You must remember what you were saved for. You weren’t saved to become wealthy, healthy, or even happy. You were saved so that Jesus might be manifested in your mortal flesh.
Without Him you can do nothing. You can’t be saved, overcome sin, live for eternity, or have fellowship with God.
You can’t do anything about your salvation but demonstrate it. You do that by working out what God has worked in you.
Most people spend time working at being a Christian and following the rules. This is Satan’s trap. All you’re doing is practicing a religion instead of a relationship.
“But I’m a nice person,” you argue. I go to church. I don’t drink or swear. I do good things for others. “I am a Christian,” you say.
Yes. However these are the very things that stop the flow of the Holy Spirit in your life—doing nice things. All the while you hate your co-worker, you’re sad and depressed, and you find your life down right boring.
You can look like you’re pulling it off, but inside you know how miserable you are—how weak and tried you are. That’s because you’re trying to live the life of Christ in our your strength instead of by the power of the Holy Spirit. How do I know–because I was frustrated with my own Christian life.
I believe the church is failing new believers today by not taking them any further than asking Christ into their life, receiving forgiveness and a paid ticket to heaven.
Jesus said, “I come to give you life, more abundant” (John 10:10). A believer is supposed to be experiencing heaven on Earth. It’s not about getting your ticket and then waiting for heaven. You can have heaven both now and then.
Why are most Christian’s not experiencing life abundance? They’ve yet to surrendered all. Your soul is crying out for more than just escaping hell. That’s because there is a deeper life awaiting you.
You will never experience true fellowship with God, true joy, true freedom and peace until you give God your whole heart. You cannot have the peace of God until you’re at peace with God.
When I threw up my hands and said to God, “I can’t do this anymore. Take my life. I want your will over mine,” my life radically changed.
You see, we work at trying to obtain everything God has ALREADY done for us. Our work is to believe in His death and surrender to His new life in us. Only then can Christ live His life through us. Otherwise the Christian life is impossible to live by your own effort. Only Christ can live the Christian life because, well, it’s His life.
Stop working at the wrong thing. You only need to work out what God has worked in you. Work at allowing His nature to live in and through you. How? Surrender. Then you’ll be surprised when His nature and character come through you words, thoughts, and actions.
Speaking strong words to hearts that need to hear…including mine! “Most people spend time working at being a Christian and following the rules. This is Satan’s trap. All you’re doing is practicing a religion instead of a relationship.” Love this!
When I started seeing God’s word as a book of love rather than a book of rules door burst open to the abundant life He so wants us to live!