Many Christian circles embrace sin, but sin is our enemy. Sin stopped Adam and Eve, sin stopped Joshua to take Ai in Joshua 7, and sin is stopping you from getting what Father has in store for you. Everything He has for you is in Christ. It’s yours for the taking. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” I wonder why the church leaves out the last sentence when quoting these scriptures. Is that intentional or not? Imagine if everyone in the church understood, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” The church would look like she was intended, to look like Christ, a building in the spirit, not a physical building.
I want you to see something that will help you in your walk with the Lord. Paul wrote to the church of the Thessalonians, and the church in Philippi. First, to the church of the Thessalonians, he says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” To the church in Philippi, he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy––meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” This is how we are to war against sin. Jesus told us, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Do you understand now why Jesus told us to deny ourselves? “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” This is the narrow path, denying yourself. How many of you will go through tribulations so you can lose your life, but find Jesus?
I pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened to this. Sin separates you from Father, but righteousness joins. Our life is in Jesus’s righteousness. Be blessed, my friends.
