Hello everyone. 🙂
Today, I am sharing a testimony that I hope will encourage you all- as it is currently encouraging me.
Very recently, God has been showing me how to come out of a depressing pit that I have fallen into over the past few months. I had been spending an excessive amount of time thinking about all of the sins in my life, and instead of this helping me to overcome my sins (why would this help, anyways?!), I was sinking into a pit of discouragement. Wanting to overcome sin is good, but it isn’t a recipe for victory all by itself. We need Jesus’ power in order to overcome. We cannot overcome sin on our own.
Jesus has begun to show me the solution to my state of discouragement and defeat. He has been showing me that we do indeed become what we spend the majority of our time focusing on. When we spend the majority of our time focusing on our sins, we stay sinful-and become even more sinful.
“ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
The solution to this predicament is to focus on Jesus. He is the One who both has what we need, and also has the power to help us to become like Him. Satan loves to have us dwelling on our faults all the time (and other people’s faults too) so that we won’t spend time looking at Jesus. He knows that Jesus both can and will transform those who focus on Him.
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)
The word of God is what transforms us! We learn about Jesus and His ways from His Word. We must receive new input in order to have renewed minds and hearts, and to become new people! This is so true because, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” Job 14:4 (KJV)
This truth is so simple and yet so powerful! As I embrace this truth, I sense a new power, and a new encouragement coming into my life: it is Jesus’ power and Jesus’ encouragement!
In Jesus’ own words:
“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:3-5 (KJV)
This abiding experience is very sweet. One of the things that kept me in a state of discouragement for far too long was unbelief that God was really willing to engage in the process of clearing the muck from my soul. I tried to deal with the filth myself-quite unsuccessfully. Now, I am coming to Jesus with all of my muck, once again, and allowing Him to clean it up for me…and you know what? He does! He can actually do this for me! Life with Him is encouraging and victorious! He can do this for you too. Don’t try to fix yourself. Come to Jesus as You are, and allow Him to clear the filth from your soul, heal your heart, and give you joy and peace. He promises not to cast you out if you come to Him. John 6:37 He will help you! I promise you that He will! 1 John 1:9
Thank You Jesus, for delivering me from the slough of self-absorption, discouragement and defeat. Thank You so much for showing me where true victory comes from, and how to receive it. Please help many others to either grow in their current experiences of victory through You, or to begin tasting the sweet experience that I am beginning to taste once again. Please forgive me for indulging in unbelief, and for falling off track. Thank You for not giving up on me and leaving me alone. Thank You for never giving up on, or forsaking any of us.
Thank You so much, dear Jesus, and may we all be victorious over our sins in Your strength!
In Jesus’ Name Amen
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2 Corinthians 3:18 was taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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