Are you still fighting? The War is over!!
"Legalistic people trust in Christ a lot; but they don't trust in Christ alone." - Max Lucado in his book "It's Not About Me".
Sometimes it can be such a struggle to let go and let God.
I was speaking to a friend the other day who is trying to make some headway in her career. Her field is a tough nut to crack. She has been pushing herself really hard and told me (not quoting verbatim, but the gist of what she said)- "I know God will bless me; but I feel that I must do something to show Him that I am also working hard and trying my best for it."
It is a fine line between trying our best and glorifying God, and falling into the trap of "Works", thinking we dun deserve the blessings unless we push ourselves pass breaking point.
We are all guilty of having problems balancing on that fine line now and then. It is not just in the area of careers, but in the frontiers of personal relationships too.
Ever felt a relationship is strained and you keep trying to make up for it, trying to justify yourself but it doesn't get better, just worse? Well, sometimes I feel that is because instead of surrendering the relationship to Jesus and acknowledging that His grace can help us through ALL things - even the nitty gritty stuff- we take matters into our hands and sometimes, we let our emotions instead of God's Wisdom escape from our lips, and the vicious cycle of hurt starts again.
Until we learn to trust Jesus in EVERY area, we will experience partial victories. Maybe some people have victory at work but not at home. The bible has a prime example for this - King David. He stormed the battles and kicked serious ass, but at home he was suffering from all sorts of marital problems and problems with the kids. That is because David always prays before going into battle, but we hardly hear him pray about his wife/wives or his children's affairs.
God is a good listener. He has already promised you the blessings of Abraham in Deut 28 now that we are Ab's spiritual kids in Christ. BUT like Abraham, we need to walk with Him, talk with Him and ask boldly of Him! Abraham was told by God that he would be the father of many nations. And when the issue of land ownership was settled, he boldly reminded God "Wa Bor Da Po Kiah!! (I don't have a son!)" Did God rebuke him for his insolence? Nope, God replied with reassurance that junior was on his way and to make it absolutely clear to Ab that He was sincere about it, He made a covenant with Abraham. Now the covenant was made with the blood of animals then, but today we have a better covenant!
Pastor Lian was just saying- the one making the covenant makes it for the benefit of the weaker party. =) God knows we want some form of proof or down payment that He will make His promises come true, so He paid with the highest price possible - the life of His Son. Jesus shed His blood to seal us into the promised abundant life the Father has given us through Him.
Today, do we trust that Christ was telling the truth on the Cross as He declared with His dying breath, "IT IS FINISHED!" OR do we still think we need to assist Christ to finish up God's Work in us?
Do we trust in Christ a lot or do we trust in Christ ALONE? It makes a whole difference depending on your personal convictions... a difference between seeking for, and coming from victory.
We have the victory but what a pity so many of us live lives fraught with defeat because we think the war's not been won yet.
Reminds me of the story of some Japanese soldier who was found living in the jungle after WWII was long over that I'd read in the papers some years ago.
"Private Nakamura Teruo was spotted by a pilot of the Indonesian Air Force in an isolated clearing on Morotai around September 1974, but it took two months for the rumour to reach the Japanese embassy in Jakarta Nakamura, who spent more than twenty years in complete isolation, did not know the war was over, and was convinced he would be killed if he was found."
The war is over folks, Christ has overcome so we can live as overcomers. Stop living in fear, step out and enjoy all the blessings He has for you. Don't be like Private Nakamura and live in fear for 30 over years. If we do, then it is as the Scripture says, "my people perish for lack of knowledge."
Drink up His Words and know Whose you are, Who you are, What you have in Him and stand up against the bullying tactics of Satan when He tries to mock you and put you down with lying thoughts.
SHALOM!!!
(P/S: Gonna start reading my new Andrew Wommack book where he discusses how "The War is Over" in a bit. Thanks guys for the lovely bday gift. What a blessing! God is so good, so so good. Trying to finish up some library books first. One of them is called "Shame Off You" - love the read.)
