What are you and God working out?
I always say something like this to friends while I keep involving myself in a struggle with God: “Ya, I’m struggling with this, but God is working with me on it. We are working it out.”
The other day, this all changed. A Pastor said: “What exactly is it that you’re working out with God? He has already worked it out.” After dwelling on this, something serious was revealed –
What was revealed is that I’m not working it out with God, not at all. My Pastor was right, God has already worked it out. When I say that I’m working it out with the Lord, what I’m really doing is trying to work it in. I’m trying to find a way to keep doing the things my flesh likes to do, while still obeying God. It’s like oil and water, it doesn’t mix.
There’s only one choice to make – Choose to serve God or serve self.
And that’s why I keep struggling with the same things in life. The next thing I typically say? “Lord help me.” I put it off on Him to take care of, and again, it’s already taken care of at the Cross. I basically give up all self-responsibility, lay it in His lap, and make it His problem. But see, in the end, the entire problem is me. God has done His part.
I’m not truly surrendering, trusting, or obeying the Lord. Do I believe in Him or not? I could say Lord help me… and what I hear after praying that a 100 times? “I have.. do you not believe?” He sent me the Spirit of God, I have the ultimate battle warrior at my side. What business do I have struggling? There are no struggles in Christ.. It is finished. I am a child of the Most High God!
O ye of little faith Joseph.. ye of little faith. Lord, pierce this flesh on the cross. Oh, you already have, that’s right. Do I believe or not?!
The problem? I choose self. Back to square 1.. A hardened heart. Stiff necked. Circumcise the foreskin of your heart and be stiff necked no longer. The Lord your God will circumcise the foreskin of your heart. What cuts through flesh? A Sword? A Pruner? A double edged Sword? Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
The Word of God. Jesus. My only prayer I end up having now is Lord have mercy on me. And He says “I am all merciful.” Praise God Almighty… praise God Almighty… It’s all done. I just have to believe..
Thank you so much for this blog. It is done! I am claiming the victory He already has in place for me.
praise God!
Yes, that’s good. It is all about surrender. It is a battle though with the flesh till the last day of our lives.
Hey Jeff, good to see ya. I’m starting to believe that the battle is won at the cross. Of course, we will have the flesh constantly battling up against us (we are in the world not of it). I think we can be conquerors in Christ and put to death the flesh while still here on earth. It’s just a topic the Lord has been speaking to me a lot about lately. Not that I have achieved, by no means. But the scripture most definitely points to such a conclusion. Check this out: Jesus is the Door Pt 2
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