It’s hard to give up control
We have our ways of doing things,
The way we have always done things that have worked fine
or not so fine
We are creatures of habit
To distract our habits can be bothersome to us,
uncomfortable, even make us uneasy
Giving our life to Jesus to control can be a trying task
Much more than that, it can be something we wrestle with
or even fight against like a broncin’ buck
I was one of those in my younger years
I had a hard time submitting,
humbling myself before the Lord or anyone else for that matter:
teachers, bosses, parents, etc.
I liked things my way
It took me a while to be able to submit willingly to the Lord.
I tried to follow Him
The problem was, I wanted to walk with Him but do to things my way
Doesn’t work that way
In order to follow Him, we must give up our flesh and follow Him as He guides, as He asks us and as He commands.
We came to a consensus
Since I’m a very honest person and knew He could see my heart and thoughts, I had to just tell Him:
I don’t like this. I don’t see things the way You do, but help me to
The first time I remember that happening was when I smoked
I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day
I lit one cigarette with the other one
I was constantly sick, and one day, my throat started to bleed
I could taste the blood in my mouth and I was choking
It was scary
I asked the Lord to heal me
I knew I had to give up smoking if I expected Him to heal me
So, I dutifully threw my cigarettes in the garbage thinking in my mind,
I’ll just take them back out after I was fine again
Not quite as honest as I’d like to think I was…
I was young and stupid and had finally met my match
Still could taste the blood and I knew I wasn’t healed
Great. okay then, so I took the cigarettes and ripped them all to shreds
I felt better right away, not all the way healed,
but better and no longer bleeding
It was really hard to stop but I knew I couldn’t go back to smoking
The second time I remember was the subject of abortion
I argued with Him and felt in His word, He was not in favor of abortion
There was a special on TV, the public channel
with amazing photography inside the womb (Link here)
I felt like the Lord Jesus Christ was sitting beside me,
while I was watching that show, opening my eyes
As the baby was developing in the womb, I argued
and He was compelling me to continue to watch
and showing me His marvelous work
My heart was transformed on that issue
I knew the bible said that we must love the truth
I loved the truth and sought it, but oftentimes I did not like it,
Until He showed me how He saw it
I knew I was always wrong and God was always right
My prayer was often:
I don’t agree and I know I’m wrong because you are God.
Please help me see x, y, or z the way You do
I still do that sometimes
He never fails to show me His perspective
Sometimes I have to put it aside, knowing that some day I will understand
We can try our hardest to be a good Christian, pray, fast, tithe, love others,
do all the commandments but if we are doing things because of the flesh
or as good works unto Him, there is no eternal value
Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord
Scriptural References:
So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6
And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank. Genesis 32:24-32
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8&9
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:5
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:13-16
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:10
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63