The only thing that stands between the Christian and
obedience to the Father is that believer’s will. Jesus cleanses us from sin in
the New Birth. Then the soul and body must then be submitted to the Lordship of
Jesus through the Word. The body has been trained to yield to certain appetites
and desires that if partaken of after the New Birth, will break their
fellowship with the great Father God. The body must be controlled. The mind has
been filled with ideas and beliefs that are contrary to the plan and purpose of
the Father. The mind must be renewed. The emotions have been trained to yield
to the carnal and selfish appetites. The emotions must be submitted to the Born
Again human spirit. And the human will has been accustomed to yielding to call
of the body and of the un-renewed mind. This unharnessed will must be submitted
daily to Jesus and His Lordship.
Jesus addresses the will of the believer in every Gospel,
appealing to us to yield ourselves willingly to God and His plans. Listen to His
strong appeals:
Don't think I've
come to make life cozy. I've come to cut —
(35) make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother,
bride and mother-in-law — cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free
you for God. (36) Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. (37)
If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son
or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. (38) "If you don't go all the
way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. (39) If your first
concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you
forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me
(Matthew 10:34-39 – The Message). Then
Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you
must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. (25) If
you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life
for my sake, you will save it (Matthew 16:24-25 NLT). If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to
himself, take up hid cross and follow me (Mark 8:34 – Phillips
Translation). Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse,
children, brothers, sisters — yes, even one's own self! — can't be my disciple.
(27) Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my
disciple …(33) Simply put, if you're
not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss
it good-bye, you can't be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27, 33 – The Message).
All of us must be willing to yield our thoughts, plans,
and ideas to the Word of God and to Jesus the living Word! If we fail to do
this, we will miss God’s highest and best and open an avenue for Satan to work
in our lives. Tomorrow I will give you an illustration of this in the life of
King Saul.
Take time today to recommit your will to Him who loved
you and gave Himself completely for you.
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