A Knights tale.

 As a warrior in the Kingdom as I have shared previously my struggle is often against the idols and false beliefs of my past, particularly the false belief that sexual arousal and satisfaction are necessary to be fulfilled.  I have also shared that making confession, repentance and renouncing and living free in reality seem at times worlds apart. In my previous posts on the struggle is real and war I reflect the strategy to make war. 

Having made the decision to make Jesus and the Kingdom of God my magnificent obsession and remain celebrate, in sexual purity. I was disturbed by my internal battle and thought patterns of temptation to engage in my sexual urges. I cried out to God in distress, and was reminded by him the the battle for the Kingdom of God in my life is very real. There is no testimony without a test, and no victory or conquering without a presence of a battle and war. This in itself implies that to receive the crown or reward you have to conquer and overcome the fleshy or carnal man. But how, it's not like just flicking the switch and boom your sin issues are gone? 

I was given a wonderful scripture verse in this regard. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28‭-‬30 NIV

Followed by the scripture of the woman with the issue of blood. She had suffered many years with the affliction and spent all her money searching for help, and yet progressively got worse.  Until she heard of Jesus and knew if she just touched his garment she would be healed. Which she did, and was immediately set free, Jesus knew that power had left him, and basically insisted that she confess her situation to him. He then remarkably states that her faith had set her free. Oh what a promise that even after many years my faith in Christ would do the same for me.

It seems to me that grace and obedience are two sides of the same coin. We can't overcome without his help, in our own strength.  Yet we still have obey and endure the struggle by Faith, the fight is not for victory (Christ has done that already) but from a place of victory.  You are responsible to practice self control and spiritual disciplines and work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  It sounds like a contradiction and yet we are commanded to live lives that please him and are worthy of the calling God has given to us. 

so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,

Colossians 1:10‭-‬11 

The Kingdom is is intentionally counter cultural and even considered upside down in contrast to the kingdoms of the world. For evidence of that one need only look at the sermon on the mount, Jesus in this discourse challenges our thinking and moral standards to be Kingdom minded. Read Matthew 5, 6 & 7.  Toward the very end of the sermon Jesus states the following...

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Matthew 7:24‭-‬27 NIV

That is too Shema, to Listen AND Obey, I am sure that you have noticed often in scripture Jesus would say "he who has ears let him hear". Now logically most people have ears and therefore hear (unless they are hearing impaired) so clearly the call is to Shema. I find it useful to think of it in terms of a warrior or knight, in those days allegiance was pledged to the King. The entire resource of the knight was sworn to the Kings service, to obey and serve. In a sense that is what we do within the Kingdom of God.  We are called to lay down our lives and authority and live under Jesus rule and reign in every area and sphere of our lives. This however needs to be done intentionally and daily picking up our cross for the King and HIS Kingdom.  Don't know about you but this is too often a struggle and I find myself in a place of climbing back up on the throne of my heart. 

I hope to share more of this journey and struggle in future posts. I find these meme quite enlightening concider the truth it holds for you. Grace was God revealing what was about to happen and the instruction to build and Ark, yet Noah had to obey for the Grace to be effective.  SHEMA.







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