Doing What We Know Not to Do

Doing What We Know Not to Do

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. HEBREWS 6:19 

Scripture teaches us that hope is necessary because the will is often uncooperative. We all know we should possess hope. We know that as Christians, we should be filled with hope. But how many of us have found ourselves praying the prayer of Paul in Romans 7:19: “Lord, I know what I should do, but I don’t do it. I know what I shouldn’t do, and here I am doing it again” (my paraphrase). Hebrews 6:18 is very interesting. It says, “That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” Many of us have experienced difficult times and we know our hope ought to be in the Lord. But sometimes our will is uncooperative and we just have to forget everything, hang on to God, and flee to Him for our refuge. Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening 

Some days are harder than others in warring against the flesh in which we live. 

Some days we don't see a battle all day, others, it's either big ones or so many small ones we lost count. 

I often find myself relating to what Dr. Jeremiah paraphrased. I am doing what I should not and not doing what I should. 

It's going to be a never ending battle scenario for all until we arrive at our moment of departing this world. 

Note that this battle isn't just for believers. When it comes to believers Satan is defeated but still tries to make them ineffective. He encourages and tries to entice the sin nature to arise to be a discouragement.  In the lives of the unbelieving he is out to try to prevent them from ever seeing or understanding the truth of God concerning Salvation. He knows full well that he can't stop the return of Christ and knows himself that out there is someone who will be that last one to be saved before that happens.  He always has an AntiChrist and a False Prophet ready. He always is ready to try to fight off the judgment of God that is spelled out in the Bible. He's ready but refuses to give up in his rebellion against God. 

You and I will find battles every day. 

I have to choose to move forward every day. 

I have to often make myself get back up from my times when I fell in Spiritual warfare to get moving again.  We war not against flesh and blood but against the powers and forces of darkness.  We fight an enemy we can't see. It's always important to have on the whole armor of God.  It doesn't imply that you aren't going to get your cage rattled.  That you won't get knocked down a time or two. The promise of Jesus is that you won't be alone when facing the enemy.  

Keep on striving and fighting.  Paul spoke of running a race and not just running in it but running as though to win.  Letting go of the things that we have on us that slow us down. 

If we really understood how close the time is that Jesus is returning, would what we consider to be important in our lives, would we still hold onto them?

Would you still be doing what you do if you knew Jesus was at the door, waiting for the Father to say it's time?

Would you try harder to be obedient?

Would you let go of the worldly things you embrace?

Consider it well just what you embrace in this world and whether or not it's causing you to stumble in your race to win that Paul taught about. 

Reality is that in a very short time Christ is returning.  Read the New Testament well and you will see that we are in the times that it mentions to look for. 

This means Jesus IS merely awaiting that moment to be told by His Father. 

That means 1,007 years from then the final judgment of God will take place, the last of what the Bible predicted will come true.  7 years of judgements spelled out in Revelation and other Old Testament books.  1,000 years of Jesus Christ Himself reigning as ruler of this world will follow that. 

These truths are immutable. Unchangeable.  Nothing will stop them.  There's nothing Satan will be able to do to stop them from occurring. 

We have hope in Christ to make it through each day.  His promises of forgiveness and healing of our souls.  We should never stop fighting in this war on our flesh. We must keep striving to trust and obey Jesus.  It's the only way to obtain the victory that we are promised.