Saturday, June 10, 2017

Spiritual Endurance Against Satan's Whip.

Do good.
Seek peace.
Refrain from evil speaking.
Speak no lies.
Be compassionate.
Pity those needing pity.
Be courteous.
Don't return evil for the evil done to you.
Love others.
Love life.
See good days.

Being a Christ follower is a very active pursuit, not something for those who cannot strive to do His will. Being a Christ follower isn't a pursuit in inactivity.

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 
1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil

We are told what to THINK-

Php_4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Think on truth.
Think on honesty.
Think on the just.
Think on the pure.
Think on the lovely.
Think on things of good report.
Think on the virtuous.
Think on the praiseworthy things.

So why do we insist on allowing our thoughts to run rampant steering us towards things that aren't good, things that aren't pure or lovely, or truthful, or honest, or of good report and virtuous and not praiseworthy at all?  Satan will guide our thoughts if we let him. We need to pick up the SWORD of the SPIRIT - the WORD of GOD and use it against Satan and his attacking our minds, our thoughts! We need to delve into the Word of God! We need to study the truth and all things our Savior would have us know. We have to sometimes force ourselves to do what we know we should do rather than succumb to the apathy of Satan who wants to keep us from God's Word. If you don't FEEL like studying, reading, or thinking on the things we are told to think on, you need to PRAY PRAY PRAY! Not that the feeling changes because being a Christian isn't about FEELING. We need to pray earnestly for the will to open God's word. We need to pray to choose God over self. We are sinners,  sin-sick sinners who have been battered and beaten spiritually bloody until we have almost no desire at all to fight the good fight, to run the race. We are Satan scarred and he loves nothing more than to ply his evil whip across our spiritual backs so that we cry out for him to stop, giving in to his demands that we keep away from the very thing that can help us endure the pain.  God's word may not free us from the pain we are in, the agony we writhe under, we don't need to ask for release from the pain but rather that we can endure all pain until the end. We can't be taken out of this world, but we can ask to be kept from the evil of this world. If our Savior suffered, if His apostles suffered, if all the men and women of God throughout His word suffered, we cannot ask to be kept from suffering. We ask for endurance as we cling to the hope, the promise given to all that we will one day- when our Savior returns- be united fully with Him and no longer in this world gone so horrifically wrong.

Help us, Savior! Help us! We need YOU and YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS! Our hope is in YOU, not in ourselves, please! We believe, help our unbelief!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!

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