The battle part 4

God has been showing me or teaching me over a while now especially the last few months about three areas or subjects. This started actually years back but really came on strong here of late through reading the bible, books, devotionals, from people, sermons and circumstances.  What is being laid upon my heart is it is good to be humble, gentle, loving and submissive but not passive when it comes to the content in the next three devotionals.  

1 is following, stepping into, carrying your cross, committing to the journey the Lord has for each of us. I think this is different for all of us but I do believe that God has a plan or journey for each person. I think a good comparison for me would be when God freed His people from Egypt and led them to the promise land. The point here is it was a beautiful place a land of milk and honey that wanted to give them. You can read in numbers 13 and Deuteronomy 1 how God commanded them to enter the land he gave them. They sent 12 men to scout the land and seen how beautiful and fruitful the land was but they also seen giants the enemy they would have to conquer. Joshua and Caleb wanted to proceed but the other 10 convinced everyone not to go in because of fear of the giants they would be killed. Their lack of obedience caused them to wander in the desert for 40 years. I think we all have a journey, a promise land, and there will be giants we all have to face. We cannot be passive when it comes to this journey or giants that are in our life or way.

John 6:51-56  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.  But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” John 6:66-67 “At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked,“ Are you also going to leave?” I think we can have eternal life through Jesus and maybe miss what Jesus wants to do in our life or take us.

To not ever encounter Giants in your walk with the Lord or face any weaknesses, shortcoming, or failures is not to follow Jesus. This is not reality or carrying your cross. You don’t overcome everything in your own strength. He leads you to situations where you must rely on His power through you. The victory and glory goes to the Lord. If you never encounter a giant or have a weakness or failure you are probably not being led to the cross. If you can always overcome in the flesh and in your strength you are not going where you have to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. This may look good to others but is probably not fully glorifying to the Lord. In the bible God was glorified through all kinds of people who needed to rely oh Him in different ways. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Jesus could live with and forgive human failure but He never allowed evil spirits to control Him. He was aggressive toward His spiritual enemies. There is no neutral ground. There is no room for a passive spirit in God’s army. A Quote from Francis Frangipane.