Stay The Course!

Stay The Course!

Be encouraged! Fight the good fight! Do not give up? Do not! You are not defeated! You are placed by God’s grace in the position of victory. God’s will for your life is sanctification and nothing can thwart the will of God. Over and over you read this is Scripture but you must believe it in your heart. This is the place where God works his glory and puts your body in action for him. Therefore, present your body as a living sacrifice for him. God’s arm is never too short in any situation! There is nothing too difficult for Him! He is the victor in every battle; the undefeated champion of mankind who comes to bring victory to your heart.

By his redemptive work, you have been set apart. You are a child of God, a child of the King! The God of heaven and earth who grabbed you out of Satan’s hand declares you righteous in Christ Jesus. And what God declares is always there for your taking by faith! Just believe and receive, PTL! In declaring you righteous in Christ, God has placed within the soil of your heart the precious imperishable seed of abundant and everlasting life. The forces of evil cannot destroy the works of God and you are his masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). This is the work He wants to continue in your life. Philippians 1:6 says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Praise the Lord of Glory!

Within this imperishable seed, God has placed a unique and personal plan for your life – it is His Plan for you because he loves you so much. Don’t you see? He died for you. He became poor so you might become rich. Don’t live as a pauper. He offers freely a plan you could not possibly achieve alone; a God size plan with God size rewards! As an acorn contains everything necessary to grow a mighty oak, so does the imperishable seed God has planted in your heart. He wants you to become a mighty oak of righteousness in Christ; a branch burdened down with fruit. This is the reality God has for your life. It is not a carrot that sounds good but cannot be obtained. It has already been won for you at the cross.

Be joyful! There is a new course for your life to follow: “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7) Do not get hung up with the filth of this world. You are now free to be enslaved to God: “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.” (Romans 6:22) True liberty comes from being enslaved to God. God has freed you from sin, set you apart and wants his plan for your life to come to fruition. It is the “first place” plan for every circumstance you face in life (Colossians 2:10). The all-knowing God knows all you need and has already planned for it. He knows what is around every corner. He is your pioneer who scouts out the dangers ahead and says, “Come, follow me.” There is no safer place than the will of God for your life.

But as with the acorn that becomes the mighty oak tree, the growth process requires cultivated soil (a ready and willing heart), water (the precious Word of God) and plenty of “Son” shine (The Lord as Lord of your life). “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6) Let me ask you, “Are you living in Him? Are you rooted and built up in Him?” Be strengthened in the faith as you were taught. Return to your first love and start overflowing with thankfulness. These are the wonderful things God has done for you and now await you.

Say these words of love from God to yourself: “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (Timothy 4:8) Do you love His appearing? Is he showing up in your circumstances? Do you see his fingerprints? Do you see him in the wisdom he grants you, the strength he gives you for service and the power he grants you to witness in his name. Do you see him when a soul says I want to be saved; I want Jesus in my life. Do you see him in pain and sorrow? He is there. He is there. In Ephesians 5:17-20, Paul is trying to explain to the Christians at Ephesus how to stay the course, how to fight the good fight and finish the course well. But as you read these words remember, you must live in the Spirit behind the words and live the words in the Spirit.