Disciplie, Will and Spirit  –  2020.03.11

Disciplie, Will and Spirit  –  2020.03.11

Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17

Yesterday we spoke about self-control and discipline. A strong will is required to live according to the Bible to withstand all the addictions, pleasures and sheer wealth. But many do not have this strong will, follow instead their lusts and desires.
They do not know the gospel which is the opposite of own strength. God gives us the strength, the discipline as a gift of grace that redeems and releases.
No longer excerting yourselve means under no circumstances let everything go. Where is the solution between strong will and let everything go? The Bible has a good suggestion here: It does not teach that God does everything without us, or that we have to rely totally on our own strength. The Bible tells us to open ourselves to Gods will, to be determined by His Spirit and not by our desires. That means to follow as Christians Jesus who frees us from all addictions. It does not happen always immediately. Often it takes years of struggle. You are therefore not a second class Christian, a failure, an unbeliever or so. Everyone has his own way in following Jesus. Thats all!
He wants us to open ourselves totally to His Spirit. For this reasons He often allows distresses. The more severe the need, the greater the cry for help, the desire to seek His presence.
The closer the fellowship with Jesus, the less the bad desires rules in us until we become more and more free from them. That is not a five minute action, it takes sometimes a life long. God is patient with us. He love us and our fellowship with Him. He likes it when we tie ourselves closely to Him, when we immediately accept His forgiveness.

Thank You, Jesus, You have good thoughts and plans for me. You started the good work in me and You will complete it. I will rely on that. You work in me in great freedom. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.


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