WHAT BATTLE ARE YOU
FIGHTING?
Matthew 16:24
“If
anyone wishes to follow after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
and follow me.”
We as Christians must learn to do this
daily, as we walk this pilgrimage walk of faith. During this journey there will
be times where God will permit things to be taken away from us, and there are
also times when a service that we have been blessed to do, we are no longer
able to do.
Let us not think we are being punished or disciplined but simply it is because our physical sinful flesh is slowing down and breaking down, not allowing us to continue in that specific service anymore. This can be very hard to accept. So, how should we accept and carry oneself when we are going through the refiners’ fire as one who follows and serves the Lord Jesus during this trying transition?
The first
thing we should always do is pray and ask for the Lord’s peace and leading.
Also pray that
we carry ourselves humbly and for the holy spirit’s leading on how to accept this,
and to be an example to all when this becomes a reality. Let us always dive into the Lord’s word for Guidance
and encouragement.
Apostle Paul reminds us in the book of Romans 12: 1-2
· “Therefore, I urge you brethren by the
mercies of God, present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to
God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will
of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
2nd Corinthians 12: 7-10
· “Because of the surpassing greatness of the
revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given
me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me -to keep me from
exalting myself! Concerning this, I implored the Lord three times so that it
might leave me. “And he has said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for
power is perfected in weakness.” Most
gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that that the power
of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I
am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with
persecutions, with difficulties, for Christs sake; for when I am weak, then I am
strong.”
Job 13:15
· “Though he slays me I will hope in
him. Nevertheless, I will argue my ways
before him.”
We can only be successful in this only one way and that is by faith in the Lord Jesus and by the holy spirit, and here is the important part and may even be the most crucial , we have to put action behind our prayer, for all of us need to be growing, learning, and putting into practice that which we are being taught by these trials and just as we are being taught we need also to be growing in our faith walk and maturing and increasing in our spiritual growth to be a pleasing aroma to our heavenly father and a positive example to our brethren and all who watch us.
So let us
never grow weary in doing good, and in what we can do.
GALATIONS 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity let us do good to all people Especially to those who belong to the Household of Faith.”
May Lord Jesus bless you all.
Br. Steve Hoffner
