Our Struggle is Spiritual

My Utmost For His Highest

“The resurrection of Jesus has given Him the authority to give the life of God to me, and the experiences of my life must now be built on the foundation of His life. I can have the resurrection life of Jesus here and now, and it will exhibit itself through holiness.  The idea all through the apostle Paul’s writings is that after the decision to be identified with Jesus in His death has been made, the resurrection life of Jesus penetrates every bit of my human nature. It takes the omnipotence of God— His complete and effective divinity— to live the life of the Son of God in human flesh. The Holy Spirit cannot be accepted as a guest in merely one room of the house— He invades all of it. And once I decide that my “old man” (that is, my heredity of sin) should be identified with the death of Jesus, the Holy Spirit invades me. He takes charge of everything. My part is to walk in the light and to obey all that He reveals to me. Once I have made that important decision about sin, it is easy to “reckon” that I am actually “dead indeed to sin,” because I find the life of Jesus in me all the time (Romans 6:11).”  CHAMBERS

Has the Holy Spirit invaded every nook and cranny of your life?  Is He present no matter where you go .. not matter what you do?  “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give.  I will ever love and trust Him in His presence daily live.” That song is often sung at the end of a Sunday morning service .. it’s an opportunity for other people to respond to the Gospel.  At least that is what I think when I sing it.  That it is for someone else, not for me.  I mean, I’ve been there … done that.  But wait …. Have I surrendered all to Jesus?  Or does the Holy Spirit have to pry some things in my life out of my hand.  Things I am holding on to with a death grip.  One finger at a time … I want to let go, but I just can’t seem to.  Isn’t this a strange life we live.  It’s a struggle … but it is not against flesh and blood .. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  (Ephesians 6:12)

I remember, after I had become a Christian, my step-dad telling me that things would get more difficult for me.  I was no longer swimming with the current of my old nature.  I was swimming against the current.  It would be a struggle, but it is a spiritual struggle.  And I must use spiritual weapons to fight the battles.  Now my tendency is to try self-will first.  You know what I mean.  I am tempted in some way .. and I try to think my way out of it .. using the same method I use to convince myself I don’t need to buy that candy bar at the check-out in Wal-Mart.  Fortunately for us, God has made a way for us to fight our spiritual battles and win. 

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:13-18)

Remember that you are a son or daughter of the most-high God.  That you have a spiritual nature and that is where the root of your struggles are.  That every day we must surrender our will to the Lord (Romans 12:1,2).  You see that song .. ‘I surrender all’ … is for all of us .. I want it to be my anthem … in the future, when I sing it , it won't be for the other guy, but it will be a commitment and a prayer.   And today I pray that  …  “[…] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know (1) what is the hope of His calling, (2) what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and (3) what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power” (Ephesians 1:16-19)

Bobdye Beni Ou (God Bless You)