Sometimes it can be such a struggle to let go and let God.
I was speaking to a friend the other day who is trying to make some headway in her career. Her field is a tough nut to crack. She has been pushing herself really hard and told me (not quoting verbatim, but the gist of what she said)- "I know God will bless me; but I feel that I must do something to show Him that I am also working hard and trying my best for it."
It is a fine line between trying our best and glorifying God, and falling into the trap of "Works", thinking we dun deserve the blessings unless we push ourselves pass breaking point.
We are all guilty of having problems balancing on that fine line now and then. It is not just in the area of careers, but in the frontiers of personal relationships too.
Ever felt a relationship is strained and you keep trying to make up for it, trying to justify yourself but it doesn't get better, just worse? Well, sometimes I feel that is because instead of surrendering the relationship to Jesus and acknowledging that His grace can help us through ALL things - even the nitty gritty stuff- we take matters into our hands and sometimes, we let our emotions instead of God's Wisdom escape from our lips, and the vicious cycle of hurt starts again.
Until we learn to trust Jesus in EVERY area, we will experience partial victories. Maybe some people have victory at work but not at home. The bible has a prime example for this - King David. He stormed the battles and kicked serious ass, but at home he was suffering from all sorts of marital problems and problems with the kids. That is because David always prays before going into battle, but we hardly hear him pray about his wife/wives or his children's affairs.
God is a good listener. He has already promised you the blessings of Abraham in Deut 28 now that we are Ab's spiritual kids in Christ. BUT like Abraham, we need to walk with Him, talk with Him and ask boldly of Him! Abraham was told by God that he would be the father of many nations. And when the issue of land ownership was settled, he boldly reminded God "Wa Bor Da Po Kiah!! (I don't have a son!)" Did God rebuke him for his insolence? Nope, God replied with reassurance that junior was on his way and to make it absolutely clear to Ab that He was sincere about it, He made a covenant with Abraham. Now the covenant was made with the blood of animals then, but today we have a better covenant!
Pastor Lian was just saying- the one making the covenant makes it for the benefit of the weaker party. =) God knows we want some form of proof or down payment that He will make His promises come true, so He paid with the highest price possible - the life of His Son. Jesus shed His blood to seal us into the promised abundant life the Father has given us through Him.
Today, do we trust that Christ was telling the truth on the Cross as He declared with His dying breath, "IT IS FINISHED!" OR do we still think we need to assist Christ to finish up God's Work in us?
Do we trust in Christ a lot or do we trust in Christ ALONE? It makes a whole difference depending on your personal convictions... a difference between seeking for, and coming from victory.
We have the victory but what a pity so many of us live lives fraught with defeat because we think the war's not been won yet.
Reminds me of the story of some Japanese soldier who was found living in the jungle after WWII was long over that I'd read in the papers some years ago.
"Private Nakamura Teruo was spotted by a pilot of the Indonesian Air Force in an isolated clearing on Morotai around September 1974, but it took two months for the rumour to reach the Japanese embassy in Jakarta Nakamura, who spent more than twenty years in complete isolation, did not know the war was over, and was convinced he would be killed if he was found."
The war is over folks, Christ has overcome so we can live as overcomers. Stop living in fear, step out and enjoy all the blessings He has for you. Don't be like Private Nakamura and live in fear for 30 over years. If we do, then it is as the Scripture says, "my people perish for lack of knowledge."
Drink up His Words and know Whose you are, Who you are, What you have in Him and stand up against the bullying tactics of Satan when He tries to mock you and put you down with lying thoughts.
SHALOM!!!
(P/S: Gonna start reading my new Andrew Wommack book where he discusses how "The War is Over" in a bit. Thanks guys for the lovely bday gift. What a blessing! God is so good, so so good. Trying to finish up some library books first. One of them is called "Shame Off You" - love the read.)
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