly what He did. I was sealed by the Spirit from that moment on. However, I have not walked holding God's hand as I should have to my regret, but with the Spirit's conviction I have reached out my hand again...and found His open and waiting. And He wants my full surrender this time..and I have finally prayed for God to help me walk according to His way. And it is a DAILY struggle, which is why I am finding that I must pray continually and study continually. Which by the way is how I found this site (and I love it). So all this to say that if you asked God to save your soul and for Christ to come in as your Lord, He keeps His promises, but we have a responsibility too. We must daily walk with Him, and I like Paul's analogy of a race..we will struggle to become like Christ until we die or He comes back and makes us new creatures to we can shed this body of death and all its weight. But we have to keep our eyes on Jesus, and run toward that finish line until we cross the tape. I hope I have encourage you to seek the face of God everyday earnestly and He will help you. His promises are true and He is stronger than you and the evil forces in this world that lead us away from Him. God bless and press on toward the prize!!
Mahoney wrote:
Are you hearing Gospel preaching? Are you hearing (whether in a Church or on tape, DVD, internet, books) WHAT GOD HAD DONE FOR YOU< IN CHRIST.
Or are you just hearing men berate you with the bible, and continually tell you what you are NOT doing.
This is very important. It will direct the way you even look at the scriptures.
The Gospel (GOOD NEWS) is the Power of God (the ability God Gives) unto salvation, and salvation encompasses our entire walk with Him from beginning to end.
Your standing with God has nothing to do with how well you obeyed Him today. You have access to Him, BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST. YOU ARE ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.....YOU ARE ACCEPTED IN HIM. If you are still laboring under a religion that is trying to please Him with your own obedience, than forsake it and receive the FREE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS OFFERED IN CHRIST.
Jesus lived the perfect life of obedience that you could not live. He died as the perfect sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God. And HE rose from the grave to show that HE has the power of death...therefore we need not fear death. He, Him, Jesus, is the reason why we have full and complete access to the Father. Period.
Stop looking at yourself and look unto Jesus...the author and the finisher of your faith.
I don't mean to come off so blunt, but honestly you will be bombarded with a ton of counsel that will mostly be like the counsel that Job's friends gave him. When he was down they just beat him up some more.
The Gospel starts and ends with Jesus. His life. His death. His resurrection. Jesus Christ is victorious and His Work is finished. He is seated. He is sitting. He is done.
It is now our privilege to seek Him, in His Word, and renew our mind and learn Him and learn who we are in Him.
You will find your joy there and no where else.
dear fill-up,
i cannot add much to what the others are saying because they have given you such great biblical advice..
* go into the closet and tell Him of your fears. let Him do in you what you need done.
* understand who you are in Christ or better yet, understand what it means to be in union with Him.
there are so many blessings and benefits that we do not realize or actually believe.
compliments has recommended an amazing book "the normal christian's life". for me, this book is near and dear to my heart because it was used by God to open my eyes to the performance-driven religion that i had been taught and was practicing.
though i had read romans many times, it opened my eyes to understanding what happened at the cross and with the blood of our precious savior Jesus Christ.
i love you guys and i pray that the Father will show you what it means to be a child in the family of God.
Hey Fill,
Bless you for your honesty, I know how you feel. Here is some things that have helped me:
Pray and ask for a mentor, preferably one that is older, and one that you can be accountable to. I had been praying for that from God and I expected someone from my church to be used by God. However, He decided to use an older man whose wife lives in the nursing home here in the hospital, I had never met him before, but Christ brought us together under His blood.
Fellowship is so important, once you start dying to self, God will certainly bring saints into your life from all different backgrounds. That is when you really see what a family we have in Jesus.
Witness to people-In Jesus name-you don't have to save them, but simply sharing what Jesus did on the cross with them, that will plant a seed>
"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11
Submission to God is a hard painful process, so much like cutting the dead flesh out of a wound, it will leave you raw for sure, but God will extend grace to you. I am slowly learning to remember that my works towards righteousness is nothing unless God is steering every part of my life, and i need to be a grateful little worm ;-) I will pray for you, Joe
We must be honest with HIM as we read in Psalms that David was. Lord, why do you let my enemies persecute me? He knows our hearts anyway. If we have a lust of the flesh problem and we know the flesh is weak. Lord I know it is wrong for me to look upon that married women with lust in eyes. If we can't be honest with HIM whom can we be honest with? Do you think maybe when we "fess'up" to HIM will open the door to us for the power to do HIS WIll and act according to how he would have us to act. After all if he don't give us the power where are we going to get it and we know when we read in HIS WORD he says "apart from me you can do nothing". If we don't deal with the sin while it is still yet a thought and God does not give us HIS power to crucify the flesh and the temptation of sin and we don't and take every thought captive that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ then the thought and the pleasures of sin for a season will give birth to sin and we know that sin is not pleasing to God in the lives of HIS children. Many times fellow christains will discuss a scriptural passage and most of the time at least one person will comment "that the particular passage not only referring to eternity and only has earthly consequences. But what does it all boil down to? We need HIS blessings now in the earthly tent and for eternity and we know from the Holy Scriptures that obedience and trust is the key to blessings on earth and to have eternal life. And if he doesn't give the power we want have the power to overcome anything. If we think we do have the power within ourselves then would we be called self-righteousness. If you will notice anytime on the forum or otherwise when one relates to obedience or what the Word says, he or she is be hit with a term of being legalistic. Now days the preacher gets phone after Sunday service calls about being political in his sermon when he preaches about certain sins that certain political parties say that the sin or an alternative lifestyle is a choice and we should separate our christian lifestyle and thoughts from our public life and as they continue to talk about the fact that each one has the right to make our decisions and that we shouldn't condemn them and if we do are judging. Judging is when a person is able to discern what sin is but they also discern what would be the appropriate punishment and either administer the punishment or deligate that decided appropriate punishment to the guilty party. Merely calling sin what it is, is far from judging. We leave the wrath of God to God but we continue to call sin exactly what it is. If we don't continue to call sin "sin" are we conforming to the world. What one generation tolerates the next embraces. God loves the sinner and he calls all of them to repentance through HIS WORD and HIS SPIRIT. The law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ and through HIS SON JESUS he has made a new covenant and better covenant with us and as we accept His free gift he gave on the cross and surrender to HIS LORDSHIP then he will write HIS laws in our hearts and take away our heart of stone. Then it is longer us that lives but Christ that lives in us. "The life we now live we live by faith in the SON OF GOD who loved us and gave himself for us. We do frustrate the grace of God. If righteousness came by the law then Christ died in vain. Lord help us to be pleasing to you and to have the unity to show the world who you are. I just got through reading Ezekiel 33 and 34 which came to me in my sleep last week. I had no idea of the contents of he passages. My Old Testament knowledge is much more limited than the New Testament knowledge. What the chapter say are it is not our responsibility for what occurs after we warn but is ours to warn. All of th BIble is God's Word. John 1:1 and John 1:14 I have only been a member on SI for a short time and enjoy reading the post and listening to audio sermons. There are so many sites on there to get a sermon. Below is a couple of my favorite sites on the internet if anyone would like to check them out.
http://www.gsfbc.org/
http://www.njbc.org/
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