Walk in Victory

[Sue J Love]

We are saved from our sins, and given eternal life with God, not just so we can escape hell and have the promise of heaven as our eternal home. When we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, our new lives in Christ Jesus have only begun. He has so much he wants to do in and through our lives for his purpose and for his glory. So, we need to yield our lives to his will, and allow him to work his will and purposes in our lives.

The Lord Jesus led me to read Colossians 1 (Select vv. NASB).

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Vv. 9-12​

So, how are we filled with the knowledge of his will? How do we know what all God has for us to do and to be while we live our lives on this earth?

Well, when we trust in Jesus Christ, his Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. And, he speaks God’s words to our hearts, and he teaches us all we need for godliness and for holy living. And, he empowers us to walk in the ways of the Lord, too, for we can’t do this in our flesh. But, we also need to be in the Word (the Bible) daily, listening to the Lord speak his truth to our hearts, and then, empowered by his Spirit, we must obey what his Word teaches us.

There are those who would tell you that God is pleased with us no matter what we do, but the Bible teaches that we must walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects. This means we must walk in the truth he has given to us, yielding our lives over to him, submitted to his will, and we must leave our old lives of living in sinful pleasure behind us.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Vv. 13-14​

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. Vv. 21-23​

Jesus died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. Yet, it seems not many people are teaching that these days. He died to transform us and to conform us to his will, not just to forgive us our sins. He delivered us out of slavery (addiction, bondage) to sin so that we can walk in freedom and please him in every respect. He is not ok with us continuing in willful sinful habits, and he does not take pleasure in us when we are engaged in continual willful sin against him.

If we claim to have fellowship with God, but we walk (in practice) in sin, the Bible says we are liars. If we walk (in lifestyle) according to our sinful flesh, the Bible says we will die in our sins, not have the hope of eternal life with God, even if we profess faith in Jesus Christ. So, don’t be fooled! We must continue with Christ in the faith we profess, not moved from the hope of the gospel, which is freedom, not just from the punishment of sin, but freedom from addiction to sin.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions… We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. Vv. 24, 28-29​

As believers in Jesus Christ, although we are now set free from the power sin had over our lives, because we still live in flesh bodies, we will still be tempted to sin, but we don’t have to give in to temptation. Jesus provided the way of escape for us out from underneath temptation, so that we can say “No” to sin and “Yes” to Jesus. He has given us everything we need to resist Satan, to flee temptation, and to draw near to God in full assurance of faith. We just have to take the way out which he provided.

Temptation can be a trial for us, but our Lord will lead us to victory if we will just follow his lead and do what he says. Yes, if we get serious about our walks of faith, we will face rejection and persecution and ridicule from friends, relatives, neighbors and even church people. But, we must not let them intimidate us or lead us astray. We must not fear them and what they might do to us if we choose to walk in the freedom God has given us. But, we must press on in our faith to maturity, and live to please our Lord.

What the Lord Says / An Original Work
February 24, 2014 / Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5

This is what the Lord says to you:
Fear not, for I have chosen you.
I have summoned you by your name.
You are mine. I died, you to save.

When you go through your trials, so deep,
I will be with you; you will not sink.
You are so precious always to me.
Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

This is what the Lord says to you:
He who gave salvation to you;
Who delivered you from your sin;
Takes your burdens now upon Him:

Forget the former things of your life.
Give of your heart not now up to strife.
See all the new things I have for you.
Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

This is what the Lord says to you:
He who made you; who will help you:
Do not fear what humans may do.
Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

Drink of my Spirit given for you.
Trust in my mercy, for I love you.
I have a plan for all of your life.
Follow my ways. Do what is right.

Friday, December 22, 2017, 11:44 p.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your word. I pray we would all walk in victory. Amen!

 

[Lanolin]

I might have mentioned this before Sue but people seem to celebrate temptation a lot.

I dont know if its christians or unbelievers (unbelieving christians?) that have this attitude and laugh about it..'lead me not into temptation, I can find the way myself!'

Um, doesnt the bible tell us to Flee fornication? Then why are people running towards it?!

We have a cat, and Dad feeds her cat biscuit treats, which he's not meant to do because too much is bad for her, and they are called 'temptations'.
People always give chocolates at christmas time. I dont know why, but it seems like chocolate, which is full of sugar, always plays on being a 'temptation'. I dont think its a food sacrificed to idols, but it may as well be. I lnow people that have been diagnosed with diabetes cos they ate too much chocolate, even put in mental hosptials cos they binged on chocolate. I dont know if its some kind of aphrodisiac, but it could be worse than alcohol.

Alcohol is also one of those temptations, promising more than it can deliver. Yes it can make you merry but theres a catch. It can also make you very very sick.

 

[Sue J Love]

I might have mentioned this before Sue but people seem to celebrate temptation a lot.

I dont know if its christians or unbelievers (unbelieving christians?) that have this attitude and laugh about it..'lead me not into temptation, I can find the way myself!'

Um, doesnt the bible tell us to Flee fornication? Then why are people running towards it?!

We have a cat, and Dad feeds her cat biscuit treats, which he's not meant to do because too much is bad for her, and they are called 'temptations'.
People always give chocolates at christmas time. I dont know why, but it seems like chocolate, which is full of sugar, always plays on being a 'temptation'. I dont think its a food sacrificed to idols, but it may as well be. I lnow people that have been diagnosed with diabetes cos they ate too much chocolate, even put in mental hosptials cos they binged on chocolate. I dont know if its some kind of aphrodisiac, but it could be worse than alcohol.

Alcohol is also one of those temptations, promising more than it can deliver. Yes it can make you merry but theres a catch. It can also make you very very sick.

@Lanolin - we are all born with sin natures, and therefore we have a propensity to sin and to yield to temptation, and so that is why Jesus died for us, to make a way out for us from temptation, to deliver us from slavery to sin, and to free us to walk in his holiness, in his power. We all just have a choice whether to take that way out and receive his healing power and his deliverance, or we can continue down that path of sinful pleasure which ends in death.

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

@Lanolin - we are all born with sin natures, and therefore we have a propensity to sin and to yield to temptation, and so that is why Jesus died for us, to make a way out for us from temptation, to deliver us from slavery to sin, and to free us to walk in his holiness, in his power. We all just have a choice whether to take that way out and receive his healing power and his deliverance, or we can continue down that path of sinful pleasure which ends in death.

Amen but what many Christians Fail to grasp is we still have to put forth the energy to do so.
Many simply "think" we do nothing and God does it all or it automatically is so.

Blessings
W4F

 

[Lanolin]

God doesnt do it automatically for us, we have a choice yes.

I have seen people who just give into temptation all the time, them complain about it as if they cant help it.

Well they can just not go there, but they go there anyway. They cant see that if they follow Jesus, they wouldnt be going there! Jesus doesnt help you if you ignore Him and refuse His gift.