Many of us feel inadequate or as though we should ‘be better’ sometimes. God will perfect us as we surrender ourselves daily to Him. Our trying to be good enough or a perfectionist will not work. We cannot prove ourselves to God or buy His love. Through the choices we make, we can become more pure. Sometimes that requires a change in direction or surroundings. Our body is His temple and we should endeavor to make it Holy. Our focus must be on Him, not ourselves or our circumstances. Paul said that if he lost everything and still had Christ he was content and no matter what happened he could find joy in knowing that Christ’s message was being heard by and strengthened in those around him, advancing God’s perfect plan. He always embraces us as we obey Him completely and really trust the only One who knows all. Even the angels have to!
Try this when you begin to feel down or defeated:
- Hold the truth up to the devil, and speak it out loud! He can’t stand up to God’s word. Declare that sin is no longer your master and Jesus has already freed you from anything that could hold you.
- Speak God’s name & give Him praise! Confess your sin to Him, allowing Him to empty you of anything that would prevent you from being His vessel. Pray for His guidance in what you are facing right now and trust it.
- Find peace in God’s grace. As a brother/sister in Christ, we have been freed from condemnation and made part of the resurrection. What is true of Christ is now true for us. He knew we would all act like knotheads at times, and His sacrifice was sufficient for it once and for all, here and now.
- Be confident in God, keeping your focus on Him always. Faith in the heart that is released through the mouth can move mountains. With God, nothing is impossible and circumstances are of no consequence. Decide to live in Him, devoting your whole self to Him. He is with you and will always help you when you ask Him to. Evil has already been defeated and satan knows he is doomed.
- Read these scriptures- Romans 6, 7, and 8; Colossians 3; Galatians 5; All of Philippians (1, 2, 3, 4); James 1. Read God’s Word on a daily basis, meditating on it. It has all the answers we need.
Also, check out ‘Why Is Life So Hard?‘, Authentic Serving reading plan or these messages from the series ‘Free’ where Paul shows us how he dealt with his problem-
