Why Isn’t This Working For Me?
Part Three
Apart from His enabling power, we can accomplish NOTHING of spiritual or eternal value, no matter how otherwise “religious” and moral we may be (1).
Comparing ourselves with (most) other people, we rationalize that we aren’t any better or any worse than everyone else. James 2: 10 and Romans 3: 23 would concur with this assessment.
Those who rationalize away or self-justify their negative choices on this basis of the ‘everyone is doing it” excuse, are on collision course (2) with spiritual disaster.
Being “like everyone else” did not do the folks any good when the flood of Noah’s day came upon the Earth, and swept them all away. End time prophecy (3) tells us that the general attitude of those who are on the Earth will be likened to the days of Noah. For many, it will be life as usual, with little, if any, concern for God or things of God.
We all have an upcoming date to appear in the Court of Heaven. Having been like everyone else will not do us any good when we stand before God and give an account of ourselves (4).
Although the Matt. 7: 13 majority ARE doing it (sin) everyone is NOT doing it,” as the devil would have us believe. There will always be the minority in each generation of the Church Age who will choose to respond to God and who will choose to LIVE accordingly (5).
Rather or not we follow the crowd down the road that leads to destruction, or the minority that is on the road that leads to eternal life, is a choice we make. Rather or not we, as a born-again believer choose to tread the road of discipleship or not, is a DAILY choice we make. As a result, we will inevitably reap either the blessings or the consequences of these choices WE make.
God did not intend for His disciples blend in with the world around us (6).
He intends for us to be a light that stands out in the darkness (7).
The devil strives to extinguish or at least diminish the brightness of this light. Truth is, the light that many so-called Christians display can hardly be seen, even the midst of the greatest darkness, here in the devil’s world.
The devil tries to extinguish or diminish the light by appealing to the self-centered, fallen nature within us, coupled with our desire to be liked and accepted.
People will not see the light within us if it is covered over with a basket (lifestyle of sin) or worldly entanglements (8).
Paul wrote about his ongoing struggle with this fallen nature in his letter to the Romans, nearly thirty years after he was born-again, and towards the end of his outstanding, earthly ministry.
Not only does it remain with us after we are born again, it keeps pace with whatever forward progress we might make along the road to spiritual maturity.
It is an inherent part of the fallen nature within us, not only to be disinterested in the things of God, but to actually be hostile towards them.
In the natural realm, the lack of an appetite for the basic essentials to nourish one’s body is an indicator that something is going on that needs our immediate attention.
Likewise, in the spiritual realm, the lack of an appetite for the things of God is an indicator that something needs our immediate attention. In the spiritual realm, this “something” would be the quality of one’s post salvation spiritual life.
If you have been born again, there should be an ongoing and increasing appetite for the things of God, just as an infant in the natural realm will cry out for his or her next feeding.
Malnutrition in the natural realm leads to illness, weakness, and even death.
Malnutrition (9) in the spiritual realm leads to weakness, diminished or lack of productivity, and forward progress in the identification and execution of the post salvation spiritual life.
The devil has a warehouse full of appetite suppressants to diminish or eliminate what should be the born-again believer’s ongoing and increasing appetite for the things of God.
One can easily become addicted to these suppressants, as they are designed to appeal to the fallen nature within us.
These suppressants are designed to eventually take the place of priority that should be reserved and preserved for God, and the things of God.
It is “natural” for Fallen Man to find the daily time to do all the things that pleases the desires of the fallen nature, while “not having the time or the interest” for God, or the things of God.
If most born-again believers were to spend the same amount of daily time that they do listening to the news or the latest gossip, we would all be better off.
Not all markets (pulpits) offer the same quantity and quality of food and even the best food for the soul will not do one much good if it is not taken in and applied (10).
The devil’s world bombards our souls continuously with alternative activity and suggestions, that contradict what God has to say, and what might consume our time and resources.
Without the daily intake, and moment to moment application of the Word of God, we will be weak believers and easy targets in the realm of spiritual combat.
The appetite suppressants that are promoted by the devil can come in many different forms, tailor-made for each individual, but all have one common objective in mind. That objective is to pull one away from identifying and executing the post salvation plan that God has in mind for the individual.
Among these suppressants are, “…the worries of the world, deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things (Mark 4: 19 NASB2020).”
End of Part 3
(1)\tJohn 15: 5 (2) James 4: 4/Matt. 7: 27 (3) Matt. 24: 37-39 (4) Rom 14: 12 (5) Phil. 1:21 (6) James 4: (7) Matt. 5: 14ff (8) 2Tim, 2: 4 (9) Amos 8: 11 (10) James 1: 22