Hello loves, I hope you're all doing wonderful by the good grace of God. The word of God says in Acts 17:28, "For in him we live and move and have our being"; for this reason, you and I are not our debts, our fears, our limitations or our illnesses. On that account, be encouraged that the quality of our lives is not measured by the circumstances we face in this world, but rather, as ordained and designed by our Father in heaven. In this blog post I will be speaking on the imperfect Christian (wo)man. This individual, although a believer, sporadically finds themselves in the corridors of the devil's playground and for a while, chooses to remain there. He or she slowly begins to believe in their new false identity, yet after some time, are haunted by heavy thoughts of guilt and shame. Quite often, believers are not taught what to do after we "mess up". Yes, God's love for mankind is so deep and TRUE but without sincere understanding, it's quite simple for the enemy to distort and manipulate the elementary understanding we do possess.
I am the first person to speak on how imperfect human-beings are, even the born-again tongue-speaking ones. I especially love Mark 2:17 in which Jesus says, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Making the bold confession that indeed we are sinners, in need of a SAVIOR, only ushers us deeper into experiencing the true mercies of God. I cannot count the many times I have needed saving from myself, my thoughts, my sins and from the unmerciful jaws of the enemy. Now I have a question to ask. How many of us have ever found ourselves trapped in sin? Or innocently and unconsciously stumbled into sin and become comfortable there? That's the imperfect Christian. Although our spirit-man is saved after honoring the words in Romans 10:9-10, our souls are in the process of being saved until the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that our flesh still desires that which is contrary to the spirit, and for that reason we can so easily be led back into sin.
I received the gift of salvation in November of 2014 and honestly speaking, for a while I felt on top of the world. I was so focused on kingdom work that I believed no "real sin" could overtake me. I depended on God like a newborn child depends on their parent for their daily needs. Every time I did fall into sin, I would seek the face of God in prayer. There was never an ounce of shame or guilt because I genuinely saw God as my Father who was always willing to show me mercy (He still is). I recall a time in August of 2015 that I will say I "messed up". For the first time in my own eyes since November 2014, I failed big time. I say for the first time because there were particular sins I pledged in heart to never partake in again after I received the gift of salvation; but that August, the very things I feared had come upon me. I went somewhere and did something I knew not to do as a child of God and immediately, I was convicted. Just as Adam and Eve hid themselves after sinning against God in the garden of Eden, so did I hide myself from God. I was convicted of my wrong and tried to work it out all on my own. However, because I failed to surrender it to the Holy Spirit the first time around, the devil led me into it again. It was then that I knew I needed to RAN to the feet of God; and immediately I did, every guilt, shame and fear disappeared. I received new strength never to return to that sin again through fasting and prayer. I say all this to say that I am an imperfect Christian, serving a perfect God. Sin comes lurking and sometimes, we choose to leap into it blindly; however, the choice is ours to make on what to do after the fall.
In continuation, it is possible for every believer to withdraw back into their old ways. 1 Peter 5:8 also helps us understand the unmerciful and devouring nature of the devil, our enemy. He moves around restlessly in search of a prey (you and I) to destroy. Also in Matthew 12 verses 43-45, we learn that once a demon is driven out of a person and they do not invite the Holy Spirit in its place, the demon returns, but this time with seven more of its kind. Again, it is possible to loose our deliverance if we do absolutely nothing to preserve it. Falling into sin does not mean we've lost the battle, because we have a Savior in Jesus Christ who has already paid the penalty of death on our behalves. The minute the devil can get us to believe we are finished the moment we sin, we loose sight of the saving power of Christ. The Lord came not to condemn the world but to SAVE it, and so far as we believe in the Son, we never stand condemned (John 3:17-18). I do not know where you are right now in your walk with Christ but the battle begins in the mind. I encourage us all to fully confess and believe Christ daily. Whether you feel trapped in your sins or were on the straight and narrow and fell into sin yesterday, confess your sins unto God, repent and receive NEW strength for your journey. As a daughter of the Most High God, I silence every taunting spirit of guilt and shame in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. You are who Christ says you are! Psalm 34:18 declares, "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." The Lord came to save those battling with feelings of sorrow and remorse (contrite spirit), not to condemn. The minute Christ gave up His ghost on the cross, He destroyed every separation and accusation both in the past and in the present, between mankind and God. You have been reconciled!
In summary, I pray the Lord heals every broken heart, chastens every disobedient character and transforms us into whom He has predestined us to be. Whatever sin you are struggling to overcome, I plead with you to lean solemnly on the power of the CROSS.
Question: Do you really want to be free? John 8:36
Song: Called out music - I am Free
Love,
Elsie Abena Addo