Drastic Measures

Drastic Measures

We are at war: spirit vs flesh, righteousness vs wickedness, and light vs dark. And for the combatants in this war, the stakes are very high: eternal life in Heaven vs eternal death in Hell. As a soldier of light (follower of Jesus), how far are you willing to go to become the amazing ambassador warrior God has called you to be? Do your prayers express the urgent need for extreme change in your life; change that can only occur as God’s Truth and Spirit continually and radically remake you to be more like Christ? Desperate times call for drastic measures.

Are you actively dealing with the sin in your life? Are you asking Father God to give you victory over the struggles and stumbling blocks that inhibit your faithful service to Him?

I am consistently and desperately asking Him to:

Destroy My Pride

That You might lift me up!

When I elevate myself, I become useless as a weapon to God. But when I lay myself at His feet, He wields me as a mighty weapon of war. How does my pride hinder His use of me?

• 1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

Crush My Rebellion

Because I cannot bear the weight of my sin!

When I fight against my Savior King, my sin brings His correction. As a soldier for Christ, I must surrender all I am to Him. How am I rebelling against the One who died for me?

• Proverbs 17:11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Denounce My Doubt

So that my desire to know You brings honor!

Trust in God is one of our greatest weapons in the battles of this life. To accomplish His purposes, I must believe in Him. I must always seek His wisdom, instruction, love and blessings. In this there is honor. Do I trust Him completely?

• Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Eradicate My Fear

That I may grow in Your love!

My flesh may be weak, but in Christ, my spirit is strong and willing. In His love, I will not succumb to fear. Fear is ejected from my life as I grow in His love. How is fear impacting my effectiveness as a soldier for Christ?

• 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Drown My Worry

Or else it will engulf me!

If I am overwhelmed by my worries about tomorrow, I will be useless in the battles He has planned for me today. My worries must be buried under the mountain of His promises. Is my worrying diminishing my usefulness?

• Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Extinguish My Complaining

Lest the smoke from its flames obscure Your light!

A disgruntled Christian brings shame to the army of God. Bad attitudes are like thick smoke that makes it hard to see the light of God’s truth. Do my words and attitudes bring darkness where there should be light?

• Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Sever My Selfishness

As You bond me to others through selflessness!

While a selfish soldier will risk nothing for the benefit of others, brotherly bonds are built on the self-sacrifice of those who put other’s needs ahead of their own. Who is suffering because of my selfishness?

• Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Weed Out My Laziness

It works in me to produce only a harvest of shame!

There is no place for laziness in war. The enemy is always searching for any opportunity to lie, kill and destroy. What doors have I left open to the enemy by the things I have left undone?

• Proverbs 24:30-31 I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; 31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down.

The nature of humans is to sin (miss the mark of God’s principles, standards and requirements) – that never changes. Seek the Lord in prayer and Bible study. Identify the areas of your life that need to change. Beg him to annihilate the sinful ways in your life. Surrender all that you are to Him and the powerful working of His Holy Spirit. Be a faithful, obedient and effective soldier for Christ. Witness His love and power in your service, sacrifices and relationships.

Prayer

Cleanse me, Father, of any persistent sin, that I may serve You well. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that my life brings You glory. Use me according to Your plans and purposes, for You are my Lord and Master. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for making a way for me to be reconciled to You. May Your will be done in all things. I humbly pray these things in the name above every name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

I Want It

I Want It

There are a lot of things I want (the list below is a very small sample).

• If I make something, I want it to fulfill its purpose.
• If I study something, I want it to enlighten me.
• If I teach something, I want it to be learned.
• If I believe something, I want it to be true.
• If I repair something, I want it to function.
• If I lack something, I want it to be mine.
• If I build something, I want it to stand.
• If I want something, I want it!

And just because I (or anybody else) want something, that doesn’t make it good, or right, or glorifying to God. God’s Word and Spirit help us to understand who God is, what He does, and what He wants for us. And because of Jesus Christ, I can have what God wants for me.

He wants to Provide for me.

God’s Riches

Our Heavenly Father is a provider. He provides for His creation. Although we may be in dire circumstances, His provision is perfect, His timing is just right, and His intentions are good. Some things we just won’t fully understand until we are in Heaven with Him. The greatest thing God has provided is a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ.

• Matthew 6:25-30 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

He wants to Protect me.

God’s Refuge

Our Heavenly Father is a protector. He has the desire and power to defend us. Even if lose our lives, His protection is perfect, His timing is just right, and His intentions are good. Some things we just won’t fully understand until we are in Heaven with Him. The shed blood of Jesus Christ protects us from eternal separation from God when we surrender our entire lives to Him.

• Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
• Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

He wants to Prepare me.

God’s Requirements

Our Heavenly Father is a preparer. Through His Word, His Spirit and His church, we are prepared for any assignment, battle or task. His preparations are perfect, His timing is just right, and His intentions are good. Some things we just won’t fully understand until we are in Heaven with Him. When we build our lives on Jesus’ teachings, we will not fall.

• Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 27 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

He wants to Position me.

God’s Rule

Our Heavenly Father is a positioner. He puts us in the right place at the right time. Even if we think we are completely out of place, His placement is perfect, His timing is just right, and His intentions are good. Some things we just won’t fully understand until we are in Heaven with Him. In Christ, we are righteous in our position before God.

• Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
• 1 Samuel 2:7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.

He wants to Perfect me.

God’s Rest

Our Heavenly Father is a perfecter. He causes and/or allows the trials of life because they act as a fiery furnace to rid us of impurities. Even when our worries distract, overwhelm, or disable us, His process is perfect, His timing is just right, and His intentions are good. Some things we just won’t fully understand until we are in Heaven with Him. Jesus Christ is our way to perfect and permanent peace.

• Matthew 6:31-34 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Perhaps I am not being direct enough.

God is perfect.

His timing is just right.

His intentions are good.

He wants us!

Some things

we just won’t fully

understand until we are

in Heaven with Him!

I don’t want 'it'.

I want Him!

Prayer

Father, please help Your children want what You want. Help us to want You. I pray this in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen