The Battle for Holiness
We are sinners saved by grace, yet our hearts continue to be
deceitful- who can know them as Jeremiah 17 tells us. This is scary to me. Yet,
in the book, The Pursuit if Holiness, Jerry
Bridges instructs us with Scripture to be ever watchful and vigilant against
temptation and sin. There will always be
challenges to overcome, which the Holy Spirit in us strengthens us to do. Call
on the Spirit for power and perseverance to battle. Satan will bring doubt, but
the Spirit will bring victory. For me,
there are several besetting sins that I am currently battling- But thanks be to
God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:14-24):
·
Speak well of all people- see the good in them-
do not speak evil (Romans 12- abhor evil…do not repay evil for evil)
·
Encourage always, build each other up! (“Therefore encourage one another” 1 Thess.
4:11;Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience
and long-suffering, bear with each other, forgiving one another; if anyone has
a complaint against another, just as Christ forgave you, you must do so also,
but above all put on love (Colossians 3:12-15).
·
Look only upon images that are holy and pleasing
to God (“You lust and do not have” James
4:2)
·
Be self-controlled (disciplined), holy and
devoted to me. (“Be self-controlled and
alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone
to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your
brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering” (1
Peter 5:8).
·
You are the Potter, I am the clay, mold me and
make me more like you (Isaiah 64:8)
·
Be Light and not dark (God is light and in him there is no darkness; for you were once
darkness, but now you are light in the Lord… walk as children of the
Light. And Christ will give you light.
(Eph. 5:8, 14).
“You however are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the
Spirit of God lives in you.” (Romans 8:9).
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