ASK FOR HELP!

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

ARE YOU SEEKING?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I think we all intellectually “get” spiritual warfare.

Temptation, sin, challenges, the lures and trappings of a sinful world are around every corner, behind the next building, one channel away, or up the street bathed in neon lights. We get that. Sometimes we don’t want to admit its potential impact on us, but we do “get” that the "option" for sinful behavior permeates every nook and cranny of our culture.

I also believe that we understand that these temptations are vying for our attention 24/7, 365!

So "let’s be real" for a second.

There are times for all of us where this battle for our minds and our decisions seems impossible to win. There are occasions when the pull of the temptation feels too strong and the enticement is well, just too “enticing”. We all have moments where the words of the enemy seem sweeter, more persuasive, and more convincing.

And when that happens, we can’t fool ourselves into thinking we can handle an advance from the enemy like that alone.

We MUST PAUSE and ASK FOR HELP!

Way too often we feel that we alone can weather the temptation. Too often our pride gets in the way.

We fool ourselves into thinking we can “resist” the temptation on our own.

And WE KNOW 99 times out of 100 THAT DOESN’T CUT IT!

Come on...I said "let's be real" for a second.

Trust me!

Take it from someone who has tried to “white-knuckle” my way through a night without drinking, who has driven past “the club” at 7pm only to return at 9pm, fighting this battle alone just doesn’t work.

We must utilize our HELP! For it is FROM our help (“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-presenthelp in trouble – Psalm 46) that we can not only weather the challenge, but we can overcome them!

Don’t think so…think again!

Romans 7:24-8:13

The Message (MSG)

²⁴I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

²⁵The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Romans 8

The Solution Is Life on God's Terms

^1-2With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

There is NO QUESTION that this battle for the hearts and minds of those who love Jesus is raging. I have had several conversations this week with dear friends who are weary from the attack. I witnessed it first-hand yesterday as a dear brother wilted under the weight of temptation and sin and ran away from his help.

I know I have fought and lost many battles already this week.

That is why I want to encourage all of us to PAUSE and ASK FOR HELP!

Our Lord, our Savior, our intercessor is not a stranger to the temptations, the lures, the exhaustion, the battle and the intensity of our struggle. He has "been there, done that" and has great compassion for our situation!

HEBREWS 4:

The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain

^14-16Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

So take that scripture, that truth to heart today. If you’re personal battle is furious; if temptation and sin are pelting you from every side, WALK RIGHT UP AND GET WHAT HE WANTS TO GIVE…HIS LOVE, HIS HELP!

“His love is deep His love is wide

And it covers us

His love is fierce His love is strong

It is furious

His love is sweet His love is wild

And its waking (and bringing) hearts to life!”

I love you all.

Have a blessed day

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney