2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are still in the Christian faith. Test yourselves! Don’t you recognize that you are people in whom Yeshua Christ lives? Could it be that you’re failing the test? 6 I hope that you will realize that we haven’t failed the test. 7 We pray to God that you won’t do anything wrong. It’s not that we want to prove that we’ve passed the test. Rather, we want you to do whatever is right, even if we seem to have failed. 8 We can’t do anything against the truth but only to help the truth. 9 We’re glad when we are weak and you are strong. We are also praying for your improvement.
The LORD impressed this passage of Scripture (above) upon my heart today. Thus, I feel compelled to share it with you. “This is the third time that I’ll be visiting you. Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses (verse 1).” Paul’s paternal care over the Corinthians was very consistent and devoted. Your daily walk with the Lord needs to be very much like this first verse. We need to view each day as a gift to use for God’s glory. We must consistently rely upon the Lord’s witness to us for success. As it says in Exodus 14:14 “The LORD will fight for you, you need only be still.” When I read these two verses together, it reminds me that we should not be deceived, for there is an enemy of our souls. We are told in scripture that this enemy accuses the Children of God tirelessly. It is a VERY GOOD THING that our advocate with the Father is Jesus Christ, the Messiah & Savior, and that He has left the Holy Spirit to go with us to ensure we do not fall into temptation – and if we do, that we do not fall away because everyone is tempted with a multitude of things. I pray the following allegory will shed more light on the days we are currently living in. They are very dangerous and the enemy tries to disguise himself all around us. Even if it seems like everyone and everything is against you, remember, “If OUR GOD is for us, who can be against us?”
Let me liken the Christian Walk to a courtroom scene where you yourself are on trial for your life’s work every single day when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep. The prosecution, Satan, brings everything you’ve ever done under the microscope. He will put as many people on that stand as humanly possible to not only discredit you, but to attempt to discredit (although impossible) the one who defends your soul from all harm, Jesus Christ. On any given day, it doesn’t even matter if it happened last week or 20 years ago, the enemy will do anything it can do to turn the judge against you.
This is the every day life of a Christian. Sometimes we wish for the judge to step in on our behalf or even for our defense attorney (Jesus) to step in and stop the defense from stating its case. However, the LORD NEVER returns evil with evil. He smites the enemy with Righteousness and He requires us to do the same as we show the world that our lives are truly changed because of the One Who Saves, Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus, the Messiah). Even if He seems distant, that is only because our sin separates us from a right relationship with him. That’s why the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is of utmost importance nowadays. If we don’t know Christ Jesus, we don’t truly know the person of the Holy Spirit…thus, if we look to God only to get us out of our troubles when we have messed up, we miss the point of His Presence in our lives. He doesn’t want you to fail, much like Paul does not want the Corinthians to fail. Remember, the Lord gives us trials and tribulations to show us favor — once you have triumphed, only then can there be no case against you because THERE IS ONLY ONE CASE THAT MATTERS — the case, point, and TRUTH that Jesus Christ is alive and well, sitting at the right hand of the Father fighting daily for you until He comes again. Until then, remember the following…
The LORD’s LOVE for you NEVER FAILS. There is nothing in this life that you can do that will stop him from pursuing a personal relationship with you. Even when you’ve hit rock bottom, that’s when His Righteous Right Hand is most evident in our lives to pick us up, if we will let Him do it. I pray that you will LET HIM DO whatever it is He needs to do in order for Him to do AMAZING THINGS in and through your life for His Glory! Accepting the transforming LOVE of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross will be the greatest decision you will ever make. I can firmly say that letting the LORD JESUS CHRIST take control of my life has been the best thing that has ever come my way.
As time goes on and you begin to reflect on the various things in your life & the direction of the world we currently live in, put your life under the microscope of the HOLY SPIRIT. The Helper will guide you along right paths & convict us of sin. A dear friend of mine in the faith once told me the following when I felt so convicted by a particular verse (I felt ashamed of myself) that it showed the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in my life, “It is a good thing that you feel convicted. People who do not love God have no regard for what the Scripture says.” The Holy Spirit is the AUTHOR OF SCRIPTURE & LIFE! Desire to LISTEN & OBEY the LORD and He will give you spiritual food by the Power of the Holy Spirit! If you need a course correction, seek the LORD in prayer & seek friends in the faith to encourage you! If you pray to Jesus for all of your needs, He is Righteous and Just to give us everything that we need because HE SO DESIRES to give us GOOD GIFTS!
God SPEED & God BLESS you as you pursue a life that is pleasing to Him in this day and age! It may not be easy, but it will be the best thing you do! Remember that the work of the CROSS is our Victory & Jesus is the Victor by which all other VICTORS ARE CALLED! Finally, remember the LORD chooses those who choose to FIGHT FOR HIM & His work that is carried out by His Servants to this day!
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