Sure, there are the encouraging parts. The "God so loved the world" parts, and the "He who has made us to our God Kings and Priests" parts.
But then there are those other parts, the laundry lists of things to overcome, stuff to do, exhortations to change. It's difficult for a new Christian to read these parts of scripture without sometimes feeling a little defeated and discouraged.
Take I Thessalonians 5 for example.
Picking it up in verse 14, "And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive...". Okay, don't be idle or disruptive. Get to work and don't make waves. I can do that.
"...encourage the disheartened," - okay, got that.
"...help the weak," - I think I can do that.
"...be patient with everyone." - with everyone? Hmm...getting harder.
"...make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and everyone else."
"...Rejoice always,"
"...pray continually,"
"...give thanks in all circumstances".
Okay, really?! Always?! In all circumstances?! How can anyone do all of this stuff!?
And that's the point really, isn't it? We can't. Years of frustration and discouragement...trying and failing, trying and failing, feeling defeated. I just can't. No one can.
If only I had realized earlier that God never expected that I would be capable of doing all of these things. If only I had kept reading to the end of the passage, I would have read four short words that make all the difference.
Verse 24. "The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it."
Huh? What do you mean "He will do it?"
In Colossians 1:27 we read "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Galatians 2:20 tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Christ in me is my hope. It's not I who live, but Christ who lives within me.
So then, in I Thessalonians Paul means exactly what he says. That list of overwhelming do's and don'ts and must becomes? Christ, through His Spirit that lives in you...He will do it.
Living victoriously as a Christian is not about checking off a list of fifty must do's or have to becomes. "Check got that one." "Check, another one." "Oops, that's ones back again...knock it back down, check." Hey, where that one come from?! Thought I'd gotten that a long time ago...arghh!" This approach to our Christian walk is a sure recipe, not for victory, but for discouragement and burnout.
So, the recipe for victory over sin in the Christian walk? It's about one thing: Jesus Christ living His life in you through His Holy Spirit.
Victory in our walk is less about us climbing a mountain of do's and don'ts than about getting out of the His way. It's less about conquering and more about surrendering. It's less about what we do, and more about what He is doing in us.
Ephesians 4:30 tells us to "grieve not the Spirit." When His Spirit in us tells us, "No, we don't do that" or, "that's not the right way to go," we stop resisting and surrender to let it change our hearts and minds.
I Thessalonians 5:19 says to "quench not the Spirit." When His Spirit within us prompts us to sacrifice for a brother or use the gifts we have been given, we stop resisting and surrender to let it bear it's fruit within us.
The list of things we are to become doesn't get any shorter. But as we focus on submitting and surrendering to the leading and directing of His Spirit, moment by moment, every day of our Christian lives, those long, daunting lists simply take care of themselves.
Discouragement?
"...help the weak," - I think I can do that.
"...be patient with everyone." - with everyone? Hmm...getting harder.
"...make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and everyone else."
"...Rejoice always,"
"...pray continually,"
"...give thanks in all circumstances".
Okay, really?! Always?! In all circumstances?! How can anyone do all of this stuff!?
And that's the point really, isn't it? We can't. Years of frustration and discouragement...trying and failing, trying and failing, feeling defeated. I just can't. No one can.
If only I had realized earlier that God never expected that I would be capable of doing all of these things. If only I had kept reading to the end of the passage, I would have read four short words that make all the difference.
Verse 24. "The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it."
Huh? What do you mean "He will do it?"
In Colossians 1:27 we read "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Galatians 2:20 tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Christ in me is my hope. It's not I who live, but Christ who lives within me.
So then, in I Thessalonians Paul means exactly what he says. That list of overwhelming do's and don'ts and must becomes? Christ, through His Spirit that lives in you...He will do it.
Living victoriously as a Christian is not about checking off a list of fifty must do's or have to becomes. "Check got that one." "Check, another one." "Oops, that's ones back again...knock it back down, check." Hey, where that one come from?! Thought I'd gotten that a long time ago...arghh!" This approach to our Christian walk is a sure recipe, not for victory, but for discouragement and burnout.
So, the recipe for victory over sin in the Christian walk? It's about one thing: Jesus Christ living His life in you through His Holy Spirit.
Victory in our walk is less about us climbing a mountain of do's and don'ts than about getting out of the His way. It's less about conquering and more about surrendering. It's less about what we do, and more about what He is doing in us.
Ephesians 4:30 tells us to "grieve not the Spirit." When His Spirit in us tells us, "No, we don't do that" or, "that's not the right way to go," we stop resisting and surrender to let it change our hearts and minds.
I Thessalonians 5:19 says to "quench not the Spirit." When His Spirit within us prompts us to sacrifice for a brother or use the gifts we have been given, we stop resisting and surrender to let it bear it's fruit within us.
The list of things we are to become doesn't get any shorter. But as we focus on submitting and surrendering to the leading and directing of His Spirit, moment by moment, every day of our Christian lives, those long, daunting lists simply take care of themselves.
Discouragement?
Replaced by the confidence that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
Burnout?
Burnout?
Replaced by understanding fully what Jesus meant when He said, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." I John 4:4
For the Christian, ultimate victory can come only through complete surrender.
And in complete surrender, we will never experience defeat.
"Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
I Corinthians 15:57
For the Christian, ultimate victory can come only through complete surrender.
And in complete surrender, we will never experience defeat.
"Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
I Corinthians 15:57